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The Ways Trilogy #1
Echoes of Balance
For Chloe Moraine, fighting wild bears– and the occasional vampire– is a better pastime than the tediousness of keeping the universe in balance. But balancing is the family business. It comes with being one of the last in the ancient line of Naimei.
So when the impending return of the Original Demons threatens global harmony, Chloe is obligated to help. Even when that means the dull-as-dirt task of following a human girl who “might be involved, maybe,” instead of the thrilling hunt she craves.
With their powerful magic and ancient Ways, Chloe’s family is unconcerned, certain they’ll quickly fix the imbalance while she’s preoccupied with human high school. But when the Ways start to fail, the threat becomes more serious, and the only person that seems to know anything is a debonair vampire with an offer to help.
If Chloe chooses to trust him, and the darker side of the supernatural he represents, she’ll betray her family and risk losing them, and herself, in the process. But if he’s right, he may just be their only chance to stop the return of the Originals and save the world.
Maybe high school won’t be so boring after all.
So when the impending return of the Original Demons threatens global harmony, Chloe is obligated to help. Even when that means the dull-as-dirt task of following a human girl who “might be involved, maybe,” instead of the thrilling hunt she craves.
With their powerful magic and ancient Ways, Chloe’s family is unconcerned, certain they’ll quickly fix the imbalance while she’s preoccupied with human high school. But when the Ways start to fail, the threat becomes more serious, and the only person that seems to know anything is a debonair vampire with an offer to help.
If Chloe chooses to trust him, and the darker side of the supernatural he represents, she’ll betray her family and risk losing them, and herself, in the process. But if he’s right, he may just be their only chance to stop the return of the Originals and save the world.
Maybe high school won’t be so boring after all.
224 pages, Paperback
First published December 17, 2013
1 person is currently reading
1103 people want to read
About the author
Cally Ryanne
1 book15 followersI'm just a vegetarian in search of the perfect leather jacket.
I live in uptown Manhattan with three room mates and two adopted cats. It's a pretty great life. Really, though, it is*.
My debut novel, Echoes of Balance, is out via REUTS Pub. on December 17th. Stay tuned for the cover reveal and some sneak peeks!
*Once, A$AP Rocky (and A$AP Ferg and Schoolboy Q and that whole mob) filmed a video on the roof of my apartment. I met Rocky and when I told him about my day job, his response was 'Thaswassup.'
I live in uptown Manhattan with three room mates and two adopted cats. It's a pretty great life. Really, though, it is*.
My debut novel, Echoes of Balance, is out via REUTS Pub. on December 17th. Stay tuned for the cover reveal and some sneak peeks!
*Once, A$AP Rocky (and A$AP Ferg and Schoolboy Q and that whole mob) filmed a video on the roof of my apartment. I met Rocky and when I told him about my day job, his response was 'Thaswassup.'
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August 13, 2016Of course we think Echoes of Balance is just the most awesomest book on the planet, but we may have a slight biased... or so "they" tell us. For that reason, our star rating review of Echoes of Balance will be left blank. We hope you enjoy the story!
♥ REUTS Publications
♥ REUTS Publications
December 4, 2013
Echoes of Balance in the first in The Ways Trilogy, it has a beautiful cover and the plot definitely has some potential. Vampires, demons, and a race name Naimei. Who are they, what are they, all things that I wanted to know. And a young girl who is at the center of it all. Sounds good right? Chloe has to play the part of being a typical highs school and do all the things that teenage girls do. This is not her real mission though, she has to find and befriend person that is fear by her race as a weapon in the resurrection the Original Demons. And try and stop it from happening.
Chloe is a hunter, vampires, demons, you name it, she hunts it. Her heritage calls for it. She really isn’t interested in the Ways and their doings. She seems to have a good head on her shoulders and isn’t perfect, and even though she just wants to hunt, she has a maturity to her that makes her more aware of consequences of her actions. Chloe was a great main character. Chloe’s family and friends and even the few new people she meets are made for a fantastic cast. There is a possible love interest, and there are two of them but no long triangle presented itself, not enough time for that with the whole possible end of the world thing going. I have to say, that I think either pick would be a good one, so I am looking forward to seeing how the “romance” plays out in the next book.
The story has it all, shape shifters, vampires, and one set of people who have some special powers and who are suppose to keep balance of it all. I was happy that the traditional aspect was kept when it came to all the paranormal creatures. They weren’t especially evil, but the mysterious about them, is what I enjoyed. Are the looking out for themselves, or are they part of the plan to bring back the Demons that could destroy the world. The Naimei is in interesting race, they have laws and traditions to keeping the peace and balance between the world and the supernaturals. The Originals Demons will cause havoc, and following Chloe on her journey to learn who and why this is all happening was a pretty good ride. And her meeting two enigmatic vampires, helped too. The was enough action at times, that it kept me turning the pages to see what happened.
I think that overall this is a really good start to the series, the characters were ones that I enjoyed and the plot itself was too. The ending set up for the next book and I was happy with it, so I’ll be on the lookout for it. I would recommend pick it up.
For more review, check out For more of reviews, visit Book Live Forever
Chloe is a hunter, vampires, demons, you name it, she hunts it. Her heritage calls for it. She really isn’t interested in the Ways and their doings. She seems to have a good head on her shoulders and isn’t perfect, and even though she just wants to hunt, she has a maturity to her that makes her more aware of consequences of her actions. Chloe was a great main character. Chloe’s family and friends and even the few new people she meets are made for a fantastic cast. There is a possible love interest, and there are two of them but no long triangle presented itself, not enough time for that with the whole possible end of the world thing going. I have to say, that I think either pick would be a good one, so I am looking forward to seeing how the “romance” plays out in the next book.
The story has it all, shape shifters, vampires, and one set of people who have some special powers and who are suppose to keep balance of it all. I was happy that the traditional aspect was kept when it came to all the paranormal creatures. They weren’t especially evil, but the mysterious about them, is what I enjoyed. Are the looking out for themselves, or are they part of the plan to bring back the Demons that could destroy the world. The Naimei is in interesting race, they have laws and traditions to keeping the peace and balance between the world and the supernaturals. The Originals Demons will cause havoc, and following Chloe on her journey to learn who and why this is all happening was a pretty good ride. And her meeting two enigmatic vampires, helped too. The was enough action at times, that it kept me turning the pages to see what happened.
I think that overall this is a really good start to the series, the characters were ones that I enjoyed and the plot itself was too. The ending set up for the next book and I was happy with it, so I’ll be on the lookout for it. I would recommend pick it up.
For more review, check out For more of reviews, visit Book Live Forever
November 19, 2013
3.5 / 5 stars –
Official description from the REUTS website:
For Chloe Moraine, fighting wild bears– and the occasional vampire– is a better pastime than the tediousness of keeping the universe in balance. But balancing is the family business. It comes with being one of the last in the ancient line of Naimei.
So when the impending return of the Original Demons threatens global harmony, Chloe is obligated to help. Even when that means the dull-as-dirt task of following a human girl who “might be involved, maybe,” instead of the thrilling hunt she craves.
With their powerful magic and ancient Ways, Chloe’s family is unconcerned, certain they’ll quickly fix the imbalance while she’s preoccupied with human high school. But when the Ways start to fail, the threat becomes more serious, and the only person that seems to know anything is a debonair vampire with an offer to help.
If Chloe chooses to trust him, and the darker side of the supernatural he represents, she’ll betray her family and risk losing them, and herself, in the process. But if he’s right, he may just be their only chance to stop the return of the Originals and save the world.
Maybe high school won’t be so boring after all.
First off, let’s just take a moment to appreciate that cover. Like really. It’s awesome.
Echoes of Balance by Cally Ryanne is a fun, fresh, and fantastic take on the paranormal/urban fantasy genre. I wasn’t sure what I would be getting from REUTS Publications – a fairly new independent publisher that mixes self-publishing and traditional publishing techniques – but I have to say, I was pleasantly surprised. They are definitely a publisher to look out for.
Cally Ryanne uses a simplistic, yet not basic, writing style, that is easy to breeze through. When I read (and occasionally review) novels, a big part of it for me is the writing style. For me, they can’t be too bland, not overly descriptive, but somehow they need to achieve a balance between the two. Ryanne did this with her style.
The storyline incorporates the majority of many of the popular urban fantasy and paranormal creatures – vampires, witches, shifters, and so on – which under usual circumstances would appear to be clichéd and overused, but I think they were handled in an original way. I also loved the concept of the Ways, and keeping things in balance, though I did feel that part could have been explained a touch more. I didn’t give this one five stars because I didn’t entirely connect with the characters. Because the novel was quite short, I didn’t think there was enough characterization of some of the major characters, and therefore it was hard for me to fully connect and relate to them.
Overall, though – a thoroughly enjoyable novel. I am definitely excited for what else REUTS Publications and their authors come out with next. (:
Lastly – thank you so much to REUTS Publications for this e-arc!
Official description from the REUTS website:
For Chloe Moraine, fighting wild bears– and the occasional vampire– is a better pastime than the tediousness of keeping the universe in balance. But balancing is the family business. It comes with being one of the last in the ancient line of Naimei.
So when the impending return of the Original Demons threatens global harmony, Chloe is obligated to help. Even when that means the dull-as-dirt task of following a human girl who “might be involved, maybe,” instead of the thrilling hunt she craves.
With their powerful magic and ancient Ways, Chloe’s family is unconcerned, certain they’ll quickly fix the imbalance while she’s preoccupied with human high school. But when the Ways start to fail, the threat becomes more serious, and the only person that seems to know anything is a debonair vampire with an offer to help.
If Chloe chooses to trust him, and the darker side of the supernatural he represents, she’ll betray her family and risk losing them, and herself, in the process. But if he’s right, he may just be their only chance to stop the return of the Originals and save the world.
Maybe high school won’t be so boring after all.
First off, let’s just take a moment to appreciate that cover. Like really. It’s awesome.
Echoes of Balance by Cally Ryanne is a fun, fresh, and fantastic take on the paranormal/urban fantasy genre. I wasn’t sure what I would be getting from REUTS Publications – a fairly new independent publisher that mixes self-publishing and traditional publishing techniques – but I have to say, I was pleasantly surprised. They are definitely a publisher to look out for.
Cally Ryanne uses a simplistic, yet not basic, writing style, that is easy to breeze through. When I read (and occasionally review) novels, a big part of it for me is the writing style. For me, they can’t be too bland, not overly descriptive, but somehow they need to achieve a balance between the two. Ryanne did this with her style.
The storyline incorporates the majority of many of the popular urban fantasy and paranormal creatures – vampires, witches, shifters, and so on – which under usual circumstances would appear to be clichéd and overused, but I think they were handled in an original way. I also loved the concept of the Ways, and keeping things in balance, though I did feel that part could have been explained a touch more. I didn’t give this one five stars because I didn’t entirely connect with the characters. Because the novel was quite short, I didn’t think there was enough characterization of some of the major characters, and therefore it was hard for me to fully connect and relate to them.
Overall, though – a thoroughly enjoyable novel. I am definitely excited for what else REUTS Publications and their authors come out with next. (:
Lastly – thank you so much to REUTS Publications for this e-arc!
March 30, 2014
5 of 5 stars
I am glad i got to read the full fresh book from Cally Ryanne with the help of the amazing group of REUTS. Since my 1st review was on the Arc i believe that we will have to see more of Chloe and Aurelia. Not to mention the vampires! :)
----------
A new beginning on the genre oF paranormal begins with "Echoes of Balance", the first book from REUTS, which is going to be on our shelves soon!!! I had the luck to read the ARC of the book and, although i want to spill the beans, i will try and restrain myself...i think.
The story follows Chloe, a Naimei. She and her "kind" are responsible for keeping the balance between many, many species using the Ways,a mysterious yet captivating way of expressing the need to learn more of the Unknown.
Chloe will soon have to tet her powers as she will become friends with Aurelia, someone who holds the key to the drawing evil as also coming across two mysterious vampires. (NOT the Twilight kind, i assure you!)
The story itself begins with a mysterious prologue, introduces many characters and keeps the reader interested on the plot until the last page.
On the way, especially, how the Ways are used, it reminds me of Pythia, the ancient oracle from Delphi, as also some names can be found into greek mythology, giving to the story the air of ancient, yet powerful and in some times destructuble force.
Add in the remarkable cover, where many would kill for the gown, and you have a fesh story, from a well promising author, Cally Ryanne, who will be able to make us completely hook up with her stories! :)
That is for now. I hope you will enjoy the story, just like i did and who knows? Maybe the Naimei will rush to the action again! :)
From Alexandra to all you out there who seek a fresh and promising story! ;)
I am glad i got to read the full fresh book from Cally Ryanne with the help of the amazing group of REUTS. Since my 1st review was on the Arc i believe that we will have to see more of Chloe and Aurelia. Not to mention the vampires! :)
----------
A new beginning on the genre oF paranormal begins with "Echoes of Balance", the first book from REUTS, which is going to be on our shelves soon!!! I had the luck to read the ARC of the book and, although i want to spill the beans, i will try and restrain myself...i think.
The story follows Chloe, a Naimei. She and her "kind" are responsible for keeping the balance between many, many species using the Ways,a mysterious yet captivating way of expressing the need to learn more of the Unknown.
Chloe will soon have to tet her powers as she will become friends with Aurelia, someone who holds the key to the drawing evil as also coming across two mysterious vampires. (NOT the Twilight kind, i assure you!)
The story itself begins with a mysterious prologue, introduces many characters and keeps the reader interested on the plot until the last page.
On the way, especially, how the Ways are used, it reminds me of Pythia, the ancient oracle from Delphi, as also some names can be found into greek mythology, giving to the story the air of ancient, yet powerful and in some times destructuble force.
Add in the remarkable cover, where many would kill for the gown, and you have a fesh story, from a well promising author, Cally Ryanne, who will be able to make us completely hook up with her stories! :)
That is for now. I hope you will enjoy the story, just like i did and who knows? Maybe the Naimei will rush to the action again! :)
From Alexandra to all you out there who seek a fresh and promising story! ;)
November 29, 2013
3.5 stars
Chole, a young girl with witch-like powers, tries to step out of the imposing shadows cast by her relatives. She's stopped aging but doesn't really live until she's sent on a mission...to attend high school.
Her amusement with her peers' preoccupation with clothes, boys, and a dance might make it difficult for teens to connect with her at first, but the author (Cally Ryanne) gives readers other opportunities to share in Chole's moments of self-doubt and fear. Dream sequences, heady and dark, double as informative glimpses into her past and future. In the small town of Molton, Chole struggles to make her own choices, and mistakes, under her brother's watchful influence.
It's nice to see that the vampires, werewolves, and demons aren't precisely good or evil but possess tendencies of both natures. Take Chole's ill-advised friendship with the vampire, Josef, for example. His actions are suspicious yet he tries to protect her, even if she is "delectable, but not at all [his] type".
Chole stands on her own as a character who is just starting on an adventure. I love how she sees into the heart of every monster she meets. Readers will want to know more of the world, the magic, and the danger that Cally Ryanne introduces in this fast-paced story. A special thanks to REUTS for sharing this eARC.
Chole, a young girl with witch-like powers, tries to step out of the imposing shadows cast by her relatives. She's stopped aging but doesn't really live until she's sent on a mission...to attend high school.
Her amusement with her peers' preoccupation with clothes, boys, and a dance might make it difficult for teens to connect with her at first, but the author (Cally Ryanne) gives readers other opportunities to share in Chole's moments of self-doubt and fear. Dream sequences, heady and dark, double as informative glimpses into her past and future. In the small town of Molton, Chole struggles to make her own choices, and mistakes, under her brother's watchful influence.
It's nice to see that the vampires, werewolves, and demons aren't precisely good or evil but possess tendencies of both natures. Take Chole's ill-advised friendship with the vampire, Josef, for example. His actions are suspicious yet he tries to protect her, even if she is "delectable, but not at all [his] type".
Chole stands on her own as a character who is just starting on an adventure. I love how she sees into the heart of every monster she meets. Readers will want to know more of the world, the magic, and the danger that Cally Ryanne introduces in this fast-paced story. A special thanks to REUTS for sharing this eARC.
May 5, 2015
My review shall be posted soon!
November 19, 2013
4.5 Stars
So first off, this review is here because I received an ARC copy from Reuts publishing in exchange for a review. So here it is!
To begin, I’ll be honest and say I don’t read YA paranormal that often. I’m familiar with the heavy hitters, of course, and I dip into the genre on occasion, but typically I don’t find myself too interested in YA that has paranormal romance elements and I would not call myself well read in the genre by any stretch of the imagination. However, I was intrigued by the chance to read the first book released by a new publisher.
I was also pleasantly surprised. Echoes of Balance is an enjoyable book and one with a lot of strengths, including wonderful worldbuilding, generally strong characterization, and a plot that has just enough mounting tension to keep you sucked in. I’ll try to avoid spoilers in this review.
Let’s start with the book description. Echoes of Balance focuses on Chloe, one of the Naimei. The Namei are a paranormal race dedicated to preserving balance, and do this by using the Ways, a set of instruments that point to where trouble may be looming. Chloe isn’t too interested in the ways, having been interested in hunting vampires for most of her life, but when she injures herself and realizes that vampires are more than just mindless bloodsuckers, she refocuses and gets pulled into preventing the resurrection of two very powerful demons. To do that, she has to keep track of Aurelia, a girl in high school who somehow is pivotal to the demon’s resurrection.
Clearly there is a lot going on in the book, but the author, Cally Ryanne, does a good job keeping track of all the threads and tying up the important things by the end. The tension mounts as the book goes on, from Chloe meeting Josef and Sam, two vampires who she suspects more and more have something to do with the demon summoning, to Aurelia who displays strange powers, and even to Ducante, a demon who runs a bar and clearly knows more than he is letting on. It’s not quite a page-turner, but the mounting mystery kept me reading. There are also a lot of hints scattered throughout the book about Chloe and her family that suggest the series will only get more complex and interesting as it goes on.
The only weakness in the plot was the strange prologue. It hammers you over the head with mysteriousness and characters you know nothing about, so it falls rather flat. But it’s only a few pages, and then the story picks up quite quickly after that.
I’ll focus on the world-building for a bit. It’s hard to do paranormal justice these days, but the Naimei, the race that our MC Chloe belongs to, are a very neat paranormal species. I loved the idea of the Vanishing—that the Naimei, rather than die of old age, simply vanish with no explanation when their time comes. It was a wonderful bit of mystery and made the Naimei feel as alive and unique as any other paranormal creature. And this world has quite the menagerie—shifters, vampires, psychics, witches, and of course, demons. (I feel I should mention—no worries for those who are sick of vampires. The vampires here are fairly traditional, with enhanced strength and speed, a weakness for blood, and not much else. No sparkling, otherworldly beauty, or any other such things). It was also a boon to the story that the paranormal elements were absolutely integral to the plot. This was no YA high school romp with vampires thrown in for flavor, it was a supernatural adventure that happens to dip into high school. It reminded me a bit of Buffy the Vampire Slayer in its tone.
That said, the high school elements did fall a bit flat for me. Their were a lot of fairly cliché elements to them, including the bullies who are bullies for no reason, the fact that everyone in school decides Chloe is the coolest thing ever and should be Spring Fling Queen despite only attending the school for a week, and of course the whole idea of Spring Fling in the first place. Those high school elements made me feel like I was watching an episode of Saved by the Bell. Luckily, though, this is only a minor complaint since the high school elements, as I mentioned before, are not a huge part of the action. They also do get resolved with minimal teen angst and drama, which is appreciated.
Turning to characterization, I really liked the MC. Chloe is not a shrinking violet nor is she overly snarky like some other YA heroines, and not only knows how to use her powers but appreciates what they can do for her. For the protagonist of a YA book, Chloe is very mature in a lot of important ways, and her self-discovery takes the route of her finding a new way to focus her powers (from hunting vampires to fulfilling her family’s goals) and learning more about the paranormal world around her. She does have a few flaws, like not being as open with her family as she should, but all in all she was a strong character that I respected.
The supporting cast is good too. Chloe’s family were well fleshed out and defined, and the two love interests/vampires, Josef and Sam, were well characterized. I will admit to a preference of Sam over Josef, as I’m sick of the “overbearing jerk” love interest that pops up a lot in YA and Josef fit that to a T. Sam, the youthful vampire, had a kind of puppy-ish charm that I appreciated. The only real weakness in the cast was Aurelia, the high school girl that Chloe had to keep track of. She was interesting and we see a lot of good commentary into teen life through her character, but for a character who may end up being very important to future books, she could have used a bit more screen time.
I figure I should add that while I mention love interests, the romance was not a huge part of the book. Most of it was the ever-rising mystery and tension, which to me was a plus.
And as a final plus, the book was well written. Even for an ARC, I didn’t see much in the way of errors. The author tends toward a “telling” approach to some scenes in the interest of either time or reducing word count that I thought could have benefited from being shown, especially scenes with Aurelia where we might have gotten to see more of her home life or personality. This is a minor quibble, though, as clearly the way it was done did a lot for maintaining tension and keeping the pace quick.
To wrap, while not stunningly perfect, Echoes of Balance is a fun, enjoyable supernatural romp with strong characters and a well developed world that I’d be glad to see more of. I’d definitely recommend this for fans of YA or YA paranormal stories, fans of Buffy the Vampire Slayer, and anyone else who enjoys a fast paced fantasy.
So first off, this review is here because I received an ARC copy from Reuts publishing in exchange for a review. So here it is!
To begin, I’ll be honest and say I don’t read YA paranormal that often. I’m familiar with the heavy hitters, of course, and I dip into the genre on occasion, but typically I don’t find myself too interested in YA that has paranormal romance elements and I would not call myself well read in the genre by any stretch of the imagination. However, I was intrigued by the chance to read the first book released by a new publisher.
I was also pleasantly surprised. Echoes of Balance is an enjoyable book and one with a lot of strengths, including wonderful worldbuilding, generally strong characterization, and a plot that has just enough mounting tension to keep you sucked in. I’ll try to avoid spoilers in this review.
Let’s start with the book description. Echoes of Balance focuses on Chloe, one of the Naimei. The Namei are a paranormal race dedicated to preserving balance, and do this by using the Ways, a set of instruments that point to where trouble may be looming. Chloe isn’t too interested in the ways, having been interested in hunting vampires for most of her life, but when she injures herself and realizes that vampires are more than just mindless bloodsuckers, she refocuses and gets pulled into preventing the resurrection of two very powerful demons. To do that, she has to keep track of Aurelia, a girl in high school who somehow is pivotal to the demon’s resurrection.
Clearly there is a lot going on in the book, but the author, Cally Ryanne, does a good job keeping track of all the threads and tying up the important things by the end. The tension mounts as the book goes on, from Chloe meeting Josef and Sam, two vampires who she suspects more and more have something to do with the demon summoning, to Aurelia who displays strange powers, and even to Ducante, a demon who runs a bar and clearly knows more than he is letting on. It’s not quite a page-turner, but the mounting mystery kept me reading. There are also a lot of hints scattered throughout the book about Chloe and her family that suggest the series will only get more complex and interesting as it goes on.
The only weakness in the plot was the strange prologue. It hammers you over the head with mysteriousness and characters you know nothing about, so it falls rather flat. But it’s only a few pages, and then the story picks up quite quickly after that.
I’ll focus on the world-building for a bit. It’s hard to do paranormal justice these days, but the Naimei, the race that our MC Chloe belongs to, are a very neat paranormal species. I loved the idea of the Vanishing—that the Naimei, rather than die of old age, simply vanish with no explanation when their time comes. It was a wonderful bit of mystery and made the Naimei feel as alive and unique as any other paranormal creature. And this world has quite the menagerie—shifters, vampires, psychics, witches, and of course, demons. (I feel I should mention—no worries for those who are sick of vampires. The vampires here are fairly traditional, with enhanced strength and speed, a weakness for blood, and not much else. No sparkling, otherworldly beauty, or any other such things). It was also a boon to the story that the paranormal elements were absolutely integral to the plot. This was no YA high school romp with vampires thrown in for flavor, it was a supernatural adventure that happens to dip into high school. It reminded me a bit of Buffy the Vampire Slayer in its tone.
That said, the high school elements did fall a bit flat for me. Their were a lot of fairly cliché elements to them, including the bullies who are bullies for no reason, the fact that everyone in school decides Chloe is the coolest thing ever and should be Spring Fling Queen despite only attending the school for a week, and of course the whole idea of Spring Fling in the first place. Those high school elements made me feel like I was watching an episode of Saved by the Bell. Luckily, though, this is only a minor complaint since the high school elements, as I mentioned before, are not a huge part of the action. They also do get resolved with minimal teen angst and drama, which is appreciated.
Turning to characterization, I really liked the MC. Chloe is not a shrinking violet nor is she overly snarky like some other YA heroines, and not only knows how to use her powers but appreciates what they can do for her. For the protagonist of a YA book, Chloe is very mature in a lot of important ways, and her self-discovery takes the route of her finding a new way to focus her powers (from hunting vampires to fulfilling her family’s goals) and learning more about the paranormal world around her. She does have a few flaws, like not being as open with her family as she should, but all in all she was a strong character that I respected.
The supporting cast is good too. Chloe’s family were well fleshed out and defined, and the two love interests/vampires, Josef and Sam, were well characterized. I will admit to a preference of Sam over Josef, as I’m sick of the “overbearing jerk” love interest that pops up a lot in YA and Josef fit that to a T. Sam, the youthful vampire, had a kind of puppy-ish charm that I appreciated. The only real weakness in the cast was Aurelia, the high school girl that Chloe had to keep track of. She was interesting and we see a lot of good commentary into teen life through her character, but for a character who may end up being very important to future books, she could have used a bit more screen time.
I figure I should add that while I mention love interests, the romance was not a huge part of the book. Most of it was the ever-rising mystery and tension, which to me was a plus.
And as a final plus, the book was well written. Even for an ARC, I didn’t see much in the way of errors. The author tends toward a “telling” approach to some scenes in the interest of either time or reducing word count that I thought could have benefited from being shown, especially scenes with Aurelia where we might have gotten to see more of her home life or personality. This is a minor quibble, though, as clearly the way it was done did a lot for maintaining tension and keeping the pace quick.
To wrap, while not stunningly perfect, Echoes of Balance is a fun, enjoyable supernatural romp with strong characters and a well developed world that I’d be glad to see more of. I’d definitely recommend this for fans of YA or YA paranormal stories, fans of Buffy the Vampire Slayer, and anyone else who enjoys a fast paced fantasy.
February 2, 2014
This review was originally posted on my site.
Disclosure: I received an ARC of the book as part of the blog tour. The writings below are my opinions, you may let it influence you or you may not.
FL'S SUMMARY:
Chloe is a Naimei {pronounciation: "nigh (rhymes with ‘high’) may (rhymes with ‘hay’} a being of supreme powers stuck with the responsibility of maintaining the balance of the world by consulting The Ways (a complicated instrument used to measure and analyze said balance), too bad she does not have the patience for study and would rather be hunting.
Unfortunately, she’s going through a crisis of sort: wrestling with the possibility that those she hunts might be more than monsters. Suddenly she’s given an assignment by her cousin, Alex, to monitor a high school senior who might or might not be important in a plot to disrupt the status quo of the world.
REVIEW
Strengths: Characters; Dialogue; Pacing; Action
Chloe’s new moral awakening is explored throughout the book; it’s weaved into the story-line and reflects her changing mindset about the creatures she once hunted. In regards to pacing, the book got going from the first page. We get to the meat (what the book is about) quite quickly. There was never a dull moment; you get into the story right away and the narration pulls you deeper. The action scenes were concise yet graphic without being gory.
None of the main characters were dumb, annoying or unnecessary obtuse to move the plot along. Chloe is a sharp character and proves to be a competent heroine; she manages to keep her wits about her and (that annoying thing that separate heroes/heroines from the rest of us mere mortals) run towards danger, even when common sense screams for her to run in the opposite direction. Above all, she just wants to prove herself to her brother and cousins.
The dialogues were amusing and the interaction with the characters felt natural. It provided further insight into their relationships. I usually hate ambiguous revelations (that one character who reveals things without truly revealing anything thereby aggravating the rest of the characters) but those are usually resolved and—if not—you as the reader can sort of solve it (confirmation is another thing entirely) and find out whether or not your conjecture is correct.
Plus: No convoluted love triangle-squares! There does seem to be a love story brewing though and I hope it is handled well.
Weaknesses: cover; world-building; characterizations
Now on to weaknesses. I didn’t pick this book for the cover; it is quite drab and The Selection-esque. It didn’t truly embody the story. The Ways (the instruments) would have made for a better cover: intriguing, mysterious and a bit eccentric.
The world building is minimal (I know it’s not everybody’s cup'a tea but I felt like I was dropped into the supernatural world without much explanation; I’ve got loads of questions! What about the supernatural hierarchy? Is there one? Is there a rule?). The powers are vague; no clear explanation for them and which supernatural species can do what. Perhaps we will learn more in the next book which will negate this point. I truly want to learn more about the Naimei and the sparse information scattered throughout the book was not enough to slake my appetite.
While I do like the characters, the requisite mean kids were one-toned. They were your one-dimensional, typical high school produced tyrants. I wanted stronger character developments than the pacing and third person narration allowed. I felt that the supporting characters would have been better fleshed out with more insight into their lives and their interactions with others beside Chloe.
The 3 R's
Rating
3.6/5. Really warm but not quite hot.
Reception
Nice cuppa warm tea. This book provides a nice set-up for the next. It’s funny, witty and exciting with endearing characters. Charming; overall a good, quick read; not overly thought-provoking or life-changing but I do look forward to the sequel. If it manages to up the ante, explain more about the world and supernatural beings, while keeping the entertaining tone of this one, then all the best.
I can honestly say that this has been a fun read. Thank you, Cally Ryanne and REUTS!
Recommend?
Cally Ryanne writing is very easy on the eyes. You pick up the book and next thing you know, you've finished it.
If you are interested in the young adult, fantasy genre (with more emphasis on the action, plot and character development than romance, go for it.
Check out my site for more reviews.
Disclosure: I received an ARC of the book as part of the blog tour. The writings below are my opinions, you may let it influence you or you may not.
FL'S SUMMARY:
Chloe is a Naimei {pronounciation: "nigh (rhymes with ‘high’) may (rhymes with ‘hay’} a being of supreme powers stuck with the responsibility of maintaining the balance of the world by consulting The Ways (a complicated instrument used to measure and analyze said balance), too bad she does not have the patience for study and would rather be hunting.
Unfortunately, she’s going through a crisis of sort: wrestling with the possibility that those she hunts might be more than monsters. Suddenly she’s given an assignment by her cousin, Alex, to monitor a high school senior who might or might not be important in a plot to disrupt the status quo of the world.
REVIEW
"There's no adventure or danger in high school," Chloe said coldly.
Strengths: Characters; Dialogue; Pacing; Action
Chloe’s new moral awakening is explored throughout the book; it’s weaved into the story-line and reflects her changing mindset about the creatures she once hunted. In regards to pacing, the book got going from the first page. We get to the meat (what the book is about) quite quickly. There was never a dull moment; you get into the story right away and the narration pulls you deeper. The action scenes were concise yet graphic without being gory.
None of the main characters were dumb, annoying or unnecessary obtuse to move the plot along. Chloe is a sharp character and proves to be a competent heroine; she manages to keep her wits about her and (that annoying thing that separate heroes/heroines from the rest of us mere mortals) run towards danger, even when common sense screams for her to run in the opposite direction. Above all, she just wants to prove herself to her brother and cousins.
The dialogues were amusing and the interaction with the characters felt natural. It provided further insight into their relationships. I usually hate ambiguous revelations (that one character who reveals things without truly revealing anything thereby aggravating the rest of the characters) but those are usually resolved and—if not—you as the reader can sort of solve it (confirmation is another thing entirely) and find out whether or not your conjecture is correct.
"...She knew nothing of high school beyond the basic conventions, structure, and potential for heaping amounts of teenage angst."
Plus: No convoluted love triangle-squares! There does seem to be a love story brewing though and I hope it is handled well.
The act of high school was more exhausting than high school itself.
Weaknesses: cover; world-building; characterizations
Now on to weaknesses. I didn’t pick this book for the cover; it is quite drab and The Selection-esque. It didn’t truly embody the story. The Ways (the instruments) would have made for a better cover: intriguing, mysterious and a bit eccentric.
The world building is minimal (I know it’s not everybody’s cup'a tea but I felt like I was dropped into the supernatural world without much explanation; I’ve got loads of questions! What about the supernatural hierarchy? Is there one? Is there a rule?). The powers are vague; no clear explanation for them and which supernatural species can do what. Perhaps we will learn more in the next book which will negate this point. I truly want to learn more about the Naimei and the sparse information scattered throughout the book was not enough to slake my appetite.
While I do like the characters, the requisite mean kids were one-toned. They were your one-dimensional, typical high school produced tyrants. I wanted stronger character developments than the pacing and third person narration allowed. I felt that the supporting characters would have been better fleshed out with more insight into their lives and their interactions with others beside Chloe.
I've found capitalism is the easiest way to ensure absolute chaos.
The 3 R's
Rating
3.6/5. Really warm but not quite hot.
Reception
Nice cuppa warm tea. This book provides a nice set-up for the next. It’s funny, witty and exciting with endearing characters. Charming; overall a good, quick read; not overly thought-provoking or life-changing but I do look forward to the sequel. If it manages to up the ante, explain more about the world and supernatural beings, while keeping the entertaining tone of this one, then all the best.
I can honestly say that this has been a fun read. Thank you, Cally Ryanne and REUTS!
Recommend?
Cally Ryanne writing is very easy on the eyes. You pick up the book and next thing you know, you've finished it.
If you are interested in the young adult, fantasy genre (with more emphasis on the action, plot and character development than romance, go for it.
Check out my site for more reviews.
January 14, 2014
Echoes of Balance is a YA urban fantasy by debut author Cally Ryanne. With a strong paranormal storyline and a confident heroine, this novel kicks off The Ways trilogy with mystery, suspense, and an intriguing mix of supernatural elements many will find familiar and enjoyable.
Chloe Moraine, one of the last remaining members of a race known as the Naimei, has given up her tedious study of The Ways for the more exciting occupation of hunting vampires. When the balance of the universe is jeopardized by the return of demonic forces, she’s reluctantly pulled back into her ancient heritage. The role is more challenging than she expects. Chloe wrestles with her own instincts and faces tough choices as the world she lives in draws near to impending doom.
I found Chloe an interesting character. She’s laid back and confident in her abilities, takes things in stride, and tackles danger without batting an eyelash. I enjoyed the fact that she was comfortable in her own skin and willing to entertain the idea that vampires and demons might not be following the agenda everyone else assumes. My favorite scenes were those in which Chloe displays her fighting skills. Every action scene left me waiting with anticipation for the next one.
The author’s writing style is smooth and easy to read, yet sophisticated enough to really bring out the supernatural elements in authentic detail. I felt the pace was steady and consistent, with good tension building toward an ending that left me very interested in finding out what happens next.
Echoes is a mysterious, promising read from beginning to end, and I’m certainly looking forward to the sequel and Chloe’s next adventure!
Chloe Moraine, one of the last remaining members of a race known as the Naimei, has given up her tedious study of The Ways for the more exciting occupation of hunting vampires. When the balance of the universe is jeopardized by the return of demonic forces, she’s reluctantly pulled back into her ancient heritage. The role is more challenging than she expects. Chloe wrestles with her own instincts and faces tough choices as the world she lives in draws near to impending doom.
I found Chloe an interesting character. She’s laid back and confident in her abilities, takes things in stride, and tackles danger without batting an eyelash. I enjoyed the fact that she was comfortable in her own skin and willing to entertain the idea that vampires and demons might not be following the agenda everyone else assumes. My favorite scenes were those in which Chloe displays her fighting skills. Every action scene left me waiting with anticipation for the next one.
The author’s writing style is smooth and easy to read, yet sophisticated enough to really bring out the supernatural elements in authentic detail. I felt the pace was steady and consistent, with good tension building toward an ending that left me very interested in finding out what happens next.
Echoes is a mysterious, promising read from beginning to end, and I’m certainly looking forward to the sequel and Chloe’s next adventure!
January 7, 2014
My Review
So, why did I want to read Echoes of Balance? If you follow my reviews, you probably know I love discovering new authors, and enjoy reading paranormal more than just about anything. After reading the books description about Chloe, the Naimei, and The Ways, I couldn't resist requesting this new paranormal read from REUTS. I was also extremely interested in REUTS as publishers. I liked the idea that they are a new, smaller publisher of YA and NA, and who seem to offer a lot of hands-on and personal attention between their authors, readers and reviewers. And to be honest, it was that damn dress and the knife being held behind our heroines back. I immediately loved the juxtaposition of the frilly, feminine, and gorgeous dress our heroine is wearing with the mysterious and deadly intent of the knife. I'm happy to say that after reading Echoes of Balance, what's inside the covers is just as great as what's on the outside.
What's Echoes of Balance about? Basically, it's about our heroine Chloe Moraine who is the youngest member of the Naimei, an ancient line of beings responsible for keeping the universe in balance. The Naimei use the Ways, a unique mixture of science, oracles, and magic, to keep the world/supernatural in balance. The only problem is, Chloe is bored with the Ways. She rather actively hunt vampires and shifters instead of using the Ways. So, when two of the original demons threaten the balance, the members of the Naimei decide to send Chloe on the joke job of following a human girl who "might be involved, maybe,” and to keep Chloe from hunting the supernatural. What better place than High School to keep her out of trouble. Suddenly Chloe has her hands full as she juggles High School, a new friendship with a ‘human girl’, and a charming, yet mysterious vampire named Josef who knows way more about Chloe and the threat of demons, than he should.
With Echoes of Balance, author Cally Ryanne has created the beginnings of a unique setting- a world inhabited by all the supernatural guys you like in your paranormal reads. There's of course the magical Naimei, in charge of keeping the balance, then there's also shifters, vampires, witches, and yes, even demons. But don't worry, she doesn’t throw them at you all at once, but slowly introduces various characters from each, some good, some bad, and some in-between.
The Magic was one of my favorite aspects of the book beside Chloe’s character. The book did a good job introducing the unique magical nature of the Naimei, and their use of the Ways. Then there’s a cool sets of silver scales that they use to interpret the balance that I thought interesting. It reminded me of something out of a Steampunk novel with it’s odd gadgets and workings. The magic also causes havoc for Chloe, often disrupting ‘human technology’ an endless annoyance for her and fun for the reader. I’m excited to see the next book take this magic even further (hint-hint.) Echoes of Balance gives us a nice look into the magical workings of the Naimei, but I would have liked even more.
Chloe Moraine is a nice combination of strength (fighting skills and magic used in the ways) and vulnerability (having no real friends and a family that does not show much emotion.) It was fun watching her being dropped into a High School setting, and dealing with normal ‘teen angst ’ while trying to help save the day. There’s a sweet nerd who crushes on her, mean girls, Prom queen nominations, not to mention the shifter who keeps showing up at her doorstep, nor the cute vampire who seems to be stalking her. I especially enjoyed her new friendship with ‘human teen’ Aurelia. The other Characters were all interesting since they belong to various supernatural fractions, but besides Chloe, I wasn’t able to get as much of a connection with them as I would have liked.
There’s just a hint of romance in Echoes of Balance. No love triangles, yay! Josef, as a vampire, is a dangerous and enticing temptation for Chloe. There’s some chemistry between the two, which I liked. It does not overshadow the story.
The Swoon:
The vampire grinned. “Fantastic. Eight o’clock, then, we’ll say. Ducante’s.” He took a step closer, leaning forward so that his lips almost brushed Chloe’s hair as he said quietly, “Just ask for Josef.”
His breath felt icy on her skin. He gave her a wink before swinging a leg over the motorbike, kicking it to life and pulling the handlebars around to zoom off down the street.
It was only then, as wave of dizziness passed over her, that Chloe realized she’d been holding her breath.
The ending is action packed, if somewhat rushed, as the book left me wanting to know more about about it’s sequel and the fascinating world of the Naimei. Filled with unique magic and paranormal elements, author Cally Ryanne’s YA debut is off to a great start!
My Rating: 4 Stars. I really liked it.
PLEASE NOTE
A courtesy review copy of this book was provided by REUTS Publications in exchange for my fair review. Thank you REUTS Publications for the review opportunity!
May 8, 2014
Chloe was one the last Naimei. for centuries, the Naimei kept the balance of the universe in check. when Chloe was hunting vampires like what she usually do, she was stunned to find out from an unlikely source that the Original Demons were threatening to return. as a Naimei, she was obligated to step in and help. her assigned mission was to befriend and protect a human girl named Aurelia, unknown of her rare thought-weaving ability. Aurelia ability was able to alter, edits, even rearrange thoughts, seemingly important for the Original Demons. during her discoveries, Chloe came across demons and vampires that offered to help, but she had to figure out who she can trust before falling into the wrong hands.
i received a free e-book from the author in exchanged for a review. the book had a very historical feel to it since it involved an ancient bloodline called the Naimei. at first, Chloe's life seemed simple, hunting vampires as her little effort to keep the balance of the universe. then it had gotten more interesting when two vampires approached her, Sam and Josef, each with a completely different personalities, making them highly suspicious characters. i had a great time following Chloe and Aurelia's life; but struggled when it came to the Naimei's lifestyle. the people that were supposed to guide Chloe seemed to appear and vanish as pleased, having no significant characteristics to them. when Mikhail, Chloe's brother appeared, i even felt slightly annoyed as he repetitively grabbed the spotlight from Chloe. with the numerous amount of characters introduced, it was unfortunate that i haven't even had the chance to love Chloe before she was overshadowed by the others.
my review: here
i received a free e-book from the author in exchanged for a review. the book had a very historical feel to it since it involved an ancient bloodline called the Naimei. at first, Chloe's life seemed simple, hunting vampires as her little effort to keep the balance of the universe. then it had gotten more interesting when two vampires approached her, Sam and Josef, each with a completely different personalities, making them highly suspicious characters. i had a great time following Chloe and Aurelia's life; but struggled when it came to the Naimei's lifestyle. the people that were supposed to guide Chloe seemed to appear and vanish as pleased, having no significant characteristics to them. when Mikhail, Chloe's brother appeared, i even felt slightly annoyed as he repetitively grabbed the spotlight from Chloe. with the numerous amount of characters introduced, it was unfortunate that i haven't even had the chance to love Chloe before she was overshadowed by the others.
my review: here
December 18, 2013
Jane Hunt Writer First Steps
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Echoes of Balance' is a young adult novel and its fast-paced,simple writing style should appeal to readers of that genre.
Chloe is a supernatural being who doesn't age and exists to work towards achieving a perfect balance in the natural world. Part of a dynasty of similar creatures, the Naimei exists to maintain the balance between nature and nurture.
The high school setting relies on the precedent of successful paranormal series that have preceded Echoes of Balance but it does bring a unique twist.
For me the story lacked the necessary world building I require in fantasy/paranormal stories and because of this I found it difficult to connect with the characters that seemed a little stereotypical.
Other young adult stories I have read gave me this and I connected with the characters even though it is back in the mists of time since I was a young adult.
I like the concept of 'The Ways' and look forward to more insight into its workings as the series progresses.
I received an ARC from the publisher in return for an honest review,
January 9, 2014
Chloe Moraine is a Naimei, a supernatural race that keeps the universe in balance. The Original Demons are attempting to return to the human realm. Chloe and her family must prevent that from happening. Unfortunately, she is tasked with the unexciting assignment of watching a human high school girl and discover how she fits into the equation. Although that mission ends up being more interesting then she would have thought.
Echoes of Balance is a refreshing Young Adult Paranormal novel. I enjoyed the characters in this book; they are mysterious. It is hard to predict who the good guys are versus the bad guys. Their morals are shades of grey instead of black and white. This makes the story unpredictable. It is not obvious who Chloe can trust.
If you enjoy books that have: vampires, Naimei, demons; High school drama; and an evil plot to take over the world, this book is for you.
The story concludes with a cliff hanger, so I am anxiously awaiting the second book in The Ways Trilogy.
ARC provided in exchange for an honest review.
Echoes of Balance is a refreshing Young Adult Paranormal novel. I enjoyed the characters in this book; they are mysterious. It is hard to predict who the good guys are versus the bad guys. Their morals are shades of grey instead of black and white. This makes the story unpredictable. It is not obvious who Chloe can trust.
If you enjoy books that have: vampires, Naimei, demons; High school drama; and an evil plot to take over the world, this book is for you.
The story concludes with a cliff hanger, so I am anxiously awaiting the second book in The Ways Trilogy.
ARC provided in exchange for an honest review.
December 16, 2013
I received a copy in exchange for a review.
3.5 Stars.
What I liked:
- Quite funny, had me snorting out loud several times
- I liked the budding friendship between Chloe and Aurelia, it's nice to see two girls at the center of a story like this.
- The writing was fun, and I enjoyed Joseph quite a lot.
What detracted a little from perfection:
- There were a lot of supernational dudes around. Too many for me, especially because they were all the ones with the power.
- The culmination at the spring fling reminded me a lot of Buffy and my enjoyment went down towards the end because of it. Too much stereotypical high school and its students for me.
All in all a fun and interesting new venture into the genre, creative paranormals and a great start.
3.5 Stars.
What I liked:
- Quite funny, had me snorting out loud several times
- I liked the budding friendship between Chloe and Aurelia, it's nice to see two girls at the center of a story like this.
- The writing was fun, and I enjoyed Joseph quite a lot.
What detracted a little from perfection:
- There were a lot of supernational dudes around. Too many for me, especially because they were all the ones with the power.
- The culmination at the spring fling reminded me a lot of Buffy and my enjoyment went down towards the end because of it. Too much stereotypical high school and its students for me.
All in all a fun and interesting new venture into the genre, creative paranormals and a great start.
July 19, 2016
Loved this book.
I was curious to read the first book published by Reuts, and was nicely surprised by the result.
The book was a quick read, with well developed characters and settings. I loved the additional characters that led us through Chloe's life. The introduction of the Ways, and a new breed of people was also well developed and thought out.
There were several swoon worthy men, but my favourite by far was Ducante, hmmm... there was something about him.
Looking forward to reading the second book in the series.
And Cally, how dare you leave us on such a cliff hanger?
Well done to all involved :)
I was curious to read the first book published by Reuts, and was nicely surprised by the result.
The book was a quick read, with well developed characters and settings. I loved the additional characters that led us through Chloe's life. The introduction of the Ways, and a new breed of people was also well developed and thought out.
There were several swoon worthy men, but my favourite by far was Ducante, hmmm... there was something about him.
Looking forward to reading the second book in the series.
And Cally, how dare you leave us on such a cliff hanger?
Well done to all involved :)
January 11, 2014
You can read my review of Echos of Balance on my blog: http://mbernsen.blogspot.com/2014/01/...
Want to read
August 10, 2015Beautiful Cover... but High School? #doubtful
May 13, 2014
This review first appeared on my blog: What Happened to the Wallflower?
Cover-First look? It's pretty. Kind of pale, though; as in there really isn't one place that my eye is drawn to. Nothing really pops. There's the whole girl-in-fancy-dress motif going on, but unlike a lot of books out there it actually fits in with the events of the novel, so there's a plus. And she's holding a knife. And, above all, it's not a bad-looking cover. I still feel like there's no focal point to draw me in, though; if it were sitting on a shelf I'd probably look right over it.
Despite that, I'm giving it the following rating because, hey, it is an overall pretty cover.
★★★★☆
Narrative-Here's where things get a little dicey. If I hadn't already committed myself to reading the entire book, I'd have stopped after the first two pages. Ultimately, I'm glad I didn't stop, but Ryanne's style threw me off a little bit. The first scene came off as trying to be a bit too poetic and descriptive, and it's a style that I didn't see too much throughout the rest of the book. My issue was the number of -ly adverbs used in tandem with each other, but I do admit to being biased because I have a love/hate relationship with adverbs. Fortunately, this trend was only seen within those first few pages, and the writing became a bit more natural to read.
I was so extremely (extremely, extremely) happy (ecstatic and over the moon) to see that this was written in third-POV. The world of YA-fiction has been riddled with first-person; it's not a bad thing, as many of them are written well, but it's a huge breath of fresh air to read a book written in the third person. Brownies for this gal, everyone, okay? Brownies. Because not only was it written in third-person, it was written well. Somebody once told me that the marks of this POV being well-done is that-while reading it-the reader barely even notices that there's no "I" pronoun in the actual narrative. And this book did that; I was thoroughly sucked into the writing during some points of it. So there, one of my favorite parts of the entire novel.
Ultimately, the pros outweighed the cons, but only slightly. I might be feeling a bit too generous here, but hey:
★★★★☆
Plot-As I begin to write this section of the review, I admit that I'm at a loss of words because I'm not too sure on where, exactly, to start. Just to help me organize my thoughts, here's a list of what I think worked and what didn't:
What Worked:
-The whole world being "balanced" between good and evil, and the concept of the Naimei being there to make sure everything stays balanced.
-"The Originals," i.e. Pan and Damonos. Demons are just awesome, okay? And these guys are supposed to be the worst of the worst, horrible beings, who love the "old" kind of chaos in which even normal demons have fears. That's kind of cool.
-There's two vampires hanging around the main character, and they were kind of fun to try working out.
-The concept of Chloe chasing after a girl who may or may not have psychic powers, and who may or may not be involved. I'm not going lie: I kind of loved the whole back-and-forth between wondering if there really was something weird about this girl.
-Whenever a fight scene popped up, I admit, it was kind of intense. I loved them, and I loved the different creatures I got to see Chloe fight against: vampires, demons, and then even more powerful demons. It was fantastic, and I loved that our beloved heroine was either matched in skill or else lost more of the time. It felt real, given her age and strength in comparison to the other Naimei and creatures that she's dueling against.
What Didn't Work:
-I don't understand why Chloe had to spend almost the entire book playing high-schooler instead of actually . . . doing things, I guess? Part of this stems from the horribly stereotypical and cliched aspect of high school that was actually portrayed, joined by the shallow and superficial characters. Stereotypical nerd even got beat up by stereotypical jock who was stereotypically angry about losing at a game of dodgeball. Said jock even stereotypically asks: "How are athletics supposed to be my thing if I'm seen losing to a scrawny little nerd like you?" Italics were not my own emphasis. Then there was this whole, "new girl just has to beat out the mean and nasty cheerleader for Spring Fling Queen because nobody else in the senior class of high school is qualified enough" thing going on. I don't understand why teenagers had to be reverted back to being so shallow. Then again, to give the author the benefit of the doubt, I was never one of the girls who were obsessed over school dances. We hardly even had school dances. So maybe in some weird corner of the world teenagers actually act like this. It was just a really big turn-off for me, especially when I was weighing the whole, "Fate of the World" thing in my head while the main character was trying to figure out how to not look pretty in front of the popular kids.
-There was a character who just conveniently popped up and then disappeared without any actual purpose. In fact, there were a lot of convenient happenings, overall, that made a lot of the book feel like it was just kind of pushed together and the pieces don't fit quite right, without a proper lead-in or anything to connect the bones. It was jerky. That one character who popped up and disappeared again? Didn't even offer up any new information; I got really excited because I thought I was finally going to learn something, and all he said was that Chloe looked a lot like her brother and that nothing was out of the ordinary in the realm of supernaturals. Which we already knew. I kept holding out hope that this guy was going to pop up again in the book, and he didn't. Then one of Chloe's cousins randomly showed up at a convenient time to help her save a vampire and then he left again-conveniently before she had a chance to ask him why he'd shown up in the first place. Then another of Chloe's relations (really trying not to spoil anything, here) shows up, and again it's just good timing; I didn't think that "just checking on her" was a good enough reason for him to pop up out of nowhere. I guess that's what a lot of the book felt like: convenience, without much back-story or reasoning behind why some of the things happened.
-The lack-of-information game. There were numerous instances where I thought: "Finally, I'm going to get some answers," and it never panned out. This happens a lot in fiction, but the difference is that, after awhile, you've got to give the reader something. It never really happened. There was never an, "AH-HA!" moment that really got me invested, just more: "I have only what information you have." Whenever there was a moment where I could pinpoint somebody had information, that coyly went with the: "I'm not telling you anything," kind of game, despite the fact that they all should be sharing at least something with each other. Not because they're suddenly best-buds, but because they all have an interest in making sure that the world doesn't just dissolve into chaos.
Overall: I guess what these two lists helped me realize that I love the concept, but I'm not too big a fan over the execution. I felt like there was still work to be done, like the manuscript wasn't exactly as polished and ready-for-print as it could have been? And, again, I'm being extremely generous; the only reason the plot gets three stars, here, is because you can't make half of a star in uni-code and I'm rounding up.
★★★☆☆
Characters-Ya'll have already read my beef with the high-schoolers. They made up about a third-ish of the entire cast, and they were all . . . very shallow. Very easy to read. Ultimately: very one-dimensional, like a cardboard cutout. Unfortunately, even the main high-schooler, Aurelie, came off as the same way. She's the girl Chloe's paying attention to, who mayor may not be a psychic, but I felt like she, too, didn't have much in the way of character depth.
The more supernatural characters were a bit more interesting. Chloe, for one, wasn't too bad. I'm not sure what to make of her stammering, though; after awhile I started to notice a lot of pauses in her speech and a lot of "uh" and "um" moments that made me feel not quite as confidant in her abilities as I wanted to.
The other Naimei: Alex, Rus, and Mikhail. Well . . . there was overall a very clear spectrum of: one of them is extremely critical of Chloe's choice of lifestyle, the other is much more laid-back and at least tries to be understanding, and the third is somewhere in the middle. Alex and Rus I expected to see more of, but they kind of just tapered off and became those guys who were there if needed, but evidently weren't?
Supernaturals: two vampires-Sam and Josef-and a demon, Ducante. Josef and Ducante at least have interesting personalities, and I'm having trouble realizing where their loyalties lie. Especially with the ending. Like holy sh*t (apologies for the crude language, but seriously). I think I would actually put these three at the top of my list of favorite characters, since they actually seemed like the three who have the most interaction with not only Chloe, but the plot as a whole.
Overall: I guess I'd say that there was definitely room for more characterization. Just like with the plot, there was room for more.
★★☆☆☆
Before I give my final score, give me a chance to explain myself, and explain why I'm still so unsure of this book. I said it up with the plot: the concept is good. It's interesting and it's somewhat new, and I love the aspect of the girl who's kind of a failure to her family just because she does things her own way. She's essentially the underdog, right? And the ending: my god. Like, I ultimately think it ended too early, but that's what always happens when a book ends in a massive cliffhanger. The individual plot points? They were good. What threw me off was that I didn't really think there was much holding them together behind explanations and character revelations that came up short.
I wanted to like this book, and I still do. And I know that when the sequel comes out, I'm going to buy it and most likely read it. I just hope it's put together just a bit more neatly.
Final Answer: 3.5 / 5
Cover-First look? It's pretty. Kind of pale, though; as in there really isn't one place that my eye is drawn to. Nothing really pops. There's the whole girl-in-fancy-dress motif going on, but unlike a lot of books out there it actually fits in with the events of the novel, so there's a plus. And she's holding a knife. And, above all, it's not a bad-looking cover. I still feel like there's no focal point to draw me in, though; if it were sitting on a shelf I'd probably look right over it.
Despite that, I'm giving it the following rating because, hey, it is an overall pretty cover.
★★★★☆
Narrative-Here's where things get a little dicey. If I hadn't already committed myself to reading the entire book, I'd have stopped after the first two pages. Ultimately, I'm glad I didn't stop, but Ryanne's style threw me off a little bit. The first scene came off as trying to be a bit too poetic and descriptive, and it's a style that I didn't see too much throughout the rest of the book. My issue was the number of -ly adverbs used in tandem with each other, but I do admit to being biased because I have a love/hate relationship with adverbs. Fortunately, this trend was only seen within those first few pages, and the writing became a bit more natural to read.
I was so extremely (extremely, extremely) happy (ecstatic and over the moon) to see that this was written in third-POV. The world of YA-fiction has been riddled with first-person; it's not a bad thing, as many of them are written well, but it's a huge breath of fresh air to read a book written in the third person. Brownies for this gal, everyone, okay? Brownies. Because not only was it written in third-person, it was written well. Somebody once told me that the marks of this POV being well-done is that-while reading it-the reader barely even notices that there's no "I" pronoun in the actual narrative. And this book did that; I was thoroughly sucked into the writing during some points of it. So there, one of my favorite parts of the entire novel.
Ultimately, the pros outweighed the cons, but only slightly. I might be feeling a bit too generous here, but hey:
★★★★☆
Plot-As I begin to write this section of the review, I admit that I'm at a loss of words because I'm not too sure on where, exactly, to start. Just to help me organize my thoughts, here's a list of what I think worked and what didn't:
What Worked:
-The whole world being "balanced" between good and evil, and the concept of the Naimei being there to make sure everything stays balanced.
-"The Originals," i.e. Pan and Damonos. Demons are just awesome, okay? And these guys are supposed to be the worst of the worst, horrible beings, who love the "old" kind of chaos in which even normal demons have fears. That's kind of cool.
-There's two vampires hanging around the main character, and they were kind of fun to try working out.
-The concept of Chloe chasing after a girl who may or may not have psychic powers, and who may or may not be involved. I'm not going lie: I kind of loved the whole back-and-forth between wondering if there really was something weird about this girl.
-Whenever a fight scene popped up, I admit, it was kind of intense. I loved them, and I loved the different creatures I got to see Chloe fight against: vampires, demons, and then even more powerful demons. It was fantastic, and I loved that our beloved heroine was either matched in skill or else lost more of the time. It felt real, given her age and strength in comparison to the other Naimei and creatures that she's dueling against.
What Didn't Work:
-I don't understand why Chloe had to spend almost the entire book playing high-schooler instead of actually . . . doing things, I guess? Part of this stems from the horribly stereotypical and cliched aspect of high school that was actually portrayed, joined by the shallow and superficial characters. Stereotypical nerd even got beat up by stereotypical jock who was stereotypically angry about losing at a game of dodgeball. Said jock even stereotypically asks: "How are athletics supposed to be my thing if I'm seen losing to a scrawny little nerd like you?" Italics were not my own emphasis. Then there was this whole, "new girl just has to beat out the mean and nasty cheerleader for Spring Fling Queen because nobody else in the senior class of high school is qualified enough" thing going on. I don't understand why teenagers had to be reverted back to being so shallow. Then again, to give the author the benefit of the doubt, I was never one of the girls who were obsessed over school dances. We hardly even had school dances. So maybe in some weird corner of the world teenagers actually act like this. It was just a really big turn-off for me, especially when I was weighing the whole, "Fate of the World" thing in my head while the main character was trying to figure out how to not look pretty in front of the popular kids.
-There was a character who just conveniently popped up and then disappeared without any actual purpose. In fact, there were a lot of convenient happenings, overall, that made a lot of the book feel like it was just kind of pushed together and the pieces don't fit quite right, without a proper lead-in or anything to connect the bones. It was jerky. That one character who popped up and disappeared again? Didn't even offer up any new information; I got really excited because I thought I was finally going to learn something, and all he said was that Chloe looked a lot like her brother and that nothing was out of the ordinary in the realm of supernaturals. Which we already knew. I kept holding out hope that this guy was going to pop up again in the book, and he didn't. Then one of Chloe's cousins randomly showed up at a convenient time to help her save a vampire and then he left again-conveniently before she had a chance to ask him why he'd shown up in the first place. Then another of Chloe's relations (really trying not to spoil anything, here) shows up, and again it's just good timing; I didn't think that "just checking on her" was a good enough reason for him to pop up out of nowhere. I guess that's what a lot of the book felt like: convenience, without much back-story or reasoning behind why some of the things happened.
-The lack-of-information game. There were numerous instances where I thought: "Finally, I'm going to get some answers," and it never panned out. This happens a lot in fiction, but the difference is that, after awhile, you've got to give the reader something. It never really happened. There was never an, "AH-HA!" moment that really got me invested, just more: "I have only what information you have." Whenever there was a moment where I could pinpoint somebody had information, that coyly went with the: "I'm not telling you anything," kind of game, despite the fact that they all should be sharing at least something with each other. Not because they're suddenly best-buds, but because they all have an interest in making sure that the world doesn't just dissolve into chaos.
Overall: I guess what these two lists helped me realize that I love the concept, but I'm not too big a fan over the execution. I felt like there was still work to be done, like the manuscript wasn't exactly as polished and ready-for-print as it could have been? And, again, I'm being extremely generous; the only reason the plot gets three stars, here, is because you can't make half of a star in uni-code and I'm rounding up.
★★★☆☆
Characters-Ya'll have already read my beef with the high-schoolers. They made up about a third-ish of the entire cast, and they were all . . . very shallow. Very easy to read. Ultimately: very one-dimensional, like a cardboard cutout. Unfortunately, even the main high-schooler, Aurelie, came off as the same way. She's the girl Chloe's paying attention to, who mayor may not be a psychic, but I felt like she, too, didn't have much in the way of character depth.
The more supernatural characters were a bit more interesting. Chloe, for one, wasn't too bad. I'm not sure what to make of her stammering, though; after awhile I started to notice a lot of pauses in her speech and a lot of "uh" and "um" moments that made me feel not quite as confidant in her abilities as I wanted to.
The other Naimei: Alex, Rus, and Mikhail. Well . . . there was overall a very clear spectrum of: one of them is extremely critical of Chloe's choice of lifestyle, the other is much more laid-back and at least tries to be understanding, and the third is somewhere in the middle. Alex and Rus I expected to see more of, but they kind of just tapered off and became those guys who were there if needed, but evidently weren't?
Supernaturals: two vampires-Sam and Josef-and a demon, Ducante. Josef and Ducante at least have interesting personalities, and I'm having trouble realizing where their loyalties lie. Especially with the ending. Like holy sh*t (apologies for the crude language, but seriously). I think I would actually put these three at the top of my list of favorite characters, since they actually seemed like the three who have the most interaction with not only Chloe, but the plot as a whole.
Overall: I guess I'd say that there was definitely room for more characterization. Just like with the plot, there was room for more.
★★☆☆☆
Before I give my final score, give me a chance to explain myself, and explain why I'm still so unsure of this book. I said it up with the plot: the concept is good. It's interesting and it's somewhat new, and I love the aspect of the girl who's kind of a failure to her family just because she does things her own way. She's essentially the underdog, right? And the ending: my god. Like, I ultimately think it ended too early, but that's what always happens when a book ends in a massive cliffhanger. The individual plot points? They were good. What threw me off was that I didn't really think there was much holding them together behind explanations and character revelations that came up short.
I wanted to like this book, and I still do. And I know that when the sequel comes out, I'm going to buy it and most likely read it. I just hope it's put together just a bit more neatly.
Final Answer: 3.5 / 5
August 18, 2014
‘Echoes of Balance’ tells the story of Chloe, a girl belonging to the ancient race of Naimei – bringers of balance to the universe. Chloe however, prefers to balance things out between the normal and supernatural world by killing as many vampires as possible, as opposed to her family that relies on predictions by means of The Ways (a set of indicative instruments that can point out cosmic imbalances and future events).
When she has a change of heart concerning her hunting activities, her cousin gives her an undercover mission: go to high school and befriend Aurelia, a girl that might end up being an important puzzle piece in an impending demonic return the Naimei need to put a stop too.
I immediately took a liking to main character Chloe when I started reading Echoes of Balance, which is always a good first sign. I really respect the fact that the author used Chloe as her protagonist instead of the more obvious choice Aurelia, her all too human friend. This made a story that could have been a tad cliché in the vast ocean of YA Fantasy featuring docile 17-year olds among vampires and whatnot a much more refreshing read!
Why? Well, it’s a bit as if City of Bones by Cassandra Clare would have been told from Isabelle’s perspective, or Twilight from Alice’s: we don’t see all the story-building events happening through the eyes of a blindsided and love-struck teenage girl who’s confronted with supernatural creatures and/or her own special powers, we view it through the eyes of an ageless Naimei-girl who – though sometimes reluctantly – knows and uses her unusual supernatural strengths all too well. This somewhat bolder choice definitely pays off and makes the story stand out in the crowd. It also doesn’t focus on romance at all, which is sort of rare in its genre.
The only negative comments I can think of are, firstly, that the story doesn’t feel quite finished. I know, of course, that there are sequels planned in The Ways Trilogy, yet this first book still feels way too short and shallow. It’s almost as if this is just a skeleton idea that was published before adding meat to the bones. I would not have minded the pace to have been a bit slower so that it would be a full-length novel of say 300 pages. I wanted to know more about The Ways and the Naimei. There is some background, but not quite enough to satiate your average curious reader.
Secondly, I feel the publisher really made a mistake with the cover. This book would get a lot more well-deserved attention with a more badass cover: Chloe dressed in her leather jacket instead of the frilly dress that gives potential readers the impression that this might be a story in a historic setting when it’s actually an urban fantasy. Don’t get me wrong – the cover is pretty! But I just don’t think it attracts the right crowd for this particular book. And that’s really too bad!
In conclusion: it’s a fast and fun read – you will fly right through the pages, be they digital or physical – but in my opinion it’s a bit too superficial. Fans of Paranormalcy by Kiersten White, Rose Hathaway’s badassery in Vampire Academy and the Jeanine Frost-books should definitely give this one a read. They will most likely really enjoy it – I know I did!
Thanks to REUTS for providing me with a review copy! (This in no way influenced my rating or review – trust me, I’m way too opinionated to be won over with free e-books ;))
When she has a change of heart concerning her hunting activities, her cousin gives her an undercover mission: go to high school and befriend Aurelia, a girl that might end up being an important puzzle piece in an impending demonic return the Naimei need to put a stop too.
I immediately took a liking to main character Chloe when I started reading Echoes of Balance, which is always a good first sign. I really respect the fact that the author used Chloe as her protagonist instead of the more obvious choice Aurelia, her all too human friend. This made a story that could have been a tad cliché in the vast ocean of YA Fantasy featuring docile 17-year olds among vampires and whatnot a much more refreshing read!
Why? Well, it’s a bit as if City of Bones by Cassandra Clare would have been told from Isabelle’s perspective, or Twilight from Alice’s: we don’t see all the story-building events happening through the eyes of a blindsided and love-struck teenage girl who’s confronted with supernatural creatures and/or her own special powers, we view it through the eyes of an ageless Naimei-girl who – though sometimes reluctantly – knows and uses her unusual supernatural strengths all too well. This somewhat bolder choice definitely pays off and makes the story stand out in the crowd. It also doesn’t focus on romance at all, which is sort of rare in its genre.
The only negative comments I can think of are, firstly, that the story doesn’t feel quite finished. I know, of course, that there are sequels planned in The Ways Trilogy, yet this first book still feels way too short and shallow. It’s almost as if this is just a skeleton idea that was published before adding meat to the bones. I would not have minded the pace to have been a bit slower so that it would be a full-length novel of say 300 pages. I wanted to know more about The Ways and the Naimei. There is some background, but not quite enough to satiate your average curious reader.
Secondly, I feel the publisher really made a mistake with the cover. This book would get a lot more well-deserved attention with a more badass cover: Chloe dressed in her leather jacket instead of the frilly dress that gives potential readers the impression that this might be a story in a historic setting when it’s actually an urban fantasy. Don’t get me wrong – the cover is pretty! But I just don’t think it attracts the right crowd for this particular book. And that’s really too bad!
In conclusion: it’s a fast and fun read – you will fly right through the pages, be they digital or physical – but in my opinion it’s a bit too superficial. Fans of Paranormalcy by Kiersten White, Rose Hathaway’s badassery in Vampire Academy and the Jeanine Frost-books should definitely give this one a read. They will most likely really enjoy it – I know I did!
Thanks to REUTS for providing me with a review copy! (This in no way influenced my rating or review – trust me, I’m way too opinionated to be won over with free e-books ;))
July 23, 2014
*** Yes, Spoilers Below ***
I really like the world that this is in and especially our main character, Chloe. The beginning starts off very well – a main character who gives up vampire hunting due to moral dilemma? Awesome. This won’t be another vampire hunting novel, but it’ll have a strong character who can be a badass when she wants.
Or will she? There are several places throughout the book where Chloe gets tired of waiting to be told what to do and attempts to go find answers on her own – these are the best parts of the book. The slow parts of the book occur when Chloe stays bored for more than a few pages.
I do feel like the author did a great job of speeding through the high school scenes. I knew they were going to drag down the novel (because Chloe took no interest in the “goings on” thereof) but they were surprisingly to the point. I wonder if the same essential parts could’ve played out in an after school job atmosphere (much easier for Chloe to stomach than school itself perhaps).
My biggest problem with this book is that it is not a stand-alone novel. Yes, it does say Trilogy on the front, and “To Be Continued” at the end, but I still feel like you need to have a full arc for each book (Patricia Briggs’ Mercy Thompson series has characters and plots that come and go, but each book has a bad guy that is taken care of at the end). Several things are brought up in this book that are not completed or mended:
Her relationship with: Alex, Russ, Mikhail, and Josef.
Her distance with The Ways is not a.) mended or b.) proven to be right in not believing.
Her view on vampires (which, could’ve perhaps been made clearer if the Vampire lover whose mate she killed had returned to finish her off).
Someone is bringing back the Original Demons but we never find out who specifically (which is perhaps the biggest thing that leads to an unsatisfactory ending – no villain was defeated).
My second problem is that I do not know what genre this book fits under besides “paranormal” or “indigenous fantasy”. There is a mystery/some detective work, adventure through some physical combat, a romance attempts to tiptoe in during Josef’s last few scenes with Chloe, but it isn’t quite enough. I think this is part of the reason that I find it hard to read on its own. The goals that were set up at the beginning of the book do not seem accomplished (besides her one mission: befriend Aurelia, discover her powers and how she will play a part with the demons return – which Aurelia did not play any part during the last chapters).
This author is definitely intriguing enough to keep an eye out for the next book.
I really like the world that this is in and especially our main character, Chloe. The beginning starts off very well – a main character who gives up vampire hunting due to moral dilemma? Awesome. This won’t be another vampire hunting novel, but it’ll have a strong character who can be a badass when she wants.
Or will she? There are several places throughout the book where Chloe gets tired of waiting to be told what to do and attempts to go find answers on her own – these are the best parts of the book. The slow parts of the book occur when Chloe stays bored for more than a few pages.
I do feel like the author did a great job of speeding through the high school scenes. I knew they were going to drag down the novel (because Chloe took no interest in the “goings on” thereof) but they were surprisingly to the point. I wonder if the same essential parts could’ve played out in an after school job atmosphere (much easier for Chloe to stomach than school itself perhaps).
My biggest problem with this book is that it is not a stand-alone novel. Yes, it does say Trilogy on the front, and “To Be Continued” at the end, but I still feel like you need to have a full arc for each book (Patricia Briggs’ Mercy Thompson series has characters and plots that come and go, but each book has a bad guy that is taken care of at the end). Several things are brought up in this book that are not completed or mended:
Her relationship with: Alex, Russ, Mikhail, and Josef.
Her distance with The Ways is not a.) mended or b.) proven to be right in not believing.
Her view on vampires (which, could’ve perhaps been made clearer if the Vampire lover whose mate she killed had returned to finish her off).
Someone is bringing back the Original Demons but we never find out who specifically (which is perhaps the biggest thing that leads to an unsatisfactory ending – no villain was defeated).
My second problem is that I do not know what genre this book fits under besides “paranormal” or “indigenous fantasy”. There is a mystery/some detective work, adventure through some physical combat, a romance attempts to tiptoe in during Josef’s last few scenes with Chloe, but it isn’t quite enough. I think this is part of the reason that I find it hard to read on its own. The goals that were set up at the beginning of the book do not seem accomplished (besides her one mission: befriend Aurelia, discover her powers and how she will play a part with the demons return – which Aurelia did not play any part during the last chapters).
This author is definitely intriguing enough to keep an eye out for the next book.
December 18, 2015
Echoes of Balance is the first in The Ways Trilogy. Featuring a cast of sarcastic, quick-witted characters, and an interesting twist on the paranormal creatures we all know and love, this YA, urban fantasy debut is fast-paced and fun. It introduces us to Chloe, one the few remaining Naimei (a new race of paranormal creature unique to Cally’s world) who passes her time as a vampire hunter. At least, until a grievous injury to her arm leaves her sidelined and her cousin shows up with sinister news. The Ways (an instrument the Naimei use to predict world events and maintain the balance of the universe) are severely unbalanced, pointing to the catastrophic return of demons that had been banished from the world centuries ago. And they (the Naimei) need Chloe’s help to stop it.
However, what they have in mind isn’t quite what Chloe expects, and instead of being sent on a high-intensity mission, she finds herself in high school, charged with following a human girl who may be involved. Frustrated at being benched yet again, Chloe decides to find her own information on the scenario, leading her to Sam — a young vampire who’s more puppy-dog than anything else; Josef — the debonair vampire who speaks in riddles and mystery; and Ducante — a wise-cracking bar owner and bona fide demon. All while navigating the social landmines of high school.
Cally’s style is smooth, with a simplicity and elegance that allows readers to become engrossed in Chloe’s world, and her storytelling is deceptively straightforward. Like Chloe, readers will find themselves unraveling an intricate web of plot lines and clues, until finally, everything falls into place. Do Chloe and the Naimei figure it out in time to stop the impending demons’ return? You’ll have to read and find out. ;)
However, what they have in mind isn’t quite what Chloe expects, and instead of being sent on a high-intensity mission, she finds herself in high school, charged with following a human girl who may be involved. Frustrated at being benched yet again, Chloe decides to find her own information on the scenario, leading her to Sam — a young vampire who’s more puppy-dog than anything else; Josef — the debonair vampire who speaks in riddles and mystery; and Ducante — a wise-cracking bar owner and bona fide demon. All while navigating the social landmines of high school.
Cally’s style is smooth, with a simplicity and elegance that allows readers to become engrossed in Chloe’s world, and her storytelling is deceptively straightforward. Like Chloe, readers will find themselves unraveling an intricate web of plot lines and clues, until finally, everything falls into place. Do Chloe and the Naimei figure it out in time to stop the impending demons’ return? You’ll have to read and find out. ;)
June 7, 2015
3.5 stars
Read a thon- Bout of Book 13.0 & Challenge- Bookish Blocks
The book was a pleasant surprising read. I don’t normally read about vampires and werewolves yet it was nice to read about vampires, werewolves and demons that aren’t the classic, vampires killing humans, vampires and werewolves are fighting each, something that wasn’t ‘Twilight’. I liked the relationship between all the characters, however Sam was my favorite .It was fun to read about Chole, our main character (a Namine), I enjoyed how she was strong, nice and was independence, yet she was outshine at time by other Namine characters. The ‘Ways’ and Naimei was refreshing and interesting to read about; Naimei exists to maintain the balance of the world/s. The writing was simple but easy to read, it was disappointing how there was limited world building to the story, but it was interesting with all the paranormal creatures mention within the book, which wasn’t over do it.
Overall I really enjoyed this book, the paranormal was very well down and original but I wasn’t a bit fan of the school plot.
I would love to read book 2 but not sure if they’re going to bring it out. It would be disappointing if they didn’t.
I'll like to thanks REUTS Publications giving me a copy of the book.
Read a thon- Bout of Book 13.0 & Challenge- Bookish Blocks
The book was a pleasant surprising read. I don’t normally read about vampires and werewolves yet it was nice to read about vampires, werewolves and demons that aren’t the classic, vampires killing humans, vampires and werewolves are fighting each, something that wasn’t ‘Twilight’. I liked the relationship between all the characters, however Sam was my favorite .It was fun to read about Chole, our main character (a Namine), I enjoyed how she was strong, nice and was independence, yet she was outshine at time by other Namine characters. The ‘Ways’ and Naimei was refreshing and interesting to read about; Naimei exists to maintain the balance of the world/s. The writing was simple but easy to read, it was disappointing how there was limited world building to the story, but it was interesting with all the paranormal creatures mention within the book, which wasn’t over do it.
Overall I really enjoyed this book, the paranormal was very well down and original but I wasn’t a bit fan of the school plot.
I would love to read book 2 but not sure if they’re going to bring it out. It would be disappointing if they didn’t.
I'll like to thanks REUTS Publications giving me a copy of the book.
Read
January 22, 2014They say you shouldn't judge a book by its cover, but I admit I committed this cardinal sin of reading. There is no point to downplay the fact that I adore the cover. If you've seen any of my tweets, that fact is obvious. The cover design is stunning and instantly made me check out the Goodread's page. Once again this book from REUTS Publications and Cally Ryanne did not fail me. I was sold. My Achilles’ heel for vampires and heroes that crave more action was hit.
All of that equates to a lot of hype for a debut author. Objectively, it was likely unfair for me to expect so much from someone I've never read before. When I got my hands on a copy I was not let down. Out of all the books I read in 2013, this was one hands down the most fun I had reading. Even for an insomniac, I pushed how late I could stay up to read more.
If you want a book that is heavy, makes you sit back and think, this book isn't for you.
If you want a fun adventure that doesn't tone down paranormal creatures, check this book out.
Before we go, I want to share one of my favorite lines.
Why did vampires always incorporate puns into their conversation? Did they try, or did it just happen? — Echoes of Balance, 2013
Have I mention how fun it was to read? Great book!
I’m looking for seeing more from Cally!
All of that equates to a lot of hype for a debut author. Objectively, it was likely unfair for me to expect so much from someone I've never read before. When I got my hands on a copy I was not let down. Out of all the books I read in 2013, this was one hands down the most fun I had reading. Even for an insomniac, I pushed how late I could stay up to read more.
If you want a book that is heavy, makes you sit back and think, this book isn't for you.
If you want a fun adventure that doesn't tone down paranormal creatures, check this book out.
Before we go, I want to share one of my favorite lines.
Why did vampires always incorporate puns into their conversation? Did they try, or did it just happen? — Echoes of Balance, 2013
Have I mention how fun it was to read? Great book!
I’m looking for seeing more from Cally!
February 9, 2014
This is a great beginning to what promises to be a thrilling trilogy. If you think you have had enough of vampires and the supernatural, think again.
This young adult novel sets up a very interesting world, where beings called the Naimei work to balance the forces in the universe. The protagonist, Chloe, is a spunky character, with lots of attitude to love and none of the tendencies that some other YA heroines have for endless whining. But all the characters are well developed and interesting. Josef is just the right amount of cocky and mysterious, so that as you read you don’t know whether you want to slap him or snuggle up to him.
What impressed me most was the very last chapter. I won’t give anything away, of course, but let me just say it had some truly scary moments. It’s been a long time since I’ve felt frightened by a book, but this one did it!
If you are looking for a great, fresh young adult trilogy to sink your teeth into, then I highly recommend this one.
This young adult novel sets up a very interesting world, where beings called the Naimei work to balance the forces in the universe. The protagonist, Chloe, is a spunky character, with lots of attitude to love and none of the tendencies that some other YA heroines have for endless whining. But all the characters are well developed and interesting. Josef is just the right amount of cocky and mysterious, so that as you read you don’t know whether you want to slap him or snuggle up to him.
What impressed me most was the very last chapter. I won’t give anything away, of course, but let me just say it had some truly scary moments. It’s been a long time since I’ve felt frightened by a book, but this one did it!
If you are looking for a great, fresh young adult trilogy to sink your teeth into, then I highly recommend this one.
February 7, 2014
I'm a sucker for vampire stories, so when I heard of Chloe Moraine-vampire hunter-I had to check this one out. Echoes of Balance doesn't disappoint! I love how Ryanne brings together paranormal creatures of all kinds, their balance linked through magic of a curious compass-like box known as the Ways. EOB reminded me of NBC's Grimm in so many ways, but with a story all its own. (And that is a VERY GOOD thing.) Ryanne's writing is easy to read, but amazingly descriptive. I had no problem visualizing every aspect of this unique world and its creatures. I also loved the tension between characters. Though I was hoping for a little more romance, I have to say Ryanne does a very good job capturing our attention and keeping the story going without a ton of romance. Very well done. I'm looking forward to the next book in the series, I can't wait to see what happens!!
April 20, 2015
i want to thank goodreads first reads and the author for letting me win a copy of this book "Echos Of Balance by Cally Ryanne.
this is a book which i first found slow but admit that once i started reading it i had a hard time putting this book down.its a bit of everything,mystery suspense and romance all rolled into one.
I recommend this book to all who are interested in a good novel...
thanks again for this opportunity to win and read this book...
this is a book which i first found slow but admit that once i started reading it i had a hard time putting this book down.its a bit of everything,mystery suspense and romance all rolled into one.
I recommend this book to all who are interested in a good novel...
thanks again for this opportunity to win and read this book...
May 19, 2014
This book wasn't great. The whole thing seemed rushed and the storyline was blury. This book had great potential and the characters were good bit it wasn't well written. If the author had of taken more time to elaborate on areas, it could have earnes more stars.
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