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The Shadowminds #1
Twisted Miracles
Cass Weatherfield's powers come with a deadly price.
Cass knows it was her telekinetic gift that killed a college classmate five years back, even if no one else believes her. She's lived in hiding from her fellow shadowminds ever since, plagued by guilt and suppressing her abilities with sedatives. Until the night her past walks back into her life in the form of sexy Shane Tanner, the ex-boyfriend who trained her...and the one she left without saying goodbye.
When Shane tells her that his twin sister, Mina--Cass's childhood friend--is missing, Cass vows to help, which means returning to New Orleans to use her dangerous skills in the search. But finding Mina only leads to darker questions. As Cass and Shane race to learn who is targeting shadowminds, they find themselves drawn to each other, body and soul. Just as their powerful intimacy reignites, events take a terrifying turn, and Cass realizes that to save the people she loves, she must embrace the powers that ruined her life.
Cass knows it was her telekinetic gift that killed a college classmate five years back, even if no one else believes her. She's lived in hiding from her fellow shadowminds ever since, plagued by guilt and suppressing her abilities with sedatives. Until the night her past walks back into her life in the form of sexy Shane Tanner, the ex-boyfriend who trained her...and the one she left without saying goodbye.
When Shane tells her that his twin sister, Mina--Cass's childhood friend--is missing, Cass vows to help, which means returning to New Orleans to use her dangerous skills in the search. But finding Mina only leads to darker questions. As Cass and Shane race to learn who is targeting shadowminds, they find themselves drawn to each other, body and soul. Just as their powerful intimacy reignites, events take a terrifying turn, and Cass realizes that to save the people she loves, she must embrace the powers that ruined her life.
260 pages, Kindle Edition
First published April 7, 2014
4 people are currently reading
301 people want to read
About the author
A.J. Larrieu
4 books20 followersA.J. Larrieu grew up in small-town Louisiana, where she spent her summers working in her family's bakery, exploring the swamps around her home and reading science fiction and fantasy novels under the covers. Twisted Miracles, the first book in her Shadowminds series, was a finalist in RWA’s Golden Heart ® competition in 2012.
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Displaying 1 - 27 of 27 reviews
April 4, 2014
This joint review was originally published at The Book Pushers
1. Thoughts on the Hero
Cass: When it comes to romances, there are only two basic set-ups I’m going to support:
The characters have an extensive pre-book history, or
The relationship develops slowly over several installments.
Anything else irks me as a ridiculous confluence of lust and love that is ultimately demeaning to the characters.
The author was smart to go with the Option A here as a means of justifying/explaining Cass’ decisions in a way that would have come across as irrational and manic-depressive had she been paired off with Jackson.
Shane managed the amazing PNR hero feat of not hitting a single one of my perp buttons. He loved his family, and supported Cass having a career and friends other than him. He intervened when Cass was exhibiting dangerously self-destructive behaviors, but otherwise respected her boundaries and wishes. Excellent!
My only complaint is how utterly pathetic he is at apologizing and owning up to his (massive) fuck-ups. Does no one understand my desperate need for catharsis?
Marlene: It probably not a good thing I’m next. Cass and I tend to egg each other on…
I’m SOOO happy this story didn’t go the insta-love route. The heroine Cass and Shane are way too up in each other’s business for this to work as anything but a “second chance” story. Too much of the romantic angst involves their past rather than their present.
And that past is a corker. While Shane is definitely a decent guy and not the alphahole that PNR heroes often turn out to be, there’s this one thing that drove me crazy about him. That he didn’t believe Cass when she knew that her powers had caused someone’s death. He seemed to prefer that she imagined it or became delusional or whatever, rather than believe and support the woman who was supposed to be the love of his life.
E: Well I had issues with Shane but mine were of a slightly different sort. Shane really didn’t strike me as extremely heroic. He claimed to have never fallen out of love with Cass but only tracked her down when his twin sister was missing. That told me he really wasn’t interested in fighting for her but he was extremely jealous of her co-worker. He pushed and prodded Cass yet he also coddled her at times. While he did play a key role in Cass’ realization that she could control her powers it only came after years of unintentionally crippling her. I did feel for Shane because he seemed the protective sort but his very protectiveness created blind spots about those around him. I saw him as more of a HFN instead of a HEA type of hero which was disappointing given the extensive backstory and previous connection between Cass and Shane.
2. Thoughts on the Heroine
Cass: I admit it. I primarily wanted to read this book because the heroine has my name. The last time I fell into this trap, I got stuck with Cassie Palmer (a series I most emphatically do NOT recommend.)
Though this is not as bad, Cass left me with an overwhelming feeling of “meh”. Her powers were interesting and developed well over the course of the book. Her relationships with her friends, love-interest, neighbors, and coworkers were well-rounded, and consistent.
But in the end, I am not a fan of passive heroines. Cass was sadly lacking in both spine and balls, which made her a blah protagonist. Lots of reaction. No initiative.
For example, when a protagonist discovers the truth behind the Big Bad, you generally want them to step up, whether it is to protect themselves (status, power, property, life) or others (family, friends, fuck-buddies, community). Not this Cass. She wants to run around and find other people to do it for her. Even after it is repeatedly made clear that there is no one else and she cannot expect help from outsiders, she’ll do everything she can to keep her not-so-lily-white hands clean. She had motive, means, and opportunity to handle the Big Bad, and no real moral qualms about doing so. So why not act? Because.
YOU SHAME OUR SHARED NAME WITH YOUR INACTION.
Marlene: The Cass in this story should have been named Cleopatra, because DENIAL is not just a river in Egypt in her case. She denies her powers by practically drugging herself comatose for years. She’s also incredibly passive about learning how to use her powers, even before the old feces hit the oscillating device. So much of the angst in this story is because Cass didn’t know a whole bunch of stuff she should have about the shadowmind community as well as about herself.
Everyone in Cass’ life denied what she was, so I’ll admit that it was no wonder that Cass fell into the same trap. The powers she had were interesting, and the world of the shadowminds was kind of cool.
However, I’ll confess to complete suspension of disbelief that there was no Guardian in New Orleans. Really, the most weird and magickal place in the U.S. didn’t have anyone minding the woowoo store?
E: Rather interesting points there. I am mentioning the lack of Guardian later in my thoughts. I do have to say Cass annoyed me! I understood she was traumatized by what happened in college on a couple of different levels but her way of dealing things was to self-medicate and run. Given how she struggled to accept/gain control of her power initially I expected she would know better than to just ignore them and hope they went away. But that was her fallback reaction each time. She basically had to be forced into taking some sort of action and even then she tried really hard to get someone else to do the job instead of her. When she finally accepted that if she didn’t do anything her friends and other innocents would continue to die, I did start to view her differently. Based on the ending I have hopes that her character will continue to grow and mature in future stories because if not I feel sorry for the inhabitants of her region.
3. Favorite Scene
Cass: N/A. Absolutely nothing stuck with me.
Marlene: Kidnapping and mind-messing with the preacher who was faking the miracles was good for me. Obviously not romantic, but it was great to see somebody get the ass-whooping they deserved
E: I think my favorite scene was the one when Cass finally anonymously confronts Cindy Cepello, someone she has been dreading the very mention of her name since the college incident. I loved how Cass’ thoughts and opinions of her and what she was doing drastically changed. I wish she had done so much earlier in the story because the follow-on effects probably would have made me like Cass as a heroine much more. To me this scene showed how shadowminds could be a positive force not just used for parlor tricks or exploiting others. As a result I gained some hope that Cass would start making things happen instead of letting them happen in future installments.
4. Dislike about book
Cass: INCONSISTENCIES. Cass’ background is revealed over the course of the book. She is (unsurprisingly) an orphan and spent time bouncing around the foster care system. However, the author clearly isn’t aware of how foster care actually works – and even manages to have Cass repeatedly contradict her own memories of her time in the state custody. Wtf? If you can’t get it straight, don’t bring it up. None of these contradicting memories added anything to the story. They were filler. An utterly failed attempt to try to make Cass tragic and add pathos to relationships where there should be none.
I also utterly hated how the handled the whole “Cindy Cepello” plot. Cass sweety, if you had a functioning brain cell in you head, you could have put a stop of this triggering bullshit years ago. I have some ideas I could share. Or is that too spoilery?
\Marlene: I did not care for the Cindy Cepello subplot AT ALL.I wanted her to also be a complete fake, but that would have been too much fakery. However, the way that Cass didn’t handle it was part and parcel of the way that she denied everything to do with her powers.
The way that everyone in her shadowmind community seems to know everything BUT her didn’t seem consistent. She wasn’t a child when she left, yet no one seems to have informed her about some of the important things in her world, such as the fact that guardians were real, and that the type of power that she thought she had really did exist. Where was the “guide to being a shadowmind for dummies” book when she needed it? Or as soon as her powers were confirmed?
E: Well…here we diverge a bit because my favorite scene as mentioned above included a subplot both Marlene and Cass disliked. But I am also agreeing with some issues they both brought up earlier. I really struggled liking both the hero and heroine in the roles they were cast. I felt that their character development was uneven or nonexistent and what did occur was in the last quarter or so of the story so it felt rushed. I also thought the strange circumstance of Cass’ home area not having a Guardian was a bit circumstantial especially since the neighboring Guardians knew of each other but nothing about what was happening in between.
5. Any other misc. thoughts along with grade
Cass: In the end, there was nothing particularly original or engaging about Cass or her world. Correspondingly, there was nothing terribly offensive – as you can see above, all my gripes were relatively minor (and would have been overlooked in a more dynamic story). I am left with a large feeling of meh.
I give Twisted Miracles a C.It’s a perfectly serviceable run-of-the-mill borderline PNR/UF. One I’ll neither shun nor actively seek out in the future.
Marlene: A second helping of meh for me. Twisted Miracles wasn’t bad, but wasn’t as memorable as I had hoped. (I was hoping for another Trancehack (which I loved) but this didn’t even get close. Even the villain was meh.
I give Twisted Miracles a C.
E: Twisted Miracles had a lot of promise. The title certainly fit the story. Unfortunately I found the execution lacking. Larrieu did leave me feeling positive about any sequels because of what Cass faced and her actions towards the very end. I still have my doubts about Shane and his potential for a long-term romantic interest because he remained relatively static throughout the entire story. I think he will need to start growing as well if he wants to remain effective in Cass’ life and not just ride the lingering waves of their childhood romance.
I give Twisted Miracles a C
1. Thoughts on the Hero
Cass: When it comes to romances, there are only two basic set-ups I’m going to support:
The characters have an extensive pre-book history, or
The relationship develops slowly over several installments.
Anything else irks me as a ridiculous confluence of lust and love that is ultimately demeaning to the characters.
The author was smart to go with the Option A here as a means of justifying/explaining Cass’ decisions in a way that would have come across as irrational and manic-depressive had she been paired off with Jackson.
Shane managed the amazing PNR hero feat of not hitting a single one of my perp buttons. He loved his family, and supported Cass having a career and friends other than him. He intervened when Cass was exhibiting dangerously self-destructive behaviors, but otherwise respected her boundaries and wishes. Excellent!
My only complaint is how utterly pathetic he is at apologizing and owning up to his (massive) fuck-ups. Does no one understand my desperate need for catharsis?
Marlene: It probably not a good thing I’m next. Cass and I tend to egg each other on…
I’m SOOO happy this story didn’t go the insta-love route. The heroine Cass and Shane are way too up in each other’s business for this to work as anything but a “second chance” story. Too much of the romantic angst involves their past rather than their present.
And that past is a corker. While Shane is definitely a decent guy and not the alphahole that PNR heroes often turn out to be, there’s this one thing that drove me crazy about him. That he didn’t believe Cass when she knew that her powers had caused someone’s death. He seemed to prefer that she imagined it or became delusional or whatever, rather than believe and support the woman who was supposed to be the love of his life.
E: Well I had issues with Shane but mine were of a slightly different sort. Shane really didn’t strike me as extremely heroic. He claimed to have never fallen out of love with Cass but only tracked her down when his twin sister was missing. That told me he really wasn’t interested in fighting for her but he was extremely jealous of her co-worker. He pushed and prodded Cass yet he also coddled her at times. While he did play a key role in Cass’ realization that she could control her powers it only came after years of unintentionally crippling her. I did feel for Shane because he seemed the protective sort but his very protectiveness created blind spots about those around him. I saw him as more of a HFN instead of a HEA type of hero which was disappointing given the extensive backstory and previous connection between Cass and Shane.
2. Thoughts on the Heroine
Cass: I admit it. I primarily wanted to read this book because the heroine has my name. The last time I fell into this trap, I got stuck with Cassie Palmer (a series I most emphatically do NOT recommend.)
Though this is not as bad, Cass left me with an overwhelming feeling of “meh”. Her powers were interesting and developed well over the course of the book. Her relationships with her friends, love-interest, neighbors, and coworkers were well-rounded, and consistent.
But in the end, I am not a fan of passive heroines. Cass was sadly lacking in both spine and balls, which made her a blah protagonist. Lots of reaction. No initiative.
For example, when a protagonist discovers the truth behind the Big Bad, you generally want them to step up, whether it is to protect themselves (status, power, property, life) or others (family, friends, fuck-buddies, community). Not this Cass. She wants to run around and find other people to do it for her. Even after it is repeatedly made clear that there is no one else and she cannot expect help from outsiders, she’ll do everything she can to keep her not-so-lily-white hands clean. She had motive, means, and opportunity to handle the Big Bad, and no real moral qualms about doing so. So why not act? Because.
YOU SHAME OUR SHARED NAME WITH YOUR INACTION.
Marlene: The Cass in this story should have been named Cleopatra, because DENIAL is not just a river in Egypt in her case. She denies her powers by practically drugging herself comatose for years. She’s also incredibly passive about learning how to use her powers, even before the old feces hit the oscillating device. So much of the angst in this story is because Cass didn’t know a whole bunch of stuff she should have about the shadowmind community as well as about herself.
Everyone in Cass’ life denied what she was, so I’ll admit that it was no wonder that Cass fell into the same trap. The powers she had were interesting, and the world of the shadowminds was kind of cool.
However, I’ll confess to complete suspension of disbelief that there was no Guardian in New Orleans. Really, the most weird and magickal place in the U.S. didn’t have anyone minding the woowoo store?
E: Rather interesting points there. I am mentioning the lack of Guardian later in my thoughts. I do have to say Cass annoyed me! I understood she was traumatized by what happened in college on a couple of different levels but her way of dealing things was to self-medicate and run. Given how she struggled to accept/gain control of her power initially I expected she would know better than to just ignore them and hope they went away. But that was her fallback reaction each time. She basically had to be forced into taking some sort of action and even then she tried really hard to get someone else to do the job instead of her. When she finally accepted that if she didn’t do anything her friends and other innocents would continue to die, I did start to view her differently. Based on the ending I have hopes that her character will continue to grow and mature in future stories because if not I feel sorry for the inhabitants of her region.
3. Favorite Scene
Cass: N/A. Absolutely nothing stuck with me.
Marlene: Kidnapping and mind-messing with the preacher who was faking the miracles was good for me. Obviously not romantic, but it was great to see somebody get the ass-whooping they deserved
E: I think my favorite scene was the one when Cass finally anonymously confronts Cindy Cepello, someone she has been dreading the very mention of her name since the college incident. I loved how Cass’ thoughts and opinions of her and what she was doing drastically changed. I wish she had done so much earlier in the story because the follow-on effects probably would have made me like Cass as a heroine much more. To me this scene showed how shadowminds could be a positive force not just used for parlor tricks or exploiting others. As a result I gained some hope that Cass would start making things happen instead of letting them happen in future installments.
4. Dislike about book
Cass: INCONSISTENCIES. Cass’ background is revealed over the course of the book. She is (unsurprisingly) an orphan and spent time bouncing around the foster care system. However, the author clearly isn’t aware of how foster care actually works – and even manages to have Cass repeatedly contradict her own memories of her time in the state custody. Wtf? If you can’t get it straight, don’t bring it up. None of these contradicting memories added anything to the story. They were filler. An utterly failed attempt to try to make Cass tragic and add pathos to relationships where there should be none.
I also utterly hated how the handled the whole “Cindy Cepello” plot. Cass sweety, if you had a functioning brain cell in you head, you could have put a stop of this triggering bullshit years ago. I have some ideas I could share. Or is that too spoilery?
\Marlene: I did not care for the Cindy Cepello subplot AT ALL.I wanted her to also be a complete fake, but that would have been too much fakery. However, the way that Cass didn’t handle it was part and parcel of the way that she denied everything to do with her powers.
The way that everyone in her shadowmind community seems to know everything BUT her didn’t seem consistent. She wasn’t a child when she left, yet no one seems to have informed her about some of the important things in her world, such as the fact that guardians were real, and that the type of power that she thought she had really did exist. Where was the “guide to being a shadowmind for dummies” book when she needed it? Or as soon as her powers were confirmed?
E: Well…here we diverge a bit because my favorite scene as mentioned above included a subplot both Marlene and Cass disliked. But I am also agreeing with some issues they both brought up earlier. I really struggled liking both the hero and heroine in the roles they were cast. I felt that their character development was uneven or nonexistent and what did occur was in the last quarter or so of the story so it felt rushed. I also thought the strange circumstance of Cass’ home area not having a Guardian was a bit circumstantial especially since the neighboring Guardians knew of each other but nothing about what was happening in between.
5. Any other misc. thoughts along with grade
Cass: In the end, there was nothing particularly original or engaging about Cass or her world. Correspondingly, there was nothing terribly offensive – as you can see above, all my gripes were relatively minor (and would have been overlooked in a more dynamic story). I am left with a large feeling of meh.
I give Twisted Miracles a C.It’s a perfectly serviceable run-of-the-mill borderline PNR/UF. One I’ll neither shun nor actively seek out in the future.
Marlene: A second helping of meh for me. Twisted Miracles wasn’t bad, but wasn’t as memorable as I had hoped. (I was hoping for another Trancehack (which I loved) but this didn’t even get close. Even the villain was meh.
I give Twisted Miracles a C.
E: Twisted Miracles had a lot of promise. The title certainly fit the story. Unfortunately I found the execution lacking. Larrieu did leave me feeling positive about any sequels because of what Cass faced and her actions towards the very end. I still have my doubts about Shane and his potential for a long-term romantic interest because he remained relatively static throughout the entire story. I think he will need to start growing as well if he wants to remain effective in Cass’ life and not just ride the lingering waves of their childhood romance.
I give Twisted Miracles a C
July 17, 2014
4.5 stars
Urban Fantasy is one of my favorite genres to read. I enjoy complex, well-written world-building - mostly because it requires a kind of imagination that I just don't have. I want strong, interesting supporting characters. I want suspense and I want at least a dash of romance (okay, usually more than a dash). I'm pleased to say that Twisted Miracles gives me all of that and then some.
A.J. Larrieu brings us into the world of the shadowminds where there are healers, guardians, and enforcer all gifted with supernatural powers. And like in all parts of society, there is good and evil in their kind.
Cass Weatherfield is a telekinetic. She can move objects in her sleep, she can transport and most unusually of all, she can pull energy from life around her to enhance her powers. Without having any of this knowledge as a child, she grew up alienated from the world, moved from foster home to foster home until she meets Shane, another shadowmind and future boyfriend. From Shane and his Uncle Lionel, Cass learns more about this hidden world, but it doesn’t help when she is involved in a tragic accident. An incident that makes her run from her adoptive family. It is only the disappearance of Shane’s sister (and Cass’s best friend) Mina that brings her back to New Orleans and involves her in a deeper mystery with a serial killer.
I'm biased toward stories that are based in the South. Having now visited New Orleans, I can imagine the places about which the author writes. But more than that, stories in the South seem more sultry - the warm winds, the humidity, the exotic scents. Characters seem to have extra flavor as well. The author offers up a good crew of side characters that enhance the story: Lionel, another shadowmind and father figure to the kids; Bruce, a normal human with the superpower of optimism; Mina, bereft of her powers, must now learn to cope; and Jackson, another shadowmind living in San Francisco, who helps Cass discover and start to harness her special strengths.
I also took note of a subtle, but not often included, element in this story. Shane and Cass are an inter-racial couple. The focus of this book is not about their inter-racial relationship or about race and racism, but it acknowledges that Shane is of mixed race and the author chooses to make that relevant. A.J. Larrieu chooses to acknowledge their diverse experience. I believe that in order to normalize diversity, we must acknowledge varying experiences, not ignore them. So, when Cass's foster mother, Kate, meets Shane for the first time, Cass can hear the subtext of what she is saying: "It hadn't taken her long to forbid me from seeing him. 'Think of your children, Cass,' she said. 'Would you want them to got through life like that?' Like that was Kate-code for black." This is done with a subtle hand, but to me a significant inclusion and one I truly appreciated.
My one small critique is that I would have like to learn more about Shane. We know he’s protective, brave and passionate, but his story starts with Cass. I’d like to know more about his story and his point of view. Maybe an novella from his perspective?
IN A NUTSHELL: If you are interested in checking out a fresh voice in the Urban Fantasy genre, or if you just want a darn good story, don’t miss out on this book.
Urban Fantasy is one of my favorite genres to read. I enjoy complex, well-written world-building - mostly because it requires a kind of imagination that I just don't have. I want strong, interesting supporting characters. I want suspense and I want at least a dash of romance (okay, usually more than a dash). I'm pleased to say that Twisted Miracles gives me all of that and then some.
A.J. Larrieu brings us into the world of the shadowminds where there are healers, guardians, and enforcer all gifted with supernatural powers. And like in all parts of society, there is good and evil in their kind.
Cass Weatherfield is a telekinetic. She can move objects in her sleep, she can transport and most unusually of all, she can pull energy from life around her to enhance her powers. Without having any of this knowledge as a child, she grew up alienated from the world, moved from foster home to foster home until she meets Shane, another shadowmind and future boyfriend. From Shane and his Uncle Lionel, Cass learns more about this hidden world, but it doesn’t help when she is involved in a tragic accident. An incident that makes her run from her adoptive family. It is only the disappearance of Shane’s sister (and Cass’s best friend) Mina that brings her back to New Orleans and involves her in a deeper mystery with a serial killer.
I'm biased toward stories that are based in the South. Having now visited New Orleans, I can imagine the places about which the author writes. But more than that, stories in the South seem more sultry - the warm winds, the humidity, the exotic scents. Characters seem to have extra flavor as well. The author offers up a good crew of side characters that enhance the story: Lionel, another shadowmind and father figure to the kids; Bruce, a normal human with the superpower of optimism; Mina, bereft of her powers, must now learn to cope; and Jackson, another shadowmind living in San Francisco, who helps Cass discover and start to harness her special strengths.
I also took note of a subtle, but not often included, element in this story. Shane and Cass are an inter-racial couple. The focus of this book is not about their inter-racial relationship or about race and racism, but it acknowledges that Shane is of mixed race and the author chooses to make that relevant. A.J. Larrieu chooses to acknowledge their diverse experience. I believe that in order to normalize diversity, we must acknowledge varying experiences, not ignore them. So, when Cass's foster mother, Kate, meets Shane for the first time, Cass can hear the subtext of what she is saying: "It hadn't taken her long to forbid me from seeing him. 'Think of your children, Cass,' she said. 'Would you want them to got through life like that?' Like that was Kate-code for black." This is done with a subtle hand, but to me a significant inclusion and one I truly appreciated.
My one small critique is that I would have like to learn more about Shane. We know he’s protective, brave and passionate, but his story starts with Cass. I’d like to know more about his story and his point of view. Maybe an novella from his perspective?
IN A NUTSHELL: If you are interested in checking out a fresh voice in the Urban Fantasy genre, or if you just want a darn good story, don’t miss out on this book.
April 9, 2014
Review Courtesy All Things Urban Fantasy
Something I love about the paranormal world lately is that authors seem to be shying away from copycat success and really taking paranormal elements and, to quote Rose Hathaway, making them their bitch. TWISTED MIRACLES is a good example. Larrieu takes some elements of mind magic, adds a few twists of her own and makes a wholly enjoyable universe.
I think what I enjoyed most about TWISTED MIRACLES were the characters. Cass has power she doesn’t want and tries to run away from it. That works about as well as it ever does because there’s something different about her powers. Something destructive. Larrieu does a good job of making this difference a hurdle Cass has to jump rather than something that tickles the Mary Sue nerve. Cass struggles with what she is, with what she can do (and has done) and then has to work even harder to control it. She makes good and bad choices along the way, which makes for a great trip into her universe.
The supporting characters are just as richly developed as Cass. Shane, Lionel and Bruce, Mina and Jackson all add to the TWISTED MIRACLES universe with their own spin on how they see the world in general and their converter community specifically. I had to warm up a little to Shane but I did eventually. He’s trying to understand Cass, and his initial doubt just gives him more depth – much more than the automatic “I believe you, baby” would have.
And for anyone who’s read Larrieu’s novella, Anchored…yes, there’s a cameo.
It might have taken me a little time for TWISTED MIRACLES to put its hooks into me, but once it did, I was a goner and I’ll be anxiously awaiting the next in the series.
Something I love about the paranormal world lately is that authors seem to be shying away from copycat success and really taking paranormal elements and, to quote Rose Hathaway, making them their bitch. TWISTED MIRACLES is a good example. Larrieu takes some elements of mind magic, adds a few twists of her own and makes a wholly enjoyable universe.
I think what I enjoyed most about TWISTED MIRACLES were the characters. Cass has power she doesn’t want and tries to run away from it. That works about as well as it ever does because there’s something different about her powers. Something destructive. Larrieu does a good job of making this difference a hurdle Cass has to jump rather than something that tickles the Mary Sue nerve. Cass struggles with what she is, with what she can do (and has done) and then has to work even harder to control it. She makes good and bad choices along the way, which makes for a great trip into her universe.
The supporting characters are just as richly developed as Cass. Shane, Lionel and Bruce, Mina and Jackson all add to the TWISTED MIRACLES universe with their own spin on how they see the world in general and their converter community specifically. I had to warm up a little to Shane but I did eventually. He’s trying to understand Cass, and his initial doubt just gives him more depth – much more than the automatic “I believe you, baby” would have.
And for anyone who’s read Larrieu’s novella, Anchored…yes, there’s a cameo.
It might have taken me a little time for TWISTED MIRACLES to put its hooks into me, but once it did, I was a goner and I’ll be anxiously awaiting the next in the series.
October 13, 2014
Actual Rating 3.5
I had a couple of problems with the actual mystery which is why I cannot give it a 4 but otherwise, this was so much fun! I flew through it!
I had a couple of problems with the actual mystery which is why I cannot give it a 4 but otherwise, this was so much fun! I flew through it!
May 22, 2014
I have had this book for a little while, picked up from an online recommendation/review, and I got around to starting it the other day. It turned out to be a great book, one that I really enjoyed, and it was a lot of fun to read. I do caution readers that there is explicit sex in the book, although that's not the focus of the story (and if it were, I wouldn't be listing it on GR) and I feel it was appropriate and well-written, but it's always best to know that when choosing your reading material.
This is a paranormal set in reality, with our protagonist capable of telepathy and telekinesis, which is what has gotten her into trouble in the past. Cass ran away from New Orleans to San Francisco to escape her past, but when a close friend goes missing she is pulled back home to help with that situation. She is drawn back into the community of other paranormals, and discovers that someone is hiding a secret and killing not only normal people, but those with talents she knows and loves as well.
Most of the characters were well done (especially Lionel, Bruce, and Bunny) and I liked how the talented folk had their own society and world while still remaining part of the normal world. Not many paranormal stories pull that off appropriately, and this setup was quite believable. I also thought how the powers were described, trained, and developed was very cool and well-thought-out. Finally, the relationship between Cass and Shane was a little volatile, but given their history and the high stress situations, I think it made sense for them to get back together.
An enjoyable, light read with an interesting world that I wouldn't be averse to revisiting in the future.
This is a paranormal set in reality, with our protagonist capable of telepathy and telekinesis, which is what has gotten her into trouble in the past. Cass ran away from New Orleans to San Francisco to escape her past, but when a close friend goes missing she is pulled back home to help with that situation. She is drawn back into the community of other paranormals, and discovers that someone is hiding a secret and killing not only normal people, but those with talents she knows and loves as well.
Most of the characters were well done (especially Lionel, Bruce, and Bunny) and I liked how the talented folk had their own society and world while still remaining part of the normal world. Not many paranormal stories pull that off appropriately, and this setup was quite believable. I also thought how the powers were described, trained, and developed was very cool and well-thought-out. Finally, the relationship between Cass and Shane was a little volatile, but given their history and the high stress situations, I think it made sense for them to get back together.
An enjoyable, light read with an interesting world that I wouldn't be averse to revisiting in the future.
March 22, 2014
Ooh. The world building here was fun. Dark and a little dangerous, but fun. Hidden societies, depraved desires, and abilities that the normal world wouldn't understand all wrapped around a woman trying desperately to suppress what she sees as a curse. SCORE!
Cass's life is complicated. She ran from the only family she's ever known, leaving behind a fair amount of heartache. Slipping back into that world is both easy and hard. Finding out there's an entire support system out there for her kind so soon after being forced to face her past is a revelation.
Having a chance to refine her gift gives her something to focus on other than Shane and the feelings he rouses in her.
While the mystery of who was behind the abductions of the Shadowminds isn't necessarily a surprise, the hows and whys are intriguing.The different individuals who Cass and Shane meet as they unravel what's going on lead to more questions. Given the deal Cass has to make and the potential that's presented to her at the end, I'm pretty darn excited for the next book.
-Kelly @ Reading the Paranormal
Cass's life is complicated. She ran from the only family she's ever known, leaving behind a fair amount of heartache. Slipping back into that world is both easy and hard. Finding out there's an entire support system out there for her kind so soon after being forced to face her past is a revelation.
Having a chance to refine her gift gives her something to focus on other than Shane and the feelings he rouses in her.
While the mystery of who was behind the abductions of the Shadowminds isn't necessarily a surprise, the hows and whys are intriguing.The different individuals who Cass and Shane meet as they unravel what's going on lead to more questions. Given the deal Cass has to make and the potential that's presented to her at the end, I'm pretty darn excited for the next book.
-Kelly @ Reading the Paranormal
Want to read
March 21, 20153 October 2014: $0.99 on Kindle
April 18, 2014
See this review and others like it at Badass Book Reviews and enter for your chance to win this book and a prize pack here!
AJ Larrieu's debut novel, Twisted Miracles, took the basic ideas of telekinesis and telepathy and ran with them. She created a fascinating new world and filled it will flawed, but determined characters. I really enjoyed my introduction to this version of Louisiana and I can't wait to find out more about Cass, Shane, Lionel, Bruce, and the rest of The Shadowminds crew!
Cass is telepathic and hails from Louisiana, but don't come to this book thinking you're getting another Sookie Stackhouse. Cass is a very different character personality-wise and she also has the added power of telekinesis. A traumatic event in her past spends her running from Louisiana and the shadowmind community, but she gets pulled back in with the disappearance of her friend, Mina. Cass begins to learn more about her powers and what was the real cause of the tragedy in her past. She also begins to get close to her ex-beau, Shane, again. I appreciated the AJ let Cass struggle; she wasn't instantly a mental powerhouse. She had setbacks and was scared of her abilities, but overtime she learned to wield them to help others. I was also happy to see very little of a love triangle. I actually don't even think you can really call it that because Cass is never truly interested in the other man.
It took me a little longer to warm up to Shane in Twisted Miracles. He seemed like a solid guy, but he just could not believe Cass when it came to how far advanced her powers were. He wants to believe her, but he has doubts because he's never seen an ability like that before. It did make his action seem more "real," but I didn't fully enjoy his relationship with Cass until he accepted everything as truth. I liked that he and Cass has a long-established history as well; it made everything that developed between them much more realistic than insta-love.
Twisted Miracles also had really fascinating secondary characters. I would love to see more of Jackson, the man who helped Cass with her powers before she returned to Louisiana, and the other San Fransisco shadowminds and guardian. I absolutely loved Lionel and Bruce, Cass's surrogate family. They had a great relationship and I loved the extra little elements of them running a B&B. Bunny, the shadowmind healer, also seems like she has more up her sleeve than was shown here and the guardian Susannah will definitely be a force to be reckoned with. The one character that I wish had had more development was Mina. We are told she and Cass were close, but I never felt that way. They were separated for much of the book, but even when they were together I didn't really get a sense of their friendship.
The eventual villain of Twisted Miracles might not be too surprising for some readers. A few hints are thrown out at the beginning, but then the background starts to fill in and earlier assumptions may fall into doubt. Even if the ending wasn't too shocking, I still enjoyed the ride and was never bored with Cass and Shane's investigations. The end did wrap up rather quickly, but I think it left plenty of loose ends for the next book to build on.
Thank you to Netgalley, Carina Press, and AJ Larrieu for providing a review copy of this book.
AJ Larrieu's debut novel, Twisted Miracles, took the basic ideas of telekinesis and telepathy and ran with them. She created a fascinating new world and filled it will flawed, but determined characters. I really enjoyed my introduction to this version of Louisiana and I can't wait to find out more about Cass, Shane, Lionel, Bruce, and the rest of The Shadowminds crew!
Cass is telepathic and hails from Louisiana, but don't come to this book thinking you're getting another Sookie Stackhouse. Cass is a very different character personality-wise and she also has the added power of telekinesis. A traumatic event in her past spends her running from Louisiana and the shadowmind community, but she gets pulled back in with the disappearance of her friend, Mina. Cass begins to learn more about her powers and what was the real cause of the tragedy in her past. She also begins to get close to her ex-beau, Shane, again. I appreciated the AJ let Cass struggle; she wasn't instantly a mental powerhouse. She had setbacks and was scared of her abilities, but overtime she learned to wield them to help others. I was also happy to see very little of a love triangle. I actually don't even think you can really call it that because Cass is never truly interested in the other man.
It took me a little longer to warm up to Shane in Twisted Miracles. He seemed like a solid guy, but he just could not believe Cass when it came to how far advanced her powers were. He wants to believe her, but he has doubts because he's never seen an ability like that before. It did make his action seem more "real," but I didn't fully enjoy his relationship with Cass until he accepted everything as truth. I liked that he and Cass has a long-established history as well; it made everything that developed between them much more realistic than insta-love.
Twisted Miracles also had really fascinating secondary characters. I would love to see more of Jackson, the man who helped Cass with her powers before she returned to Louisiana, and the other San Fransisco shadowminds and guardian. I absolutely loved Lionel and Bruce, Cass's surrogate family. They had a great relationship and I loved the extra little elements of them running a B&B. Bunny, the shadowmind healer, also seems like she has more up her sleeve than was shown here and the guardian Susannah will definitely be a force to be reckoned with. The one character that I wish had had more development was Mina. We are told she and Cass were close, but I never felt that way. They were separated for much of the book, but even when they were together I didn't really get a sense of their friendship.
The eventual villain of Twisted Miracles might not be too surprising for some readers. A few hints are thrown out at the beginning, but then the background starts to fill in and earlier assumptions may fall into doubt. Even if the ending wasn't too shocking, I still enjoyed the ride and was never bored with Cass and Shane's investigations. The end did wrap up rather quickly, but I think it left plenty of loose ends for the next book to build on.
Thank you to Netgalley, Carina Press, and AJ Larrieu for providing a review copy of this book.
July 25, 2014
Review originally published at Bibliophilia, Please
3.5 stars
I might be a little biased because I love a good Louisiana story, but I really enjoyed A.J. Larrieu’s first novel Twisted Miracles . One of the best parts was that the dialogue between the characters felt real and true. There was no over-the-top fake southern accents and drawls. I didn’t have to see the word “cher” for every endearment. I could tell the book was written by someone who had lived in Louisiana.
I liked that the world building unfurled slowly and we learned a lot about the shadowminds the same time that Cass did. She had been running away from her gift since an accident 5 years ago, and she spent a lot of time denying her gift rather than using it. So, for a lot of the book she was training and learning, which meant that we were learning too. The powers themselves could have a little more explanation though. By the end, I mostly understood that everyone can read minds but some people can do a little more like Cass is a “puller” or Bunny was a healer. I think that could have been explained a little better though throughout the book to make it less confusing.
At the beginning I wasn’t really sold on the relationship between Cass and Shane. (But I didn’t want it to go the way of the love-triangle. Why must there be a love triangle always??? Thankfully this one is short-lived). Shane didn’t seem supportive and he definitely thought all of their problems were caused by Cass. Eventually he realizes that he is wrong, but he still never really apologizes for being unsupportive.
As much as Shane bothered me with Cass, I loved the family dynamic. Shane’s family figuratively adopted Cass when she was a teenager, and I loved how close knit they were with each other and the with the rest of the shadowmind community.
My main complaint with the novel is Cass. She’s a likeable enough character. She’s loving and cares about the people around her. She just doesn’t have much courage. She ran away from her powers when there was a tragic accident. She seems to constantly run away and then run toward Shane (poor Shane probably had whiplash). I guess she’s just a bit too tentative for my taste. Hopefully as the series continues and she gets some self-confidence, she may get more of backbone. Also some of this may be due to the fact that her family never really believed her regarding the tragic accident and her additional powers.
The plot moved along at a nice pace, and while the story wasn’t action packed, I was never bored either. I do wish that there was a little something more to the plot, something that made me hate putting the book down. Like, I really wish we got more information on the guardians (I really want more information on Susannah! She seems like quite the interesting character).
Speaking of guardians, how did New Orleans not have a Guardian? If I’m picking top supernatural hangouts, New Orleans will always be on the top of the list.
Overall, Twisted Miracles was an enjoyable read. I’d recommend it to someone who wanted a lighter, slightly different twist on the regular Urban Fantasy scene. I’ll definitely be picking up the next in the series, especially since most Urban Fantasy series just get better as they go along.
To satisfy FTC guidelines, I am disclosing that I received an advance copy of the book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
3.5 stars
I might be a little biased because I love a good Louisiana story, but I really enjoyed A.J. Larrieu’s first novel Twisted Miracles . One of the best parts was that the dialogue between the characters felt real and true. There was no over-the-top fake southern accents and drawls. I didn’t have to see the word “cher” for every endearment. I could tell the book was written by someone who had lived in Louisiana.
I liked that the world building unfurled slowly and we learned a lot about the shadowminds the same time that Cass did. She had been running away from her gift since an accident 5 years ago, and she spent a lot of time denying her gift rather than using it. So, for a lot of the book she was training and learning, which meant that we were learning too. The powers themselves could have a little more explanation though. By the end, I mostly understood that everyone can read minds but some people can do a little more like Cass is a “puller” or Bunny was a healer. I think that could have been explained a little better though throughout the book to make it less confusing.
At the beginning I wasn’t really sold on the relationship between Cass and Shane. (But I didn’t want it to go the way of the love-triangle. Why must there be a love triangle always??? Thankfully this one is short-lived). Shane didn’t seem supportive and he definitely thought all of their problems were caused by Cass. Eventually he realizes that he is wrong, but he still never really apologizes for being unsupportive.
As much as Shane bothered me with Cass, I loved the family dynamic. Shane’s family figuratively adopted Cass when she was a teenager, and I loved how close knit they were with each other and the with the rest of the shadowmind community.
My main complaint with the novel is Cass. She’s a likeable enough character. She’s loving and cares about the people around her. She just doesn’t have much courage. She ran away from her powers when there was a tragic accident. She seems to constantly run away and then run toward Shane (poor Shane probably had whiplash). I guess she’s just a bit too tentative for my taste. Hopefully as the series continues and she gets some self-confidence, she may get more of backbone. Also some of this may be due to the fact that her family never really believed her regarding the tragic accident and her additional powers.
The plot moved along at a nice pace, and while the story wasn’t action packed, I was never bored either. I do wish that there was a little something more to the plot, something that made me hate putting the book down. Like, I really wish we got more information on the guardians (I really want more information on Susannah! She seems like quite the interesting character).
Speaking of guardians, how did New Orleans not have a Guardian? If I’m picking top supernatural hangouts, New Orleans will always be on the top of the list.
Overall, Twisted Miracles was an enjoyable read. I’d recommend it to someone who wanted a lighter, slightly different twist on the regular Urban Fantasy scene. I’ll definitely be picking up the next in the series, especially since most Urban Fantasy series just get better as they go along.
To satisfy FTC guidelines, I am disclosing that I received an advance copy of the book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
May 14, 2014
Originally posted at Vampire Book Club:
On the day of her last college final, Cass Weatherfield tries to stop a tragedy and ends up killing her classmate instead. Five years later, she’s living in San Francisco and struggling to keep her telekinetic and telepathic powers in check.
Her carefully constructed life falls apart the minute her ex steps back into her life. Shane’s sister Mia has gone missing, and he needs Cass’s help to find her. Returning to New Orleans is the last thing Cass wants to do, but she agrees. Opening herself up to the full strength of her powers is hard enough. Resisting the pull Shane has on her is damn near impossible.
Sigh. So many things to love about Twisted Miracles. The worldbuilding is rich and detailed without slowing the story’s pace. There are different kinds of Shadowminds: all of them have telekinesis and telepathy as skills, but some are healers. Some can function as a GPS tracking device, pinpointing a person’s location with frightening accuracy. And some are pullers, Shadowminds who pull energy from their environment.
Cass is a puller. Her ability is so rare no one in the New Orleans Shadowmind community knew what she was, so no one believed her when she said she’d killed her classmate. Learning that she isn’t crazy is a relief, but figuring out how to control her deadly power is frustrating and she tries to give up more than once. Mastering it is safest for everyone around her, though; if she fails, she could end up killing someone again.
But let’s move on to the really important part: Cass and Shane. Hoo-boy do they have chemistry. I mean, they have chemistry. Their rekindled relationship isn’t smooth sailing. Cass is determined to return to her life in San Francisco and Shane refuses to get involved with her knowing he’s only going to get his heart broken again. But at the heart of this couple is a friendship that became more, and the two of them have a rhythm you can only find with someone who knows you inside and out. Their moments together are sometimes sweet, sometimes angsty, and that one in the tent? Scorching. As Shadowminds, they have the ability to be inside another person’s head, to feel what they’re feeling. It’s never done without permission, so when they allow the other person in? I’ll never look at camping the same way again.
The biggest downside to Twisted Miracles, though, was the setting. Yes, it’s set in New Orleans, but it felt like it could have been set anywhere. I wished there’d been more of the uniqueness of NOLA woven into the story. It’s such a vibrant, quirky city, and that was missing here.
I gulped down Twisted Miracles and now I’m sitting here with grabby hands, waiting for the next book. Because more Shadowminds means more Cass and Shane, and the world definitely needs more Cass and Shane.
On the day of her last college final, Cass Weatherfield tries to stop a tragedy and ends up killing her classmate instead. Five years later, she’s living in San Francisco and struggling to keep her telekinetic and telepathic powers in check.
Her carefully constructed life falls apart the minute her ex steps back into her life. Shane’s sister Mia has gone missing, and he needs Cass’s help to find her. Returning to New Orleans is the last thing Cass wants to do, but she agrees. Opening herself up to the full strength of her powers is hard enough. Resisting the pull Shane has on her is damn near impossible.
Sigh. So many things to love about Twisted Miracles. The worldbuilding is rich and detailed without slowing the story’s pace. There are different kinds of Shadowminds: all of them have telekinesis and telepathy as skills, but some are healers. Some can function as a GPS tracking device, pinpointing a person’s location with frightening accuracy. And some are pullers, Shadowminds who pull energy from their environment.
Cass is a puller. Her ability is so rare no one in the New Orleans Shadowmind community knew what she was, so no one believed her when she said she’d killed her classmate. Learning that she isn’t crazy is a relief, but figuring out how to control her deadly power is frustrating and she tries to give up more than once. Mastering it is safest for everyone around her, though; if she fails, she could end up killing someone again.
But let’s move on to the really important part: Cass and Shane. Hoo-boy do they have chemistry. I mean, they have chemistry. Their rekindled relationship isn’t smooth sailing. Cass is determined to return to her life in San Francisco and Shane refuses to get involved with her knowing he’s only going to get his heart broken again. But at the heart of this couple is a friendship that became more, and the two of them have a rhythm you can only find with someone who knows you inside and out. Their moments together are sometimes sweet, sometimes angsty, and that one in the tent? Scorching. As Shadowminds, they have the ability to be inside another person’s head, to feel what they’re feeling. It’s never done without permission, so when they allow the other person in? I’ll never look at camping the same way again.
The biggest downside to Twisted Miracles, though, was the setting. Yes, it’s set in New Orleans, but it felt like it could have been set anywhere. I wished there’d been more of the uniqueness of NOLA woven into the story. It’s such a vibrant, quirky city, and that was missing here.
I gulped down Twisted Miracles and now I’m sitting here with grabby hands, waiting for the next book. Because more Shadowminds means more Cass and Shane, and the world definitely needs more Cass and Shane.
August 15, 2014
4.5*s
Review posted here...
http://bookpassionforlife.blogspot.co...
I really enjoyed Twisted Miracles, the first book in ‘The Shadowminds’ series, it is very different from what’s around at the moment and that really added to its appeal. I found it really easy to become involved in Cass’s world and her relationship with Shane. When we first meet her she is controlling her gift with medication and failing that –drink- but that is quite understandable when we find out what she is trying to control. She ran from the only family she had ever known, which included her boyfriend and her best friend (his sister) after an incident 5 years previous that she caused. When we find out what that is, it really gives a good feel of who Cass is and what she is about. I loved the way Shane came back into her life, yeah the circumstances weren’t great but it opened up an opportunity to let him back into her life and you could definitely feel the connection & love between the pair from the start. I liked how Shane was with her, so patient and understanding but also determined to have her back and I thought the mind-sharing was a great way to show trust, openness & honesty in a relationship situation plus is was definitely handy in the intimacy department. I loved the sense of family they all shared, even with others who shared their gift, like it was a community of its own and it was lovely how they all welcomed Cass back into the fold unquestionably.
The storyline was a good old whodunit and was a great introduction into the ‘shadowminds’ world. The idea of their powers is that they are all telepathic and can read peoples’ thoughts, but it goes further and certain people can do more, like healers and telekinesis for example but Cass is different and that is the main point of the book. It starts when Mina (Cass’s BFF) is stripped of her powers -which has never been known- and when they delve into her mind and see a man, the investigation begins but in order to do that Cass must unleash & control her powers, something she hasn’t been doing without medication. As she follow the clues, she makes some startling discoveries which challenges what she knew of the world of the Shadowminds and even challenges what she knows about herself. As always with people with any sort of power, you have those who will use it for good or those who will abuse it for their own gains so we get a balanced insight into these unusual people. The story itself was very intriguing and I really liked the way the telepathic gifts were used throughout and how even now, some things are still being discovered. It was a great introduction to this world and I really enjoyed it and will definitely be looking out for book 2.
Review posted here...
http://bookpassionforlife.blogspot.co...
I really enjoyed Twisted Miracles, the first book in ‘The Shadowminds’ series, it is very different from what’s around at the moment and that really added to its appeal. I found it really easy to become involved in Cass’s world and her relationship with Shane. When we first meet her she is controlling her gift with medication and failing that –drink- but that is quite understandable when we find out what she is trying to control. She ran from the only family she had ever known, which included her boyfriend and her best friend (his sister) after an incident 5 years previous that she caused. When we find out what that is, it really gives a good feel of who Cass is and what she is about. I loved the way Shane came back into her life, yeah the circumstances weren’t great but it opened up an opportunity to let him back into her life and you could definitely feel the connection & love between the pair from the start. I liked how Shane was with her, so patient and understanding but also determined to have her back and I thought the mind-sharing was a great way to show trust, openness & honesty in a relationship situation plus is was definitely handy in the intimacy department. I loved the sense of family they all shared, even with others who shared their gift, like it was a community of its own and it was lovely how they all welcomed Cass back into the fold unquestionably.
The storyline was a good old whodunit and was a great introduction into the ‘shadowminds’ world. The idea of their powers is that they are all telepathic and can read peoples’ thoughts, but it goes further and certain people can do more, like healers and telekinesis for example but Cass is different and that is the main point of the book. It starts when Mina (Cass’s BFF) is stripped of her powers -which has never been known- and when they delve into her mind and see a man, the investigation begins but in order to do that Cass must unleash & control her powers, something she hasn’t been doing without medication. As she follow the clues, she makes some startling discoveries which challenges what she knew of the world of the Shadowminds and even challenges what she knows about herself. As always with people with any sort of power, you have those who will use it for good or those who will abuse it for their own gains so we get a balanced insight into these unusual people. The story itself was very intriguing and I really liked the way the telepathic gifts were used throughout and how even now, some things are still being discovered. It was a great introduction to this world and I really enjoyed it and will definitely be looking out for book 2.
January 26, 2015
Anytime I finish a book and immediately go looking for more by the author, that book gets 5 stars from me. My only disappointment is that AJ is a new author and only has one other story out. It's a short story called Anchored that ties into Twisted Miracles and I immediately bought it and loved it also. I was also happy to see that the next book is due out in the fall. I won this book in a contest, but I will be buying the next one for sure.
I love telekinesis, but it isn't featured very often in paranormals so I was excited to read this. The first chapters immediately hooked me and I hated to put it down. Cass was born with strong telekinetic powers but she was abandoned as a baby so she grew up in the foster system and had a very rough time until she met the Tanner family who were shadowminds and recognized that she was one also. Unfortunately, a terrible accident involving the use of her powers caused her to abandon them (including her boyfriend Shane), leave New Orleans, move to San Francisco, and try to suppress all use of her powers for 5 years. She's finally drawn back home when her best friend, Shane's sister, goes missing. It quickly becomes apparent that someone with strong powers is misusing them to hurt others. Cass discovers that she has similar powers and then has to learn who to control her own so that she can find this person and bring them down.
One thing that I loved about this book was that the author doesn't shy away from the dark side. In many paranormals, the main characters are placed in peril, but then "miraculously" escape without any injury regardless of how bad the situation seems. Not so here. Bad things do happen to good people and the accident that made Cass try to suppress her powers was a very serious and terrible thing. At the same time, the book isn't heavy reading. The pace was good, and I really enjoyed the characters and the setting. I also loved the relationship between Cass and Shane. They were very serious about each other, so when they meet again after 5 years, it makes sense that they would immediately connect. It's not an insta-love situation. That does bring up one of my only nits about the story though. I found it hard to believe that Cass would have left New Orleans without a word, then never contacted her friends and family the whole time she was gone. It also seemed wrong that they would then just accept her coming back so easily. However, this was a minor thing overall and I can't wait to see what happens next in this world.
I love telekinesis, but it isn't featured very often in paranormals so I was excited to read this. The first chapters immediately hooked me and I hated to put it down. Cass was born with strong telekinetic powers but she was abandoned as a baby so she grew up in the foster system and had a very rough time until she met the Tanner family who were shadowminds and recognized that she was one also. Unfortunately, a terrible accident involving the use of her powers caused her to abandon them (including her boyfriend Shane), leave New Orleans, move to San Francisco, and try to suppress all use of her powers for 5 years. She's finally drawn back home when her best friend, Shane's sister, goes missing. It quickly becomes apparent that someone with strong powers is misusing them to hurt others. Cass discovers that she has similar powers and then has to learn who to control her own so that she can find this person and bring them down.
One thing that I loved about this book was that the author doesn't shy away from the dark side. In many paranormals, the main characters are placed in peril, but then "miraculously" escape without any injury regardless of how bad the situation seems. Not so here. Bad things do happen to good people and the accident that made Cass try to suppress her powers was a very serious and terrible thing. At the same time, the book isn't heavy reading. The pace was good, and I really enjoyed the characters and the setting. I also loved the relationship between Cass and Shane. They were very serious about each other, so when they meet again after 5 years, it makes sense that they would immediately connect. It's not an insta-love situation. That does bring up one of my only nits about the story though. I found it hard to believe that Cass would have left New Orleans without a word, then never contacted her friends and family the whole time she was gone. It also seemed wrong that they would then just accept her coming back so easily. However, this was a minor thing overall and I can't wait to see what happens next in this world.
April 5, 2014
The first book in the new Shadowminds series is a thrilling and intriguing urban fantasy. Haunted by an unfortunate death that she knows she caused, Cass lives in hiding for her fellow shadowminds, denying her telekinetic gift. But when one her close friends goes missing she returns home to help find her and realizes that in order to save the people she loves, she’ll have to embrace the powers that ruined her life.
This fast plot keeps readers on the edge of their seats with lots of action, suspense, drama, romance and an intriguing concept. The author describes each scene with vivid images and details that make it easy for the reader to feel as if they are part of the story. The actions and suspense scenes are well orchestrated and believable with surprising twists and turns to keep it really interesting. The strong, compelling characters grab the reader’s attention from the very beginning.
The main focus of the story is the group of people called Shadowminds, they have special psychic abilities particularly Cass and her abilities which are different from the others. But there is romance in air as the love she left behind, Shane is more than willing to have her back, but the relationship will need some work which is made difficult by the rogue Shadowmind.
The author has created a fascinating psychic world that intrigues as well as entertains and has engaging characters that draw the reader deeper into the story. The New Orleans setting is a great back drop for this particular group of people and of course there are others like them in other places which lead to more possibilities and add credibility to the concept.
I was thoroughly caught up in the story from one beginning to the very end and I think this series has great potential for lots of entertaining stories. Cass holds lots of promise as a future kick ass heroine and her journey to get there should prove to be interesting. I really wish I didn’t have to wait to August to read the next one.
This fast plot keeps readers on the edge of their seats with lots of action, suspense, drama, romance and an intriguing concept. The author describes each scene with vivid images and details that make it easy for the reader to feel as if they are part of the story. The actions and suspense scenes are well orchestrated and believable with surprising twists and turns to keep it really interesting. The strong, compelling characters grab the reader’s attention from the very beginning.
The main focus of the story is the group of people called Shadowminds, they have special psychic abilities particularly Cass and her abilities which are different from the others. But there is romance in air as the love she left behind, Shane is more than willing to have her back, but the relationship will need some work which is made difficult by the rogue Shadowmind.
The author has created a fascinating psychic world that intrigues as well as entertains and has engaging characters that draw the reader deeper into the story. The New Orleans setting is a great back drop for this particular group of people and of course there are others like them in other places which lead to more possibilities and add credibility to the concept.
I was thoroughly caught up in the story from one beginning to the very end and I think this series has great potential for lots of entertaining stories. Cass holds lots of promise as a future kick ass heroine and her journey to get there should prove to be interesting. I really wish I didn’t have to wait to August to read the next one.
May 17, 2014
Twisted Miracles opens with Cass who is alone after moving to San Francisco to escape her telekinetic abilities and attempting to suppress them with sedatives. She is unable to come to terms with the guilt over causing the death of a classmate and wants nothing to do with her gift or the Shadowminds community that raised her, fearing she will cause harm to them or others. However, no matter how hard she tries to run from herself or her gifts there is no escape. There is someone out there who is targeting the community, her best childhood friend is missing, and others are dying; pulling her back into the very life she has tried to escape.
This is a great urban fantasy with a new twist that sucks you in from the very first page. There are different abilities and levels of abilities, guardians, a struggle for good versus evil, and has all the suspense, action, and mystery this greedy reader could desire. The story is well written with wonderfully colorful characters that tug at your heart leaving you wanting more and more. There is also an underlying romance that heats up the pages with some great sensual smexy action.
Twisted Miracles is a journey of self-realization for Cass, as well as a tale of love and loss, the search for where she belongs, and just who she wants to travel that journey with. The ending was very satisfying and does not leave the reader hanging, but rather eager for the next installment in the series to see what these characters will be up to with their next adventure. I would definitely recommend this for adult urban fantasy fans interested in a taste of something different with great characters and an exciting ride. I received this book from NetGalley.
This is a great urban fantasy with a new twist that sucks you in from the very first page. There are different abilities and levels of abilities, guardians, a struggle for good versus evil, and has all the suspense, action, and mystery this greedy reader could desire. The story is well written with wonderfully colorful characters that tug at your heart leaving you wanting more and more. There is also an underlying romance that heats up the pages with some great sensual smexy action.
Twisted Miracles is a journey of self-realization for Cass, as well as a tale of love and loss, the search for where she belongs, and just who she wants to travel that journey with. The ending was very satisfying and does not leave the reader hanging, but rather eager for the next installment in the series to see what these characters will be up to with their next adventure. I would definitely recommend this for adult urban fantasy fans interested in a taste of something different with great characters and an exciting ride. I received this book from NetGalley.
June 28, 2014
A Hidden UF Gem
When Cass Weatherfield's telekinetic gift that killed a classmate five years ago she ran away New Orleans and the family she left behind. Now calling San Francisco home she uses medication to suppress her powers until her childhood friend Mina goes missing and Mina's brother, Shane, comes to beg for her help. Cass doesn't want to use of the shadowmind abilities that should be a natural part of her but for Mina she's willing to try. But returning to New Orleans means reconnecting with Shane and the community of telepaths that had once been her family. With a dangerous mystery to solve and a heat wave of reawakened feelings Cass is going to have to overcome her fears to save the people she loves.
It took me a while to review TWISTED MIRACLES because to be quite honest I liked it but I also found it kind of mentally overwhelming. The shadowmind concept is pretty cool but also some heavy worldbuilding. I would definitely not call this light reading. It's very sexy and very intelligent, one that harcore urban fantasy lovers should check out. I really loved that there was an inter-racial relationship for a change, I wish more authors were writing them into the paranormal and supernatural fiction genres. Shane is my kind of hero and Cass, while frustrating, is not unlikable.
There is big potential for this series though I haven't found many others who've read it so it's a hidden gem in need of some word-of-mouth love. If you like urban fantasy by Stacia Kane, Jenn Bennett, Rachel Vincent, or Devon Monk I think you will really like this one too.
Notes: Review copy received via author.
When Cass Weatherfield's telekinetic gift that killed a classmate five years ago she ran away New Orleans and the family she left behind. Now calling San Francisco home she uses medication to suppress her powers until her childhood friend Mina goes missing and Mina's brother, Shane, comes to beg for her help. Cass doesn't want to use of the shadowmind abilities that should be a natural part of her but for Mina she's willing to try. But returning to New Orleans means reconnecting with Shane and the community of telepaths that had once been her family. With a dangerous mystery to solve and a heat wave of reawakened feelings Cass is going to have to overcome her fears to save the people she loves.
It took me a while to review TWISTED MIRACLES because to be quite honest I liked it but I also found it kind of mentally overwhelming. The shadowmind concept is pretty cool but also some heavy worldbuilding. I would definitely not call this light reading. It's very sexy and very intelligent, one that harcore urban fantasy lovers should check out. I really loved that there was an inter-racial relationship for a change, I wish more authors were writing them into the paranormal and supernatural fiction genres. Shane is my kind of hero and Cass, while frustrating, is not unlikable.
There is big potential for this series though I haven't found many others who've read it so it's a hidden gem in need of some word-of-mouth love. If you like urban fantasy by Stacia Kane, Jenn Bennett, Rachel Vincent, or Devon Monk I think you will really like this one too.
Notes: Review copy received via author.
April 9, 2014
Cass fears that her telekinetic gift will cause another death so she left the only real family she has ever had, to live in hiding where she can suppress her gifts. The guilt she feels eats away at her daily but she tries her best to live a normal life. When her ex Shane shows up looking for her help to find her best friend and his twin sister, Cass re-enters a world she vowed never to be a part of again.
As you can imagine by reading the blurb, Cass has a lot of issues due to her part in killing a classmate. The guilt and horror she feels at what happened has eaten away at her until she wants nothing to do with her gift. On top of that everyone she thinks of as family didn't believe she had anything to do with it and she felt like it made the whole situation worse. She ran from those that she loves and hides her true self away from the world she now lives in. As the story evolves you see a few different sides of Cass and get to know her and her past pretty well. Overall she is scared, she is loyal and she is powerful but it takes a while for her to realize her gifts can be used for good.
I really enjoyed the slow build up of the storyline and the slow reveal of facts pertaining to past events. It was all done really well and made the story that much more interesting. The struggles that were presented felt real and the slow romance between Cass and Shane had me rooting for them. The author left some things open and I'm ready to see what comes next.
* This book was provided free of charge from the author in exchange for an honest review.
As you can imagine by reading the blurb, Cass has a lot of issues due to her part in killing a classmate. The guilt and horror she feels at what happened has eaten away at her until she wants nothing to do with her gift. On top of that everyone she thinks of as family didn't believe she had anything to do with it and she felt like it made the whole situation worse. She ran from those that she loves and hides her true self away from the world she now lives in. As the story evolves you see a few different sides of Cass and get to know her and her past pretty well. Overall she is scared, she is loyal and she is powerful but it takes a while for her to realize her gifts can be used for good.
I really enjoyed the slow build up of the storyline and the slow reveal of facts pertaining to past events. It was all done really well and made the story that much more interesting. The struggles that were presented felt real and the slow romance between Cass and Shane had me rooting for them. The author left some things open and I'm ready to see what comes next.
* This book was provided free of charge from the author in exchange for an honest review.
April 16, 2014
I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
This was a paranormal homecoming book mixed with a bunch of mystery and romance. There’s an intricate world that’s build in this first installment that promises much more to come as the series progresses.
Cass is on the run from her past. She’s finally established herself and managed to mute her mindreading/telekinetic gifts enough to act “normal” until her ex, Shane, reappears one night with some awful news. Mina, Shane’s sister and Cass’s friend (who she also ran away from) is missing and in an act of desperation, Shane asks for Cass’s help. To try to find Mina (and ultimately solve a bigger mystery) Cass must confront her demons and open herself up to both her past and her untapped potential.
The love story is a bit broken and sad between Cass and Shane. There’s a little love triangle action, some misunderstandings, lots of paranormal action, and a solid foundation to grown on. To me, this story was less about romance and more about this unique “Shadowmind” community that Cass is exposed to. A lot of moving pieces aligned to push Cass towards her destiny in this book, but where will we go from here? I would like to see more of the other characters, too. Jackson and his crew got a brief intro before disappearing to hopefully be heard from in book 2. This was a solid beginning to what could be a really interesting new paranormal series.
This was a paranormal homecoming book mixed with a bunch of mystery and romance. There’s an intricate world that’s build in this first installment that promises much more to come as the series progresses.
Cass is on the run from her past. She’s finally established herself and managed to mute her mindreading/telekinetic gifts enough to act “normal” until her ex, Shane, reappears one night with some awful news. Mina, Shane’s sister and Cass’s friend (who she also ran away from) is missing and in an act of desperation, Shane asks for Cass’s help. To try to find Mina (and ultimately solve a bigger mystery) Cass must confront her demons and open herself up to both her past and her untapped potential.
The love story is a bit broken and sad between Cass and Shane. There’s a little love triangle action, some misunderstandings, lots of paranormal action, and a solid foundation to grown on. To me, this story was less about romance and more about this unique “Shadowmind” community that Cass is exposed to. A lot of moving pieces aligned to push Cass towards her destiny in this book, but where will we go from here? I would like to see more of the other characters, too. Jackson and his crew got a brief intro before disappearing to hopefully be heard from in book 2. This was a solid beginning to what could be a really interesting new paranormal series.
July 18, 2014
I’m mostly a contemporary-romance girl, but I really love A.J. Larrieu’s paranormals! The world-building is superb, and I love how the characters have powers but are walking among the regular world. It gives the story that extra little push of reality mixed into the clever fantastical.
I also loved how, in Twisted Miracles, the heroine didn’t want her powers and didn’t have complete control over them. Those challenges added so much tension and depth to the story.
Larrieu writes in a smart, steady voice that sounds exactly like the personality of the heroine – you feel you’re right in her head while she keeps many of her emotions in check. Which, of course, only builds the tension even more, as we, as readers, wait for that moment when all emotions come crashing in on her – from her suppressed love for Shane, her detachment for her previous foster family, her guilt over actions in her past, and her frustration at a woman who seems to keep coming back to haunt her.
Larrieu builds all this up into a whirlwind ending and gives us the ending we were all hoping for.
I can’t wait to read the next book in The Shadowminds series!
I also loved how, in Twisted Miracles, the heroine didn’t want her powers and didn’t have complete control over them. Those challenges added so much tension and depth to the story.
Larrieu writes in a smart, steady voice that sounds exactly like the personality of the heroine – you feel you’re right in her head while she keeps many of her emotions in check. Which, of course, only builds the tension even more, as we, as readers, wait for that moment when all emotions come crashing in on her – from her suppressed love for Shane, her detachment for her previous foster family, her guilt over actions in her past, and her frustration at a woman who seems to keep coming back to haunt her.
Larrieu builds all this up into a whirlwind ending and gives us the ending we were all hoping for.
I can’t wait to read the next book in The Shadowminds series!
July 22, 2014
I needed some paranormal in my life and this one didn't disappoint. My brain felt a little overdone with the 1st person POV, but that seems to be the nature of most urban fantasy paranormal types. It's not a complaint about this book, but just a general malady for me. I looked at this one as almost NA because Cass seems to be drifting and unfocused. I believe she was 26, so a little beyond new adult, but she never resolved who she was until this story takes place. I love a good telepathy/telekinesis tale, so I was all in for this one. The romance was a background thread vs the story although I can see it getting more important in later books. It was fast paced and exciting, but barely scratched the surface of how the world works or why. It did make me want to wait anxiously for the next book in the series.
April 9, 2014
Something I love about the paranormal world lately is that authors seem to be shying away from copycat success and really taking paranormal elements and, to quote Rose Hathaway, making them their bitch. TWISTED MIRACLES is a good example. Larrieu takes some elements of mind magic, adds a few twists of her own and makes a wholly enjoyable universe.
Read the rest @ ATUF
Read the rest @ ATUF
August 3, 2016
Fabulous world building with a flawed and intelligent heroine who grows throughout the story. Some nice and hot romance thrown in and mixed with an intriguing mystery. There are also a few very noticeable quirky characters who grab your attention. It's urban fantasy with romance and it's on the darker side, but not completely depressing. There is some comedy and again, some very sweet and steamy romance.
May 21, 2014
This book has telepathic and telekinetic sex scenes. Need I say more?
Okay, okay, I'll say more. I thought the world was interesting (I love when SFF elements are mixed into a contemporary setting), and the writing was smooth and well done. There are lots of great descriptions of the setting and how the powers worked and the plot had a few fun twists. I also really liked Shane, so that's always a plus. :)
Okay, okay, I'll say more. I thought the world was interesting (I love when SFF elements are mixed into a contemporary setting), and the writing was smooth and well done. There are lots of great descriptions of the setting and how the powers worked and the plot had a few fun twists. I also really liked Shane, so that's always a plus. :)
September 1, 2016
I liked this. She setup an interesting world with an interesting array of people. The plot was good, I could see some of it coming but that's okay because she writes a good story and the trip is worth it even if you have a hunch where you're going. Nice romance with Cass and Shane. I'll read the next one without a doubt.
August 6, 2014
A 3.5* book...a nice ideea...good action...an ok sex scene (there are 2 in the book..so you can choose which one you like :p)..the characters are intersting...
I will read the next one, so I can recomend you read this one too. The good books are harder and harder to find...
I will read the next one, so I can recomend you read this one too. The good books are harder and harder to find...
April 28, 2014
This is a high 3 for me. I like this author's voice - but the story slowed down a lot in the middle of the book. And the romance definitely takes a back seat to everything else - I would have liked to get to know Shane better. I liked the other supporting characters though.
Review comming.
Review comming.
April 30, 2014
okay but will not continue series
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January 12, 2016Miniseries: The Shadowminds Category: Paranormal Romance
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