Challenging Destiny

by Cherie Colyer

Logan Ragsdale and his younger sister, Ariana, have been marked, chosen to be unwilling participants in a war between angels and demons.

Logan can sense something's not quite right. Like an unexpected chill on a summer's day, he can feel the unseen closing in. He's had these feelings before and, each time, someone close to him died. He's afraid this time it might just be Ariana.

Logan's fears are soon confirmed when he discovers their new friends aren't human, but rather representatives from Heaven and Hell sent to Earth to ensure he and Ariana accept their roles in an ancient prophecy. Demons want Logan to open the gates of Hell. Ariana has the power to stop them, but if she chooses to side with Heaven to spare the lives of thousands of innocent people, she'll damn her brother for eternity.

Together, they must derail the biblical event if they hope to save themselves and the future of mankind...but what price are they willing to pay to keep the other safe?

Genres: Paranormal, New Adult

328 pages, Paperback

First published March 27, 2014

About the author

Cherie Colyer (CL Colyer) is an award-winning author of fiction with a paranormal twist. Her published works include books for children through adults.

CL Colyer on Goodreads: https://bit.ly/CLColyerGR
Amazon: https://amzn.to/3jQelPo
Facebook: https://bit.ly/CherieFB
Twitter: https://bit.ly/3vYlMZt
Pinterest: https://bit.ly/3mr22dZ
Bookbub: https://bit.ly/CherieBB

Reviews

[Notes From 'Round the Bend · Rating 5 out of 5]

This. Book. Was. GREAT!

No, seriously, it was. I don’t usually read YA novels—I tend to find the characters angsty and one-dimensional—so I didn’t go into this with super high expectations. But I got a free copy, so I thought “hey, why not?”

Wow, was I blown away!

The story is told from the alternating perspectives of Logan and Ariana Ragsdale, a brother and his exactly-two-years-younger-sister. Disaster has followed them since childhood and they’ve lost everyone they’ve ever loved—except one another. They’ve learned to fend for themselves, trust no one, and to hide that there is something different about them. (Turns out that, in addition to matching birthmarks, Logan and Ariana share the ability to control others’ minds by simply suggesting what they want.)

For the past two years, however, life has been death-and-disaster free and the siblings are beginning to hope that their futures may just turn out alright. Little do they know that they’re the Chosen pawns in a battle between Heaven and Hell, supposedly destined to belong to opposing sides in a divine war.

Oh yeah, the Angels in Grace and the Fallen want to duke it out on earth, but in order to do so, both sides need a very special set of siblings to fulfill a prophecy and set things in motion. Safeguards, assurances, and three previous sets of Chosen have failed to yield the desired results, so Kira and Ben are sent to ensure that Logan and Ariana cooperate.

Ben is almost too gorgeous to be real and has his intentions set on getting close to Ariana, while Kira is a sassy, red-headed siren with eyes only for Logan. Though both Logan and Ariana are glad to find someone special, it doesn’t take long for someone’s Spidey-Sense to start warning that things with Ben and Kira are off. These two just aren’t like the other kids, either. So, what’s the *real* motivation behind their attraction to the siblings? Logan and Ariana are determined to find out.

As much as I thought I knew what was going to happen—and a number of my guesses turned out to be correct—this book surprised me. ‘Plot twists’ don’t usually get me like they used to, but Challenging Destiny was a refreshing exception. Who sorta-kinda-maybe-but-maybe-not betrays who is not what I was expecting!

From the opening pages, I was hooked and couldn’t put it down. I stayed up all night to finish, and I’m so glad I did. The strength of this book is definitely its characters. Logan, Ariana, Kira, and Ben are unique, vibrant, and complex and I love that Cherie Colyer allows them to act like believable teenagers, while also making them likeable. They’re some of the strongest and most authentic characters I’ve ever encountered in YA fiction.

The only thing that disappointed me about this book was the lack of development in the mythology. Whenever Logan or Ariana found something interesting in their research or Kira and Ben let slip another piece of information, it and/or its significance seemed to get glossed over for the readers. Angels, demons, sigils, divine wars…I feel like we could have seen more detail here and it would have given the story more depth.

Overall, this book was excellent and I’d recommend it highly. The plot was intense and complicated and yet surprisingly easy to follow. There are a few typos, but nothing that overly distracts from the story. The chemistry between the couples is intense without being graphic or racy, so it’s a good read for young adults as well as us ‘grown ups’. And even with the theme of angels and demons, there’s nothing preachy, which I personally appreciated.

Bottom line: If you’re looking for a good YA Paranormal book that isn’t necessarily for young adults only, then I suggest you give this one a try. I will DEFINITELY be reading more of Ms. Colyer’s books.

Review first appeared on Red Hot Books

[Desiree reilly · Rating 5 out of 5]

I RECEIVED THIS BOOK FOR AUDIO BOOK AND THEN I WILL BE TELLING YOU ABOUT SOME KIDS WHO ARE ON THE PLANET TO DO HARM OR SAVE LIVES IT BE UP TO YOU WHEN YOU READ REVIEW AND THE BOOK.
ADRIANNA AND BECKY ARE AND HAVE BEEN BF AND THEY LIKE TO GET IN TO TROUBLE A LOT IN SCHOOL SO THEY DITCH SCHOOL AND GO TO THE COFFEE SHOP AND THEN IS IS A RITUAL THEY DID ALL TIME.

YOU SEE ADRIANNA AND LOGAN ARE BROTHER AND SISTER BUT THEY ARE GIFTED AND ARE LINK TOGETHER SOME HOW BUT NO ONE KNOWS WHAT THEY DO.

NOW BEN ASK ADRIANNA ABOUT A NEW KID IN SCHOOL THE GIRLS THOUGHT HE WAS GAY BUT TODAY IS BIRTHDAY AND THEN THEY MARK ON THE THERE ARM BUT IT FILLS WITH SIGNS AND THEN THEY ARE BOTH MARKED AND THEY TRY TO KEEP THEM COVERED

THE WEIRD GUY AT THE COFFEE SHOP HE NOT LIKE THE HUMAN BUT HE WAS UNUSUAL AND HE DID NOT TAKE THE MIND READ OF THE GIRLS ADRIANNA WOULD LOOK YOU AND THEN TELL YOU SOME THING AND YOU BELIEVE HER.

THE 2 OF THEM WERE BORN 2 YEARS APART AND THEN THEY WERE PUT ON EARTH AS SOME THING SPECIAL FOR THE GOOD OF THE EARTH OR YOU MIGHT THINKS SO.. NOW BECKY WANT TO DATE SOME ONE AND GIVE SOME HER NUMBER SHE WANT TO DATE SOME ONE , HEY BEN GOING TO TAKE ME OUT TO DINNER AND THEN WE ARE GOING TO THE FOOT BALL GAME AND THEN HOME.

NOW BOTH SISTER AND BROTHER BEEN LIVING TOGETHER FOR WHILE BY THEM SELF YOU SEE THEY CONVINCED A LAND LORD TO LET THEM RENT FREE FOR CLEAN UP THE 6 FLOORS OF THE APT BUILDING ON SAT THEY ARE TO CLEAN UP THE BUILDING AND THEN THEY CLEAN THERE APT AND THEN DO THE LAUNDRY AND THEN THEY ARE FINISH FOR SAT
AND SO THEY GO TO AMUSEMENT PARK AND ENJOY THEM SELF,

WELL SINCE THE GAME NOW THINGS ARE GOING WEIRD AND THEN THE KIDS HAVE TO STAY CLOSER THE MARK ON THERE ARMS ARE GETTING DIFFERENT SO THEY ARE GOING TO BOOK STORE AND GET SOME BOOK ON THE MARKS AND THE BRACKET ARE ON THERE AND TO COVER THE SIGNS SO THEY GET THE BOOKS AND THEN EACH SIGN IS DIFFERENT YOU SEE LOGAN IS THE FIRST ONE AND HE SUPPOSE TO RULE AND THEN THEY ARE SUPPOSE TO HAVE A WOMEN WHO WOULD BE 2 YEARS YOUNGER WHICH IS HIS SISTER BUT THEY ARE CONFUSED YOU SEE ALL THE ADULTS THEY ARE AROUND ARE KILLED THERE MOM AND DAD AND UNCLE AND SOME OF THE FOSTER PARENT AND NOW WE HAVE TO FIND OUT.

NOW THE OTHER ONE ARE COMING OUT OF THE WOOD WORK AS YOU WILL SEE IN THE BOOK AND THEN THEY ARE GOING TO GO UP AGAINST FALLEN ANGLE OR THE DEVIL YOU HAVE TO LISTEN OR READ THE BOOK IT IS OVER 9 HRS LONG AND THEN THEY ARE GREAT THE ENDING IS SUPERSIZE

THANK YOU FOR LETTING ME DO 4 BOOK IN ONE WEEKEND

[Bikram · Rating 4 out of 5]

I had requested and received audiobook version of this book for free from the author, in exchange for an unbiased review.

This is a quite entertaining fantasy / paranormal story with well written characters. If you love the CW TV show Supernatural, you'll be quite familiar with the plot and will immensely enjoy it. The brother-sister duo here are kinda pitted against each other, in a battle between heaven n hell. The story is told in such a way that it keeps drawing the listener in and then you want to finish the story in one sitting. There are twists along the way. All in all, a good time pass.

The narration was somewhat average. Female voices were done well, but male voices were unconvincing. Could've been better.

[Dan Rice · Rating 4 out of 5]

This novel is a slow burn that builds to an action-packed, high-stakes climax. Don't worry though, the book possesses a spritely pace and plenty of mystery to keep the reader interested. Right from the get-go, we learn Logan and Ariana possess mysterious powers. Readers don't know where the powers come from for most of the book, and neither do the siblings. More mystery is layered on top of this with the appearance of various enigmatic characters with hidden agendas. This all builds to an exciting climax followed by a denouement that nicely ties together the plot threads.

full review: https://www.danscifi.com/post/bookrev...

I recently received a copy of the novel in exchange for a review.

[Kim Ligon · Rating 4 out of 5]

Teenage angst amidst apocalyptic battle

Logan and Ariana are siblings on their own. They are born on the same day two years apart. They know they have the ability to effect people's minds to induce them to do what they want but they have no idea what else they can do. They have a destiny no one would want. They stand between the forces of Heaven and He'll as they prepare for an apocalyptic battle. The story burst with action, scary demons, protective angels, mismatched love, and hope that the heart and souls of these two siblings can change the course of the prophecies. I enjoyed this story even though I am far from being a young adult. Highly recommended.

[Cherie Colyer]

Hi, everyone!

Challenging Destiny was such a fun story to write and I'm thrilled it's found its way into the hearts of readers. If you're one of them, thank you for taking the time to read it! If you left a review, thank you! Haven't read it yet, and want to check it out? It's available in paperback, eBook, and audiobook.

Happy Reading!
Cherie

[Mandy · Rating 5 out of 5]

A brother and sister with mind controlling powers find themselves pawns of a war between the blessed “good” angels and the fallen “bad” angels. Part of a prophecy they don’t want anything to do with. Started a little slow but really improved and got really good.

[RoloPoloBookBlog · Rating 4 out of 5]

Challenging Destiny by Cherie Colyer
Source: Author
Rating: 4½/5 stars

Logan and his younger sister, Ariana have been on their own – completely! – for eight years. At eighteen and sixteen respectively, the two have learned to fend for themselves, trust no one, let no one get too close and, know that there is something different about them. Logan and Ariana have the ability to control others’ minds by simply suggesting they do or do not (there is no try!) something and they have identical tattoos that have been with them for most of their lives. See? They just aren’t like the other kids 

Based on past experiences, Logan and Ariana are ever wary of something or someone coming for them and taking away those they hold most dear. So far the universe has claimed their parents, their uncle and a few foster families. But, for the past two years they have been disaster- and death- free and allowed to make their way through high school and life. Just when they thought it was OK to relax just a little bit, things begin to wonky yet again the siblings become more than a little frightened for their safety. You see, a whole host of someone’s have been watching the kids and are now ready for the brother and sister to take their rightful place in world and fulfill their destiny. HA!! Seriously? The interested parties clearly haven’t been paying attention all that well since there is no way Logan and Ariana are going to be the reason Heaven and Hell start an all-out war.

Yep, Heaven and Hell want to battle it out and in order to do so, both sides need a very special set of siblings long-prophesied to set things in motion. In order to ensure that the brother and sister do their part, Heaven and Hell have sent Kira and Ben to ensure the siblings cooperation. Ben is the hottest thing in town: he is sweet, well-mannered, very well dressed and totally gorgeous. Kira is smokin’ hot with red hair, a little bit of attitude and eyes only for Logan. Though both Logan and Ariana are glad to have someone special in their lives, it doesn’t take them long to figure out that things are all kinds of weird and Ben and Kira just aren’t like the other kids either 

The Bottom Line: I am loving the start to this new series by Cherie Colyer! Challenging Destiny is full of all kinds of my favorite things: excellent plot with just the right amount of twists and turns, fantastic and totally engrossing backstories for multiple characters, lots of juicy and high drama action, magic and mayhem and, an only slightly cliffhangerish ending. For myself, the strength of this book is the characters!! Logan and Ariana have a wonderful relationship, Ben and Kira are strange and weird in the best way possible and, everyone is just a little bit naughty and a little bit nice. The ambiguity of some of the characters is really quite intriguing. But, most all, and this is something I have come to love about Colyer’s books is that she allows her teenagers to be and behave like BELIEVABLE teenagers. In truth, Colyer writes some of the strongest and most authentic teenage characters in a YA fiction today and as you well know, I am a BIG fan of character-driven reads. In all, Challenging Destiny is a very fine start to a new YA+ series that has a ton of promise.

[Veronica of V's Reads · Rating 5 out of 5]

In this contemporary YA paranormal romance Ariana and Logan Ragsdale are orphaned siblings who happen to have mind-control powers. Logan is 18 and Ariana is 16, both born on All Saints Day, two years apart. Their parents died in an house fire 8 years ago, and their aunt and uncle, who had been guardians, were killed in an auto wreck two years ago. After bouncing to a couple foster homes and finding those caregivers being strangely injured, Logan convinces the Illinois State Foster system to let them live alone...

When we begin the story, Logan and Ariana are staying under the radar of the authorities. Ariana has a BFF, Becca, but they mostly keep to themselves--out of fear that any people close to them are targets for the tragedy that seems to follow them.

Of course, they are teens, so it's impossible not to notice the two new students in their small high school. Ben is in Ariana's art class, and interested in dating her. Strangely, he is immune to Ariana's mind-control. Likewise, Logan meets Kira in Foods class. The attraction simmers, and yes, she can resist Logan's mind powers.

Starting fledgeling relationships is foreign, but exciting. Still, they are wary due to the lack of effect of their powers on their potential beaux. Especially so when Kira begins to reveal more of her history to Logan. She's been 16--for a real long time...and most of that was spent in agony. Seducing Logan to her purpose will satisfy the requirements of her boss, but could mean the end of civilization.

Not as though these kids didn't suspect foul play in the deaths of their caregivers, but who's really ready to accept celestial explanations? Surely not Logan. He thinks Kira's off her nut, and rightly so. A little physical demonstration promptly makes him a believer, however.

And Ben? He's on the other side of this equation. He's anxious to get Ariana to join his team, even if doing so condemns Logan to a fiery fate.

With new knowledge behind the sinister plot that isolated Ariana and Logan from anyone who could help them, they must choose who to trust. According to a prophesy, a war is coming between the Blessed and the Fallen, and the winner will be decided when Ariana, or Logan, chooses a side to assist.

In either case, accepting their destinies means they will lose each other. Or, not. See, Ariana and Logan are determined to beat the Blessed and Fallen at their own games--and set themselves free of this cataclysmic prophesy.

Not that they go about it right. Outsmarting beings that can read your mind is pretty tough, after all. Escape Plan A soon devolves into Survival Plan C.2 when one of their guides changes teams mid-game and the casualties are dear.

It's a wild chase with pretty steady tension throughout as Ariana and Logan search for the answers that will divert their fate. The end is tied up, but leaves room for a sequel. It's an innocent read and suitable for lovers of paranormal YA fiction.

[Mike · Rating 4 out of 5]

What an intriguing and fascinating read!! Logan and Ariana are both such interesting and unique characters. And the mythology that is developing here is nothing short of amazing. I found myself wishing that we got more of that throughout the book. There were so many moments when Logan and Ariana would find something interesting in their research, would even utilize it, but it would be brushed over for the readers. All we would get is that they would have a new sigil. I think that it might have given the story a little more depth to explore those things a little more. Exploring where all of this is coming from would give the readers more context for where they are in the current situation. Sometimes it felt like we were trying to point out how normal Logan, Ariana, Kira and Ben want to be that we don’t really acknowledge and address how different they actually are. (I mean lets face it when you are talking about a war between heaven and hell I’m not 100 percent sure my first thought would be about finishing school or how to lead a normal life - not that those aren’t important things but they seem more important here than oh I don’t know the end of the world.) Now that is not to say that I didn’t love this - I really did. For the last 50 pages or so I couldn’t put it down (plans be damned!). And even though it is definitely a stand alone novel I hope that it continues. I want to see more from these two as well as Kira. I want to know what happened to Ben . But even more I want to delve into this mythology which again is so intriguing.
I cannot wait to read more from this author.

[Katie O'Sullivan · Rating 5 out of 5]

Cherie Colyer has done it again, hitting another 5-star homerun with a new YA supernatural series. At least, I hope it's a series, because I'm pretty sure heaven and hell aren't finished with the Ragsdale siblings.

The story is told in alternating POVs between Ariana Ragsdale and her big brother Logan. The two pretend to be normal high school students, struggling with geometry, finding dates for the dance and cutting classes, but they know there is something different about themselves. They have odd birthmarks and a strange connection to each other, as well as the odd ability to influence the minds of others. On their own since their last foster parents met tragic deaths, Logan can always tell when death is stalking their loved ones... and suddenly he's hearing voices again and knows someone is going to die.

Good versus evil, blessed versus the fallen... all Logan and Ariana want is to escape with their lives. I should admit here that I'm a big fan of the television show, Supernatural, and the struggles of the Ragsdale siblings reminded me a little of the Winchester brothers. But in a good way, complete with Sam and Dean's usual side of snark and dash of sass. The Ragsdales aren't Hunters like the Winchesters - just teens marked as pawns in a war they want no part of.

Ms. Colyer shows her prowess once again, with this well-written paranormal tale that's sure to engage and delight. If you like angels versus demon tales (or you're a fan of Sam and Dean) check out this new take on the war between Heaven and Hell. You won't be disappointed.

[Christine Rains · Rating 4 out of 5]

Logan and Ariana Ragsdale have no one but each other. They keep their strange birthmarks and mind control powers hidden, trying to find some semblance of a normal life. Destiny has other plans for them, though. The siblings are at the center of an ancient war between Heaven and Hell. Angels and demons pull them in different directions. They don't know who can be trusted. All Logan and Ariana know is that they must stick together or mankind might suffer in the great war.

This YA paranormal has fantastic world building. It takes the idea of biblical angels and demons, and then tweaks it into something new with the prophecy of the Chosen siblings. What I found fascinating is that there were other pairs of siblings before Logan and Ariana who could possibly fulfill the prophecy, but various events happened to bring the choice to the modern day Ragsdale siblings. This provides a great foundation for a series.

Logan and Ariana are admirable characters, compassionate and brave. I liked that even after all the horrible things that happened in their lives that they hadn't become jaded like we see with many YA heroes. A few things happened for them that seemed too easy, but the ending was amazing.

[Carol Oates · Rating 5 out of 5]

Ariana and Logan are siblings, Ariana the younger of the two. Disaster seems to fall like a shadow across these two and they’ve certainly been through the mill in their young lives. The glimmer of normality comes in a new school and the prospect of new relationships.

But, normality isn’t on the cards for these two, who have been marked as important players in a battle between the Blessed and Fallen. Logan and Ariana refuse to give in to their fate so easily. Especially if it means bring separated forever.

I went into this already a fan of Cherie Colyer’s writing from her Embrace Series. I admit I still didn’t fully know what to expect from this new series. At least I hope it’s a series, although the end is tied up enough that this easily reads as a stand alone.

Tense excitement simmers throughout. The writing style is descriptive, while not bogging down the action and development. The story flows with a few interesting twists and turns along the way to keep readers from getting settled.

I was not disappointed in the slightest. A very enjoyable and well thought out story. Another 5 star read from Cherie Colyer.

[Ashley Poteet · Rating 5 out of 5]

Brother and sister Logan and Ariana both hold a secret that binds them together more than family. They each have strange birthmarks and the ability to read minds. All they have is each and trouble seems to follow them. A chance at feeling normal comes in the form of a new school and a new chance at normalcy. Which never seems to come, these two are stuck in the middle if a grand battle between the blessed and the fallen. Logan and Ariana a very strong minded and they refuse to succumb to the fate in which is theirs.
Action unfolds throughout the pages with a very developed and descriptive writing style that is just amazing.

[Catherine Vickers · Rating 4 out of 5]

Okay, so this is not an action packed story, but it's written very well. It's more based on the everyday struggles of its characters, who are trapped in a demonic situation. Likeable characters, would have preferred to have got to know the real baddy guy better, but he doesn't appear till the end. Can be a bit slow, but the author yarns a good tale. Definitely recommended.

[Kym Brunner · Rating 5 out of 5]

Exhilarating story with a fabulous brother-sister duo and several unique characters with cool special abilities. The plot kept me mesmerized and the ending...? Masterful!

[Victoria · Rating 5 out of 5]

Is a great book to read

[Megan =^..^= · Rating 5 out of 5]

Unlike anything else i've read, this novel kept me hooked from start to finish! 100% recommend!

[poppy · Rating 4 out of 5]

a great fantasty read first book ive read by this author cant wait to try more a nice read

[SoDark · Rating 5 out of 5]

Not much for fantasy books, but i really liked it.