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The Secrets Series #1
Finding Obscurity
Lily Canton always knew she was unique.
After she loses everything she has ever cared about ten years ago, Lily decides its time to find answers about her past and why she has special powers. But when you can’t control seeing the future, and you hold enough electricity inside you to black out an entire city block, it doesn’t always make life easy.
She swore she would never care about anyone ever again after that fateful day so long ago. Then she meets sexy club owner, Ashton Ryder. Lily can’t afford to fall for Ashton. Then there is handsome, powerful, Blake Moore, who wants to help her with more than just her powers. She has to learn to trust people and let them into her heart, even as things spiral out of control.
Not only does she learn Ashton has a secret that will make her question everything she ever thought was real, but Lily finds out that her birth parents are anything but ordinary. Just when Lily thinks she has everything figured out, someone is determined to destroy her – because she isn’t supposed to be alive.
After she loses everything she has ever cared about ten years ago, Lily decides its time to find answers about her past and why she has special powers. But when you can’t control seeing the future, and you hold enough electricity inside you to black out an entire city block, it doesn’t always make life easy.
She swore she would never care about anyone ever again after that fateful day so long ago. Then she meets sexy club owner, Ashton Ryder. Lily can’t afford to fall for Ashton. Then there is handsome, powerful, Blake Moore, who wants to help her with more than just her powers. She has to learn to trust people and let them into her heart, even as things spiral out of control.
Not only does she learn Ashton has a secret that will make her question everything she ever thought was real, but Lily finds out that her birth parents are anything but ordinary. Just when Lily thinks she has everything figured out, someone is determined to destroy her – because she isn’t supposed to be alive.
223 pages, ebook
First published June 21, 2013
133 people are currently reading
908 people want to read
About the author
Emma Shade
15 books140 followersEmma lives in Indiana with her husband and three crazy cats. When she’s not busy writing her next novel, she enjoys spending time with family and friends, listening to music, taking naps, or curled up with a good book.
Facebook -- https://www.facebook.com/authoremmashade
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 68 reviews
June 23, 2013
I had the pleasure of beta reading for Emma on Finding Obscurity
I'm not a paranormal reader- I read mainly YA and NA so I was a little unsure of how much I could get into something considered "paranormal romance." I mean- I have read all about sparkly vampires already so I just had no interest to read about any others..
Well, I was wrong. I DO like Paranormal ROMANCE because it's just that -ROMANCE plus you don't ever know what's coming.
This story is about Lily, a conjuror, with special "abilities." She endures a heart wrenching event right away that changes her entire life as she knew it... Flash forward 10 years to Lilys life. She goes out to a club where her friend Sam works and has a run in with the most handsome "blue eyes" she has ever seen aka Ashton Ryder who happens to be the club owner.. There is an immediate attraction and Lily foresees that she could lose herself with ASh- and that terrifies her because she is closed off that part of her heart.. The part that lets people in.. The part that lets her feel.
Sam introduces her to his group of friends.. SHe meets the 3rd piece to this triangle- his name -- Blake Moore.. and what they have is -- electrifying.. And immediate spark. It's undeniable.
Without any spoilers- this book will keep you hanging on, guessing, needing to know what is next....
I gave Finding Obscurity a 5 star review.. The love story- fantastic.. The steam-- HOT HOT HOT. The story flowed and kept me interested and I am ready to know more about Lily.. She isn't your normal lead female character so I need to see where she goes next
And the cover of this alone- AMAZING;) Lily is a beautiful girl, with a beautiful story, and deserved this beautiful cover
I'm not a paranormal reader- I read mainly YA and NA so I was a little unsure of how much I could get into something considered "paranormal romance." I mean- I have read all about sparkly vampires already so I just had no interest to read about any others..
Well, I was wrong. I DO like Paranormal ROMANCE because it's just that -ROMANCE plus you don't ever know what's coming.
This story is about Lily, a conjuror, with special "abilities." She endures a heart wrenching event right away that changes her entire life as she knew it... Flash forward 10 years to Lilys life. She goes out to a club where her friend Sam works and has a run in with the most handsome "blue eyes" she has ever seen aka Ashton Ryder who happens to be the club owner.. There is an immediate attraction and Lily foresees that she could lose herself with ASh- and that terrifies her because she is closed off that part of her heart.. The part that lets people in.. The part that lets her feel.
Sam introduces her to his group of friends.. SHe meets the 3rd piece to this triangle- his name -- Blake Moore.. and what they have is -- electrifying.. And immediate spark. It's undeniable.
Without any spoilers- this book will keep you hanging on, guessing, needing to know what is next....
I gave Finding Obscurity a 5 star review.. The love story- fantastic.. The steam-- HOT HOT HOT. The story flowed and kept me interested and I am ready to know more about Lily.. She isn't your normal lead female character so I need to see where she goes next
And the cover of this alone- AMAZING;) Lily is a beautiful girl, with a beautiful story, and deserved this beautiful cover
June 24, 2013
Finding Obscurity by Emma Shade - Kim's Review~
Lily Canton always knew she was unique.
After she loses everything she has ever cared about ten years ago, Lily decides its time to find answers about her past and why she has special powers. But when you can’t control seeing the future, and you hold enough electricity inside you to black out an entire city block, it doesn’t always make life easy.
She swore she would never care about anyone ever again after that fateful day so long ago. Then she meets sexy club owner, Ashton Ryder. Lily can’t afford to fall for Ashton. Then there is handsome, powerful, Blake Moore, who wants to help her with more than just her powers. She has to learn to trust people and let them into her heart, even as things spiral out of control.
Not only does she learn Ashton has a secret that will make her question everything she ever thought was real, but Lily finds out that her birth parents are anything but ordinary. Just when Lily thinks she has everything figured out, someone is determined to destroy her – because she isn’t supposed to be alive.
Okay, I'm not sure where to start with this review. First, I would like to say that I'm grateful that I was a beta reader for this book & I'm AMAZED at how engrossed I became with this story & these characters. Emma Shade did a great job getting right to it from the very beginning & I was drawn right in from the very start. The suspense, the drama & the HOTTNESS seeped right out from the book...& when I say HOTTNESS, I mean SIZZLING HOTTNESS ;).
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Lily Canton is a beautiful young lady who has dealt internally with issues that she can not explain & she is on a mission to find out about her past & what her past means for her future. She was not expecting to come in contact nor was she looking or wanting to come in to contact with the most GORGEOUS man that she's ever seen....SWOON ;). & the name would be Ashton Ryder.
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Ashton Ryder is the SEXY club owner that Lily happens to come across one night at his club when she uses a fake name that her best friend(only friend) Sam gave her to use to gain entrance into his club. It's NOT a pleasant encounter when Lily has to face Ashton & club bouncers because she had deceived her way into the club. NOPE, not pleasant at all!! Lily & Ashton are drawn to one another & Lily knows that some things are just OFF but she just can't put her finger on it. A situation occurs between Lily & one of the bouncers & Lily takes off leaving the club & Ashton behind. She knows NOW, without a doubt, that she is UNIQUE...& now her mission is to find the missing pieces of her past & hoping to find the answers to why she is so different!!
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Sexy & powerful, Blake Moore, now enters & he has his eyes set on Lily!! He is unique in the same way that Lily is unique & he wants to help her control her special powers but he also has an agenda!! He WANTS HER for himself...OR DOES HE!! Blake knows things & there are secrets that he & Ashton are both keeping from Lily. She really doesn't know who to trust because she knows that she is NOT supposed to be alive & that someone is out there that wants her dead.
From the very beginning to the very end, I was on the edge of my seat. The suspense was killing me & I COULD NOT wait to get to the end to find out WHAT IN THE HECK was going on. I would think okay, it's this & then would change my mind & think NO it's this... This is a book that EVERYONE needs to read. This is my 2nd Paranormal read & I LOVED IT.. But, DANG IT, Emma Shade...you've left me with a frickin cliffhanger && I LOVE IT!! GREAT AUTHOR & a GREAT READ ;)). You ROCK GIRL!!!! NOW, hurry up with the 2nd book because I'm DYIN' here ;)
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Lily Canton always knew she was unique.
After she loses everything she has ever cared about ten years ago, Lily decides its time to find answers about her past and why she has special powers. But when you can’t control seeing the future, and you hold enough electricity inside you to black out an entire city block, it doesn’t always make life easy.
She swore she would never care about anyone ever again after that fateful day so long ago. Then she meets sexy club owner, Ashton Ryder. Lily can’t afford to fall for Ashton. Then there is handsome, powerful, Blake Moore, who wants to help her with more than just her powers. She has to learn to trust people and let them into her heart, even as things spiral out of control.
Not only does she learn Ashton has a secret that will make her question everything she ever thought was real, but Lily finds out that her birth parents are anything but ordinary. Just when Lily thinks she has everything figured out, someone is determined to destroy her – because she isn’t supposed to be alive.
Okay, I'm not sure where to start with this review. First, I would like to say that I'm grateful that I was a beta reader for this book & I'm AMAZED at how engrossed I became with this story & these characters. Emma Shade did a great job getting right to it from the very beginning & I was drawn right in from the very start. The suspense, the drama & the HOTTNESS seeped right out from the book...& when I say HOTTNESS, I mean SIZZLING HOTTNESS ;).
Lily Canton is a beautiful young lady who has dealt internally with issues that she can not explain & she is on a mission to find out about her past & what her past means for her future. She was not expecting to come in contact nor was she looking or wanting to come in to contact with the most GORGEOUS man that she's ever seen....SWOON ;). & the name would be Ashton Ryder.
Ashton Ryder is the SEXY club owner that Lily happens to come across one night at his club when she uses a fake name that her best friend(only friend) Sam gave her to use to gain entrance into his club. It's NOT a pleasant encounter when Lily has to face Ashton & club bouncers because she had deceived her way into the club. NOPE, not pleasant at all!! Lily & Ashton are drawn to one another & Lily knows that some things are just OFF but she just can't put her finger on it. A situation occurs between Lily & one of the bouncers & Lily takes off leaving the club & Ashton behind. She knows NOW, without a doubt, that she is UNIQUE...& now her mission is to find the missing pieces of her past & hoping to find the answers to why she is so different!!
Sexy & powerful, Blake Moore, now enters & he has his eyes set on Lily!! He is unique in the same way that Lily is unique & he wants to help her control her special powers but he also has an agenda!! He WANTS HER for himself...OR DOES HE!! Blake knows things & there are secrets that he & Ashton are both keeping from Lily. She really doesn't know who to trust because she knows that she is NOT supposed to be alive & that someone is out there that wants her dead.
From the very beginning to the very end, I was on the edge of my seat. The suspense was killing me & I COULD NOT wait to get to the end to find out WHAT IN THE HECK was going on. I would think okay, it's this & then would change my mind & think NO it's this... This is a book that EVERYONE needs to read. This is my 2nd Paranormal read & I LOVED IT.. But, DANG IT, Emma Shade...you've left me with a frickin cliffhanger && I LOVE IT!! GREAT AUTHOR & a GREAT READ ;)). You ROCK GIRL!!!! NOW, hurry up with the 2nd book because I'm DYIN' here ;)
November 1, 2016
Seeing some of the reviews for this book I wasn't sure how I would feel. Luckily I ended up liking it. I felt bad for Lily in the beginning after her sister died. It sucked that her adoptive mother was terrible to her. I was glad to find out that her adoptive dad was never angry or blamed her for what happened. Now that she knows what she is and how powerful she is supposed to be it will be interesting to see how things pan out. Especially, now that people are trying to kill her. With the ending like that I will be reading the next book to find out what happens.
January 6, 2014
How this book has such a high rating is a mystery to me. I tried so hard to read it and I just couldn't force myself to get even half-way through it. Trust me, I've read some real junk, but I just couldn't make myself finish this.
August 23, 2019
Quick read
I liked the premise, and the main characters. The tension between Lily, Ashton and Blake was annoying at times, but Sam was a great foil for that.
It was well paced, and had enough action that I wasn’t bored. However, that teaser ending was annoying because I want to see how that plays out.
2.5 stars ⭐️
I liked the premise, and the main characters. The tension between Lily, Ashton and Blake was annoying at times, but Sam was a great foil for that.
It was well paced, and had enough action that I wasn’t bored. However, that teaser ending was annoying because I want to see how that plays out.
2.5 stars ⭐️
January 5, 2014
Guest Review by Jen
OMG! Where do I start. I have read a lot of books, (yep I am a book junkie) and I have to say that Finding Obscurity by Emma Shade is at the top of my MUST READ list. What did I love about this book???? Everything, absolutely everything!
Liliana Canton always knew that there was something just a little different about herself. At a young age she has visions of the future, and when she was angry, scared, sad, she would short out electrical equipment. When she was 18 years old, she loses more than her younger sister to a car accident, she loses her entire family. Lily was driving the car that her sister was killed in, and her mother is so filled with hatred that she lets Lily know that she is adopted, never a true member of the family.
On her own, Lily has promised herself that she will never allow anyone to get that close to her again. She will not risk her heart and the pain of loss by letting other people in. That all changes when she starts to learn more about herself and what she really is. Now she has a best friend in Sam, and two hot guys, Blake (a Conjurer) and Ashton (a Vampire), viaing for her attention. All three are trying to protect her from the unknown forces where killed her birth parents.
"Once we find out match, Lily, we won't let them go so easily
Ashton Ryder, OMG, HOT HOT HOT Vampire. He is drawn to Liliana the first time he sees her. There is something about her that makes him realize that she is his match. There is a history with Blake Moore, the I don't want to give too much away. Ashton will give his life to protect Lily, and an though Lily has very strong feelings for Ashton, she also has feelings for Blake and these confuse her as well.
"I won't give up, even if there is a slight chance we could be together though
Blake Moore, OMG HOT HOT HOT Conjurer. He has powers like Lily, and is willing to help her learn to control her powers, and learn what other things that she is capable of. He loves Lily and is upset that by her growing feeling for Ashton, but he would rather have her friendship then to not have her at all. Of course this does not stop him from trying to sneak a few kisses and tempting Lily to choose him instead.
"I'm type-O negative if any of you are interested.
I want a best friend like Sam Arbor! He really added humor to the story, helped Lily learn to open herself up to the possibilities, and is just an all around great guy. He has no problems telling Blake and Ashton to back off and give Lily room, she needs their help and support, not their chest beating pissing matches (which I have to admit were HYSTERICAL).
There a lot of twists and turns in the book, a lot of OMG moments, and nope, you are not gonna get any spoilers out of me. You need to read this book because I can promise you that once you pick it up and start, you will not be able to put it down until you get the last page.
AWESOME story and I look forward to reading more from Emma Shade, that is why I give Finding Obscurity 5 Stars!
February 7, 2016
Stop. Just, stop.
I couldn't take it. I just couldn't. I never dnf, but I just couldn't handle it anymore. I stopped at 40%.
A few thought stuck out while reading:
1. Why is EVERYTHING always blue? Peoples eyes, their clothes, etc. There are other colors out there people.
2. For someone who always keeps people at arms length away, she sure had enough clubbing clothes. So much for being a recluse.
3. Lily goes to the store for a new phone and decides to stop at a boutique next door. She runs into not just one, but two people she knows. It just didn't fit. Especially Carlotta.
4. She sleeps with one guy who she's known for like 2 days! She was just going on and on about not trusting people and keeping them away. But, cool. Let's screw some rich guy who you are always questioning. Sounds good enough to me.
5. The reason I just couldn't take it anymore: "I may not know you, but I love you".
No. No. No.
I couldn't take it. I just couldn't. I never dnf, but I just couldn't handle it anymore. I stopped at 40%.
A few thought stuck out while reading:
1. Why is EVERYTHING always blue? Peoples eyes, their clothes, etc. There are other colors out there people.
2. For someone who always keeps people at arms length away, she sure had enough clubbing clothes. So much for being a recluse.
3. Lily goes to the store for a new phone and decides to stop at a boutique next door. She runs into not just one, but two people she knows. It just didn't fit. Especially Carlotta.
4. She sleeps with one guy who she's known for like 2 days! She was just going on and on about not trusting people and keeping them away. But, cool. Let's screw some rich guy who you are always questioning. Sounds good enough to me.
5. The reason I just couldn't take it anymore: "I may not know you, but I love you".
No. No. No.
September 3, 2016
My mom recommended this book to me. It was free on Kindle so I gave it a try. I made it to 49%.
So the main character is 28 years old and acted like she was 16.
She lost everything and everyone on the night of her high school graduation. So that made her cautious to get close to people or even talk to them.
She has special abilities that she doesn't understand so she goes looking for answers.
For someone who is afraid of people finding out about her abilities she is super chatty. She is basically telling everyone she meets about her abilities.
Then when *spoiler alert* vampires came in the picture I gave up. The dialogue was torture to read. I tried to like it but I just couldn't.
So the main character is 28 years old and acted like she was 16.
She lost everything and everyone on the night of her high school graduation. So that made her cautious to get close to people or even talk to them.
She has special abilities that she doesn't understand so she goes looking for answers.
For someone who is afraid of people finding out about her abilities she is super chatty. She is basically telling everyone she meets about her abilities.
Then when *spoiler alert* vampires came in the picture I gave up. The dialogue was torture to read. I tried to like it but I just couldn't.
May 18, 2015
I don't think I was able to read more than 8 or 10 pages. I have no idea if the plot is good or not, but this book needs some MAJOR editing. If someone wants me to spend hours reading their books, they need to have put in the effort themselves first... My time is valuable and I won't waste it reading books that aren't worth it... Sorry... NEXT!!
August 10, 2013
Emma you rocked it!! Great story development. Love the characters and how you keep learning something new at each turn. Can't wait for the next book!!
June 24, 2013
I don't usually read paranormal romance but I must say I loved this one. So riveting I can't wait for the next one
June 17, 2013
This was my first paranormal read and I loved it! The twists and turns, story and character developments were great and I loved it! Can't wait to read the next one!
September 8, 2016
Meh... it started so well, then about 30% into it everything just felt so forced and predictable.
December 31, 2018
The first thing that threw me off was the grammar mistakes. I cannot have full respect for an author that releases work without having someone sufficiently double check the grammar and spelling. It just looks bad...
The second thing that turned me off from it was the fact that I ended up skipping through full paragraphs because it just didn’t hold my attention.
All in all, it was alright. I think the story smacked of several others I’ve read in this genre, but it had some unique bits.
We’ll see if any of this autho’s other books grab my attention..
The second thing that turned me off from it was the fact that I ended up skipping through full paragraphs because it just didn’t hold my attention.
All in all, it was alright. I think the story smacked of several others I’ve read in this genre, but it had some unique bits.
We’ll see if any of this autho’s other books grab my attention..
December 29, 2021
I downloaded Finding Obscurity, the first book of the Secrets series, as a freebie from Amazon. This book represents a great story and plot concept, but poor planning. Too many things don't make sense- the insta-love, the 28-y-o who acts like a teenager, or the loner who doesn't seem to hesitate to tell people her secrets. With a better outline, this story had potential.
June 30, 2017
Secrets
This was a very very good read. From the start I was hooked can't wait to read more. I'm in love
This was a very very good read. From the start I was hooked can't wait to read more. I'm in love
August 10, 2017
A fun read, but the ending leaves you hanging without a conclusion. It is only a lead-in to another book.
January 10, 2019
Amazing
From the start hooked ,great characters and good suspense, made me feel like I was there ,can't wait to read book 2
From the start hooked ,great characters and good suspense, made me feel like I was there ,can't wait to read book 2
February 3, 2019
And letting everyone know about it.
So i gave it a 5 Stars.
So i gave it a 5 Stars.
June 14, 2022
witch vampire
Once upon a time there was a child of both a witch and a vampire. Then both a vampire and a witch fell in love with the hybrid child.
Once upon a time there was a child of both a witch and a vampire. Then both a vampire and a witch fell in love with the hybrid child.
August 2, 2023
I haven't read this book in a long time but I remember being super obsessed with it
February 26, 2016
**SPOILERS**
First of all, I got this book as a free download and decided to read it because it had good reviews. The premise of the story is pretty solid; it has good potential but was painful to read because of the glaring grammatical errors throughout. I found myself having to stop repeatedly to figure out what the author meant, vs. what was actually written because of omitted words, changes in tense and just plain clumsy word choices (everything is "grabbed" in this story--glasses of wine, people's hands, receipts, etc., people run "full bore" more than once, several barks of laughter...to many phrases on repeat). The dialogue is awkward; too formal in some places and not formal enough in others.
There are a LOT of cliches in this story, from the absolute perfection of the characters' appearances to the MC being a virgin. People with average jobs live in 'upper pay scale" apartments and drive expensive sports cars. Two gorgeous men with six-pack abs seem to fall in love with the MC on sight, no matter how rude or ridiculously she behaves. Lily is constantly making stupid decisions with her safety (sneaking out to get away from those protecting her, leaving the safety of a public store when she fears she is being followed/stalked without mentioning it to anyone). Also, the amount of red and black in the decor and clothing in this story is so prevalent, I was beginning to think they had some sort of significance to the story line.
The author of this story seems to have written this when she was very young and inexperienced, and appears to depend on what her imagination of grand parties and elite social gatherings might be like. It read like fan fiction, to be honest, of a fandom that doesn't exist. I cringed at the main character's boorish behavior at a private exhibit whist on a first date with a man she barely knew. He had explained that the hosts were good friends and that it was an important event, and she made out with her date on the dance floor, stuffed her face inelegantly and consumed 10 glasses of wine before passing out drunk. Despite that, everyone seems to think she's charming, and she becomes cozy BFFs with the party's hostess. Despite living for ten years in relative introversion with no friends and little social contact, she tells three people about her special gifts within a week of meeting them. She is physically attracted to two men who hate each other, and despite being a virgin and not dating since high school, has sex with one of them after making out with the other the previous day--without a condom. Later in the story, she has kissed both men passionately, then seriously asked the one he slept with, "Don't you trust me?"
There is far too much emphasis on inconsequential details like the style of clothing worn or the music artist or song playing or type of car being driven (she doesn't just get in her car, she jumps into her BMW), and not enough on other, more important details that make the story seem kind of empty. Too many contradictions in words, action and narrative to take Lily seriously, or even care about her very much. She comes off as immature, whiny and annoying too often to believe she's a 28 year old educated woman with a lucrative career.
All in all, the one thing I couldn't get past was that I just kept stumbling over the clumsy writing. I understand that this was the author's first novel, so she may have gained some polish and experience along the way. However, when offering the first book in a series for free, you should definitely make sure that it is edited and proofread meticulously first to try to entice a reader to buy and read future installments. I can understand that when an author is new, she might not be able to afford to have a professional help, but at least have more than one or two beta readers before publishing. She should definitely go back and fix this book to save herself some lost future readers who can't get past the writing to enjoy what the other stories might have to offer.
I know that this a LOT of criticism, but after the first half of the book, I started my review so I could keep up with the thoughts running through my head at the time. That being said, the story itself isn't bad. The ideas of the characters have great potential and the plot line itself flows well enough without completely stalling out at any one point. I was interested enough in where the story was going to keep reading, even while I cringed at misused words and strange turns of phrase. There is enough mystery in who can and cannot be trusted and how many sides there even are in the overall plot to keep the reader guessing and interested in spite of its faults. The cliffhanger at the end piqued my curiosity, though perhaps not enough to purchase the second book in the series, if it means enduring such writing again. I will check out the reviews to see what others have to say about the quality of the whole thing before I make a final decision. This review is cross posted at amazon.com
First of all, I got this book as a free download and decided to read it because it had good reviews. The premise of the story is pretty solid; it has good potential but was painful to read because of the glaring grammatical errors throughout. I found myself having to stop repeatedly to figure out what the author meant, vs. what was actually written because of omitted words, changes in tense and just plain clumsy word choices (everything is "grabbed" in this story--glasses of wine, people's hands, receipts, etc., people run "full bore" more than once, several barks of laughter...to many phrases on repeat). The dialogue is awkward; too formal in some places and not formal enough in others.
There are a LOT of cliches in this story, from the absolute perfection of the characters' appearances to the MC being a virgin. People with average jobs live in 'upper pay scale" apartments and drive expensive sports cars. Two gorgeous men with six-pack abs seem to fall in love with the MC on sight, no matter how rude or ridiculously she behaves. Lily is constantly making stupid decisions with her safety (sneaking out to get away from those protecting her, leaving the safety of a public store when she fears she is being followed/stalked without mentioning it to anyone). Also, the amount of red and black in the decor and clothing in this story is so prevalent, I was beginning to think they had some sort of significance to the story line.
The author of this story seems to have written this when she was very young and inexperienced, and appears to depend on what her imagination of grand parties and elite social gatherings might be like. It read like fan fiction, to be honest, of a fandom that doesn't exist. I cringed at the main character's boorish behavior at a private exhibit whist on a first date with a man she barely knew. He had explained that the hosts were good friends and that it was an important event, and she made out with her date on the dance floor, stuffed her face inelegantly and consumed 10 glasses of wine before passing out drunk. Despite that, everyone seems to think she's charming, and she becomes cozy BFFs with the party's hostess. Despite living for ten years in relative introversion with no friends and little social contact, she tells three people about her special gifts within a week of meeting them. She is physically attracted to two men who hate each other, and despite being a virgin and not dating since high school, has sex with one of them after making out with the other the previous day--without a condom. Later in the story, she has kissed both men passionately, then seriously asked the one he slept with, "Don't you trust me?"
There is far too much emphasis on inconsequential details like the style of clothing worn or the music artist or song playing or type of car being driven (she doesn't just get in her car, she jumps into her BMW), and not enough on other, more important details that make the story seem kind of empty. Too many contradictions in words, action and narrative to take Lily seriously, or even care about her very much. She comes off as immature, whiny and annoying too often to believe she's a 28 year old educated woman with a lucrative career.
All in all, the one thing I couldn't get past was that I just kept stumbling over the clumsy writing. I understand that this was the author's first novel, so she may have gained some polish and experience along the way. However, when offering the first book in a series for free, you should definitely make sure that it is edited and proofread meticulously first to try to entice a reader to buy and read future installments. I can understand that when an author is new, she might not be able to afford to have a professional help, but at least have more than one or two beta readers before publishing. She should definitely go back and fix this book to save herself some lost future readers who can't get past the writing to enjoy what the other stories might have to offer.
I know that this a LOT of criticism, but after the first half of the book, I started my review so I could keep up with the thoughts running through my head at the time. That being said, the story itself isn't bad. The ideas of the characters have great potential and the plot line itself flows well enough without completely stalling out at any one point. I was interested enough in where the story was going to keep reading, even while I cringed at misused words and strange turns of phrase. There is enough mystery in who can and cannot be trusted and how many sides there even are in the overall plot to keep the reader guessing and interested in spite of its faults. The cliffhanger at the end piqued my curiosity, though perhaps not enough to purchase the second book in the series, if it means enduring such writing again. I will check out the reviews to see what others have to say about the quality of the whole thing before I make a final decision. This review is cross posted at amazon.com
September 17, 2016
What can I say? This book comes across as a little bit schizophrenic. It's not sure if it's a teeny-bopper or an adult. There are lots of 'sage wisdom/yoda' bits, completely minced by 'I'm an angsty bored repetitive teenager'. It's really confusing trying to figure out how she managed to get from one to the other and back again... a few times... so fast. There also seems to be lots of, what makes me think of, 'treading water'...BUT, that implies that your still 'in' the story. These parts seem to be more 'floating above the story, with no real purpose', if that makes any sense. Plus, there was a huge issue of the majority or the characters talking in the same voice, with the same thoughts. There were a few bits where the definition between them was there, but largely, it was a one man play... which is impressive considering it's a female, male, straight, gay, vampires, witches, humans, emotionally & mentally stable and unstable, good, bad and gray character cast.
As for the story... Talk about love triangle. And it's boring too. It's just a 'hang on, we need a bit of triangle in here, yep, that'll do!' And from the blurbs, it looks like that shit goes on for the next 3 or so books! There is supposed to be some serious feelings flipping around, and some serious 'stumbles', that are just 'there' and then 'move on now'. NOTHING was addressed at anytime (now I know it's cause it's gotta last so many more books!), but she was trying to make it a major part of the story.
And the twists. It theory, they are good twists and have worked for many hundreds of books throughout the years... but somehow, it's just like a three year old changing the rules of the game halfway through so that they can win and going 'ha ha, I'm so clever'.
I'm still not sure why I finished it. I've DNF'ed a couple of books recently that were much better put together than this one, but I just kept thinking, the idea is interesting, surely it's got to get better... Sadly, the answer was always a resounding NO, IT DOESN'T!
I did like the cover though :/
Now if I were to go into the actual plot/story issues...
- after one admittedly tragic event that was handled atrociously by her 'now she knows' adopted parents, she hangs up her boots and decides to never trust a living soul again, now she's a 28yo virgin hermit who trusts no one, but with in a week, she meets and trust half a dozen people (most of whom are supernaturals) that she spills her big secrets to almost before she knows their names.
- plus, after about 2 days and kissing the other guy too, she jumps into bed with the guy she barely knows and shags him silly all night long, before she wakes up and he's gone... with no word for days after, during which time a vamp (who's not a newbie) loses control on the dance floor in front of her and almost feeds... inducting her into the world of vamps exist - oh and the guy who shagged you and ran is one too.
- and let's bypass the whole 'you didn't tell me you're a vampire before you slept with me after two days when you have 300yrs of info that would take more than 2 days to divulge and we only spent a few hours together during which I got wasted at the high class special function being hosted by your important friends because you left me alone for 10mins before I passed out, and now that we have all agreed I am in great danger and need to be protected I'll keep complaining about you all being around to look after me while putting your lives on hold, and sneak away, and not tell you AND outright lying to you about my visions of danger & kidnapping and feelings of being stalked/watched'... because I could go on about that shit forever!
- and yes, we get that all these people on average to low incomes have expensive homes, cars and clothes. She doesn't sneak out and run to her car, she sneaks out and runs to her BMW that we have been informed of several times already.
- and I don't think we discussed that at her first meeting with guy1 she was caught sneaking into his club under a false name that he wanted details about so he could sack your friend for helping you sneak in at which time you freaked out, told him your real name, incapacitated one of his guards and blew out his entire security & operating system (using your super secret powers) before you ran for your life with him chasing you... but you have no problem meeting with your friend and his friends the next day, without checking if any of them might be from work who might recognize you from last night and/or report/dob you in to their boss who was after you for unknown reasons, and who is still looking for who to fire about the security breach... and OF COURSE you are willing to meet them all at the same club AND use your own name in the random hope that guy1 would have been charmed enough to not only not report you to the cops or have something else equally 'fun' planned if he ever catches you, but that he would have put you on the VIP list! But wait... He DID put her on the VIP list!
I really could go on unfortunately.
As for the story... Talk about love triangle. And it's boring too. It's just a 'hang on, we need a bit of triangle in here, yep, that'll do!' And from the blurbs, it looks like that shit goes on for the next 3 or so books! There is supposed to be some serious feelings flipping around, and some serious 'stumbles', that are just 'there' and then 'move on now'. NOTHING was addressed at anytime (now I know it's cause it's gotta last so many more books!), but she was trying to make it a major part of the story.
And the twists. It theory, they are good twists and have worked for many hundreds of books throughout the years... but somehow, it's just like a three year old changing the rules of the game halfway through so that they can win and going 'ha ha, I'm so clever'.
I'm still not sure why I finished it. I've DNF'ed a couple of books recently that were much better put together than this one, but I just kept thinking, the idea is interesting, surely it's got to get better... Sadly, the answer was always a resounding NO, IT DOESN'T!
I did like the cover though :/
Now if I were to go into the actual plot/story issues...
- after one admittedly tragic event that was handled atrociously by her 'now she knows' adopted parents, she hangs up her boots and decides to never trust a living soul again, now she's a 28yo virgin hermit who trusts no one, but with in a week, she meets and trust half a dozen people (most of whom are supernaturals) that she spills her big secrets to almost before she knows their names.
- plus, after about 2 days and kissing the other guy too, she jumps into bed with the guy she barely knows and shags him silly all night long, before she wakes up and he's gone... with no word for days after, during which time a vamp (who's not a newbie) loses control on the dance floor in front of her and almost feeds... inducting her into the world of vamps exist - oh and the guy who shagged you and ran is one too.
- and let's bypass the whole 'you didn't tell me you're a vampire before you slept with me after two days when you have 300yrs of info that would take more than 2 days to divulge and we only spent a few hours together during which I got wasted at the high class special function being hosted by your important friends because you left me alone for 10mins before I passed out, and now that we have all agreed I am in great danger and need to be protected I'll keep complaining about you all being around to look after me while putting your lives on hold, and sneak away, and not tell you AND outright lying to you about my visions of danger & kidnapping and feelings of being stalked/watched'... because I could go on about that shit forever!
- and yes, we get that all these people on average to low incomes have expensive homes, cars and clothes. She doesn't sneak out and run to her car, she sneaks out and runs to her BMW that we have been informed of several times already.
- and I don't think we discussed that at her first meeting with guy1 she was caught sneaking into his club under a false name that he wanted details about so he could sack your friend for helping you sneak in at which time you freaked out, told him your real name, incapacitated one of his guards and blew out his entire security & operating system (using your super secret powers) before you ran for your life with him chasing you... but you have no problem meeting with your friend and his friends the next day, without checking if any of them might be from work who might recognize you from last night and/or report/dob you in to their boss who was after you for unknown reasons, and who is still looking for who to fire about the security breach... and OF COURSE you are willing to meet them all at the same club AND use your own name in the random hope that guy1 would have been charmed enough to not only not report you to the cops or have something else equally 'fun' planned if he ever catches you, but that he would have put you on the VIP list! But wait... He DID put her on the VIP list!
I really could go on unfortunately.
January 7, 2017
Paranormal fiction is one of my favorite genre.
This is a good read if you like this genre. The characters are well rounded powerful entities with amazing skills. Vampires and witches called conjures. Only the first book of a series, look forward to reading more of them.
This is a good read if you like this genre. The characters are well rounded powerful entities with amazing skills. Vampires and witches called conjures. Only the first book of a series, look forward to reading more of them.
February 13, 2022
This book started out strong but then seemed to lose itself and become tedious and boring.
February 3, 2014
OMG! Where do I start. I have read a lot of books, (yep I am a book junkie) and I have to say that Finding Obscurity by Emma Shade is at the top of my MUST READ list. What did I love about this book???? Everything, absolutely everything!
Liliana Canton always knew that there was something just a little different about herself. At a young age she has visions of the future, and when she was angry, scared, sad, she would short out electrical equipment. When she was 18 years old, she loses more than her younger sister to a car accident, she loses her entire family. Lily was driving the car that her sister was killed in, and her mother is so filled with hatred that she lets Lily know that she is adopted, never a true member of the family.
On her own, Lily has promised herself that she will never allow anyone to get that close to her again. She will not risk her heart and the pain of loss by letting other people in. That all changes when she starts to learn more about herself and what she really is. Now she has a best friend in Sam, and two hot guys, Blake (a Conjurer) and Ashton (a Vampire), viaing for her attention. All three are trying to protect her from the unknown forces that killed her birth parents.
"Once we find out match, Lily, we won't let them go so easily
Ashton Ryder, OMG, HOT HOT HOT Vampire. He is drawn to Liliana the first time he sees her. There is something about her that makes him realize that she is his match. There is a history with Blake Moore, the I don't want to give too much away. Ashton will give his life to protect Lily, and an though Lily has very strong feelings for Ashton, she also has feelings for Blake and these confuse her as well.
"I won't give up, even if there is a slight chance we could be together though
Blake Moore, OMG HOT HOT HOT Conjurer. He has powers like Lily, and is willing to help her learn to control her powers, and learn what other things that she is capable of. He loves Lily and is upset by her growing feeling for Ashton, but he would rather have her friendship then to not have her at all. Of course this does not stop him from trying to sneak a few kisses and tempting Lily to choose him instead.
"I'm type-O negative if any of you are interested.
I want a best friend like Sam Arbor! He really added humor to the story, helped Lily learn to open herself up to the possibilities, and is just an all around great guy. He has no problems telling Blake and Ashton to back off and give Lily room, she needs their help and support, not their chest beating pissing matches (which I have to admit were HYSTERICAL).
There a lot of twists and turns in the book, a lot of OMG moments, and nope, you are not gonna get any spoilers out of me. You need to read this book because I can promise you that once you pick it up and start, you will not be able to put it down until you get the last page.
AWESOME story and I look forward to reading more from Emma Shade, that is why I give Finding Obscurity 5 Stars!
Liliana Canton always knew that there was something just a little different about herself. At a young age she has visions of the future, and when she was angry, scared, sad, she would short out electrical equipment. When she was 18 years old, she loses more than her younger sister to a car accident, she loses her entire family. Lily was driving the car that her sister was killed in, and her mother is so filled with hatred that she lets Lily know that she is adopted, never a true member of the family.
On her own, Lily has promised herself that she will never allow anyone to get that close to her again. She will not risk her heart and the pain of loss by letting other people in. That all changes when she starts to learn more about herself and what she really is. Now she has a best friend in Sam, and two hot guys, Blake (a Conjurer) and Ashton (a Vampire), viaing for her attention. All three are trying to protect her from the unknown forces that killed her birth parents.
"Once we find out match, Lily, we won't let them go so easily
Ashton Ryder, OMG, HOT HOT HOT Vampire. He is drawn to Liliana the first time he sees her. There is something about her that makes him realize that she is his match. There is a history with Blake Moore, the I don't want to give too much away. Ashton will give his life to protect Lily, and an though Lily has very strong feelings for Ashton, she also has feelings for Blake and these confuse her as well.
"I won't give up, even if there is a slight chance we could be together though
Blake Moore, OMG HOT HOT HOT Conjurer. He has powers like Lily, and is willing to help her learn to control her powers, and learn what other things that she is capable of. He loves Lily and is upset by her growing feeling for Ashton, but he would rather have her friendship then to not have her at all. Of course this does not stop him from trying to sneak a few kisses and tempting Lily to choose him instead.
"I'm type-O negative if any of you are interested.
I want a best friend like Sam Arbor! He really added humor to the story, helped Lily learn to open herself up to the possibilities, and is just an all around great guy. He has no problems telling Blake and Ashton to back off and give Lily room, she needs their help and support, not their chest beating pissing matches (which I have to admit were HYSTERICAL).
There a lot of twists and turns in the book, a lot of OMG moments, and nope, you are not gonna get any spoilers out of me. You need to read this book because I can promise you that once you pick it up and start, you will not be able to put it down until you get the last page.
AWESOME story and I look forward to reading more from Emma Shade, that is why I give Finding Obscurity 5 Stars!
June 27, 2013
Let me start off by saying that this book was a HUGE surprise to me! I am not usually into paranormal romances, (the only one I've read was Twilight :/ ) so I was quite skeptical when I started reading this book.
With that being said, I believe this book will resonate with readers of all genres. Yes it is THAT good!!! The writing is impeccable, and the drama is intense!! This was a "alert the family to fend for themselves until I'm done reading" type of book!
In high school Lily was always known as a freak to her family and friends. After a terrible accident that causes her to lose the only person she ever truly loved, Lily sets out to find the truth about her abilities and closes herself off to the feelings of becoming close to anyone.
Enter Ashton, the sexy club owner with a few secrets of his own. At their first encounter the connection is instantaneous and intense!! Sparks fly....literally! Ashton wants Lily and wastes no time making his move.
Then Lily meets Blake and finds they both share the same powers.
Lily's powers are getting stronger and harder to control and Blake wants to help her control her powers, but he also warns her to stay away from Ashton.
I was so torn reading this book!! One minute I was wanting her to trust and be with Ashton, but the next, I wasn't sure I fully trusted him and then wanted her to be with Blake! It was so confusingly good!! And then,I won't even start about Ashton's secret and the hatred between Ashton and Blake!
All is not as it seems with these men and someone is after Lily. Blake and Ashton vow to keep her safe. Once the secrets are uncovered, Lily has a hard time trying to decide who to trust.( I was right there with ya sister!) She also has a hard time trying to decide who she is more attracted to...Blake or Ashton. ( Yep, me too!) Blake...with whom she shares a similar power with and makes her feel safe? (..swoon..) Or Ashton.....the man that can make her short circuit by just walking in the room? (Taylor Swift's "Sparks Fly" song worthy!)
This book kept me on the edge of my seat the ENTIRE time! Just as I thought I had it figured out, I was back at square one! The sexual attraction between the characters was intense! There is so much more to this story but I just don't want to give it all away!
This book does end with a cliffy, and boy oh boy does Emma Shade know how to write a cliffhanger! Actually, it's more like a complete drop off the side of the hill with nothing to grab on to! Shocking is all I can say! It left me wanting book #2 right now!!!
With that being said, I believe this book will resonate with readers of all genres. Yes it is THAT good!!! The writing is impeccable, and the drama is intense!! This was a "alert the family to fend for themselves until I'm done reading" type of book!
In high school Lily was always known as a freak to her family and friends. After a terrible accident that causes her to lose the only person she ever truly loved, Lily sets out to find the truth about her abilities and closes herself off to the feelings of becoming close to anyone.
Enter Ashton, the sexy club owner with a few secrets of his own. At their first encounter the connection is instantaneous and intense!! Sparks fly....literally! Ashton wants Lily and wastes no time making his move.
Then Lily meets Blake and finds they both share the same powers.
Lily's powers are getting stronger and harder to control and Blake wants to help her control her powers, but he also warns her to stay away from Ashton.
I was so torn reading this book!! One minute I was wanting her to trust and be with Ashton, but the next, I wasn't sure I fully trusted him and then wanted her to be with Blake! It was so confusingly good!! And then,I won't even start about Ashton's secret and the hatred between Ashton and Blake!
All is not as it seems with these men and someone is after Lily. Blake and Ashton vow to keep her safe. Once the secrets are uncovered, Lily has a hard time trying to decide who to trust.( I was right there with ya sister!) She also has a hard time trying to decide who she is more attracted to...Blake or Ashton. ( Yep, me too!) Blake...with whom she shares a similar power with and makes her feel safe? (..swoon..) Or Ashton.....the man that can make her short circuit by just walking in the room? (Taylor Swift's "Sparks Fly" song worthy!)
This book kept me on the edge of my seat the ENTIRE time! Just as I thought I had it figured out, I was back at square one! The sexual attraction between the characters was intense! There is so much more to this story but I just don't want to give it all away!
This book does end with a cliffy, and boy oh boy does Emma Shade know how to write a cliffhanger! Actually, it's more like a complete drop off the side of the hill with nothing to grab on to! Shocking is all I can say! It left me wanting book #2 right now!!!
February 19, 2014
It would be very easy to write a very mean review about this book. But I'm not out to write mean reviews.
August 29, 2013
Lily knew she was different she just didn’t understand how much so after a terrible tragedy and some unexpected news she disappears. When she reappears she is looking for answers and others like her. She doesn’t want friends or love just answers.
"Living in the past doesn't get you anywhere. You can keep trying to run from it but your feet will stay rooted to the ground unless you move forward."
I was pretty sucked in from the beginning. I had chills and tears right off the bat. Then I was really sucked in by the time Lily made it into the VIP room and met Ashton but by the time Blake came around I could hardly put it down. I was completely enthralled into the mystery. I never figured out who was behind it until that person walked down those stairs. I knew one was somehow involved but not sure how. I was back and forth trying to figure it out, but loved that I didn’t until Emma was ready to tell me.
I loved all the main characters especially Sam I was lmao at him in parts when he rushed into the VIP room and then said “I'm type O Negative if anyone is interested.” I busted out laughing. But what really got me to love him the most was his friendship with Lily and that he was determined to be a true friend to her.
Ashton & Blake I went back and forth with them I really like them both and was wondering if either of them was really a bad guy.
“Love can be a beautiful disaster. It hits you out of nowhere leaving you breathless without reason and can tear at your sanity like a never ending hurricane but once the storm is over you will have more sunshine in your life than you know what to do with." <-- BEAUTIFUL
So all in all I loved it and am really looking forward to more.
"Living in the past doesn't get you anywhere. You can keep trying to run from it but your feet will stay rooted to the ground unless you move forward."
I was pretty sucked in from the beginning. I had chills and tears right off the bat. Then I was really sucked in by the time Lily made it into the VIP room and met Ashton but by the time Blake came around I could hardly put it down. I was completely enthralled into the mystery. I never figured out who was behind it until that person walked down those stairs. I knew one was somehow involved but not sure how. I was back and forth trying to figure it out, but loved that I didn’t until Emma was ready to tell me.
I loved all the main characters especially Sam I was lmao at him in parts when he rushed into the VIP room and then said “I'm type O Negative if anyone is interested.” I busted out laughing. But what really got me to love him the most was his friendship with Lily and that he was determined to be a true friend to her.
Ashton & Blake I went back and forth with them I really like them both and was wondering if either of them was really a bad guy.
“Love can be a beautiful disaster. It hits you out of nowhere leaving you breathless without reason and can tear at your sanity like a never ending hurricane but once the storm is over you will have more sunshine in your life than you know what to do with." <-- BEAUTIFUL
So all in all I loved it and am really looking forward to more.
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