The Channeler

The Continuum #1

by Jenna Ryan

“I was stuck. Stuck in an endless nightmare, watching a terrible future I was powerless to change.
Or was I? What if I could change the future? Could I ignore that kind of power?

And if I did—what would I become?”

Caleb Swift knows he's a complex guy. He sees the unimaginable: winged beings, strange creatures other people cannot see. He knows the unknowable: horrifying visions of countless unspeakable futures he feels powerless to prevent. And if that weren’t bad enough, these potent revelations might be driving him insane.

Caleb is doing his best to live a totally uncomplicated life, to ignore the visions of doom that hound him relentlessly. But no matter what he does, one particular vision consistently plagues him—the one with the girl. The girl who may be in mortal danger. The girl only he can save.

Now Caleb has a choice. To ignore his gift, to live the ordinary life he so desperately desires, even if it means allowing his visions to come true...

Or to take action. To interfere. To channel his ability and become extraordinary. And let one girl’s future turn his present completely upside down.


You'll love Jenna Ryan's Continuum Series if you enjoy reading:
Urban Fantasy
Science-Fiction
Romance
New Adult Fiction
Young Adult Fiction
About magic, clairvoyance, angels and demons

239 pages, Paperback

Published January 18, 2019

About the author

Buy The Steel Renegade now!

Jenna Ryan (author of The Continuum Series) is a native New Jerseyan, where she writes to her heart's content. In her spare time, she likes to spar with her husband at their dojang, yell at the New Jersey Devils on game day, and get horribly lost on trails she has hiked her entire life. The Continuum Series is the first of many stories she is ready to unleash on the world.

For more information about upcoming releases, check out my website https://jennaryanink.com, follow me on all social media pages @jennaryanink

Reviews

[OneMamaReads · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 Stars

***

Caleb Swift is special, he has the ability to see the future, but he is not sure why. Also, he is able to see winged beings, one of whom befriended him as a child. When he meets Darla at University, things begin to get even more out of this world and Caleb must decide whether to ignore his abilities or use them to protect the world and those he loves.

At first I was thrown for a loop with this book and I was not quite sure why, but then I realized it was because it is written in first person, past tense. I am not used to that point-of-view, so it was a bit for me to get used to. However, it was an interesting switch from my usual reading and I eventually found it added to the uniqueness of the story.

I loved the idea for this novel, a unique concept, with fantastic world building and a complete mythology about the winged beings (who appear to look like angels, but may be more alien than angelical).

This is the first book in the series, so there is a lot of build-up and explanation. This is all necessary, in order to introduce the details about supernatural abilities, their origins and the class system of the beings and their progeny.

Caleb is shy, timid and reserved, because of his upbringing and his special ability. He is likable and it is easy to see why other characters trust him and believe in him. He has lots of help from his Godmother, friends and Gabriel, the "angel" like being who appeared to him as a child. Each character is important to Caleb's growth as a character and to his tapping into his own abilities. I also liked that in this novel Caleb was open with his caregiver and his best friend about his abilities, instead of hiding them away and relying on himself.

The novel pulls you along, pushing you to question everything within Caleb's world. Who can he really trust? Who may be lying about their intentions? How is the future that Caleb foresees going to come about and how can he prevent it? Who are the helliget, morkeste and velsignet (honestly, read this book just for the mythology)? It is a book that leaves you wanting more, craving the story.

This book is big on highlighting the power of found families, of friendship and love. It is about courage in the face of fear and adversity. While there may be many reasons for Caleb to give up or to ignore his powers, he bears the responsibility of what he sees.

There were parts I thought could have been left out, which did not really add to the narrative. There were also moments that could have been tightened up with a bit more editing. Overall it was a wonderful introduction to a very intriguing and original story. I am excited to read the next installment and especially loved the little twist and change up at the end of the book. It provided a different viewpoint and added layers to the story.

[Laura Hernandez · Rating 5 out of 5]

The storyline immediately captivated me and I found it hard to put this book down. The characters were all likeable and the fantasy elements were fantastic. The author simply has a way with world building and I can't wait to jump into the next book.⠀

[Alistair MacLeod · Rating 4 out of 5]

The book really draws you in when it goes into the fantasy elements a bit more. In the book there are two races of angel-like beings, some essentially good in nature others essentially bad, that Caleb thinks only he can see and when these enter the story it really picks up momentum and comes alive. The only minor criticism I would have is when it switches back to the more everyday/friendship parts of the story it loses a bit of that momentum. So maybe a more seamless blend of both in future installments would be an improvement. Overall though its a highly readable and enjoyable book, and everything comes together well for an interesting ending. Well worth checking out and a promising start.

[John W Burge · Rating 2 out of 5]

It's often difficult for me to say how much I enjoyed or disliked a novel soon after I finish it. Instead I find that my opinion is only solidified through extended examination, thinking carefully about its elements and how they fit together. Typically, if they withstand scrutiny, I end up enjoying the novel even more than I did when it ended. I tend to think that's a reasonably functional indicator of the novel's literary quality as well.

Unfortunately, the more I thought about it, the more I discovered that The Channeler by Jenna Ryan doesn't stand up well to such scrutiny. I enjoyed the book when I finished it - more than I expected to - but in the two months since then, I've discovered that, despite my initial enjoyment, I don't think the book is very good. I would classify the book as a polished second draft. Its plot is generally coherent with decent potential, but it has far too little action and is rife with inconsistencies. It needs a rewrite (perhaps several), and it shouldn't have been published in its current form.

To be clear, the novel is better than I expected. I first heard of this book when the publisher, TCK Publishing, reached out to me and asked if I would be interested in reviewing it. I was given an Advance Review Copy by the publisher, and although I didn't think the book would be entirely unreadable, I suspected it might be bad enough that I'd set it down after a few chapters and not bother with the rest of it. But I made it to the end, and, while I think it does have a few notable strengths, I'm electing to forego that discussion due to space constraints, focusing instead on a critical look at its weaknesses.

Spoiler warning: Everything from here on out will be discussing the plot in detail. If you have any interest in reading this book, then stop here and come back to this review after you've decided you're done with the book.

You can read this review in its original form here.



1. The Promise

Before devling into The Channeler's weaknesses, I want to make an attempt to isolate what may be the single most important component of the book. In their "Writing Excuses" podcast, Brandon Sanderson, Howard Tayler, and Dan Wells have argued that writing is about making promises to your reader, then fulfilling those promises in a way they don't expect.

So what was the promise of The Channeler? This is actually a huge problem - the promise isn't clear. This puts an imposition on the reader to do some work and figure out what the promise actually is. That's dangerous for an author to do; if the author doesn't clearly set the promise that the story is intended to fulfill, then they lose the upper hand. They can't manipulate the reader and direct them towards what they want them to see, and they can't control how the reader's expectation will be fulfilled.

As best as I can tell, the Promise of The Channeler can be inferred from several facts about the plot:

  1. Caleb has visions that come true, but has never tried to stop them from happening;
  2. He has a specific recurring vision of something horrific involving a certain girl;
  3. Suddenly the girl in this horrible vision walks into his life;
  4. This girl turns out to be his sister.

Taking all of those together, the promise seems to be that Caleb will figure out a way to stop his horrific vision from happening to his sister Darla. So was the promise fulfilled? Well, that's for later. First, let's discuss weaknesses.

2. Weaknesses

I've already seen some reviewers criticize this book in fairly harsh terms. I dislike this approach, because I think it violates the goal of a criticism: helping others get better at the making the thing being criticized. So I'm going to approach my criticisms as if Ms. Ryan had personally asked me what improvements she could make. She hasn't asked, but it's much easier to be charitable while being conversational.

2.1 Plot

The plot misses the mark in several areas.

First, there is a notable lack of action. The reader rarely sees characters making choices that drive the story. Things happen to the characters, particularly Caleb, but the characters aren't the ones who are making those things happen. Caleb is a reactionary character, not an action taker, and this is an especially bad choice for a novel that takes place in the middle of a long-running battle between supernatural beings.

Second, there's a glaring lack of antagonists to work against the protagonists. There are 18 chapters in The Channeler, including an epilogue, and the first chapter in which an antagonist appears - a nameless, throwaway character - is Chapter 8. The first antagonist with a name isn't revealed until chapter 11. A reader wants to know who the heroes and villains are, but they also don't want to wait half the book to find out.

Third, Ava is an irrelevant character. I've tried to figure out what she brings to the book that no other character could have done, and every time I end up drawing a blank. Even her death - really, the only thing she does that forces others to act - fails to move the plot. She could have been removed completely and the plot would be no different. This is a tremendous waste of opportunity to develop the rest of the characters or, better yet, provide the main characters with a pseudo-antagonist to drive more conflict.

Fourth, the plot relies far too much on telling, rather than showing. The Channeler drives a great deal of the plot by having the characters talk through large chunks of exposition. Given that it's written in the first person, it's already inclined to be heavy on verbiage and exposition, but by adding to it all of the most significant reveals about major characters, it made important revelations entirely underwhelming.

Fifth, there are a number of underutilized plot devices that could have made up for several deficiencies if only they'd been employed correctly. Caleb's vision of Darla was horrific, but I didn't feel as though there was a sense of urgency about it. The villains seemed like they would be formidable - except for the fact that they were shown only three times, and out of those three appearances only one impacted the plot. Gavin is revealed to have a sharp mind and a good memory, but he's never put to work unraveling the plans of the mørkeste. And Caleb's ability to play music added a depth to his character that made him more interesting, but it wasn't introduced until halfway through the book, and as nothing more than a skill to impress Shay. All of these instances show that there was a lot of grains of possibility for the plot, none of which were cultivated to blossom.

2.2 Writing Style

There were several particulars about the writing style of this book that stood out to me, and not in a good way. I figured it would be a bit clearer to address each particular on its own, since they are interspersed throughout the book in different ways.

2.2.1 Inconsistency

The writing style of The Channeler is frustratingly inconsistent, in at least two distinct ways. First, there's character inconsistency. Here is an instance of Caleb's introspection from earlier in the novel:

I looked down at my hands, as I naturally do when someone makes eye contact.

And then, later:

By the time I was as drunk as Gavin had been by ten, the bar had become overcrowded and sweltering hot. I loved partying, but when it gets too hot, and too many people are around me and touching me, and it smells bad, I just feel overwhelmed.

I couldn't bring myself to accept these two conflicting character traits. I don't know any people who tend to turn their eyes away from someone when they make eye contact - a character trait of introverts - yet who at the same time actually "love" partying. Caleb is given a number of introvert and extrovert traits, but these aren't handled in a way that reconciles the tension between these personality types.

Second, there's the inconsistency in keeping the facts of the world straight. Perhaps it's the copy I received, but I discovered an inexplicable contradiction about what kind of guitar Caleb owns. In chapter 10, there are two sentences establishing that the guitar is electric:

I changed and glanced at my electric guitar in the corner of the room, its cherrywood covered in a layer of dust...I glanced over at my cherrywood electric Les Paul in the corner.

However, Chapter 11 refers to the guitar as acoustic:

I felt her watching me as I went over to grab my guitar. I pulled my desk chair out and sat down in front of her, the cherrywood acoustic in my lap.

Honestly, calling it electric in one chapter and acoustic in the next is kind of an unforgiveable error in a published novel.

2.2.2 Word Usage

Aside from a lack of consistency, this book also suffers distinctly from a lack of brevity (yes, I am aware of the potential irony). It's hard to get around that there is a lot of text in this book that could have been much more effectively written, with a bit more time and a bit closer proofreading. I can think of two examples. The first was Caleb's thoughts with regard to his aunt:

She must’ve been having a great day because eggplant was one of my favorite foods.

This is an awkward sentence that really needs to be rewritten. This would have been better stated as, "Eggplant was a favorite of mine. Her day must be going well." Although it's not quite clear how the progression of Nikki's day would have contributed to her decision to make one of Caleb's favorites. Another:

Hockey was usually one of my many means of escape from reality, and I enjoyed it immensely.

This sounds ridiculously formal, and would be much better stated as, "I'd become skilled at finding ways to escape reality, but hockey was the one I enjoyed most." There are plenty more, but the idea should be clear. It's unfortunate, but the entire time I was reading the book I couldn't help but think that the writing felt amateur.

2.2.3 Formality

Sometimes the exposition going on in Caleb's head drops into a formal style that sounds much more at home in an essay than a person's internal dialogue:

Not that Nikki hadn’t been beyond perfect, but it was hard on her too. She didn’t know how to handle me, ergo, I didn’t know how to handle me.

Who in the world uses "ergo" casually in their informal, messy, internal thoughts? It sticks out to me as a very odd term to use for informal internal dialogue. Beyond that, it's nonsensical. Because his aunt didn't know how to "handle" him, he didn't know how to "handle" himself? What does that even mean?

Again:

The weeks that followed may have been some of the best I could remember. Several influences in my life led me to feel this way.

The latter sentence is the sort of transition you would expect in a class paper, not someone's internal dialogue, and it's not even a very good transition. Yet again:

"You do plenty." I smiled hearteningly, even though I, too, wished someone could do more to help.

This feels like something out of an old-timey Victorian letter. It's much too formal for its context.

The biggest problem with these formal sentences thrown into the jumble of internal thoughts is that I noticed every time it happened. It was jarring at every occurrence, and it called my attention immediately to the writing while interrupting my attention on the character.

2.3 Characters

Given the troubles with the writing style, character problems are to be expected.

2.3.1 Character Development

As mentioned before, there's a deficiency of action in The Channeler, and as a result we don't see characters developed by being faced with challenges to make important, story-altering choices. Instead, we see a lot more of their development take place in how they talk to and interact with one another, rarely impacting the progression of action and events. Two examples of development stick out to me, and not for good reasons.

The first is Caleb's initial reaction to Gabriel. At the time he is five years old, and suddenly a winged supernatural creature he's never seen before shows up right in front of him. Caleb's reaction is to just stare, rather than begin screaming about stranger danger (again, more indication of his being a reactionary character rather than an action driver). Now it's made clear that Gabriel is supposed to project calmness to those around him, but that's revealed through Caleb talking about how the creature made him feel. It would have been much more believable to show Caleb beginning to react in terror, and Gabriel suddenly calming him with an extended hand or wash of warmth.

The second example of bad character development is Nikki's story about how Caleb and Darla were separated at birth. And this story reveals several character choices are inexplicably, mind-bogglingly bad.

Nikki's entire telling of the story was packed to the brim with decisions that made me utter "what the actual hell" aloud more than once. Caleb's mom, Tessa, has a one-night stand with a guy, Michael, she met at a party (always a bad choice). Nikki remembers getting "strange vibes" from this guy (oh great, he's a creep). Nine months later Caleb's mom suddenly goes into labor, and they have to go to a barn due to a bad storm (why they didn't at least try to get to a hospital, or birthing center, or even inside a house, is left unclear). Suddenly, Michael shows up (the creepy guy with "strange vibes" who disappeared after his one night stand with Tessa), and Tessa gives birth to Caleb and Darla.

And then - here's the really terrible part - Tessa decides to hand off her newborn girl to a man who is effectively a complete stranger that gives off strange vibes. Because clearly, nothing bad ever happens when creepy male strangers are in charge of newborn baby girls.

I found this story to do a tremendous amount of character damage to Caleb's mom and aunt, and reiterates the astonishing inconsistency of the novel. Nikki described Tessa as being "independent and old enough to do everything on her own without...help." So why would she suddenly decide she was incapable of taking care of her children and give one of them up? Why would Nikki - a nurse, someone who is a professional caregiver - go along with such a plan? Neither choice is at all consistent with what we know about these characters. It makes the two of them look like negligent sociopaths, and utterly destroyed any sympathy I had for either of them.

Ms. Ryan must have recognized how bad this looks, because Caleb has a similar reaction to the story. Eventually he comes to accept it and forgive her, since everything turns out all right in the end, but I found this to be a shallow appeal. In their context, the choices remain inexplicable.

2.3.2 Character Voices

The other significant weakness of the characters in The Channeler has to do with their voices - too many characters sound similar. Nikki is a 40-something year old nurse but speaks like any one of the half-dozen college age characters in the book. Gabriel is a supernatural being but speaks half like a human dad, half like a human grandfather. I'm not sure I could tell the difference between Gavin, Darla, and Leander if they were all speaking the same sentence. Slang terms are thrown around at odd times and without consistency. And the single most annoying part of it all was how every character shortened others' names without any clear reason or consistent application.

Caleb and Gavin's dialogue tended to be grating as well. Their dialogue often seemed a caricature of how men talk to one another. For example, Gavin has several jarring statements, such as "What do my man Caleb and I do with your information?" or "Sorry I'm late, bro. I missed my alarm." Gavin in particular employed "bro," "my man," "dude," and several other stereotypical variations of what people tend to think guys say to each other. All of this made Gavin sound like an amalgamation of several different "guy" stereotypes rather than a man of consistent attitudes and mannerisms. I found it made him less likeable than he should have been.

3. Was the Promise Fulfilled?

I believe I've made my criticisms clear, so I won't belabor the point. Which brings me to the most important question about the book: was the author's promise to the reader fulfilled?

I argue that the answer is no. It's true that Caleb's vision didn't happen to Darla; it happened to Shay. But Caleb didn't do anything to fulfill the promise. At the climactic ending, all Caleb did was sit and watch things happen. He didn't drive the action, the long-absent antagonists did. Among the several protagonists present at the climax, Darla was the only one who even tried to do anything to stop the antagonists. The rest either watched or hid.

There was certainly justification for Caleb not doing anything - he literally had a gun to his head. He was told not to move and not to speak, or the people he loved would be killed. So naturally, he didn't. But this is poor storytelling, and it's especially poor because earlier in the book, Ms. Ryan set up a way for Caleb to resist dangers to himself. In Chapter 12, Caleb fights off an attack because his clairvoyance allows him to "see" where the attacker will be hitting. Why not use this previously established ability to help Caleb get out of his situation? It would have been better storytelling to see Caleb receive visions of what would happen if he rolled some direction, or delivered some blow, finally seeing which one would get him out from under the gun. It would have been even more interesting if Darla was actually in danger. Caleb could then have used his clairvoyant ability to escape and grab his assailant's gun, rush to Darla's aid, and in the process of fighting to prevent Darla from dying, Shay ended up shot, apparently killed.

Consider how this would have pushed the story: It would have fulfilled the promise by Caleb actually using his ability to save Darla, even though his vision still occurred (except to Shay). Maybe Caleb could have used this result to figure out some way of using his visions against the mørkeste. And it would have given Caleb the motivation to harbor an anger and resentment towards Darla for Shay's apparent death - if he hadn't tried to rescue her, maybe Shay would still be alive.

Regardless, this is not the ending we got. Instead, the ending we have reemphasizes two of the book's biggest problems: there is not enough action, especially from Caleb, and its endemic internal inconsistencies. And these two issues are major contributors to my own frustration with the ending: it's not an ending at all. It doesn't close an arc, it doesn't complete anything. Instead, the reader is left with a lot of unfinished business and a request to trust that the author will get around to finishing those arcs in the next book - a book that, based on what I thought of this one, I will be happy to see Ms. Ryan publish, but I won't be interested in reading.

[Carole Rae · Rating 4 out of 5]

This immediately caught my attention. The cover, the title, the story, and the character. I knew I wanted and needed to read this story right away.



The story follows young Caleb. He has visions of countless unspeakable futures and it kills him he can't change any of them. He tries to live a totally normal life, however, there is a girl who he sees in one of his visions that he can't get out of his head and knows he needs to try and save.



I gobbled this story up. I finished it in a couple of sittings. I was enthralled with Caleb and the world right away. Sure it was slow-paced at first, but we were getting introduced to Caleb and his pals. It takes time. The slowness bugged me a touch, but I think it needed it.



Caleb was a fun character even though his moodiness bugged me sometimes. I liked Darla and I really adored Gav. He was a hoot.



As much as people wish they want the power to see the future, it is not all daisies and rainbows. It honestly is a pain the romp and I felt sooooo bad for Caleb. I can't imagine that life! He was so miserable and it drained him. Poor guy.



It did drive me bananas about his enemy. We don't get much on it. Maybe in the next book we'll get to see more that enemy and more of the supernatural part of the world. There was some, but I felt we spent a lot of time in the mortal world. Buuuuut I have hope for book 2! I wanna see more of the supernatural and I want to see that enemy of Caleb's get it's butt get kicked.



OoooOOOooo that ending. It was good. Very cliffhanger-y...but it worked for this. I am invested and want to know what happened. I have hope! But we shall see.



Overall, I did enjoy this. It was a quick read and I finished it in two sittings. A couple little, minor things that bugged me, but nothing extreme or something I couldn't look past. The ending, oddly, was good. I'm not usually one for cliff-hangers of that magnitude, but it worked for the story. Are you surprised? I AM! I am excited for book 2! I'll stamp this with 4 stars.

[Donna Wong · Rating 4 out of 5]

The ending really surprised me. Nothing else in this story surprised me more then the ending! I wasn't suprised by how the story unfolded. It was pretty predictable which was why I gave it a 4 out of 5 rating but I still love it.

I love all the characters (Caleb, Shay, Gavin, Nicole, Darla, etc) and each character had showed so much growth. Especially Caleb and Darla!

I don't know why but for the first 3 chapters I kept think of Caleb as a girl!! Even when it say "he" multiple times throughout these chapters! Lol

I love the connection Caleb and Darla developed from before they met and after they met. That bond between twins and mind reading was amazingly cool. I love that Caleb found love but felt sad for him.

I did not expect Shay to be the one potentially killed in the end! But from the sound of it in the next book, Shay will be back. But maybe as his enemy or a morkeste. I look forward to the next installment for this story!

[Sarah Disanza · Rating 5 out of 5]

I fell in love with Caleb Swift from the first pages of The Channeler. His character is so relatable and the beautiful imagery used by the author really brings him and the story to life. The whole concept was unique and intriguing, keeping you interested in what other wrinkles will come to light with each chapter. It’s a great novel for a teen, but I’d gladly recommend it to anyone. Get ready to be surprised and pre-order book 2 and 3!

[Bev · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a brilliant story. I had such a hard time putting it down. Caleb had visions of the future, terrible visions. He had been brought up by his aunt after his mother died of cancer. Then he finds out that he could possibly have a twin sister out there after they were separated at birth. What a fantastic read this was and I can't wait to see where it goes on the next instalment. Many kudos to the author.

[Patricia · Rating 3 out of 5]

Click here for the original post at Bookmarked

ARC provided in exchange for review

The Channeler is the first of the Continuum series, an urban YA fantasy by Jenna Ryan.

In the average town of Divinity, North Carolina, not-so-average Caleb is struggling with seeing cryptic visions of horrific events. Though these visions aren’t new to him, they steadily become more and more frequent, taking a serious toll on his physical and mental well being. Though Caleb does his best to just be a normal kid and make it through college, weird things keep happening around him. A strange winged man appears and is only visible to him, he discovers a heartbreaking secret about his recently deceased mother and absent father, and the new girl at school has a connection to him that he could not anticipate.

This was a well needed palate cleanser from all the heavy, grimdark, epic fantasy I’d been indulging in recently. Sitting squarely in the YA category, it was honestly jarring to switch into a decidedly simpler use of language, and ultimately had a bit of a negative impact on my reading experience. This isn’t to say that Ryan’s use of language is bad - I actually really enjoyed how easy it was to learn the characters and context. My one criticism here would be the use of first person perspective. Don’t get me wrong - first person is definitely not the easiest perspective to pull off, but I think the chosen perspective resulted in some stylistic choices that weren’t quite my taste.

Firstly, the book is incredibly dialogue heavy. As Caleb and his friends learn more about his abilities, the novel seems to detail the discoveries through dialogue more often than not, and this results in a lot of “telling not showing". There was not a lot of time for the reader to speculate, or make any discoveries of their own. As a result, the narrative felt a bit flat, and this is an unfortunate restriction of the first person perspective.

Secondly, and before I even get into this, this is again a matter of personal preference - I don’t like when characters are particularly verbose about descriptions, especially when describing themselves. Having a character refer to their own eyes as “electric blue" just feels a bit awkward to me. Additionally, there are moments when the author attempts to describe scenes through the narrator’s first person perspective in a way that was contradictory to how I perceived his character. I don’t expect newly post-adolescent boys to have a deep appreciation for the neatly kept garden outside their school, especially when they had never expressed an interest in horticulture…

But these things aside, I was impressed by the depth of the lore and the breadth of the world, magic and history that are the foundations of this book. I love Christian mythology and think that Ryan put a really fun spin on the whole ‘angels and demons’ thing. Without ruining too much, it’s obvious that this first novel of the series only scratches the surface of what will undoubtedly be an adventure of epic proportions. Cassandra Claire fans will dig this one 🤙

[Michael · Rating 5 out of 5]

Caleb Swift is exhausted. After all, he’s been struggling with insomnia for as long as he could remember. And, for as long as he could remember, he would occasionally be visited by his friend Gabriel. Gabriel seemed to just show up, seemingly out of nowhere, and neither of them knew exactly why. People thought Gabe was an imaginary friend. He had wings.

Caleb’s mom died. He was raised by Nikki. Aunt Nikki, although she really wasn’t. Caleb had visions. Visions that caused indescribable pain. They were visions that he didn’t really understand. Gabe showed up often after these visions. He didn’t really understand them either.

He’s in college now. The visions seem to come more often. He has one friend who seems to understand it all. Gabe still comes around.

Then Darla shows up, and Caleb’s life will never be the same again.

That’s all I’m gonna tell you about the plot of THE CHANNELER, the first novel by Jenna Ryan. Jenna has brought together one of the most interesting casts of characters that I’ve ever encountered. I haven’t read a whole lot of fantasy fiction, but this book strings the reader along on an easy to follow tale of spine –tingling adventure.

More than that, THE CHANNELER is a story of family. Biological family. Family lost then found. People who wander into Caleb’s life and stick around. People who accept him for who and what he is. People not always related by blood, but who genuinely care about each other and always have each other’s backs. A group of folks who have the ability to coexist under the same roof and learn about, and from, each other.

It’s also a story of courage. Caleb is able to see into the future, yet his visions are sometimes a bit cryptic. Once he understands what they mean and who will be affected he does what he has to do to use his powers to help others.

THE CHANNELER is a great book for older kids and adults of all ages. It’s a great story for anyone who has ever felt like an oddball, like your friends and family don’t get it. It’s an inspirational story for all of us oddballs, a story that reminds us that we can get through this life and that there is power in numbers.

By the way, there’s a cliffhanger at the end, and that’s all I’m gonna say about that. You’ll need to read the book.

Here is the link to the book:
http://geni.us/thechannelerm

Here is the publisher’s website link:
https://www.tckpublishing.com/

TCK Publishing Facebook page:
https://www.facebook.com/tckpublishing/

Jenna Ryan’s official site:
http://www.jennaryanink.com

Jenna Ryan’s Twitter:
http://twitter.com/jennaryanink

[Tonja Drecker · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book takes the time to gain quite a bit of character depth and builds an original world with the promise of so much more to come.

Caleb is special. Not only did he meet an angel like creature when he was five and became friends with them, but he sees these creatures when no one else can. He also has visions of things to come, although these aren't always clear and often cause more pain than good. When he meets a girl in college who can read minds, an entire new world opens up to him. His past is not what he thought, and the future is even more unpredictable. He just hopes he can figure it all out.

After reading the blurb, I was excited to dive into this tale. And it holds as many unique twists and turns as I'd hoped. While some things are a bit predictable, there are enough unexpected surprises to make it an interesting read. Caleb comes across very natural, especially considering his powers. He's kind and more or less accepts his uniqueness without acting unique. It made him easy to connect to and fun to like. But then, the other characters also flow with ease and come across fairly normal despite their talents.

Friendship holds a high place in this tale. The characters and their relationships are built out, allowing the reader to sympathize with them. The background information comes across clearly and builds an understandable world. It would have been nice to see more of the fantasy side of things, but so, there's a lot of room left for the rest of the series. The character building took over the plot, and while interesting, a little more action would have been nice. A few areas also offered more than I needed to know, which slowed the pace down more than I usually like. But it still had a lot of good things to offer, and sets the stage for what appears to be a good series.

I received an ARC copy and enjoyed the tale enough to want to leave my honest thoughts.

[Readers Avenue · Rating 4 out of 5]

Before I get into the review I would like to quickly thank TCK Publishing for giving me a copy of The Channeler in exchange for this honest (and spoiler free – as usual) review.

The Channeler is the first book in The Continuum Series, and the debut novel of author Jenna Ryan . It follows a boy named Caleb Swift who lives a complicated life, abandoned by his father at birth, and losing his mother at a young age he seems pretty well adjusted, considering he regularly sees horrific future events and menacing winged creatures.

Caleb Smith is our main character and I found him quite relatable, he is awkward at times and over thinks a lot. As the protagonist for a young adult novel, he is essentially perfect – kind, thoughtful, funny, a good friend, a very considerate boyfriend. To be perfectly honest with you basically all of the characters were “perfect” which made the character heavy parts a bit repetitive near the end – I like my characters to have flaws, but each to their own. I am hoping that the other books in the series will explore the characters more and allow their flaws – which I know they must have – to come to the surface a bit more. Given the events at the end of this book, I would assume that is a given.

The story is fast paced and, while some parts I found myself guessing before they arose, there were other parts that came as a complete surprise. Jenna Ryan shows an incredible story telling ability in this book, we see the future that Caleb sees, but this in no way takes from the enjoyment of reading the plot unfold. Even though we know what is going to happen, some how it is still a shock when it does.

I really enjoyed The Channeler and am looking forward to seeing how the characters and the story unfolds in the follow up books. A great young adult fantasy read that can really be enjoyed by anyone of any age.

[Joanne · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book has an amazing portrayal of friendship and this was probably my favourite bit about it. I really liked the story of Caleb Swift and the first page grabbed my attention straight away with Caleb reflecting on life in the universe - Caleb is one of those characters that I can see bits of myself in and I particularly enjoyed the reflective moments he takes. It was interesting to have a main character in YA at 21 years of age and I loved the maturity it brought to his character, but I especially loved Caleb's attitude towards friends and potential romantic partners which was so respectful and I think it was a very healthy display of a good start to a relationship.

As I said, this book has an incredible friendship foundation and I absolutely loved seeing the relationships between the characters develop as new ones were introduced. Even though the main chunk of this story are angel-type creatures and humans with special powers, I still thought the relationships shined through all of this and it was brilliant to see.

For me, the writing wasn't descriptive enough to evoke good imagery, but that's just personal preference. I did think the plot was good but a lot of it was predictable and I like to be surprised when reading a book; that being said, there was one bit that I didn't expect and I did really enjoy that part.

I'd love to see and understand more of Caleb in the second book with his actions and maybe see some flaws and how this is overcome in the friendship group. I think this book was just starting to scratch the surface and it left on a very interesting point which could be taken any which way - it would be really intriguing to see Caleb split off from the group and their friendship helps bring him back. I'm interested to see where the story goes and so I'll be picking up the sequel!

[Ileana Renfroe · Rating 5 out of 5]

Description
I was stuck. Stuck in an endless Now, watching a terrible future I was powerless to change. Or was I? What if I could change the future? Could I ignore that kind of power? And if I did—what would I become? Caleb Swift knows he’s a complicated guy. He sees the unseeable: winged beings that haunt both his dreams and his waking visions. He knows the unknowable: horrifying visions of countless unspeakable futures he feels powerless to prevent. And if that weren’t bad enough, these potent revelations might be driving him insane.
Who needs that kind of trouble? Not Caleb. He’s doing his best to live a totally uncomplicated life, to ignore the visions of doom that hound him relentlessly. But no matter what he does, one particular vision still plagues him. The one with the girl. The girl who’s in mortal danger (or will be soon). The girl only he can save. Now Caleb has a choice. To ignore his gift, to live the ordinary life he so desperately desires, even if it means letting her die…. Or to act. To interfere. To become extraordinary. And let one girl’s future turn his present completely upside-down.

My Review
The Channeler starts off with Caleb knowing or at least being told that he is a complex person. That there are things about the universe that we may never understand. However, in his head he believes there is a world separate from the ones they live in and that people like him just think differently. Lost in his thoughts he is startled when his aunt calls out to him.

Caleb is definitely not normal, he has visions. Specifically visions of a girl in danger. Will he save her, will he get involved? You need to read to find out, but let me tell you - you will not be disappointed.

This ARC was provided to me free of charge in exchange for honest opinion. Yes, buy it. Read it, it's a great story. Highly recommend.

[Debra · Rating 4 out of 5]

Twenty-one year-old Caleb Swift knows he’s different. He’s been visited by what appears to be a winged angel named Gabriel since he was a little boy. He’s also suffered from painful, horrifying, visions and there’s no one to help him understand why, until he meets Darla and everything begins to change.

This YA fantasy is a unique, compelling story that doesn’t rely on mindless action scenes to fill the pages but rather a careful unfolding of the angst and emotional isolation of someone who believes he doesn’t fit in anywhere. It’s an important, relatable theme to younger readers. Caleb’s struggle to understand who he is makes this a story about family and loss and trying to come to terms with a fractured past.

Author Jenna Ryan wisely focuses on Caleb’s family history in this debut of the Continuum series. Much of what Caleb learns and experiences will set the tone for future installments. Caleb’s a well-drawn character as his loneliness, angst and frustration unfolds on the pages.

Secondary characters are also interesting, and of course there is a villain manipulating incidents. This individual (or perhaps creature) is unseen and unknown and beginning to wreak havoc on Caleb’s life. We’re told very little about his nemesis, and I would have loved a little more foreshadowing to understand who or what Caleb is dealing with. Undoubtedly this will be revealed in the next installment in this intriguing series, and I look forward to reading it.

[Itamar Katz · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Channeler is a book that starts surprisingly slow and takes its time in grabbing the reader. Unlike other books in its genre, there's no full adventure with a beginning, middle and end in this first installment in the series; the action is kept almost entirely to the final chapters, while most of the book focuses on a very relatable and likable protagonist, real human drama and fascinating but subtle world-building.

The basic premise should be familiar to everyone from young adult protagonists like Harry Potter and Percy Jackson - an orphan with a mysterious past discovers he has special abilities, and as a result discovers the secret of his parentage as well as a new world full of both wonder and danger. But The Channeler transports that premise a few years forward into the realm of New Adult. By keeping the first-person perspective and giving a lot of pages (but not too many) to inner monologue, Ryan puts the reader right inside the protagonist's head, and by peppering it with just enough action, plenty of sexual tension and yeah, maybe a curse-word here and there, it makes for a read that's both engaging and thoughtful as well as highly entertaining for the late teens/early 20's readership. My only complaint would be that she takes her time so well with getting into the real high-stakes stage of the story that it feels almost frustratingly abrupt when it ends - i wouldn't have minded another 50 pages or so for a bit more closure. An excellent start to a new series and one that makes me eagerly await the next one.

[Brita · Rating 3 out of 5]

Note: I received a paperback copy from the publisher. However, all opinions are my own.

I rate this 3 1/2 stars. I was torn between rounding down to 3 or up to 4, but it's just not quite on par with the books I give 4 stars.

What I like: The premise and the lore. Protagonist Caleb Swift is a psychic who can also see otherworldly beings. Without giving away spoilers, he eventually meets other people with special abilities like his own. He also learns more about these otherworldly beings, like who they are and what they want.

I also like the backstories of the characters and how they intertwine.

What was okay: There is "big reveal," but I saw it a mile away. I still liked the reveal and how it influenced the plot and character development, but it wasn't at all a surprise.

What didn't work: There's not enough emotion surrounding a traumatic event. The characters also move on from it too quickly.

Overall, I enjoyed the book, and I read it in just two sittings. I'm looking forward to the next book to see how things turn out. There's a lot of promise with these characters and the plot.

[FNM · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thank you to the author and TCK Publishing for providing me with a free copy in exchange for an honest review.

Now I think it's been a while since I have read a book from the POV of an angsty male protagonist but Caleb really drew me in an was just such an interesting character to get to know. This is such a unique story with more than one surprise and I felt like it really kept me intrigued all the way through. It did have a bit of a slow pace to set up the story, however, as this is the first in the series I think this was needed to really help set up for things to come. The relationship between Caleb and Shay was really great to see developed and the different aspects of family history which were incorporated throughout the book really helped to keep me hooked as well. As mentioned this is a book with a few surprises throughout especially at the end, which has just really made me excited for the next in the series! An awesome 4 star read!

Rating: 4/5

Would I read again: Yes

Would I Recommend: Yes

Would I read another book from this author: Yes

[Rachel | Barely Bookish · Rating 3 out of 5]

Let's start with the good. First, it's a relatively fast read, which I always love getting the chance to enjoy. Also, I think the characters are all incredibly nice and loveable. These characters are people I could see myself getting along with.

I will say though, I had a couple of problems with this book. Mainly, it felt a bit cliché for me. The delivery of some of the lines felt a bit forced and unnatural which added to the feeling of this being a bit cliché and nothing really happens for most of the book. I also feel like the university setting was strange because the university felt like a high school, with designated lunch, assigned seating, and so on. They also went to a sorority house party and everyone got pat-down for drugs and their IDs checked, which felt sort of odd to me and it really took me out of the story.

I also thought the not really calling them angels but implying that they were angels was strange. Especially when choosing names such as Michael and Gabriel which have a lot of biblical significance. It felt like that wasn't explored enough to me.

Overall though, I rated this a 3/5. I think this would be a really fun story but I may have not been the right reader for it.

[Kat · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book takes on a supernatural, mythological take on our world. 

We are introduced to a main character who is able to sense these 'winged' beings while also just trying to make it through college. His secret ability to sense more than the world around him comes at a cost, but when the girl from his visions is actually real, it's up to him to warn her of the inevitable danger. 

But a few twists and turns cause this mysterious girl to become far more than he would have hoped. This is only the beginning as the rest of the book becomes a whirlwind of family, friends, and creatures. 

The book felt unique. I really enjoyed the supernatural aspect and how he was able to keep such a dramatic ability from the rest of the human world. 

Even though I was surprised in a lot of scenes, I did feel like there were other parts that were a bit predictable and encompassed typical teenage scenerios. 

Overall, I gave this one a solid 3 out of 5 stars. I think this would be a great story for readers who love mythological realms.

[Caron · Rating 2 out of 5]

Review to come soon

[Cynthia Ayala · Rating 2 out of 5]

Review of ‘The Channeler’ (Continuum Series, #1)
Originally reviewed on Cyn's Workshop

Oh, where to begin. The biggest problem with the novel is how predictable and cliché it is. It is not a poorly written story, and with an influential synopsis it comes off as exciting, especially after a strong opening chapter. However, after a point, it just seems very easy for the main character, everything falls into place with Caleb which makes the novel slightly unrelatable. His flaws are not pronounced enough; in fact, his faults are not pronounced at all really which makes him a sort of Mary Sue character.

The fact that everything falls into place with him makes the novel annoying and predictable. There is no real way to develop this review without going into spoilers so stop reading now to avoid spoilers.

Caleb has visions, which is excellent; it makes him unique and sets up an exciting premise. It is great actually. However, then he meets Darla, the girl from his visions. It turns out she has some ESP abilities as well. Not only that, it turns out that she is his long-lost twin sister. Not only that but her godfather used to date his godmother, knows his dad who has never been there his entire life, and they are all part of this subrace of people descendant of “angels.” It was just a lot of clichés, many coincidences, leading the novel into a predictable premise that did not leave much room for imagination for the readers and it ultimately makes the novel boring because it is not like these are all spaced out, they are mashed together into two chapters.

Ultimately it would have worked out better if the author and the editor had decided to space out all of this to spread out the tension and pace of the novel because it ultimately falls flat. Cramming that much into the book all at once it does not leave much room for tension to rise, for dynamics to bloom, or for the reader to be entertained. It is hard to be delighted when something is so incredibly predictable.

It is always disheartening to read a novel and not enjoy it, to try so hard to find something worthwhile to say but with The Channeler, unfortunately, there was not much [for me] to enjoy. (★★☆☆☆)

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[Grady · Rating 5 out of 5]

‘There are things about the universe we may never understand’

New Jersey author Jenna Ryan earned degree in sociology and criminal justice and works as a paralegal. THE CHANNELER is her writing debut and is Book 1 of her promised series CONTINUUM.
Jenna directs her initial novel to the Teen and Young Adult audience and every step of her book – from the splendid cover to the cast of characters to well-defined direction of the plot – indicates she has found her niche. The story embraces fantasy, psychic phenomena and romance and the blend is successful.

Wisely Jenna offers her own synopsis to entice readers – ‘For his entire life, Caleb Swift has seen the unimaginable. Since as far back as he can remember, he has seen winged beings, strange creatures other people cannot see—whether they are aliens, angels, or simply hallucinations, he is uncertain. He has been psychic for five grueling years, seeing visions of the future, where countless paths have endless results. All Caleb wants is to have a normal life, be a normal college student preparing for his future. But he knows it’s not that simple. Caleb can’t avoid his psychic abilities forever, and the decisions he makes could alter—or possibly save—the life of another. For five years, his visions have consistently shown him someone in grave danger, a complete stranger who desperately needs help. Five years is a long time to wait for something that may never come true. But when she finally walks into his life, he needs to find a way to save her before it's too late. Caleb’s choices will risk the lives of those he loves and change everything he thought he knew about the world…while turning his own world upside down.’

The manner in which she introduces her main character is well considered: ‘I’ve been told I am a complex person, that I think too much. I don’t disagree with that; I’ve been having an existential crisis since I left my mother’s womb twenty-one years ago. My head is always busy, always wondering, always curious. I think some people, like me, just happen to be born with minds that go into overdrive. But in their head, there’s a whole world separate from the one they live in. People like us – people like me – just think differently.’ Caleb Swift is a young man with whom it is easy to identify!

This is an impressive debut novel, one that indicates Jenna Ryan will succeed in her chosen craft.

[Jill · Rating 3 out of 5]

This review was originally posted on Myth and Magic Book Club

Myth: 3/5

Caleb desperately wants to be a normal college student. Unfortunately for that wish, he sees angel-like beings and has visions of the future, so being “normal” is probably a no go. This doesn’t mean he’s got a bad life. Caleb has good friends and a godmother who loves him.

This is a traditional coming of age story, Caleb has been having visions of the future most of his life, but when the story starts he meets a girl who has featured prominently in his visions for years. It doesn’t take them long to discover a mutual uniqueness. Even though the characters are in college and not some type of school for the magically gifted, I did get “magical education” vibes when Caleb meets Lea and his family.

The story swung a little too much toward life drama instead of paranormal problems for my liking, but the characters, especially Caleb and Darla, were well rounded and compelling.

Magic: 3/5

As a first book in the series, I expect a lot of the larger questions to go unanswered, but in this case, I didn’t feel like we knew what magical questions to ask until the last few chapters. The basics were introduced, as far as Caleb and Darla’s powers, and the origins of those like them, but the specific problem of the story being told wasn’t really introduced until very late. While I do expect that approach with a series, I think a little bit more information about the conflict of this particular overarching story could have been set out.

Overall: 3/5

An intriguing start to a layered story. I hope that the next installment takes the story deeper into the fantasy side of the story now that we have a good grasp on the characters.

[Juneta Key · Rating 5 out of 5]

A nice start to a new series.

This book was slow to action but had some wonderful character and world building that made up for it. I found the whole premise different yet I love the whole connection that I could relate to. I really liked Caleb. It is a story that draws you in. I enjoyed reading it but I wanted more, so will definitely be on the lookout for the next book in this series.

I volunteered to read an ARC and this is my honest opinion.
Here is the link to the book:
http://geni.us/thechannelerm

Website link:
https://www.tckpublishing.com/

TCK Publishing Facebook page:

https://www.facebook.com/tckpublishing/

Jenna Ryan’s official site:
http://www.jennaryanink.com

Jenna Ryan’s Twitter:
http://twitter.com/jennaryanink

[Jim Fromm · Rating 4 out of 5]

The promise of something better?

I usually review a book by considering the writing. Is it clear, credible, descriptive, easy to read. Then, I consider the characters, are they believable, natural, likeable or unlikable, does their physical description fit their role? Finally, the plot, is it original? Is it entertaining, or better yet, thought provoking? Most of the way through this book all the marks were checked in a positive way. I was looking forward to a final chapter of scene that completed a story. This work started better than it ended. I felt as if I had invested a lot of time to only be left with a teaser. This was good enough and peaked my curiosity sufficiently for me to read the next book. However, had this episode posed new questions while answering the pressing one it created, I would have rated it a five. But then, I'm just one man representing one opinion. It is a beautiful first novel.

[Jenna Ryan · Rating 5 out of 5]

If you like good urban fictions about the mysteries of the universe, then you'll love The Channeler!

[Nextbookaroundthecorner · Rating 4 out of 5]

I was intrigued by the blurb and the issue Caleb was facing: what would you do if you could look into the future? Would you act and try to change the future and prevent horrible things from happening? Or don't you want to interfere with the universe out of fear for repercussions? Or what if you are wrong?
Caleb has been seeing future events for as long as he can remember. And he also has a friend, with wings. So, he is not exactly ordinary. But he desperately wants to be normal. But when he suddenly comes eye-to-eye with the girl who has haunted his visions for years, he feels a need to prevent the future from happening. But where to start?
Darla turns out to be not just any girl, but Caleb's long lost twin sister. Suddenly things are starting to make more sense to Caleb. And for once, he is not the 'odd' guy, but he feels like he belongs somewhere. When there is also a girl, who is interested in him, life can't get any more normal. Or can't it?
A wonderful read, full of tension, paranormal creatures and events and heartwarming stories about family and belonging somewhere. Four out of five stars from me and the missing star is mostly because the story ends in a cliffhanger: what happened to Shay and will we see her in the next part??? Thank you Netgalley for providing the arc.