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Of the Lilin
While dealing with depression, Sage attempts to pull herself into the light. What she finds is better left in the dark.
After the loss of her mother and her stepfather's mental breakdown, Sage Frankle agrees to move in with her aunt and cousin at the Englewood Inn. Soon, her aunt arranges for Sage to begin working through her trauma with a psychologist. As time passes, Sage finds that she is far from healing and begins to slip from reality into a realm of darkness she is unable to escape. After the arrival of her cousin's intriguing acquaintance, Sage is forced to realize she is indeed trapped, not by her mind, but by her bloodline.
After the loss of her mother and her stepfather's mental breakdown, Sage Frankle agrees to move in with her aunt and cousin at the Englewood Inn. Soon, her aunt arranges for Sage to begin working through her trauma with a psychologist. As time passes, Sage finds that she is far from healing and begins to slip from reality into a realm of darkness she is unable to escape. After the arrival of her cousin's intriguing acquaintance, Sage is forced to realize she is indeed trapped, not by her mind, but by her bloodline.
200 pages, ebook
First published December 21, 2013
437 people want to read
About the author
Paulette Hampton
7 books18 followersAs an angst-ridden teen trapped inside a middle-aged woman's body, I have a few things to say.
I write young adult novels about not fitting in, mythology, and my struggle with mental illness.
I write young adult novels about not fitting in, mythology, and my struggle with mental illness.
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Displaying 1 - 24 of 24 reviews
September 3, 2021
Actual Rating: 3.7 stars
ARC was provided by the author in exchange for an honest review.
Of the Lilin is a YA Paranormal fantasy that tells the story of a teenager, Sage Frankle. After the loss of her mother, her stepfather's mental breakdown, and the sudden death of his best friend, David, who took care of Sage after her mother's demise, she slips into depression. She is taken to live with her aunt, Madeline, and her cousin, Lily at the Engelwood inn in Vermont. Her aunt takes Sage to a therapist to help her through her trauma.
While living at the inn, she has creepy encounters with strange people and it terrifies her. At first, she believes it's all in her head but as time goes by she gets tangled in the world of demons, archangels and learns the dark secrets of her family.
The funny thing is that I had forgotten it was a fantasy when I picked it up for a read, this week. In the beginning, I thought it's a story of a teenager dealing with her grief (which is correct but there's more), then I thought it's a mystery/thriller (which is also kinda correct lol) and when she started seeing things I was like wait a damn minute✋🏻. So, I read the blurb again, and turns out it's a paranormal fantasy. And after that, the story got more interesting. (30% in) (fantasy always slaps)
Overall, it was a nice read. The writing was engaging for most part. This book deals with some dark themes, in terms of magic and otherwise. I enjoyed the middle portion of the book more than the first and the last. As the middle part had a good build-up for the revelations and we were finally getting to know a little bit about the characters.
I liked Lily, she seemed more like the main character to me than Sage, and Thomas was also intriguing. Sage was an interesting character but I wish she had more faith in herself.
I liked the representation of depression and anxiety disorder in the first few chapters. Not wanting to get up in the morning. starting a new day is a struggle, panic attacks were all mentioned. Also, that the therapy sessions were included. (as it is a dark fantasy they were weird and creepy at times.. umm ok all the times)
Will was a happy addition (He was Sage's best friend). And Lucien added a lot of meaning and complexity to the story. I would say he carried the whole book but Lily was a lot significant too.
This reminds me that the way the side characters were introduced was so annoying. We will meet some inn guest or random woman, she will have a dialogue with the main character, which was significant or not was hard to tell. There were so many moments where I was like, is it a random observation or is there a hidden meaning behind this conversation. (Some were obvious but not the others. I like these kinds of build-ups in mysteries but you have got to give some answers at one point.)
One more thing that annoyed me is that how for the first half the other characters were talking about these mystical concepts all in front of her and she didn't even question any of them. I understand her hallucinations and ignoring it all, as unhealed trauma can be very exhausting to deal with.
But she can at least trust what she is hearing and question if it doesn't sit right with her.
It just seems so obvious that something is going on between all these people. But it would have been interesting if she were overhearing conversations in secret or by mistake rather than all of them saying it in front of her.
Anyway, the pacing was good, it was a quick read once you get the hang of the story.I liked the idea (message of this story) of confronting the darkness that we all have in us. The revelations at the end were engrossing and I wanted to know more. I liked the backstories too. There is a lot of room for development here. I hope we get more character development and the progression of relationships between them, more about the myths and legends, demons, and their magic in the sequel!
Final thoughts: Of the Lilin, first in the Sage Chronicles is a dark, engaging, and enjoyable read.
ARC was provided by the author in exchange for an honest review.
Of the Lilin is a YA Paranormal fantasy that tells the story of a teenager, Sage Frankle. After the loss of her mother, her stepfather's mental breakdown, and the sudden death of his best friend, David, who took care of Sage after her mother's demise, she slips into depression. She is taken to live with her aunt, Madeline, and her cousin, Lily at the Engelwood inn in Vermont. Her aunt takes Sage to a therapist to help her through her trauma.
While living at the inn, she has creepy encounters with strange people and it terrifies her. At first, she believes it's all in her head but as time goes by she gets tangled in the world of demons, archangels and learns the dark secrets of her family.
The funny thing is that I had forgotten it was a fantasy when I picked it up for a read, this week. In the beginning, I thought it's a story of a teenager dealing with her grief (which is correct but there's more), then I thought it's a mystery/thriller (which is also kinda correct lol) and when she started seeing things I was like wait a damn minute✋🏻. So, I read the blurb again, and turns out it's a paranormal fantasy. And after that, the story got more interesting. (30% in) (fantasy always slaps)
Overall, it was a nice read. The writing was engaging for most part. This book deals with some dark themes, in terms of magic and otherwise. I enjoyed the middle portion of the book more than the first and the last. As the middle part had a good build-up for the revelations and we were finally getting to know a little bit about the characters.
I liked Lily, she seemed more like the main character to me than Sage, and Thomas was also intriguing. Sage was an interesting character but I wish she had more faith in herself.
I liked the representation of depression and anxiety disorder in the first few chapters. Not wanting to get up in the morning. starting a new day is a struggle, panic attacks were all mentioned. Also, that the therapy sessions were included. (as it is a dark fantasy they were weird and creepy at times.. umm ok all the times)
Will was a happy addition (He was Sage's best friend). And Lucien added a lot of meaning and complexity to the story. I would say he carried the whole book but Lily was a lot significant too.
This reminds me that the way the side characters were introduced was so annoying. We will meet some inn guest or random woman, she will have a dialogue with the main character, which was significant or not was hard to tell. There were so many moments where I was like, is it a random observation or is there a hidden meaning behind this conversation. (Some were obvious but not the others. I like these kinds of build-ups in mysteries but you have got to give some answers at one point.)
One more thing that annoyed me is that how for the first half the other characters were talking about these mystical concepts all in front of her and she didn't even question any of them. I understand her hallucinations and ignoring it all, as unhealed trauma can be very exhausting to deal with.
But she can at least trust what she is hearing and question if it doesn't sit right with her.
It just seems so obvious that something is going on between all these people. But it would have been interesting if she were overhearing conversations in secret or by mistake rather than all of them saying it in front of her.
Anyway, the pacing was good, it was a quick read once you get the hang of the story.I liked the idea (message of this story) of confronting the darkness that we all have in us. The revelations at the end were engrossing and I wanted to know more. I liked the backstories too. There is a lot of room for development here. I hope we get more character development and the progression of relationships between them, more about the myths and legends, demons, and their magic in the sequel!
Final thoughts: Of the Lilin, first in the Sage Chronicles is a dark, engaging, and enjoyable read.
June 16, 2021
Received an ARC from the author in exchange for a review
Review to come!
Review to come!
September 25, 2021
When a family friend dies and Sage is the main suspect, things start to take a weird turn as she ends up hallucinating and hearing voices and seeing things. She then goes to live with her Aunt and cousin at their Bed and Breakfast. Here she goes through the moments of grief and then finds herself in a rhythm but what will happen when she starts to experience strange things including bouts of loss time that she can't explain and blackouts. As the book goes along, Sage will also see odd things and learn about her family's history with demons and archangels and learn that she isn't actually who she thought she was and that her whole life is about to get crazy. Of the Lilin was a crazy ride and a bit slow in paces and ended on a cliffhanger ending. I am interested in seeing the direction that Sage's life goes now that she has learned her destiny and family bloodlines. I don't tend to read many paranormal/fantasy reads anymore as I was just over them, but Of the Lilin was a nice change for once.
March 21, 2014
of the lilin by Paulette Hampton
I really was not sure what to expect when I finally got my copy of this book. The cover picture of a ring with a Triangle of Solomon (Triangle of the Art) on it intrigued me to say the very least. I honestly wondered what I would find inside.
I found characters that I not only liked, but I found myself identifying with from time to time. There are demons with more than just a hint of light and humans with their fair share of dark in them everywhere in this book. And truthfully, it wasn’t easy to decide who was showing more of their dark side or light side early on. Even at the end of this first book in the series I am left wondering about some.
I found that this mix of light and dark and the shadows it created among the cast of characters kept me reading this book and wanting more when I finished. The author has created a reality where the cosmic battle of good versus evil that rages in all of us can take place in a narrative framework that might make many readers nervous. I must admit that I found it odd to be cheering for a Succubus a rather odd thing to do especially while I was hoping that the author would rid this narrative world of a couple of humans. Alas, she only provided me with one such respite. I don’t want to spoil it for anyone, but I really wish the other had met his demise as well. Oh well, there’s always the next book! The author surprised me on more than one occasion with the depth of her characters and her willingness to go against our culture’s normal expectation of who might be the good person. I am equally glad she included a least one “nerd” in the bunch…I love a good nerdy character! I would add something about the mysterious Van Helsing like appearance of one character I dismissed early on, but alas, once again, I don’t want to spoil the fun for anyone.
I also found that I enjoyed this book because it took me as a reader on a journey through this unfamiliar narrative framework. Sure, I have read of demons before, but this story delves deeper into their world than I have ever ventured. I am glad I made the journey. I applaud the author for using this world. Vampires and others have captured our imagination in both recent and distant past and these narrative worlds were not easily embraced by some but eventually they have become a staple of fantasy genre writing. This journey into the fine line that separates humans and demons is still a brave move in our world where people are just waiting to denounce such narrative constructs as incapable of relating truth. This book delivers that bravery along with the struggle for finding truth.
Thanks for a great read…now please, dear author, get back to work!
I really was not sure what to expect when I finally got my copy of this book. The cover picture of a ring with a Triangle of Solomon (Triangle of the Art) on it intrigued me to say the very least. I honestly wondered what I would find inside.
I found characters that I not only liked, but I found myself identifying with from time to time. There are demons with more than just a hint of light and humans with their fair share of dark in them everywhere in this book. And truthfully, it wasn’t easy to decide who was showing more of their dark side or light side early on. Even at the end of this first book in the series I am left wondering about some.
I found that this mix of light and dark and the shadows it created among the cast of characters kept me reading this book and wanting more when I finished. The author has created a reality where the cosmic battle of good versus evil that rages in all of us can take place in a narrative framework that might make many readers nervous. I must admit that I found it odd to be cheering for a Succubus a rather odd thing to do especially while I was hoping that the author would rid this narrative world of a couple of humans. Alas, she only provided me with one such respite. I don’t want to spoil it for anyone, but I really wish the other had met his demise as well. Oh well, there’s always the next book! The author surprised me on more than one occasion with the depth of her characters and her willingness to go against our culture’s normal expectation of who might be the good person. I am equally glad she included a least one “nerd” in the bunch…I love a good nerdy character! I would add something about the mysterious Van Helsing like appearance of one character I dismissed early on, but alas, once again, I don’t want to spoil the fun for anyone.
I also found that I enjoyed this book because it took me as a reader on a journey through this unfamiliar narrative framework. Sure, I have read of demons before, but this story delves deeper into their world than I have ever ventured. I am glad I made the journey. I applaud the author for using this world. Vampires and others have captured our imagination in both recent and distant past and these narrative worlds were not easily embraced by some but eventually they have become a staple of fantasy genre writing. This journey into the fine line that separates humans and demons is still a brave move in our world where people are just waiting to denounce such narrative constructs as incapable of relating truth. This book delivers that bravery along with the struggle for finding truth.
Thanks for a great read…now please, dear author, get back to work!
February 10, 2014
An excellent, well thought out supernatural coming of age character study, which brings the reader into a new world populated by unexpected and thoroughly entertaining characters. Moving and suspenseful, this book will satisfy you, but leave you wanting more...!
August 14, 2021
Of the Lilin sparked into life with confusion, spread out into excitement and amazement and shizzled out right at what I’d call the culmination of the story!
“Confusion?” You may ask. Yes, that’s exactly what I said and I believe the story was quite intentionally set up this way. I had one of those moments of ‘wait what, did I really understand this correctly?’which made me even more curious as to where the story was heading. Trust me, by the end of it, everything makes perfect sense!
Excitement really took root, when Thomas and Lucien were introduced. Oh, how I loved Lucien’s appearance! Perfect moment, perfect line rolling off his lips, perfect everything. Little did I know he was going to- Yes, Lucien, with exactly the right amount of patience, with his charm and appeal was one of my favourite characters throughout the book and boy am I glad he showed up the way he did!
Thomas managed to grab a close second place in the contest for my heart, but I’m sure Sage would have a completely different opinion about it! Calm, poised and serene, smart to no end, caring – and I’m certain, loving, had he gotten a chance! – Thomas is a perfect treat and I am looking forward to seeing more of him.
Now I might start counting all the rest of the characters: Lily, Will, Madeline… But then, I could also continue by saying how very well the story was set up to give just enough away until you are ready for more. The world creation is amazing, to say the least.
I do feel like the ending might have been a bit rushed, but by then I was all in with all the action that was going around the Inn and in Sage’s life to care. Perhaps Madeline’s explanations went on for too long. Perhaps, the girls making up their minds only to change them right at the end was a bit too much. Perhaps I needed it all to just slow down, to take a breather… But it didn’t really matter by then! It was done. It was decided. I had no choice but to dive head in with them!
Paulette Hampton has created an intriguing story, great characters and one of a kind world and I would read the sequel in a heartbeat!
“Confusion?” You may ask. Yes, that’s exactly what I said and I believe the story was quite intentionally set up this way. I had one of those moments of ‘wait what, did I really understand this correctly?’which made me even more curious as to where the story was heading. Trust me, by the end of it, everything makes perfect sense!
Excitement really took root, when Thomas and Lucien were introduced. Oh, how I loved Lucien’s appearance! Perfect moment, perfect line rolling off his lips, perfect everything. Little did I know he was going to- Yes, Lucien, with exactly the right amount of patience, with his charm and appeal was one of my favourite characters throughout the book and boy am I glad he showed up the way he did!
Thomas managed to grab a close second place in the contest for my heart, but I’m sure Sage would have a completely different opinion about it! Calm, poised and serene, smart to no end, caring – and I’m certain, loving, had he gotten a chance! – Thomas is a perfect treat and I am looking forward to seeing more of him.
Now I might start counting all the rest of the characters: Lily, Will, Madeline… But then, I could also continue by saying how very well the story was set up to give just enough away until you are ready for more. The world creation is amazing, to say the least.
I do feel like the ending might have been a bit rushed, but by then I was all in with all the action that was going around the Inn and in Sage’s life to care. Perhaps Madeline’s explanations went on for too long. Perhaps, the girls making up their minds only to change them right at the end was a bit too much. Perhaps I needed it all to just slow down, to take a breather… But it didn’t really matter by then! It was done. It was decided. I had no choice but to dive head in with them!
Paulette Hampton has created an intriguing story, great characters and one of a kind world and I would read the sequel in a heartbeat!
June 26, 2014
Hampton's style of writing is what makes the book good, but it's also her style of writing that hurts the story.
Sage, the main character in of the lilin, appears to be suffering from depression. She has lost her mother, a man she had a crush on and her step-father, who had always been a "real" father to her has just tried to kill her. To top it all off, she must go live with an aunt and cousin, who she has fond memories of, but have been distant from for a long time. She can't seem to get out of bed and her life doesn't seem worth continuing. But, there is more than her mental state that is affecting Sage and in finding out what that is her whole life, including who she is, is turned upside down.
Hampton writes quite well. Her descriptions and choice of words shows she is a talented writer. And I really enjoyed her title headings - there were creative, original and intelligent. Reading Hampton's book was easy and engaging. Her words flowed - in a nutshell Hampton can write prose and honestly, I haven't read too many author's who write it better. Unfortunately, there was just too much of it. There was too much description to set up the story (e.g., describing every room of the bed & breakfast), back stories popping up that were long, cumbersome and unnecessary, and half a book before the real story comes out. This book could have been told in half the pages and would have still told the story. At times it was hard to follow who was telling the story as many characters' perspectives were told between paragraphs. And for me there were a few logic gaps. The timeframe the characters lived in were completely off. There are teenagers who have being doing things "for years," therapist visits that happen over the course of weeks in one sentence and over days in the next sentence, and how people (yes more than one) can appear sober in one instant and the next is too inebriated to stand is beyond me. The book seemed like two different books - the first half about a depressed teenage girl coming to grips with her losses, the other a supernatural thriller of ancient theology/mythology, demons and consorts.
I thoroughly enjoyed Hampton's writing style, and that's what kept me engaged.
Sage, the main character in of the lilin, appears to be suffering from depression. She has lost her mother, a man she had a crush on and her step-father, who had always been a "real" father to her has just tried to kill her. To top it all off, she must go live with an aunt and cousin, who she has fond memories of, but have been distant from for a long time. She can't seem to get out of bed and her life doesn't seem worth continuing. But, there is more than her mental state that is affecting Sage and in finding out what that is her whole life, including who she is, is turned upside down.
Hampton writes quite well. Her descriptions and choice of words shows she is a talented writer. And I really enjoyed her title headings - there were creative, original and intelligent. Reading Hampton's book was easy and engaging. Her words flowed - in a nutshell Hampton can write prose and honestly, I haven't read too many author's who write it better. Unfortunately, there was just too much of it. There was too much description to set up the story (e.g., describing every room of the bed & breakfast), back stories popping up that were long, cumbersome and unnecessary, and half a book before the real story comes out. This book could have been told in half the pages and would have still told the story. At times it was hard to follow who was telling the story as many characters' perspectives were told between paragraphs. And for me there were a few logic gaps. The timeframe the characters lived in were completely off. There are teenagers who have being doing things "for years," therapist visits that happen over the course of weeks in one sentence and over days in the next sentence, and how people (yes more than one) can appear sober in one instant and the next is too inebriated to stand is beyond me. The book seemed like two different books - the first half about a depressed teenage girl coming to grips with her losses, the other a supernatural thriller of ancient theology/mythology, demons and consorts.
I thoroughly enjoyed Hampton's writing style, and that's what kept me engaged.
September 3, 2021
A book filled with characters that could appeal to everyone. The reader is taken in many directions - either with Sage or the others. Sage is a troubled teen who might think her issues are bad but careful what you wish for. Lily is the kind of friend and relative that few need or want in my view. There are some laugh-out-loud funny lines in this book. I literally laughed so hard, I had tears in my eyes.
The book has a creative approach to a coming-of-age paranormal by adding intense supernatural. The reader is left wondering what will happen next when the book ends.
This book is recommended to fans of any paranormal YA trope. This kind of writing will grip many readers. A read that will take you on a long ride and you only have to pay one fee to start it!
Disclaimer: I received a copy from the author in the hopes I'd review it.
My Rating: 5 stars
Reviewed by: Mr. N
This review first appeared: https://www.nnlightsbookheaven.com/po...
The book has a creative approach to a coming-of-age paranormal by adding intense supernatural. The reader is left wondering what will happen next when the book ends.
This book is recommended to fans of any paranormal YA trope. This kind of writing will grip many readers. A read that will take you on a long ride and you only have to pay one fee to start it!
Disclaimer: I received a copy from the author in the hopes I'd review it.
My Rating: 5 stars
Reviewed by: Mr. N
This review first appeared: https://www.nnlightsbookheaven.com/po...
May 23, 2021
~First of all, I would like to say a huge thank you to the wonderful author of this book for sending me a free copy in exchange for my honest review!~
Ok, this was definitely quite a ride. In the end, I'm kind of speechless XD
The characters were well crafted, believable, and relatable.
For the plot, you didn't know much, but you knew just enough.
Um... that cover! It's so mysterious, I love it!
The plot was really nice, easy going with flowing writing.
Even though it was a little darker than I would have preferred, I still enjoyed this book very much!
Ok, this was definitely quite a ride. In the end, I'm kind of speechless XD
The characters were well crafted, believable, and relatable.
For the plot, you didn't know much, but you knew just enough.
Um... that cover! It's so mysterious, I love it!
The plot was really nice, easy going with flowing writing.
Even though it was a little darker than I would have preferred, I still enjoyed this book very much!
June 4, 2021
This book starts out full speed ahead and we see how hard Sage has had it and after it was all said and done, Sage went to live with her aunt Madeline. After a traumatic experience as well as a couple of deaths close to her, she's just trying not to fall down a black hole of despair. Aunt Madeline owns an Inn where she rented out rooms to guests and because she loved reading Jane Austen, she named the rooms after some of the characters in the books. I think some of my reader friends will love that fact about this book.
Lily who is aunt Madeline's daughter, starts acting really strange and I had some idea what was going on but not exactly and boy was I wrong. Poor Madeline has had a rough life and Lily wasn't even aware what her mother had been going through. I felt so bad for her. But demons and archangels can be so conniving and back-stabbing, so it seems. In steps Lucien who is all charisma, charm, seduction as well as creepy as all get out. There was just something about him that was...off. I knew right away that there would be a big reveal about who or what he was and I was right. He ended up being true to his nature as well which made me a little sad because I had high hopes for him at one point.
Some of the secondary characters that I loved were Allen and Thomas. We meet Allen soon after Sage comes to live with her aunt and he's awesome. I loved him right away. Thomas is mysterious, charismatic and the light that was needed to help Sage.
When a huge twist is thrown into the mix, things really start to make sense to Sage and to Lily but Lily doesn't take the news as well as Sage does. I really thought that Lily was going to explode into a thousand pieces before all was said and done but she does something completely out of left field that I wasn't expecting and it made me truly like her for the first time while reading this.
While I liked the story, the characters, the world building and the writing, I didn't care for the ending because I wanted to know what happened next! I wanted more but I'm looking forward to seeing what comes next.
Lily who is aunt Madeline's daughter, starts acting really strange and I had some idea what was going on but not exactly and boy was I wrong. Poor Madeline has had a rough life and Lily wasn't even aware what her mother had been going through. I felt so bad for her. But demons and archangels can be so conniving and back-stabbing, so it seems. In steps Lucien who is all charisma, charm, seduction as well as creepy as all get out. There was just something about him that was...off. I knew right away that there would be a big reveal about who or what he was and I was right. He ended up being true to his nature as well which made me a little sad because I had high hopes for him at one point.
Some of the secondary characters that I loved were Allen and Thomas. We meet Allen soon after Sage comes to live with her aunt and he's awesome. I loved him right away. Thomas is mysterious, charismatic and the light that was needed to help Sage.
When a huge twist is thrown into the mix, things really start to make sense to Sage and to Lily but Lily doesn't take the news as well as Sage does. I really thought that Lily was going to explode into a thousand pieces before all was said and done but she does something completely out of left field that I wasn't expecting and it made me truly like her for the first time while reading this.
While I liked the story, the characters, the world building and the writing, I didn't care for the ending because I wanted to know what happened next! I wanted more but I'm looking forward to seeing what comes next.
May 19, 2021
Full of intrigue, complex familial characters, and surprises. Drawn to this book due to relatable content and promise of paranormal fantasy, it was an absolutely fun read. I started it in the morning and completed it by bedtime. The very first few pages had me hooked immediately.
Main character, Sage, is struggling with grief and depression after a landslide of traumatic experiences. She goes to stay with her Aunt in Vermont. Strange things begin occurring, Sage is then wondering if she’s losing her mind.
Author Paulette Hampton did a lovely job accurately describing what grief and depression feels like to a teen. No doubt, due to her own struggles. It’s refreshing to see an author depicting mental health in such an open & honest way.
The paranormal side of this book is shown and explained in an extraordinary way. Almost a slow burn of information, but tastefully done.
Main character, Sage, is struggling with grief and depression after a landslide of traumatic experiences. She goes to stay with her Aunt in Vermont. Strange things begin occurring, Sage is then wondering if she’s losing her mind.
Author Paulette Hampton did a lovely job accurately describing what grief and depression feels like to a teen. No doubt, due to her own struggles. It’s refreshing to see an author depicting mental health in such an open & honest way.
The paranormal side of this book is shown and explained in an extraordinary way. Almost a slow burn of information, but tastefully done.
May 19, 2021
Full of intrigue, complex familial characters, and surprises. Drawn to this book due to relatable content and promise of paranormal fantasy, it was an absolutely fun read. I started it in the morning and completed it by bedtime. The very first few pages had me hooked immediately.
Main character, Sage, is struggling with grief and depression after a landslide of traumatic experiences. She goes to stay with her Aunt in Vermont. Strange things begin occurring, Sage is then wondering if she’s losing her mind.
Author Paulette Hampton did a lovely job accurately describing what grief and depression feels like to a teen. No doubt, due to her own struggles. It’s refreshing to see an author depicting mental health in such an open & honest way.
The paranormal side of this book is shown and explained in an extraordinary way. Almost a slow burn of information, but tastefully done
Main character, Sage, is struggling with grief and depression after a landslide of traumatic experiences. She goes to stay with her Aunt in Vermont. Strange things begin occurring, Sage is then wondering if she’s losing her mind.
Author Paulette Hampton did a lovely job accurately describing what grief and depression feels like to a teen. No doubt, due to her own struggles. It’s refreshing to see an author depicting mental health in such an open & honest way.
The paranormal side of this book is shown and explained in an extraordinary way. Almost a slow burn of information, but tastefully done
September 16, 2021
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The central aspect I enjoyed about the tale is how the author made me feel various emotions for the characters. None of the characters are black or white. For instance, I wouldn’t say I liked Allen initially but later grew to adore him. Similar to Aunt Madeline, I thought she was perfect, but she also has her flaws. Thomas was one of my favorite characters in the book, and Lucien also sparked the pages. Also, I was not fond of Lily, but I admit she made the story very interesting with her rivalry towards Sage.
Moreover, the author also adds the fantasy elements beautifully as Sage realizes her special powers. Some of the scenes that stood out for me were the one with the pendant and Aunt Madeline’s shock, the storyline with the Senator, and when Marla studies Sage’s aura. I also enjoyed reading about Cambions, Wheel of Ezekiel, and the Magic Triangle of Solomon. The author paces the story nicely and slowly reveals the bigger picture and how Sage connects to it.
However, while I enjoyed the scenes between Sage and Lily, I felt that some parts were repetitious. Sage keeps helping Lily out of trouble, and Lily keeps trying to undermine Sage. Moreover, I also found it odd how Sage had many romantic interests, from Will to Lucien to Dr. Kessler. She even finds Thomas attractive in some scenes.
Apart from that, I enjoyed reading “Of the Lilin.” The story ends in an exciting cliffhanger that makes you want to pick the next book and continue reading. Overall I found “Of the Lilin” a lovely psychological young adult novel with paranormal elements, and I enjoyed it.
May 26, 2021
I won’t spoil anything! There were lots of fun little surprises and twists throughout. It really kept me engaged. I didn’t want to put it down. I’m only sorry it’s over, I want to know what happens next! And not just with the main character, all the characters had such life and personality I really want to know what happens with all of them. I hope we get to revisit the characters in the next story!
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
September 6, 2021
Of the Lilin by Paulette Hampton is the first book in her upcoming Sage Chronciles series and this is a book that you are really not going to want to miss. The minute I read the blurb for this book my interest was piqued. Anything to do with demons, archangels, myths, legends, romance and dark family secrets...sign me up! LOL! I love a good paranormal book and this one really fits the bill. There is also a heavy dose of mystery that shrouds this book which further pushes you to dive deeper to learn the secrets that are hiding in the shadows.
Of the Lilin is an upper YA paranormal novel and the first book that I have read by Paulette Hampton. I practically devoured this book as the author so expertly lured me in from the beginning. We meet Sage at a funeral. It is the time that they are saying good-bye to her stepfather’s best friend, David. My curiosity is immediately piqued...what happened to David? Then the author drops a little tidbit surprise in readers laps with the rose that Sage was holding...once vibrant, beautiful and alive...is now dead and whithered. Sage isn’t the only one who notices this strange change...and things devolve from there for her.I was more than eager to dig deeper into this story to really understand what Sage is and what is going on with her.
I’m not going to lie...I got annoyed with Sage when she decides to hole up in her room and just basically “sulk” for a week. I understand that she has had quite a bit of loss in her life so quickly, but I felt that she needed to put her big girl pants on and move forward. Feeling sorry for herself wasn’t going to do anything. I didn’t necessarily like her attitude toward those who were simply trying to help her either. But little did I know that these same characters were hiding dark family secrets from her. That...that was absolutely shocking.
The twists in this book...oh my the twists! I loved them! I honestly did’t know what to expect from whom. I knew from the blurb that there were going to be demons, but when they make appearances...I was like...wait...what?! So, of course, I dove deeper into this story most eagerly. Now, this book is recommended for ages 14 and up, but me, personally, I’d only suggest 16 and up. This book has some content that I feel is inappropriate for those under the age of 16.
All in all, I couldn’t put this book down. I eagerly devoured it and I’m honestly looking forward to the next book in this series. I’m rating this book 5 out of 5 stars. 16 and up, highly recommend, below that age...I encourage a bit of caution when reading particular scenes. If you enjoy paranormal novels that give you demons, secrets, myths, and hints of romance (since this is a slow-burn novel) then this is definitely a book to pick up and check out.
Of the Lilin is an upper YA paranormal novel and the first book that I have read by Paulette Hampton. I practically devoured this book as the author so expertly lured me in from the beginning. We meet Sage at a funeral. It is the time that they are saying good-bye to her stepfather’s best friend, David. My curiosity is immediately piqued...what happened to David? Then the author drops a little tidbit surprise in readers laps with the rose that Sage was holding...once vibrant, beautiful and alive...is now dead and whithered. Sage isn’t the only one who notices this strange change...and things devolve from there for her.I was more than eager to dig deeper into this story to really understand what Sage is and what is going on with her.
I’m not going to lie...I got annoyed with Sage when she decides to hole up in her room and just basically “sulk” for a week. I understand that she has had quite a bit of loss in her life so quickly, but I felt that she needed to put her big girl pants on and move forward. Feeling sorry for herself wasn’t going to do anything. I didn’t necessarily like her attitude toward those who were simply trying to help her either. But little did I know that these same characters were hiding dark family secrets from her. That...that was absolutely shocking.
The twists in this book...oh my the twists! I loved them! I honestly did’t know what to expect from whom. I knew from the blurb that there were going to be demons, but when they make appearances...I was like...wait...what?! So, of course, I dove deeper into this story most eagerly. Now, this book is recommended for ages 14 and up, but me, personally, I’d only suggest 16 and up. This book has some content that I feel is inappropriate for those under the age of 16.
All in all, I couldn’t put this book down. I eagerly devoured it and I’m honestly looking forward to the next book in this series. I’m rating this book 5 out of 5 stars. 16 and up, highly recommend, below that age...I encourage a bit of caution when reading particular scenes. If you enjoy paranormal novels that give you demons, secrets, myths, and hints of romance (since this is a slow-burn novel) then this is definitely a book to pick up and check out.
September 17, 2021
This book was definitely original! I really liked Sage. I felt bad that she had so many bad things happening around her and was blacking out. How weird would that be??? This book had some pretty dark twists and turns. I didn't expect a lot of it. I was very surprised at the end. I'm not going to spoil it. Lol! You will just have to read it!
August 31, 2021
Of the Lilin by Paulette Hampton is a beautifully written novel. This author knows how to draw a reader into the story. Her description are fantastic and the flow and pace were great.
There is a lot of description, though. I will say it did slow the read at times. But honestly, that didn’t sway me because this is clearly a talented author.
I really loved the character building. Sage is a great character to follow. She’s been through a lot and she’s relatable. I think she adds so much to the beautiful writing of this story.
Loved this. Check it out.
I received a free copy of this book from R&R Book Tours to review honestly on the blog tour. All opinions are my own and unbiased.
There is a lot of description, though. I will say it did slow the read at times. But honestly, that didn’t sway me because this is clearly a talented author.
I really loved the character building. Sage is a great character to follow. She’s been through a lot and she’s relatable. I think she adds so much to the beautiful writing of this story.
Loved this. Check it out.
I received a free copy of this book from R&R Book Tours to review honestly on the blog tour. All opinions are my own and unbiased.
August 13, 2021
Of the Lilin sparked into life with confusion, spread out into excitement and amazement and shizzled out right at what I’d call the culmination of the story!
“Confusion?” You may ask. Yes, that’s exactly what I said and I believe the story was quite intentionally set up this way. I had one of those moments of ‘wait what, did I really understand this correctly?’which made me even more curious as to where the story was heading. Trust me, by the end of it, everything makes perfect sense!
Excitement really took root, when Thomas and Lucien were introduced. Oh, how I loved Lucien’s appearance! Perfect moment, perfect line rolling off his lips, perfect everything. Little did I know he was going to- Yes, Lucien, with exactly the right amount of patience, with his charm and appeal was one of my favourite characters throughout the book and boy am I glad he showed up the way he did!
Thomas managed to grab a close second place in the contest for my heart, but I’m sure Sage would have a completely different opinion about it! Calm, poised and serene, smart to no end, caring - and I’m certain, loving, had he gotten a chance! - Thomas is a perfect treat and I am looking forward to seeing more of him.
Now I might start counting all the rest of the characters: Lily, Will, Madeline… But then, I could also continue by saying how very well the story was set up to give just enough away until you are ready for more. The world creation is amazing, to say the least.
I do feel like the ending might have been a bit rushed, but by then I was all in with all the action that was going around the Inn and in Sage’s life to care. Perhaps Madeline's explanations went on for too long. Perhaps, the girls making up their minds only to change them right at the end was a bit too much. Perhaps I needed it all to just slow down, to take a breather… But it didn’t really matter by then! It was done. It was decided. I had no choice but to dive head in with them!
Paulette Hampton has created an intriguing story, great characters and one of a kind world and I would read the sequel in a heartbeat!
“Confusion?” You may ask. Yes, that’s exactly what I said and I believe the story was quite intentionally set up this way. I had one of those moments of ‘wait what, did I really understand this correctly?’which made me even more curious as to where the story was heading. Trust me, by the end of it, everything makes perfect sense!
Excitement really took root, when Thomas and Lucien were introduced. Oh, how I loved Lucien’s appearance! Perfect moment, perfect line rolling off his lips, perfect everything. Little did I know he was going to- Yes, Lucien, with exactly the right amount of patience, with his charm and appeal was one of my favourite characters throughout the book and boy am I glad he showed up the way he did!
Thomas managed to grab a close second place in the contest for my heart, but I’m sure Sage would have a completely different opinion about it! Calm, poised and serene, smart to no end, caring - and I’m certain, loving, had he gotten a chance! - Thomas is a perfect treat and I am looking forward to seeing more of him.
Now I might start counting all the rest of the characters: Lily, Will, Madeline… But then, I could also continue by saying how very well the story was set up to give just enough away until you are ready for more. The world creation is amazing, to say the least.
I do feel like the ending might have been a bit rushed, but by then I was all in with all the action that was going around the Inn and in Sage’s life to care. Perhaps Madeline's explanations went on for too long. Perhaps, the girls making up their minds only to change them right at the end was a bit too much. Perhaps I needed it all to just slow down, to take a breather… But it didn’t really matter by then! It was done. It was decided. I had no choice but to dive head in with them!
Paulette Hampton has created an intriguing story, great characters and one of a kind world and I would read the sequel in a heartbeat!
August 24, 2021
This was absolutely brilliant. The opening is powerful, and the story moves along at the perfect pace. I loved Sage, and my heart absolutely went out to her. The characters overall were well-developed, and the story was much better than I expected going in just based on the blurb. This might be geared for the young-adult audience, but older readers will absolutely enjoy reading this journey through darkness as well!
June 27, 2014
Intriguing plot that evolved from the story of a depressed, bereaved teen catapulted out of her life and into that of an aunt that doesn't seem to care, into a paranormal feast of demons and exploitation. Yes the first part is slower than the second, but I was never bored. Sympathy for the characters waxes and wanes as more is gradually revealed about what is going on. No one is wearing either a bright white hat or am inky black one, the ‘goodies’ have darkness in them, and even the ‘baddies’ have slight touches of morality, or so it seems. Each has personal motives that become clearer with time. I'm looking forward to a sequel.
May 29, 2014
Review to come.
October 2, 2021
*I received a free copy of this book which I voluntarily chose to write an honest review for.
Well this is definitely a different read then most others which is a good thing. We meet Sage a family friend is killed and for some reason she is a suspect. This quickly helps a spiral to depression but to make things even more strange around the same time she starts hearing and seeing things that are not there. She agrees to go live with her Aunt. Things don't stop there but instead start getting worse with missing chunks of time along with total blackouts. Add some hidden family history to the mix and we get an intriguing story that flows fairly well as is all plays out ending on a cliff hanger. Made for a rather unique read. I really liked it so I give it 4/5 stars.
Well this is definitely a different read then most others which is a good thing. We meet Sage a family friend is killed and for some reason she is a suspect. This quickly helps a spiral to depression but to make things even more strange around the same time she starts hearing and seeing things that are not there. She agrees to go live with her Aunt. Things don't stop there but instead start getting worse with missing chunks of time along with total blackouts. Add some hidden family history to the mix and we get an intriguing story that flows fairly well as is all plays out ending on a cliff hanger. Made for a rather unique read. I really liked it so I give it 4/5 stars.
June 26, 2014
Extremely well written novel that feels unnecessarily long and produces an unsatisfying climax.
The author spends a lot of time building up the setting of Englewood Inn and its various inhabitants. There is quite a large roster of supporting characters and floaters, some of whom could have been culled to improve the focus of the narrative, because what is at the core of this novel is a strong idea.
Hints of the supernatural peek through a slow build up; (some spoilers, but I'll try to keep it decent) I felt that the story really kicked into gear as soon as we discovered the truth about Sage's background. That's the real meat of the story. The flashback revelation was compelling, with a real sinister edge to it, and it has the makings of a fascinating tale in its own right. Once the truth about the past is out in the open, things begin to escalate, but ultimately nothing pays off, as the book ends quite abruptly.
Considering the length of the work, I was honestly expecting things to be wrapped up nicely. As the pages began to dwindle, my concern built in that regard. It feels as though I was crossing a bridge that suddenly ran out of materials before I could reach land on the other side. In particular, I was eager to see how the characters would interact with a certain villain once he arrived on the scene again. Alas, he never did arrive. It also feels that, under the sheer volume of characters moving about in the closing scenes, Sage takes a back seat towards the end of the book. I may be wrong, and mathematically she has more 'screen time' compared to the other characters, but it doesn't feel this way.
As I said, this really is well written work. The things that bring it down are on the storytelling side; and the remedy, I feel, is just simply focusing things, boiling the story down, combining characters if necessary even. Simply put, there are too many characters, and too many that serve little to the story, but we're told enough information about them in order to make us feel as though they are important. Sure, they contribute to creating a believable and living world, but that comes at the expense of the narrative in this case. Furthermore, I felt as though some of the descriptions, and certain character backgrounds could be omitted. I really feel that this would only add greater focus to the work.
I'm going to give this work 4 stars, because I was really impressed with the author's prose, and I'm certain that she has a great story in her that is yet to come.
The author spends a lot of time building up the setting of Englewood Inn and its various inhabitants. There is quite a large roster of supporting characters and floaters, some of whom could have been culled to improve the focus of the narrative, because what is at the core of this novel is a strong idea.
Hints of the supernatural peek through a slow build up; (some spoilers, but I'll try to keep it decent) I felt that the story really kicked into gear as soon as we discovered the truth about Sage's background. That's the real meat of the story. The flashback revelation was compelling, with a real sinister edge to it, and it has the makings of a fascinating tale in its own right. Once the truth about the past is out in the open, things begin to escalate, but ultimately nothing pays off, as the book ends quite abruptly.
Considering the length of the work, I was honestly expecting things to be wrapped up nicely. As the pages began to dwindle, my concern built in that regard. It feels as though I was crossing a bridge that suddenly ran out of materials before I could reach land on the other side. In particular, I was eager to see how the characters would interact with a certain villain once he arrived on the scene again. Alas, he never did arrive. It also feels that, under the sheer volume of characters moving about in the closing scenes, Sage takes a back seat towards the end of the book. I may be wrong, and mathematically she has more 'screen time' compared to the other characters, but it doesn't feel this way.
As I said, this really is well written work. The things that bring it down are on the storytelling side; and the remedy, I feel, is just simply focusing things, boiling the story down, combining characters if necessary even. Simply put, there are too many characters, and too many that serve little to the story, but we're told enough information about them in order to make us feel as though they are important. Sure, they contribute to creating a believable and living world, but that comes at the expense of the narrative in this case. Furthermore, I felt as though some of the descriptions, and certain character backgrounds could be omitted. I really feel that this would only add greater focus to the work.
I'm going to give this work 4 stars, because I was really impressed with the author's prose, and I'm certain that she has a great story in her that is yet to come.
July 2, 2014
This was my bedtime book for a while. It was rather boring. But during that boring time it was educational and relatable for me. Having been diagnosed with clinical depression in 2002, I could relate to Sage, the main character's, problems. I learned of other ways to look at things I went through. I learned questions I hadn't thought to ask my doctors. All through Sage's experiences.
Meanwhile, during the day I was reading scarier books that I knew I didn't dare read at bedtime. This arrangement worked out nicely. Until at about 20% into Of the Lilian, that is. Without giving a spoiler, I found that this book had to replace the daytime read, which fortunately I had finished by this point.
From that 20% mark the book became quite exciting. It became the thriller/mystery it was promoted as. It kept me quite anxious, worried for Sage and her family. I couldn't decide which I liked better the slower beginning or the angsty rest.
Though I don't mind the writer's style, and love her ideas in this book, I found the jerking between viewpoints confusing and annoying. I had to go back and reread things to know whose eyes I was looking through. This made it a very tough read. Even still, don't let my opinion stop you from trying the book out. You might find some gems just for you in the story.
By the way, this book was a read/review freebie. Thank you!
Meanwhile, during the day I was reading scarier books that I knew I didn't dare read at bedtime. This arrangement worked out nicely. Until at about 20% into Of the Lilian, that is. Without giving a spoiler, I found that this book had to replace the daytime read, which fortunately I had finished by this point.
From that 20% mark the book became quite exciting. It became the thriller/mystery it was promoted as. It kept me quite anxious, worried for Sage and her family. I couldn't decide which I liked better the slower beginning or the angsty rest.
Though I don't mind the writer's style, and love her ideas in this book, I found the jerking between viewpoints confusing and annoying. I had to go back and reread things to know whose eyes I was looking through. This made it a very tough read. Even still, don't let my opinion stop you from trying the book out. You might find some gems just for you in the story.
By the way, this book was a read/review freebie. Thank you!
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