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Death Escorts #1
Recalled
Love or Death? A simple question really. The choice seems obvious. But. What if you never knew love, what if your life was spent just trying to survive? What if you knew your fate before you were fully grown?
And then you died.
And you were given another chance. A better chance.
This new life depended upon one thing: your job. And so you agreed. You thought it would be simple. You thought it would be cut and dry.
It never is.
And now you are left holding the fate of someone else in the palm of your hand and you have to make the ultimate choice.
Love or Death?
And then you died.
And you were given another chance. A better chance.
This new life depended upon one thing: your job. And so you agreed. You thought it would be simple. You thought it would be cut and dry.
It never is.
And now you are left holding the fate of someone else in the palm of your hand and you have to make the ultimate choice.
Love or Death?
306 pages, Paperback
First published February 15, 2013
39 people are currently reading
3,734 people want to read
About the author
Cambria Hebert
99 books5,574 followersCambria Hebert is a bestselling novelist of more than fifty titles. She went to college for a bachelor’s degree, couldn’t pick a major, and ended up with a degree in cosmetology. So rest assured her characters will always have good hair.
Besides writing, Cambria loves a pumpkin spice latte, staying up late, sleeping in, and watching K drama until her eyes won’t stay open. She considers math human torture and has an irrational fear of chickens (yes, chickens). You can often find her running on the treadmill (she’d rather be eating a donut), painting her toenails (because she bites her fingernails), or walking her chihuahuas (the real bosses of the house).
Cambria has written in many genres, including new adult, sports romance, male/male romance, sci-fi, thriller, suspense, contemporary romance, and young adult. Many of her titles have been translated into foreign languages and have been the recipients of multiple awards.
Awards Cambria has received include:
Author of the Year 2016 (UtopiaCon2016)
The Hashtag Series: Best Contemporary Series of 2015 (UtopiaCon 2015)
#Nerd: Best Contemporary Book Cover of 2015 (UtopiaCon 2015)
Romeo from the Hashtag Series: Best Contemporary Lead (UtopiaCon 2015)
#Nerd: Top 50 Summer Reads (Buzzfeed.com 2015)
The Hashtag Series: Best Contemporary Series of 2016 (UtopiaCon 2016)
#NERD Book Trailer: Best Book Trailer of 2016 (UtopiaCon 2016)
#Nerd Book Trailer: Top 50 Most Cinematic Book Trailers of All Time (film-14.com)
#Nerd: Book Most Wanted to be Adapted to Screen: (2018)
Amnesia: Mystery Book of the Year (2018)
Cambria Hebert owns and operates Cambria Hebert Books, LLC.
You can find out more about Cambria and her titles by visiting her website:
http://www.cambriahebert.com
Email: [email protected]
Facebook: http://smarturl.co/CambriaHebertFanpage
Twitter: https://twitter.com/cambriahebert
Pinterest: https://pinterest.com/cambriahebert/p...
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/cambriahebert
GoodReads: http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/...
Amazon: http://tinyurl.com/amazoncambria
Newsletter subscription: http://eepurl.com/bUL5_5
Share Squad sign up: http://bit.ly/sharesquad
Besides writing, Cambria loves a pumpkin spice latte, staying up late, sleeping in, and watching K drama until her eyes won’t stay open. She considers math human torture and has an irrational fear of chickens (yes, chickens). You can often find her running on the treadmill (she’d rather be eating a donut), painting her toenails (because she bites her fingernails), or walking her chihuahuas (the real bosses of the house).
Cambria has written in many genres, including new adult, sports romance, male/male romance, sci-fi, thriller, suspense, contemporary romance, and young adult. Many of her titles have been translated into foreign languages and have been the recipients of multiple awards.
Awards Cambria has received include:
Author of the Year 2016 (UtopiaCon2016)
The Hashtag Series: Best Contemporary Series of 2015 (UtopiaCon 2015)
#Nerd: Best Contemporary Book Cover of 2015 (UtopiaCon 2015)
Romeo from the Hashtag Series: Best Contemporary Lead (UtopiaCon 2015)
#Nerd: Top 50 Summer Reads (Buzzfeed.com 2015)
The Hashtag Series: Best Contemporary Series of 2016 (UtopiaCon 2016)
#NERD Book Trailer: Best Book Trailer of 2016 (UtopiaCon 2016)
#Nerd Book Trailer: Top 50 Most Cinematic Book Trailers of All Time (film-14.com)
#Nerd: Book Most Wanted to be Adapted to Screen: (2018)
Amnesia: Mystery Book of the Year (2018)
Cambria Hebert owns and operates Cambria Hebert Books, LLC.
You can find out more about Cambria and her titles by visiting her website:
http://www.cambriahebert.com
Email: [email protected]
Facebook: http://smarturl.co/CambriaHebertFanpage
Twitter: https://twitter.com/cambriahebert
Pinterest: https://pinterest.com/cambriahebert/p...
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/cambriahebert
GoodReads: http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/...
Amazon: http://tinyurl.com/amazoncambria
Newsletter subscription: http://eepurl.com/bUL5_5
Share Squad sign up: http://bit.ly/sharesquad
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 165 reviews
February 18, 2013
Based on the cover and the (admittedly vague) synopsis, it would be easy enough to assume that Recalled is just another formulaic paranormal book told from alternating POVs, but dismissing it as such would be a grave error. When I signed up for this tour, I had no idea what to expect. I’ve heard great many things about Cambria Hebert’s work, almost all of them positive, but I wasn’t sure I’d enjoy her style. I do.
Right now, off the top of my head, I could probably name about seven YA books that revolve around the theme of dying/crossing over/grim reapers, and yet, Cambria Hebert found a way to offer something new. Her worldbuilding, although quite narrow, is very imaginative. She found a perfect balance between creepy and fun, and the tone of this entire novel was somewhere in the middle, with a healthy dose of sweet to make it even better.
Dex and Piper are both wonderful characters, completely unpredictable and fun. I enjoyed the many differences in their voices, and I enjoyed never really knowing what Dex would do next. He didn’t make it easy for us to like him and he made some very questionable choices, but that’s precisely what I loved about Recalled. It kept me on edge.
Oh, but you have to meet the grim reaper! He is something else. In fact, nothing in this book is quite what you’d expect. It’s far from perfect, true, but I enjoyed every second of it.
The final part was where Recalled lost half a star. It was a bit all over the place, unfocused, like Hebert didn’t quite know where to take it or how to get there. The switches between two points of view came far too fast and I was a tiny bit confused at times. Wow, I made it sound bad, didn’t I? In reality, it was just a minor thing that bothered me precisely because what came before was so good. Recalled is an excellent book, fun and at times surprising, and if you’re into paranormal romance but have been craving something original for a very long time, trust Hebert to deliver.
Right now, off the top of my head, I could probably name about seven YA books that revolve around the theme of dying/crossing over/grim reapers, and yet, Cambria Hebert found a way to offer something new. Her worldbuilding, although quite narrow, is very imaginative. She found a perfect balance between creepy and fun, and the tone of this entire novel was somewhere in the middle, with a healthy dose of sweet to make it even better.
Dex and Piper are both wonderful characters, completely unpredictable and fun. I enjoyed the many differences in their voices, and I enjoyed never really knowing what Dex would do next. He didn’t make it easy for us to like him and he made some very questionable choices, but that’s precisely what I loved about Recalled. It kept me on edge.
Oh, but you have to meet the grim reaper! He is something else. In fact, nothing in this book is quite what you’d expect. It’s far from perfect, true, but I enjoyed every second of it.
The final part was where Recalled lost half a star. It was a bit all over the place, unfocused, like Hebert didn’t quite know where to take it or how to get there. The switches between two points of view came far too fast and I was a tiny bit confused at times. Wow, I made it sound bad, didn’t I? In reality, it was just a minor thing that bothered me precisely because what came before was so good. Recalled is an excellent book, fun and at times surprising, and if you’re into paranormal romance but have been craving something original for a very long time, trust Hebert to deliver.
February 19, 2013
Upon first glance at the cover and description, Recalled seems like a knockoff of Rachel Vincent's Soul Screamers series. I only read it because it had a pretty high rating on GR, but boy, was I disappointed. After reading it, I can tell you it does read like a very poor copycat of that series, and I wish I hadn't wasted my time on this book.
The length could've been cut in half and still told the same story. It was long-winded, even though the book itself wasn't that long; it was just repetitive and monotonous. I never got attached to any of the characters; they were all very flat and generic.
And what's up with the tagline: Love or Death? It is stupid and completely inaplicable in regards to this story. If Dex chooses love, (saving the girl he loves,) then it will result in his own death, which is the entire conflict in the book. "Love or Life" would be more accurate, because his choice is to either save the girl or save his own life. This makes no sense. Talk about a crappy editor.
And the ending was terrible! If you are a fan of HEA's do not pick up this book. It has a horrible, anti-climactic ending where everyone suffers. The bad guys keep being bad, Dex stays dead, and Piper is alone forever, knowing the guy she loves is gone, but oh, it's okay because someday she will see him again in Heaven. WTF. Worst. Ending. Ever.
The length could've been cut in half and still told the same story. It was long-winded, even though the book itself wasn't that long; it was just repetitive and monotonous. I never got attached to any of the characters; they were all very flat and generic.
And what's up with the tagline: Love or Death? It is stupid and completely inaplicable in regards to this story. If Dex chooses love, (saving the girl he loves,) then it will result in his own death, which is the entire conflict in the book. "Love or Life" would be more accurate, because his choice is to either save the girl or save his own life. This makes no sense. Talk about a crappy editor.
And the ending was terrible! If you are a fan of HEA's do not pick up this book. It has a horrible, anti-climactic ending where everyone suffers. The bad guys keep being bad, Dex stays dead, and Piper is alone forever, knowing the guy she loves is gone, but oh, it's okay because someday she will see him again in Heaven. WTF. Worst. Ending. Ever.
February 21, 2016
Ladies and gentleman (though I think generally ladies?), friends and followers, I present to you...my first successful reaper book.
What do I mean by that, you ask? Basically...no reaper book that I've read has been particularly enjoyable. Until now. Cambria Hebert brings to the readership something new, a world in which Death Escorts and Ghost Escorts exist, all working under the formidable rule of the Grim Reaper - or, as he prefers to be known, G.R. Dex is a guy living on the streets until one night, he saves a waitress from getting hit by a bus and in the process gets hit by it himself and dies. Waking up to find himself the newest Death Escort, he's offered everything - money, food, even a house and car - if he'll agree to kill specific Targets and bringing the bodies back to G.R. Between the chance to live a life so different to his old one, and the alternative being a place worse than hell, it's not long before he agrees. His first Target is Piper, the waitress he saved. And at first it's fine. But as time goes on, he begins to question whether he can really kill people...especially the girl he's falling in love with.
Hebert captures your attention as soon as you start reading. I was able to get acquainted with the characters and their personalities immediately, and in a way that was different and enjoyable to read. There isn't a massive amount of wordbuilding in this, but what there is is enough to appreciate the new life that Dex is now living and the kind of world he's part of. The idea of Escorts is certainly a new one, and the Grim Reaper was actually slightly creepy, mostly through the contrast between how he first comes across to people and his real personality. He's very ruthless and not prone to giving chances. I did take issue with the alternating POVs, however. I felt they switched back and forth far too quickly, and there were times where I'd barely settled into one POV before I was back in the other.
Dex is a very conflicted character. He spends a lot of time with this internal struggle going on, trying to go ahead with killing Piper but then his conscience and his heart countering that. On the one hand I questioned his decisions and his attitude, but then on the other it's impossible to deny that his life on the streets has toughened him. We learn a bit about his life before then, though not much; I would have liked to see more. At the same time, however, it's clear that he didn't have a happy childhood, and his refusal to look back at that time emphasises that and also shows just how much he's closed himself off from people and emotion. It was sweet to see him slowly open up to Piper and even just to see how difficult it was for him to go through with this, how much he really cared for her. Piper herself was a gloriously tough heroine, continually fighting for herself and not once giving up. She's brave and understanding, traits also seen in her best friend Frankie. Frankie's bubbly, supportive nature made me like her quickly.
I haven't read Cambria Hebert's Heven and Hell series, but it was the praise that I'd heard for it that made me want to read Recalled. I can see now why the author is so popular. Recalled offers a new take on the world of grim reapers, with characters it's not hard to root for. I definitely can't wait wait to see where the story is taken in the sequel.
This review is also posted on my blog.
What do I mean by that, you ask? Basically...no reaper book that I've read has been particularly enjoyable. Until now. Cambria Hebert brings to the readership something new, a world in which Death Escorts and Ghost Escorts exist, all working under the formidable rule of the Grim Reaper - or, as he prefers to be known, G.R. Dex is a guy living on the streets until one night, he saves a waitress from getting hit by a bus and in the process gets hit by it himself and dies. Waking up to find himself the newest Death Escort, he's offered everything - money, food, even a house and car - if he'll agree to kill specific Targets and bringing the bodies back to G.R. Between the chance to live a life so different to his old one, and the alternative being a place worse than hell, it's not long before he agrees. His first Target is Piper, the waitress he saved. And at first it's fine. But as time goes on, he begins to question whether he can really kill people...especially the girl he's falling in love with.
Hebert captures your attention as soon as you start reading. I was able to get acquainted with the characters and their personalities immediately, and in a way that was different and enjoyable to read. There isn't a massive amount of wordbuilding in this, but what there is is enough to appreciate the new life that Dex is now living and the kind of world he's part of. The idea of Escorts is certainly a new one, and the Grim Reaper was actually slightly creepy, mostly through the contrast between how he first comes across to people and his real personality. He's very ruthless and not prone to giving chances. I did take issue with the alternating POVs, however. I felt they switched back and forth far too quickly, and there were times where I'd barely settled into one POV before I was back in the other.
Dex is a very conflicted character. He spends a lot of time with this internal struggle going on, trying to go ahead with killing Piper but then his conscience and his heart countering that. On the one hand I questioned his decisions and his attitude, but then on the other it's impossible to deny that his life on the streets has toughened him. We learn a bit about his life before then, though not much; I would have liked to see more. At the same time, however, it's clear that he didn't have a happy childhood, and his refusal to look back at that time emphasises that and also shows just how much he's closed himself off from people and emotion. It was sweet to see him slowly open up to Piper and even just to see how difficult it was for him to go through with this, how much he really cared for her. Piper herself was a gloriously tough heroine, continually fighting for herself and not once giving up. She's brave and understanding, traits also seen in her best friend Frankie. Frankie's bubbly, supportive nature made me like her quickly.
I haven't read Cambria Hebert's Heven and Hell series, but it was the praise that I'd heard for it that made me want to read Recalled. I can see now why the author is so popular. Recalled offers a new take on the world of grim reapers, with characters it's not hard to root for. I definitely can't wait wait to see where the story is taken in the sequel.
This review is also posted on my blog.
September 29, 2014
"Dying - ceasing to live; approaching death; expiring: a dying man."
This book was really good. I expected a lot more from it though.
Dex was once a poor boy on the streets who lived his life by stealing money. One day, he stole from a waitress and as he goes inside a diner for some food, a bus swerving crazily on the ice almost killed the waitress if it weren't for him. He pushed her out of the way and died instead.
He died. And he made a deal with the Grim Reaper and became a Death Escort. He also got a new body.
In order to become an official death escort he as to kill someone. And that someone is the girl he had saved earlier.
Piper
Dex found it really hard to kill the person he had died for. I could understand that. His death would have been meaningless if he killed her now. But he had two months to kill her! Somehow he could have found a way to finish her off. But he couldn't! Oh, why??
It became very frustrating hereafter. Dex would have been moments away from killing her and then, - I honestly don't know what got into his head - he changes his mind in the last second.
This was exactly what I wanted to do
Other than that frustrating part, the book was really good. I wished the author made Dex kill Piper, it would have been a splendid twist. Instead, he had various doubts about killing her. I liked Dex despite the fact that he couldn't kill Piper. I liked Piper too. The characters were good to read about.
On the whole, I liked this book. It was different and a quick read.
"Alive - possessing life. In existence; active."
This book was really good. I expected a lot more from it though.
Dex was once a poor boy on the streets who lived his life by stealing money. One day, he stole from a waitress and as he goes inside a diner for some food, a bus swerving crazily on the ice almost killed the waitress if it weren't for him. He pushed her out of the way and died instead.
He died. And he made a deal with the Grim Reaper and became a Death Escort. He also got a new body.
In order to become an official death escort he as to kill someone. And that someone is the girl he had saved earlier.
Piper
Dex found it really hard to kill the person he had died for. I could understand that. His death would have been meaningless if he killed her now. But he had two months to kill her! Somehow he could have found a way to finish her off. But he couldn't! Oh, why??
It became very frustrating hereafter. Dex would have been moments away from killing her and then, - I honestly don't know what got into his head - he changes his mind in the last second.
This was exactly what I wanted to do
Other than that frustrating part, the book was really good. I wished the author made Dex kill Piper, it would have been a splendid twist. Instead, he had various doubts about killing her. I liked Dex despite the fact that he couldn't kill Piper. I liked Piper too. The characters were good to read about.
On the whole, I liked this book. It was different and a quick read.
"Alive - possessing life. In existence; active."
February 6, 2013
Quick review:
Cover: Very Pretty
Rating: PG-13
Thumbs Up: 4
Overall: Interesting
Characters: Solid
Plot: Are you willing to die for someone?
Page Turner: Sure
Series Cont.? Most likely
Recommend: Sure
Book Boyfriend: Dex
SUMMARY (50 words or less)
In life you have to make a choice, and sometimes you might surprise yourself. Dex is our reluctant hero, who doesn’t at all feel worthy of hero status. And there are times in the book where we as readers question it to. Imagine what Piper felt. Interesting read.
For a full review and yummy pic, see my blog post at:
http://mybookboyfriend.blogspot.com/2...
Cover: Very Pretty
Rating: PG-13
Thumbs Up: 4
Overall: Interesting
Characters: Solid
Plot: Are you willing to die for someone?
Page Turner: Sure
Series Cont.? Most likely
Recommend: Sure
Book Boyfriend: Dex
SUMMARY (50 words or less)
In life you have to make a choice, and sometimes you might surprise yourself. Dex is our reluctant hero, who doesn’t at all feel worthy of hero status. And there are times in the book where we as readers question it to. Imagine what Piper felt. Interesting read.
For a full review and yummy pic, see my blog post at:
http://mybookboyfriend.blogspot.com/2...
February 15, 2013
Cambria's new book didn't disappoint. This is set in a completely different world from the Heven and Hell Series.
Recalled is the story of Dex and Piper. The moment they met cost Dex his life in order to save hers, but then something unexpected happened. Dex didn't really die. Instead he got a new job, a new house, a new car...oh, and a new body. He is Death's latest Escort, which only means he has to kill people so that Death can collect their souls. His first target is Piper the girl that costed him to lose everything.
I really enjoyed the story of this book. How death had people doing his dirty work. How Dex would try to kill Piper a million times and then save her a million times. I loved the struggle inside of him, trying to decide who he is and what he is supposed to do. Dex is definitely my fav male protagonist from Cambria's books. He was so good, even though he thought he wasn't and he was really struggling with his mission to kill Piper.
On the other hand we have Piper. In the beginning I didn't really know what to think about her because she was a bit moody and depressed. I guess watching someone die for you can do that to a person. But after she met Dex, in his new body and started falling for him and having fun with him, she turned into a person full of life. Someone that I wasn't sad Dex lost his life for.
I didn't know what was going to happen in the end and I had my worries. But it turned out the ending was my favorite part of this book. Brilliant. Everything about it was brilliant. Oh, and it takes place in Alaska. How cool is that? It's my first book set there. Anyways, to conclude this book is BRILLIANT. This lady, Cambria Hebert, is a genius. Can't wait for more in the series and possibly a bit more of Charming, the other Escort we met in the book, who turned out to be pretty descent after all.
Recalled is the story of Dex and Piper. The moment they met cost Dex his life in order to save hers, but then something unexpected happened. Dex didn't really die. Instead he got a new job, a new house, a new car...oh, and a new body. He is Death's latest Escort, which only means he has to kill people so that Death can collect their souls. His first target is Piper the girl that costed him to lose everything.
I really enjoyed the story of this book. How death had people doing his dirty work. How Dex would try to kill Piper a million times and then save her a million times. I loved the struggle inside of him, trying to decide who he is and what he is supposed to do. Dex is definitely my fav male protagonist from Cambria's books. He was so good, even though he thought he wasn't and he was really struggling with his mission to kill Piper.
On the other hand we have Piper. In the beginning I didn't really know what to think about her because she was a bit moody and depressed. I guess watching someone die for you can do that to a person. But after she met Dex, in his new body and started falling for him and having fun with him, she turned into a person full of life. Someone that I wasn't sad Dex lost his life for.
I didn't know what was going to happen in the end and I had my worries. But it turned out the ending was my favorite part of this book. Brilliant. Everything about it was brilliant. Oh, and it takes place in Alaska. How cool is that? It's my first book set there. Anyways, to conclude this book is BRILLIANT. This lady, Cambria Hebert, is a genius. Can't wait for more in the series and possibly a bit more of Charming, the other Escort we met in the book, who turned out to be pretty descent after all.
February 4, 2013
(Source: I received a digital copy of this book for free on a read-to-review basis. Thanks to Cambria Hebert and Xpresso Book Tours.)
Dex thinks he’s going to hell. He killed his mom’s abusive boyfriend when he was only 10, and not long after that he left home to live on the streets.
Now Dex gets by by robbing people, and Piper is his next target.
Piper is training to be a doctor, and working at a café while she does. Dex bumps into her and robs her, and then the next thing she knows, he’s pushing her out of the way of a bus that’s slipping on the ice towards her.
Dex dies in Piper’s place, but he doesn’t go to hell as he expects. Instead he finds himself a cloud of purple smoke, in some weird guy’s office, being offered some kind of job; money, a house, a car, and all he has to do is be an escort – a death escort.
Dex is given his first victim, all he needs to do is kill her, and he’ll be a fully-fledged death escort. Dex is okay with this, until he finds out who his first victim will be – Piper.
Can Dex kill Piper? Can Dex really be a death escort? And what will Dex learn on the way?
I’m not sure where to start with this book. It had mystery, suspense, and romance, and was an enjoyable read, but I didn’t like it as much as Cambria’s other books.
Piper was a nice girl, she worked hard and always tried her best. She didn’t have much money but was generous with her friends, and her main aim in life seemed to be to help people. She did seem a little naïve at times, but I think this was more a case of her being in the wrong place at the wrong time rather than anything else.
Dex was an interesting character, although it was obvious to me that he wasn’t really as bad as he thought he was. Although he thought that he was a tough, mean guy, it seemed evident that he really had a heart of gold, and I never believed for a second that he would make a good death escort if he actually had to kill people!
The good thing about the romance in this book was that it grew slowly. Dex had absolutely no intentions of falling in love with Piper, and there was no love-at-first-sight for Piper either. The pair slowly grew to have feelings for each other, and there was no ‘fated-to-be-together’ stuff which was a nice change in a paranormal book.
I felt like the romance in this book was quite soft, as there wasn’t a lot of romantic moments between the two as a couple, but more about them falling in love. The romance wasn’t really the main theme of the book though, so this fitted in well with the rest of the story.
I liked the storyline, I don’t think I’ve read anything recently with this sort of a theme, and it was certainly enough to keep me interested. I’ve no idea where this series is going to go as it seems like Piper and Dex’s story ends in this book? Maybe there will be a different escort in the next book? I don’t know!
Overall; a different concept, a touch of the supernatural, and a soft romance.
7 out of 10.
Dex thinks he’s going to hell. He killed his mom’s abusive boyfriend when he was only 10, and not long after that he left home to live on the streets.
Now Dex gets by by robbing people, and Piper is his next target.
Piper is training to be a doctor, and working at a café while she does. Dex bumps into her and robs her, and then the next thing she knows, he’s pushing her out of the way of a bus that’s slipping on the ice towards her.
Dex dies in Piper’s place, but he doesn’t go to hell as he expects. Instead he finds himself a cloud of purple smoke, in some weird guy’s office, being offered some kind of job; money, a house, a car, and all he has to do is be an escort – a death escort.
Dex is given his first victim, all he needs to do is kill her, and he’ll be a fully-fledged death escort. Dex is okay with this, until he finds out who his first victim will be – Piper.
Can Dex kill Piper? Can Dex really be a death escort? And what will Dex learn on the way?
I’m not sure where to start with this book. It had mystery, suspense, and romance, and was an enjoyable read, but I didn’t like it as much as Cambria’s other books.
Piper was a nice girl, she worked hard and always tried her best. She didn’t have much money but was generous with her friends, and her main aim in life seemed to be to help people. She did seem a little naïve at times, but I think this was more a case of her being in the wrong place at the wrong time rather than anything else.
Dex was an interesting character, although it was obvious to me that he wasn’t really as bad as he thought he was. Although he thought that he was a tough, mean guy, it seemed evident that he really had a heart of gold, and I never believed for a second that he would make a good death escort if he actually had to kill people!
The good thing about the romance in this book was that it grew slowly. Dex had absolutely no intentions of falling in love with Piper, and there was no love-at-first-sight for Piper either. The pair slowly grew to have feelings for each other, and there was no ‘fated-to-be-together’ stuff which was a nice change in a paranormal book.
I felt like the romance in this book was quite soft, as there wasn’t a lot of romantic moments between the two as a couple, but more about them falling in love. The romance wasn’t really the main theme of the book though, so this fitted in well with the rest of the story.
I liked the storyline, I don’t think I’ve read anything recently with this sort of a theme, and it was certainly enough to keep me interested. I’ve no idea where this series is going to go as it seems like Piper and Dex’s story ends in this book? Maybe there will be a different escort in the next book? I don’t know!
Overall; a different concept, a touch of the supernatural, and a soft romance.
7 out of 10.
February 3, 2013
This review was so hard for me to write and it took me weeks after I had read the book to actually figure out what I wanted to say about it which I don't think has ever happened to me before with a review! I really enjoyed this book but I do have to be honest and say that I was between 4 and 5 stars but the ending secured it with it's fifth star! The synopsis is also very vague for this book but it is the kind of vague that draws you in and makes you want to read more! It also doesn't tell you anything about the characters but it tells you so much about the plot! The plot of this book was so original and amazing! The story was told from both of the main characters point of views and this was definitely essential because it had so much in it that it had to be told from two point of views! Dex and Piper were the main characters and I really enjoyed the both of them! Dex was so brave to do what he did at the start of this book for Piper! He embraced his new role well and I loved that he stood up for what he wanted and he wasn't prepared to sacrifice someone else to save himself! Piper was a little harder for me to connect with! Sometimes I loved her and then other times she annoyed me a little bit! I think that she was an amazing friend and I loved that she was determined to find out who Dex really was! I think that Dex and Piper's relationship developed quite slowly to be honest! I would have loved it to have developed a bit quicker! I am really looking forward to the next book in this series to see where it goes and how it is going to develop! The cover is also absolutely stunning and it really suits the book! Big thank to Cambria for an ARC of Recalled!
February 15, 2013
WOW this book is absolutely amazing it's got a strong start and a very beautiful ending that will bring tears to your eyes.. every moment brings you closer and closer to the characters.. you'll find yourself falling in love with piper and dex i know i sure did! There's so much
anticipation and emotion throughout this book that it makes it hard to put it down for even a moment! I can't wait to see what else this author has in store for us with this series!
anticipation and emotion throughout this book that it makes it hard to put it down for even a moment! I can't wait to see what else this author has in store for us with this series!
January 31, 2013
Can't wait to read !! I could stare at this cover all day long !
February 17, 2014
I have two weaknesses when it comes to YA: books including a dream world and books about death, the grim reaper/reapers, or any other aspect of an afterlife. So, naturally, I was drawn to this book about death escorts. And don't even get me started on that cover! I could stare at it all day.
***I want to apologize to those of you who loved the book. I don't mean this to be a rant, but it may come off like one
MY SUMMARY
Unnamed boy saves a girl named Piper from a bus crashing into her, killing him instead. But when he wakes, all he is is a floating purple mist without a body. And there's this guy, who calls himself G.R., with a closet full of meat suits, AKA lifeless bodies. He gives our male MC a choice: get sent to hell or become a death escort for him; he chooses the latter. But his first target proves to be hard to kill.
This is one of those instances that has a reader wondering, "did I read the same book as everyone else?" I really wanted to love Recalled , but in the end I just couldn't.
WHY I THINK RECALLED IS JUST 'OK'
1. THE WRITING (-.5 stars):
One of the things that kept me from enjoying this book was the fact that it was all tell and no show. Nothing was ever described so that we felt what the characters were experiencing. Even when Mr. Burns/G.R. gives Dex a dose of what's worse than hell, all we get are two pages telling us that it was so dark he couldn't tell his up from down and that he heard the moans and screams of other souls trapped there. That's it. And apparently he's been gone for days. I didn't feel how horrible that experience was supposed to be because Dex only told us what was going on. And I definitely wasn't convinced that it was worse than freakin hell.
The dual POV was pointless because most of the time, Piper's chapters were like 2 to 3 pages long talking about nothing important, new nor interesting. The fact that Dex was supposed to be killing her would have sufficed for what we gathered from her POV because he would have to be following her like all the time right? The only thing we really got from Piper's POV was a dose of her BFF Frankie and the mention of her abilities (which really have nothing to do with anything).
Also, there was either lots of exposition of telling or pointless conversations.
The fact that the characters would question some of the things that were going on just like I was became very annoying. It's like the author knows that something makes no sense, but instead of changing it she makes her characters acknowledge it as questionable as I have. Like the fact that Dex and Piper both pointed out how very stupid of Piper it was to ask a complete stranger (Dex) for a ride home. Or the fact that Storm, who is just a mist floating with no arms or other limbs, can call Dex on a phone. Like, Dex actually thinks about this and brushes it off saying that it's too many questions to think about so early in the morning. Huh? Or Dex wondering how and where G.R. gets his bodies. Or Piper wondering wtf dead people want with her abilities.
For the most part, these made for a boring and annoying read more than an interesting one.
2. THE STORY/PLOT (-1.5 stars):
It was hard to focus on the story I was reading because I kept coming across other storylines that seemed more interesting but were never explored. The entire plot of this book is Dex's dilemma between killing Piper or not. And everyone else's story is either kill Piper or save Piper from being killed. There are no character stories and no subplots at all. Piper doesn't even have her own story goal (which is why her POV's were so boring). This makes for a very flat storyline that should have been more developed.
Then we have all these other plot elements, like the fact that Piper can see the future when she touches people, Frankie is dead in one of her visions, there is another death escort after Piper (which makes absolutely no sense, but I'll bring it up later), there's like a ghost escort type thing named Storm that I haven't a clue what his purpose is, and Dex has this entire life -with a different name we never find out about- on the streets that has made him who he is (or who he thought he was). When these things were being introduced throughout the story, I kept finding myself like, "oh! this is about to get real!" but none of those things developed into anything. The fact that Piper could see the future could have been omitted from the story and it would have been the same exact story because it was not important in this book. She sees visions of the boy who saved her life when she touches Dex and wonders how that could be, and he sees the death of her friend. That's it; they really do nothing for the overall story.
It was also predictable. The first time Dex chickens out with killing Piper, you know that this is going to happen repeatedly within the story. And he has the nerves to blame others and outside forces for his lack of progression with killing Piper, when really each time he just chickens out or finds an excuse. He thinks about strangling her in his car but claims to be caught off guard when she starts talking about the guy who saved her life (aka him). Then he almost kills her with peanut oil but saves her, even though really his butler saves her but he was ready to dial 911 and get her EpiPen or whatever. He plans to do a campus shooting, aiming to shoot and kill her but then doesn't because he wants to know who that guy was following her. Then he buys poison berries from a drug dealer but lets his butler convince him not to do whatever it is he's thinking, then lets him throw them away without any protest. And then they go on vacation and they/she falls through ice and I think he saves her (this part I skipped/skimmed so I'm only guessing). They get into a car crash and he calls for help. He makes conscious decisions to plan ways of killing her and then not going through with them only to plan again. That does no count as an inner struggle to do what he's supposed to vs. what's right. It would have been better if his attempts were always interrupted or actually failed attempts and because he suddenly wanted to save her, but because he never wants to kill her, the story drags. My thing is, you saved her once, so what makes you think that you can kill her?
3. THE WORLD BUILDING (-2 stars):
This is the biggest issue I had with the book. If things don't make sense in a created world, then that's a problem. SO many things weren't explained or characters admitting that they too haven't a clue how things work but would then brush it off or make a comment on how G.R. is the man.
a) First off, why is Dex so clueless of the rules of how death escorts work? With as much emphasis placed on how much of a business man G.R. is, he sure as hell didn't think much about training his employees. Dex had no fucking idea about the rules (like don't fight with other escorts), the certain abilities some people had that they could collect (like Charming is trying to do with Piper). There is a part when G.R. visits Dex and says, "I see now that you are one of the recruits that requires more information" and I'm thinking "how are you running a successful business without giving him a complete job description or a handbook?"
b) The only explanation we get about how one becomes a death escort is when Charming, another escort, says that it happens to people who have sudden deaths because they are in like a state of shock. But then that means that sudden death means you either burn in hell for all eternity or work as a death escort? Why though? These people weren't even meant to die yet, but they're being punished with the threat of burning in hell for not helping out the Grim Reaper? Piper was supposed to die, so would she had just gone to heaven? And the pitch G.R. gives to potential clients is that you get a new and improved life if you work as, basically, an assassin for him. I know De thinks he's going to hell because he killed his step father in self defense or something like that, but he wasn't even meant to die that day he saved Piper's life.
c) Who the hell died and made G.R. the boss? Why does he get claim over sudden death souls, or souls in general? His business isn't even legit so how is God or even the Devil letting him get away with scheming on killing people to take their souls and their abilities? His role was a bit all over the place.
d) Why is it a rule not to fight with other escorts, but not a rule on an escort stealing another escort's assignment? Why is it that Charming is sent to make sure Dex kills Piper, but gets impatient and goes after her himself and that's okay? What's the point of giving Dex a 2 month window to kill her if he was going to demand it be done sooner? What was the point of giving such an important assignment to Dex in the first place if G.R. planned on giving the abilities to Charming anyway?
e) Seriously, WTF is Storm? What is the purpose of what he does and how does it fit into the death escorting business? How was he able to make phone calls with no limbs? Please tell me. He's keeping an eye out on Piper (or was it Frankie?) to make sure she okay (I forget the reason, but it's something G.R. wants him to do) but then warns Dex that Charming is after her? Huh?
f) So... is it ever a possibility for the escorts to get caught? If they get caught/accused of murdering someone, then what happens (like how has Charming never been accused of murdering the people he schemed out of money)? Do they get a new body for each kill (because I know Charming ain't using that same meat suit in his novel trying to hook up with Frankie after )? Can they be killed? I would have liked a little more on the subject of them and the bodies they got, because is G.R. damning random souls to hell and just using the leftover bodies? Again, how the hell does he have this right?
g) What in the hell is a death escort going to do with abilities to see the future? The reason given was stupid (so Charming could see if his "charming" skills would work on targets). He's dead! Why does he need any type of abilities, let alone future-seeing abilities? Why don't they already come with special abilities? I mean they are colorful souls occupying recycled bodies.
Overall...
This read like a first draft. It's like the author wrote it, sent it out for edits and the only thing she changed were grammatical errors. There were just too many questions that were not answered, leaving thing to make absolutely no sense. The Grim Reaper and Charming were running a scheme and I don't understand why it had to be anything paranormal about this story; it could have easily been a mob crime novel where G.R. is the mob boss, Charming his best hit man, Dex a new recruit, and Piper having or knowing something she shouldn't which places a hit out on her. I can say that I did like the ending, because if it would have ended any other way it would have put another hole in the plot.
Although it was a quick read, once I got to the 50% mark I found myself wanting it to be over.
***I want to apologize to those of you who loved the book. I don't mean this to be a rant, but it may come off like one
MY SUMMARY
Unnamed boy saves a girl named Piper from a bus crashing into her, killing him instead. But when he wakes, all he is is a floating purple mist without a body. And there's this guy, who calls himself G.R., with a closet full of meat suits, AKA lifeless bodies. He gives our male MC a choice: get sent to hell or become a death escort for him; he chooses the latter. But his first target proves to be hard to kill.
This is one of those instances that has a reader wondering, "did I read the same book as everyone else?" I really wanted to love Recalled , but in the end I just couldn't.
WHY I THINK RECALLED IS JUST 'OK'
1. THE WRITING (-.5 stars):
One of the things that kept me from enjoying this book was the fact that it was all tell and no show. Nothing was ever described so that we felt what the characters were experiencing. Even when Mr. Burns/G.R. gives Dex a dose of what's worse than hell, all we get are two pages telling us that it was so dark he couldn't tell his up from down and that he heard the moans and screams of other souls trapped there. That's it. And apparently he's been gone for days. I didn't feel how horrible that experience was supposed to be because Dex only told us what was going on. And I definitely wasn't convinced that it was worse than freakin hell.
The dual POV was pointless because most of the time, Piper's chapters were like 2 to 3 pages long talking about nothing important, new nor interesting. The fact that Dex was supposed to be killing her would have sufficed for what we gathered from her POV because he would have to be following her like all the time right? The only thing we really got from Piper's POV was a dose of her BFF Frankie and the mention of her abilities (which really have nothing to do with anything).
Also, there was either lots of exposition of telling or pointless conversations.
The fact that the characters would question some of the things that were going on just like I was became very annoying. It's like the author knows that something makes no sense, but instead of changing it she makes her characters acknowledge it as questionable as I have. Like the fact that Dex and Piper both pointed out how very stupid of Piper it was to ask a complete stranger (Dex) for a ride home. Or the fact that Storm, who is just a mist floating with no arms or other limbs, can call Dex on a phone. Like, Dex actually thinks about this and brushes it off saying that it's too many questions to think about so early in the morning. Huh? Or Dex wondering how and where G.R. gets his bodies. Or Piper wondering wtf dead people want with her abilities.
For the most part, these made for a boring and annoying read more than an interesting one.
2. THE STORY/PLOT (-1.5 stars):
It was hard to focus on the story I was reading because I kept coming across other storylines that seemed more interesting but were never explored. The entire plot of this book is Dex's dilemma between killing Piper or not. And everyone else's story is either kill Piper or save Piper from being killed. There are no character stories and no subplots at all. Piper doesn't even have her own story goal (which is why her POV's were so boring). This makes for a very flat storyline that should have been more developed.
Then we have all these other plot elements, like the fact that Piper can see the future when she touches people, Frankie is dead in one of her visions, there is another death escort after Piper (which makes absolutely no sense, but I'll bring it up later), there's like a ghost escort type thing named Storm that I haven't a clue what his purpose is, and Dex has this entire life -with a different name we never find out about- on the streets that has made him who he is (or who he thought he was). When these things were being introduced throughout the story, I kept finding myself like, "oh! this is about to get real!" but none of those things developed into anything. The fact that Piper could see the future could have been omitted from the story and it would have been the same exact story because it was not important in this book. She sees visions of the boy who saved her life when she touches Dex and wonders how that could be, and he sees the death of her friend. That's it; they really do nothing for the overall story.
It was also predictable. The first time Dex chickens out with killing Piper, you know that this is going to happen repeatedly within the story. And he has the nerves to blame others and outside forces for his lack of progression with killing Piper, when really each time he just chickens out or finds an excuse. He thinks about strangling her in his car but claims to be caught off guard when she starts talking about the guy who saved her life (aka him). Then he almost kills her with peanut oil but saves her, even though really his butler saves her but he was ready to dial 911 and get her EpiPen or whatever. He plans to do a campus shooting, aiming to shoot and kill her but then doesn't because he wants to know who that guy was following her. Then he buys poison berries from a drug dealer but lets his butler convince him not to do whatever it is he's thinking, then lets him throw them away without any protest. And then they go on vacation and they/she falls through ice and I think he saves her (this part I skipped/skimmed so I'm only guessing). They get into a car crash and he calls for help. He makes conscious decisions to plan ways of killing her and then not going through with them only to plan again. That does no count as an inner struggle to do what he's supposed to vs. what's right. It would have been better if his attempts were always interrupted or actually failed attempts and because he suddenly wanted to save her, but because he never wants to kill her, the story drags. My thing is, you saved her once, so what makes you think that you can kill her?
3. THE WORLD BUILDING (-2 stars):
This is the biggest issue I had with the book. If things don't make sense in a created world, then that's a problem. SO many things weren't explained or characters admitting that they too haven't a clue how things work but would then brush it off or make a comment on how G.R. is the man.
a) First off, why is Dex so clueless of the rules of how death escorts work? With as much emphasis placed on how much of a business man G.R. is, he sure as hell didn't think much about training his employees. Dex had no fucking idea about the rules (like don't fight with other escorts), the certain abilities some people had that they could collect (like Charming is trying to do with Piper). There is a part when G.R. visits Dex and says, "I see now that you are one of the recruits that requires more information" and I'm thinking "how are you running a successful business without giving him a complete job description or a handbook?"
b) The only explanation we get about how one becomes a death escort is when Charming, another escort, says that it happens to people who have sudden deaths because they are in like a state of shock. But then that means that sudden death means you either burn in hell for all eternity or work as a death escort? Why though? These people weren't even meant to die yet, but they're being punished with the threat of burning in hell for not helping out the Grim Reaper? Piper was supposed to die, so would she had just gone to heaven? And the pitch G.R. gives to potential clients is that you get a new and improved life if you work as, basically, an assassin for him. I know De thinks he's going to hell because he killed his step father in self defense or something like that, but he wasn't even meant to die that day he saved Piper's life.
c) Who the hell died and made G.R. the boss? Why does he get claim over sudden death souls, or souls in general? His business isn't even legit so how is God or even the Devil letting him get away with scheming on killing people to take their souls and their abilities? His role was a bit all over the place.
d) Why is it a rule not to fight with other escorts, but not a rule on an escort stealing another escort's assignment? Why is it that Charming is sent to make sure Dex kills Piper, but gets impatient and goes after her himself and that's okay? What's the point of giving Dex a 2 month window to kill her if he was going to demand it be done sooner? What was the point of giving such an important assignment to Dex in the first place if G.R. planned on giving the abilities to Charming anyway?
e) Seriously, WTF is Storm? What is the purpose of what he does and how does it fit into the death escorting business? How was he able to make phone calls with no limbs? Please tell me. He's keeping an eye out on Piper (or was it Frankie?) to make sure she okay (I forget the reason, but it's something G.R. wants him to do) but then warns Dex that Charming is after her? Huh?
f) So... is it ever a possibility for the escorts to get caught? If they get caught/accused of murdering someone, then what happens (like how has Charming never been accused of murdering the people he schemed out of money)? Do they get a new body for each kill (because I know Charming ain't using that same meat suit in his novel trying to hook up with Frankie after )? Can they be killed? I would have liked a little more on the subject of them and the bodies they got, because is G.R. damning random souls to hell and just using the leftover bodies? Again, how the hell does he have this right?
g) What in the hell is a death escort going to do with abilities to see the future? The reason given was stupid (so Charming could see if his "charming" skills would work on targets). He's dead! Why does he need any type of abilities, let alone future-seeing abilities? Why don't they already come with special abilities? I mean they are colorful souls occupying recycled bodies.
Overall...
This read like a first draft. It's like the author wrote it, sent it out for edits and the only thing she changed were grammatical errors. There were just too many questions that were not answered, leaving thing to make absolutely no sense. The Grim Reaper and Charming were running a scheme and I don't understand why it had to be anything paranormal about this story; it could have easily been a mob crime novel where G.R. is the mob boss, Charming his best hit man, Dex a new recruit, and Piper having or knowing something she shouldn't which places a hit out on her. I can say that I did like the ending, because if it would have ended any other way it would have put another hole in the plot.
Although it was a quick read, once I got to the 50% mark I found myself wanting it to be over.
February 15, 2013
My initial reaction after finishing this book was...Wow, that was beautiful. Now, two weeks after finishing and looking back at the book, I'm still really moved, by both the characters and the storyline. I can still say I loved it. Honestly, I'm having a difficult time finding the words to express my feelings about this book. When I received my copy, I hardly knew anything about what this book was about. I may have read the synopsis but that was it, and even the synopsis wasn't enough to fully prepare me for this book. I think I was expecting another boy meets girl from two different "worlds" and they'd fall in love and battle against the odds and live happily ever after book. Well, I was way off base, but in a good way.
This story is about Dex and Piper - Dex has a new job as a Death Escort, and his target, Piper, is not whom he was anticipating. I love that this was told in Dex and Piper's alternating POVs. I loved getting both their perspectives, because so much is happening separately and together in their worlds, and getting the extra insight was so important and essential in understanding their characters, their motives, their purpose. I'd hate to say too much and give away spoilers about the story, but I will say that, at least from the synopsis, you can see that this book deals with life and death, and even more specifically, what would you do with a second chance at life, but a new life that would cost you more than you imagined. Is this new life worth it? What will it cost you, or cost others, especially those you love?
I loved watching Dex grow in his character and his humanity, as he battled the questions that plagued him and the decisions he was being forced to make. The potential consequences of his actions and decisions were harsh and scary. I felt for him, for his upbringing, for his opportunities and temptations, and then for his relationship with Piper. His bravery and compassion were commendable and beautiful. I also liked Piper's realness and her tenacity. She was a good person and didn't shy away from pursuing the truth. The relationship between Dex and Piper developed at a good yet tentative pace, but I felt that was appropriate considering their weird circumstances. Their feelings felt real and honest. My heart went out to them in their situation. There were also some great secondary characters that helped round out the story.
I didn't know what was going to happen ultimately and how the events of the novel were eventually going to be played out. But I do know that my attention was captured from the very beginning, from Dex and Piper's very first encounter, and the author kept me on my toes. My attention stayed with the novel until the very end. This was a book I didn't want to put down. The pacing was good, the characters were great, the plot was unique, and the ending was beautiful. Let me say that again...the ending was absolutely beautiful! I loved the journey Ms. Hebert took us on. (And as a side note, I loved the definitions used as chapter titles - what a great idea and insightful as well.) I see that this is the first book as part of a series and, though I'm unsure where the next book will go, I will most definitely be reading it and additionally checking out Ms. Hebert's other novels.
This story is about Dex and Piper - Dex has a new job as a Death Escort, and his target, Piper, is not whom he was anticipating. I love that this was told in Dex and Piper's alternating POVs. I loved getting both their perspectives, because so much is happening separately and together in their worlds, and getting the extra insight was so important and essential in understanding their characters, their motives, their purpose. I'd hate to say too much and give away spoilers about the story, but I will say that, at least from the synopsis, you can see that this book deals with life and death, and even more specifically, what would you do with a second chance at life, but a new life that would cost you more than you imagined. Is this new life worth it? What will it cost you, or cost others, especially those you love?
I loved watching Dex grow in his character and his humanity, as he battled the questions that plagued him and the decisions he was being forced to make. The potential consequences of his actions and decisions were harsh and scary. I felt for him, for his upbringing, for his opportunities and temptations, and then for his relationship with Piper. His bravery and compassion were commendable and beautiful. I also liked Piper's realness and her tenacity. She was a good person and didn't shy away from pursuing the truth. The relationship between Dex and Piper developed at a good yet tentative pace, but I felt that was appropriate considering their weird circumstances. Their feelings felt real and honest. My heart went out to them in their situation. There were also some great secondary characters that helped round out the story.
I didn't know what was going to happen ultimately and how the events of the novel were eventually going to be played out. But I do know that my attention was captured from the very beginning, from Dex and Piper's very first encounter, and the author kept me on my toes. My attention stayed with the novel until the very end. This was a book I didn't want to put down. The pacing was good, the characters were great, the plot was unique, and the ending was beautiful. Let me say that again...the ending was absolutely beautiful! I loved the journey Ms. Hebert took us on. (And as a side note, I loved the definitions used as chapter titles - what a great idea and insightful as well.) I see that this is the first book as part of a series and, though I'm unsure where the next book will go, I will most definitely be reading it and additionally checking out Ms. Hebert's other novels.
February 18, 2013
Cambria has blown me away with her writing in the past, her Heven and Hell series is one of my favorites. So really, I shouldn't have been so surprised that I loved this one as much as I did.
Really what was I thinking? I should have know Cambria wouldn't give us anything less than her best and her best, well, it is pretty darn fabulous.
Maybe I was just apprehensive about trying something new from her since I love Heven and Sam so much, but really, again, I shouldn't have been.
Dex and Piper? They are every bit as great as Heven and Sam, just in completely different ways.
I loved Dex from the moment I met him. Sarcastic, gruff, damaged but still you could see that heart of his in there. You knew he wasn't all bad, just put in some bad circumstances that helped shape the person he turned out to be.
In other words, Dex was somewhat of a bad boy (but not in the typical drinking, womanizing, tattoo covered way) and we all know how I love those damaged bad boys. I can't help it, I think it is a sickness.
Before I get to Piper can I just talk about Frankie first? I loved Frankie! She is everything I love in a great secondary character. Witty, loyal, true, a little kick butt, heck, she is everything I love in a main character. Having her as a secondary character was just icing on this already delicious cake.
I really liked Piper too. I didn't quite connect with her on the level that I wanted to but I did like her. She didn't always have all the answers but she sought to get them. She was good and honest and had a heart of gold. She was willing to forgive and love unconditionally and you have to love her for that.
G.R. (aka Mr. Burns) what can I say about him without giving too much away? Gasp I actually liked him. Yep, I said it. For some reason I liked the villain in this one. There was just so much to him. I am really hoping we get to see a lot more of him as the series progresses and get a bigger better view of his background and past.
This was a really fun read and I liked all the crazy twists in it. I can really see myself loving this series more and more as it progresses.
It will be a lot of fun to see where Cambria takes it from here. I can already tell that she is going to have another hit YA series out there that a lot of people are really going to enjoy.
3.5 to 4 Stars!
Really what was I thinking? I should have know Cambria wouldn't give us anything less than her best and her best, well, it is pretty darn fabulous.
Maybe I was just apprehensive about trying something new from her since I love Heven and Sam so much, but really, again, I shouldn't have been.
Dex and Piper? They are every bit as great as Heven and Sam, just in completely different ways.
I loved Dex from the moment I met him. Sarcastic, gruff, damaged but still you could see that heart of his in there. You knew he wasn't all bad, just put in some bad circumstances that helped shape the person he turned out to be.
In other words, Dex was somewhat of a bad boy (but not in the typical drinking, womanizing, tattoo covered way) and we all know how I love those damaged bad boys. I can't help it, I think it is a sickness.
Before I get to Piper can I just talk about Frankie first? I loved Frankie! She is everything I love in a great secondary character. Witty, loyal, true, a little kick butt, heck, she is everything I love in a main character. Having her as a secondary character was just icing on this already delicious cake.
I really liked Piper too. I didn't quite connect with her on the level that I wanted to but I did like her. She didn't always have all the answers but she sought to get them. She was good and honest and had a heart of gold. She was willing to forgive and love unconditionally and you have to love her for that.
G.R. (aka Mr. Burns) what can I say about him without giving too much away? Gasp I actually liked him. Yep, I said it. For some reason I liked the villain in this one. There was just so much to him. I am really hoping we get to see a lot more of him as the series progresses and get a bigger better view of his background and past.
This was a really fun read and I liked all the crazy twists in it. I can really see myself loving this series more and more as it progresses.
It will be a lot of fun to see where Cambria takes it from here. I can already tell that she is going to have another hit YA series out there that a lot of people are really going to enjoy.
3.5 to 4 Stars!
February 18, 2013
RECALLED ROCK MY FACE OFF I ASK CAMBRIA HOW SHE CAME UP WITH STORY THIS IS WHAT SHE SAID.
I was inspired by a photograph that my cover designer took. O bought the photo but ended up using a diff image for the cover. I had actually written the first scene of Recalled a few years ago when I started Masquerade. Back then I thought it was angel book but then i got this idea for the grim reaper and his "escorts". :) Wonderful, I could not put my kindle down, I was lost in this world of recalled,
I love the characters, I love DEX and PIPER, Dex does not have a good life he live on the street he pick, pockets, to get a meal he not that friendly, He came across Piper, one nite she leavening her late nite job at the restaurants, and she slip and he catches her, and and take her money. He feel a lil different about her cause she nice and keep talking to him And All Dex want he some food.as she walk to the bus stop and wait the bus he comeing but not stopping it going to hit her but Dex move her out the way and take the hit, ,and he die but wake up some where on the other side with a chance to start a new life with money nice house nice car butler. but he has to escort people to their death, O he as to kill them ...what a proposition, All Piper, want to do he paid her respect to the man who save her who have lil info about him ..she feel so bad about this she feel like some then bad going to happened people are follow her she can't shaken the feeling ...death about to happened to her or her best friend.. but ..that enough,,hahahah, I told to much go get your copy you won't be disappointed a must read
I was inspired by a photograph that my cover designer took. O bought the photo but ended up using a diff image for the cover. I had actually written the first scene of Recalled a few years ago when I started Masquerade. Back then I thought it was angel book but then i got this idea for the grim reaper and his "escorts". :) Wonderful, I could not put my kindle down, I was lost in this world of recalled,
I love the characters, I love DEX and PIPER, Dex does not have a good life he live on the street he pick, pockets, to get a meal he not that friendly, He came across Piper, one nite she leavening her late nite job at the restaurants, and she slip and he catches her, and and take her money. He feel a lil different about her cause she nice and keep talking to him And All Dex want he some food.as she walk to the bus stop and wait the bus he comeing but not stopping it going to hit her but Dex move her out the way and take the hit, ,and he die but wake up some where on the other side with a chance to start a new life with money nice house nice car butler. but he has to escort people to their death, O he as to kill them ...what a proposition, All Piper, want to do he paid her respect to the man who save her who have lil info about him ..she feel so bad about this she feel like some then bad going to happened people are follow her she can't shaken the feeling ...death about to happened to her or her best friend.. but ..that enough,,hahahah, I told to much go get your copy you won't be disappointed a must read
June 18, 2013
There is a hard, thin line between good and evil, right and wrong. Dex had been walking that line his entire life thinking only of himself and trying to survive in the hostile, cold world of Alaska. He was a skilled thief and had even committed murder once. He was never quite able to find any warmth in his life but he was always searching for it.
One night he waited outside a diner waiting for just the right mark. A young waitress named Piper walked out the door and Dex went to work. He managed to pick her pocket of the twenty-four dollars in tips she had made and then sent her on her way. As he was walking to the diner for a hot cup of coffee and a meal, he turned to see a bus sliding out of control towards her. Before he could think, he had shoved her out of the way taking the hit himself. Dex would later be given a new job where he would meet Piper again and would have to decide what side of the line he was truly on.
Cambria Hebert has managed to write an amazing story of love and sacrifice. I am normally a dedicated fan of erotic paranormal romance but decided to read this young adult novel. This book has touched my heart. Cambria did an excellent job of weaving her words and thoughts into a spellbinding story that left me satisfied, teary eyed, and content. It is a complex and dark story of the Golden Rule but told with love and just the right touch of passion for young readers. I thoroughly enjoyed it, could not put it down, and would highly recommend it.
One night he waited outside a diner waiting for just the right mark. A young waitress named Piper walked out the door and Dex went to work. He managed to pick her pocket of the twenty-four dollars in tips she had made and then sent her on her way. As he was walking to the diner for a hot cup of coffee and a meal, he turned to see a bus sliding out of control towards her. Before he could think, he had shoved her out of the way taking the hit himself. Dex would later be given a new job where he would meet Piper again and would have to decide what side of the line he was truly on.
Cambria Hebert has managed to write an amazing story of love and sacrifice. I am normally a dedicated fan of erotic paranormal romance but decided to read this young adult novel. This book has touched my heart. Cambria did an excellent job of weaving her words and thoughts into a spellbinding story that left me satisfied, teary eyed, and content. It is a complex and dark story of the Golden Rule but told with love and just the right touch of passion for young readers. I thoroughly enjoyed it, could not put it down, and would highly recommend it.
Want to read
January 26, 2013This is the first book in Cambria Hebert's brand new series. If you love her Heven and Hell series then you will enjoy this book.
The story centers around a guy who has not had the best luck in life. Life on the streets can be brutal. It can strip away all the good you have ever seen in yourself. It can make you do things that you never would have dreamed of doing if you life had turned out otherwise.
An encounter with a young woman and a quick decision will change this young man's life forever.
He is offered a deal. Money, cars, houses, and anything else he could imagine will all be his, but it all comes at a price. The question is when it comes down to it is that a price he is willing to pay or will it turn out the price is steeper than he could ever imagine.
I really enjoyed reading this new seris starter by Cambria Hebert. It definitely is weird not having Heven, Sam, or Riley in the book, but the new characters and their out of this world lives will be a definite draw. Congratulations Cambria!
The story centers around a guy who has not had the best luck in life. Life on the streets can be brutal. It can strip away all the good you have ever seen in yourself. It can make you do things that you never would have dreamed of doing if you life had turned out otherwise.
An encounter with a young woman and a quick decision will change this young man's life forever.
He is offered a deal. Money, cars, houses, and anything else he could imagine will all be his, but it all comes at a price. The question is when it comes down to it is that a price he is willing to pay or will it turn out the price is steeper than he could ever imagine.
I really enjoyed reading this new seris starter by Cambria Hebert. It definitely is weird not having Heven, Sam, or Riley in the book, but the new characters and their out of this world lives will be a definite draw. Congratulations Cambria!
June 15, 2013
Just when I thought that I couldn't love Cambria anymore with her Heven and Hell SeriesHeven & Hell Anthology (Heven and Hell), she goes and blows me away with Recalled.
This story doesn't start out with boy meets girl, they fall in love, run into some problems and live happily ever after. NOPE! More like boy spots target, closes in and makes his move. What said boy doesn't expect is the kindness from his intended target or saving her life.
I love Cambria's creativity with this storyline. I love how it's not overly done with Paranormalness or too lovey dovey. It's the right amount of everything for me. I was sucked in from the beginning and I loved how she ended it. I was left feeling like I had closure. I wasn't left hanging or disappointed at all. I love her supporting characters. They give the story more life: meaning there has to be either a Book 2 or a spin-off in the works. Or at least I hope so =)
Please keep up the excellent stories you weave and my imagination fully stocked of out of this world hotties Cambria!
This story doesn't start out with boy meets girl, they fall in love, run into some problems and live happily ever after. NOPE! More like boy spots target, closes in and makes his move. What said boy doesn't expect is the kindness from his intended target or saving her life.
I love Cambria's creativity with this storyline. I love how it's not overly done with Paranormalness or too lovey dovey. It's the right amount of everything for me. I was sucked in from the beginning and I loved how she ended it. I was left feeling like I had closure. I wasn't left hanging or disappointed at all. I love her supporting characters. They give the story more life: meaning there has to be either a Book 2 or a spin-off in the works. Or at least I hope so =)
Please keep up the excellent stories you weave and my imagination fully stocked of out of this world hotties Cambria!
September 25, 2013
I loved Recalled. I guess I honestly shouldn't be surprised. Ms. Hebert has a gift, a special touch that brings characters and stories to life. The first chapter had me and I couldn't put it down. It was fast paced with just enough romance to make any romance nut (like me) happy. I highly recommend this to anyone that enjoys suspense, new plot twists and a brilliant new couple.
Want to read
June 9, 2013First thought: Beautiful cover, the author is a sweetheart :)
July 14, 2013
Fantastic: so extreme as to challenge belief; exceedingly large or great
Song Choice: Well first to explain the song choice i have been lacking on explaining because i am lazy and slightly egoistical ;), anyways these are songs that I (me, the reviewer) has picked from my awesome itunes collection or otherwise. It is just another way to understand the book, in a way...sometimes the song is general, sometimes its specific. Kay? Kay! LETSS DO THIS! "I Know You Care" by Ellie Goulding. "Bring Me to Life" by Evanescence. "You're All I Have" and "You Could Be Happy" both by Snow Patrol (yeah i caught that Snow Patrol song), and lastly this is a special song just for Dex: "Golden" by Fall Out Boy.
First thoughts: hmmm...fuck. How do I describe this unconventional, beautiful, funny, infuriating, and all around fantastic read? Oh well look i just did! ta-da! there is my review, just kidding, seriously that would be record for me though... Anyways! This really is unconventional story I almost, only because I just read a re-telling of Beauty and the Beast, I want to say this is somewhat of a re-telling of Beauty and the Beast, sort of. I know that this might not be the book for everyone because even near the end i was like...hmmmm...how is this going to work...cause i will hate blah blah blah if blah blah blah does blah blah blah but i will also hate blah blah blah if she doesn't blah blah blah, there are a lot of blah blah blahs because i can't tell you!!!! But this for my awesome knowledge of paranormal is pretty original and its not afraid to get its hands dirty. And no you little ones with sick minds, not dirty between the sheets, but staining your hands red.
Thoughts on Plot: I thought that the plot was very intriguing, another part that i really liked this book was that when going into a "supposed" young adult novel, I automatically think, yup this story is about the girl MC, for the girl MC, and yup yup yup, well nope nope nope! Its in alternating POVs, i know NOT THAT SHOCKING, you don't have to be mean about it! *pouts for a second* But really this story is about - for me Dex more than it is about Piper. Anyways i will get to characters later though. Sooo, anywhos back to plot, for those who like stories that don't dance around the paranormal for the first half of the book then starts to reveal it and what nots this is the book for you, because with the alternating POVs we not only get a little paranorm from Piper but a whole lot from Dex without being all cloaks and daggers about it. I really was so into the book that I wasn't even catching the MOST OBVIOUS things ever! well i did figure out one thing which i was proud of but the point is that for me personally this book was so hooking that i didn't want to step back and try to figure out the little bits i wanted to get to them as soon as i can by reading the book straight through. Near the end i had to take some breaks but like i said i will get to characters sooo hold your horses. Oh well actually you know what, last thoughts on plot: new, interesting, goes against the grain, and fantastic! excellent pacing
Characters: AHHHHHHHH I AM EXCITED!
Dex: aaaaaaaaaaaaaaahhhhhhhhhhhhhh still excited! How do i even begin? I know: Girls step back his boy is mine! hehehe. He was such an unconventional (i realized i have used this word a thousands times, i don't have a limited vocabulary, well maybe a bit limited but i like certain words!) anyways! He was the bad guy, plain and simple. He had a job to do, and its not like one of those paranorms where its like, OHH well i was suppose to kill you but now that i saw you i love you so i won't and instead i will protect you *and for some reason i am saying this in my version of mocking a man's voice so you should too now go re-read it in a man's voice! its much more fun that way!* He is literally trying to kill his target while falling in love with her. Its a fact, and you find out within the first 10% of the book which is usually the amount amazon gives in a sample so i call that fair game! Anyways! He grows so much in this book, I don't even care there were the somewhat, and i know someone else has said this "cheesy" speeches he gives, i loved them! i loved him! i loved how he grew into this oddly very lovable character that still had grit, true grit....no i didn't watch that movie while reading this book...maybe a bit.... anyways! I really did see this as Dex's book, we weren't just trying to save Piper, no this was about saving Dex.
You want some Dex quotes? Well too bad if you don't because here they come!
She kissed me back, her lips claiming what was left of my heart and tucking it safely within her. I would’ve kissed her for hours. I would’ve kissed her for a lifetime… but as my lips covered hers, something reminded me that this single moment would have to do.
I kissed her harder. I kissed her for the first time, the last time, and all the times in between. I devoured her lips and tightened my arms around her until there was no space between us, knowing if I had to die, this would be the way to go.
Piper: She was a feisty little thing! I liked her while she was feisty she was also sort of reserved. She is a little bit harder to pin down than Dex, GET YOUR MIND OUT OF THE GUTTER! jeeezz... anyways Piper was a fighter, and stubborn but she was also sweet, and while i was scared for her as a character wise, thinking she was going to be super stupid she actually wasn't and she was quite explanatory about things if that makes sense, and i can't explain it more than that sorry i don't want to give anything away. I loved that she was so passionate as well because she was, this stranger she didn't know, this kid (UM SERIOUSLY HOW OLD WERE THEY?! THEY NEVER SAID, i know its under 21 but over 17/18...anyways moving on from that) she didn't know saves her life and she takes time to try to find him even though he is really a no one. I think she was a really good character but she took the backseat to Dex's story, i am sorry but for me this was Dex's story and it will always be his story to me, and I want to hug Cambria Hebert for that. So thank you!
The villain: Well that was sort of Dex wasn't it? I like how Death was portrayed in this book cause I have read other "reaper" books or other "death as person" books even you know Hades and Devils stories and while most of those books want to do the opposite and i respect them for it, to make Death the good guy, in the end this book got it right.
That’s the thing about death. It doesn’t care about love. It doesn’t care if you’re not done living. It doesn’t stop… It keeps coming until it claims everything a person has, until there’s nothing left.
So am i going to continue on? ummm yeah...obviously? Am i uberly excited to start the next one? Um yup. Will i look out for more of Cambria's books, yes, yes i will because i thoroughly enjoyed her style of writing :)
KKKKKKKKKKaaay so here is where things get awkward, And i know you are thinking, really now things are getting awkward? really becca? really? yes. because i am going to do something you won't care for, i am going to tell you that i have a blog......yeah a blog, and i love authors i think they are perfect and they deserve recognition so you should come and check it out for them, not for me but for them. ;) so here is the link: http://theviolethourbookreviews.wordp...
Song Choice: Well first to explain the song choice i have been lacking on explaining because i am lazy and slightly egoistical ;), anyways these are songs that I (me, the reviewer) has picked from my awesome itunes collection or otherwise. It is just another way to understand the book, in a way...sometimes the song is general, sometimes its specific. Kay? Kay! LETSS DO THIS! "I Know You Care" by Ellie Goulding. "Bring Me to Life" by Evanescence. "You're All I Have" and "You Could Be Happy" both by Snow Patrol (yeah i caught that Snow Patrol song), and lastly this is a special song just for Dex: "Golden" by Fall Out Boy.
First thoughts: hmmm...fuck. How do I describe this unconventional, beautiful, funny, infuriating, and all around fantastic read? Oh well look i just did! ta-da! there is my review, just kidding, seriously that would be record for me though... Anyways! This really is unconventional story I almost, only because I just read a re-telling of Beauty and the Beast, I want to say this is somewhat of a re-telling of Beauty and the Beast, sort of. I know that this might not be the book for everyone because even near the end i was like...hmmmm...how is this going to work...cause i will hate blah blah blah if blah blah blah does blah blah blah but i will also hate blah blah blah if she doesn't blah blah blah, there are a lot of blah blah blahs because i can't tell you!!!! But this for my awesome knowledge of paranormal is pretty original and its not afraid to get its hands dirty. And no you little ones with sick minds, not dirty between the sheets, but staining your hands red.
Thoughts on Plot: I thought that the plot was very intriguing, another part that i really liked this book was that when going into a "supposed" young adult novel, I automatically think, yup this story is about the girl MC, for the girl MC, and yup yup yup, well nope nope nope! Its in alternating POVs, i know NOT THAT SHOCKING, you don't have to be mean about it! *pouts for a second* But really this story is about - for me Dex more than it is about Piper. Anyways i will get to characters later though. Sooo, anywhos back to plot, for those who like stories that don't dance around the paranormal for the first half of the book then starts to reveal it and what nots this is the book for you, because with the alternating POVs we not only get a little paranorm from Piper but a whole lot from Dex without being all cloaks and daggers about it. I really was so into the book that I wasn't even catching the MOST OBVIOUS things ever! well i did figure out one thing which i was proud of but the point is that for me personally this book was so hooking that i didn't want to step back and try to figure out the little bits i wanted to get to them as soon as i can by reading the book straight through. Near the end i had to take some breaks but like i said i will get to characters sooo hold your horses. Oh well actually you know what, last thoughts on plot: new, interesting, goes against the grain, and fantastic! excellent pacing
Characters: AHHHHHHHH I AM EXCITED!
Dex: aaaaaaaaaaaaaaahhhhhhhhhhhhhh still excited! How do i even begin? I know: Girls step back his boy is mine! hehehe. He was such an unconventional (i realized i have used this word a thousands times, i don't have a limited vocabulary, well maybe a bit limited but i like certain words!) anyways! He was the bad guy, plain and simple. He had a job to do, and its not like one of those paranorms where its like, OHH well i was suppose to kill you but now that i saw you i love you so i won't and instead i will protect you *and for some reason i am saying this in my version of mocking a man's voice so you should too now go re-read it in a man's voice! its much more fun that way!* He is literally trying to kill his target while falling in love with her. Its a fact, and you find out within the first 10% of the book which is usually the amount amazon gives in a sample so i call that fair game! Anyways! He grows so much in this book, I don't even care there were the somewhat, and i know someone else has said this "cheesy" speeches he gives, i loved them! i loved him! i loved how he grew into this oddly very lovable character that still had grit, true grit....no i didn't watch that movie while reading this book...maybe a bit.... anyways! I really did see this as Dex's book, we weren't just trying to save Piper, no this was about saving Dex.
You want some Dex quotes? Well too bad if you don't because here they come!
She kissed me back, her lips claiming what was left of my heart and tucking it safely within her. I would’ve kissed her for hours. I would’ve kissed her for a lifetime… but as my lips covered hers, something reminded me that this single moment would have to do.
I kissed her harder. I kissed her for the first time, the last time, and all the times in between. I devoured her lips and tightened my arms around her until there was no space between us, knowing if I had to die, this would be the way to go.
Piper: She was a feisty little thing! I liked her while she was feisty she was also sort of reserved. She is a little bit harder to pin down than Dex, GET YOUR MIND OUT OF THE GUTTER! jeeezz... anyways Piper was a fighter, and stubborn but she was also sweet, and while i was scared for her as a character wise, thinking she was going to be super stupid she actually wasn't and she was quite explanatory about things if that makes sense, and i can't explain it more than that sorry i don't want to give anything away. I loved that she was so passionate as well because she was, this stranger she didn't know, this kid (UM SERIOUSLY HOW OLD WERE THEY?! THEY NEVER SAID, i know its under 21 but over 17/18...anyways moving on from that) she didn't know saves her life and she takes time to try to find him even though he is really a no one. I think she was a really good character but she took the backseat to Dex's story, i am sorry but for me this was Dex's story and it will always be his story to me, and I want to hug Cambria Hebert for that. So thank you!
The villain: Well that was sort of Dex wasn't it? I like how Death was portrayed in this book cause I have read other "reaper" books or other "death as person" books even you know Hades and Devils stories and while most of those books want to do the opposite and i respect them for it, to make Death the good guy, in the end this book got it right.
That’s the thing about death. It doesn’t care about love. It doesn’t care if you’re not done living. It doesn’t stop… It keeps coming until it claims everything a person has, until there’s nothing left.
So am i going to continue on? ummm yeah...obviously? Am i uberly excited to start the next one? Um yup. Will i look out for more of Cambria's books, yes, yes i will because i thoroughly enjoyed her style of writing :)
KKKKKKKKKKaaay so here is where things get awkward, And i know you are thinking, really now things are getting awkward? really becca? really? yes. because i am going to do something you won't care for, i am going to tell you that i have a blog......yeah a blog, and i love authors i think they are perfect and they deserve recognition so you should come and check it out for them, not for me but for them. ;) so here is the link: http://theviolethourbookreviews.wordp...
February 15, 2013
Four stars: A unique and fun take on reapers!
Dex huddles in his jacket hoping for a bit of warmth. His ears perk as he hears boots pounding the pavement, and something else catches his attention. The sound of coins jangling. That noise means a hot meal at the diner. He knows that he has found his mark. A tired young lady is heading to the bus stop, then her heel slips on the ice, but before she falls a hand steadies her. A young man is there to prevent her from hitting the cold, hard pavement. A quick smile and they part. She us unaware that he has just stolen her tips for the night. As she nears the bus stop, she pauses and calls out to the stranger to thank him. He nods and heads to the diner, but for some inexplicable reason he stops and turns. Dex sees the large bus barreling toward the girl. Without a moments hesitation, he darts into the path of the bus and pushes the girl to safety. Then he feels the bone crunching impact, and he falls to the icy ground as his life ebbs away. The only one to mourn him is the girl he saved. Death takes him, but he doesn't head to Hell as he expected. Instead he is transported to a wealthy home, where a mysterious man has an interesting proposition for Dex. He can become a Death Escort and lead souls to their deaths, for which he will be handsomely rewarded with cars, wealth and everything a cold homeless boy could want. Of course, there is a catch......Will Dex choose to kill the one person who mourned him?
What I Liked:
*Once again, Ms. Hebert manages to bring us a story that is full of surprises and original. In her latest novel, she presents a troubled young man who has led a hard life. Dex had a turbulent childhood, and a uninvolved mother. At sixteen, he struck out on his own and has since lived on the streets, pickpocketing and doing what it takes to survive. He is convinced he is going to Hell and that he is worthless. His selfless act of saving a girl from death lands him in a troubling situation, one where he is forced to choose between saving himself or someone else. This is a story of growth, love, bargains with the devil, redemption, and so much more. I liked that it was unexpected and steered far away from the same trite story lines. This book is without a love triangle, cliffhanger and there is a twist at the end that totally took me by surprise. I love that it refrained from the expected.
*The romance in this one is definitely different. It pairs two lonely individuals, who long for love. Yet, their romance is fraught with many obstacles, mainly that Dex is supposed to kill Piper or risk spending his life in an unimaginable Hell. No matter how hard he tries, he cannot seem to carry out his task, because Dex is drawing closer and closer to the unassuming and kind Piper. This is a romance that is slow building for sure, but the final payoff is very sweet.
*I enjoyed the villain in this one. Dex is offered a "deal with the devil" type bargain from a enigmatic man who is unctuous and duplicitous. The best part?! He has this closet with bodies hanging up in it like suits of clothes, and he bears a remarkable resemblance to Monty Burns from The Simpsons. He is mysterious and I liked finding out who he really was.
*While I liked Piper and Dex, the two characters that stole the show for me were Hobbs the butler and Frankie, Piper's best friend. Hobson shows up at Dex's door and says he is his butler. Dex is clueless and gives him the job on the spot. Hobbs unexpectedly becomes an ally as he cooks loads of bacon and makes pots of coffee heavily sweetened with creamer for Dex. This book made me crave bacon and coffee! There is certainly something mysterious about Hobbs as well, and I loved his role at the end. Frankie is a bundle of energy. She is curvaceous, funny and always gorging on sugar. I loved her infectious personality, and I think the next book should feature her as she is awesome.
*I loved that this book utilized the dual view points of Dex and Piper and that it switches back and forth throughout the novel. I am a big fan of the dual narrative as I always enjoy seeing things through each character's eyes. I also enjoyed that the writing is descriptive and clever. There is just a tiny bit of snark that I thought was just perfect.
*Finally, I really liked the addition of the definitions at the beginning of each chapter that gave me insight as to what to expect in the chapter. They were just added a bit of fun to the book.
And The Not So Much:
*While I enjoyed all the interesting new ideas presented in this one, I was left a bit confused about the death escorts, G.R. and the ghosts. What is there role in the whole Heaven and Hell scenario? Are they working for the Devil? I wanted more as far as G.R.'s character is concerned. Did he only live in his mansion in Alaska? I would love to learn more about his closet! I am hoping for a bit more information in the next installment.
*There is this big thing at the end that involves stones and I was a bit perplexed that there weren't explained a bit better. What exactly are these stones? Where do they come from? What are they made from? The stone has a big important part at the end and it just felt thrown in there.
*I never really understood the purpose of Storm. He comes across as a friend and ally to Dex, but is he really?
Recalled is a clever and unique YA paranormal romance that steers clear of the well known themes so prevalent today. There is not a love triangle or a cliffhanger. Instead there are plenty of surprises and unique ideas and an ending that will completely catch you off guard. Not to mention, a creepy guy with bodies in his closet! If you are looking for something different as far as romance and reapers go, be sure to check out this book, especially while you can grab it at the introductory price of $.99. For a buck, this book is a bargain!
Favorite Quotations:
"These bodies were organized. They were hanging—on hangers—and in rows like suits. I had a sudden, vivid image of this man opening his closet every morning and pondering which body to wear."
" Life taught me how to survive, but death taught me living wasn’t all it was cracked up to be."
"For a man, there's nothing better to wake up to than the smell of bacon and coffee. Okay, maybe there was something else, but bacon was a close second."
"Besides, the craziest people I know are the ones who don't eat sugar."
"In the moment, I was just a girl. A girl who got beautiful flowers from a boy."
"Death feels like a very heavy burden now."
"That's the thing about death. It doesn't care about love. It doesn't care if you're not done living. It doesn't stop....It keeps coming until it claims everything a person has, until there's nothing left."
"I kissed her harder. I kissed her for the first time, the last time, and all the times in between."
I purchased a copy of this book. All opinions are my own and I was not compensated for my review.
Posted@ Rainy Day Ramblings.
Dex huddles in his jacket hoping for a bit of warmth. His ears perk as he hears boots pounding the pavement, and something else catches his attention. The sound of coins jangling. That noise means a hot meal at the diner. He knows that he has found his mark. A tired young lady is heading to the bus stop, then her heel slips on the ice, but before she falls a hand steadies her. A young man is there to prevent her from hitting the cold, hard pavement. A quick smile and they part. She us unaware that he has just stolen her tips for the night. As she nears the bus stop, she pauses and calls out to the stranger to thank him. He nods and heads to the diner, but for some inexplicable reason he stops and turns. Dex sees the large bus barreling toward the girl. Without a moments hesitation, he darts into the path of the bus and pushes the girl to safety. Then he feels the bone crunching impact, and he falls to the icy ground as his life ebbs away. The only one to mourn him is the girl he saved. Death takes him, but he doesn't head to Hell as he expected. Instead he is transported to a wealthy home, where a mysterious man has an interesting proposition for Dex. He can become a Death Escort and lead souls to their deaths, for which he will be handsomely rewarded with cars, wealth and everything a cold homeless boy could want. Of course, there is a catch......Will Dex choose to kill the one person who mourned him?
What I Liked:
*Once again, Ms. Hebert manages to bring us a story that is full of surprises and original. In her latest novel, she presents a troubled young man who has led a hard life. Dex had a turbulent childhood, and a uninvolved mother. At sixteen, he struck out on his own and has since lived on the streets, pickpocketing and doing what it takes to survive. He is convinced he is going to Hell and that he is worthless. His selfless act of saving a girl from death lands him in a troubling situation, one where he is forced to choose between saving himself or someone else. This is a story of growth, love, bargains with the devil, redemption, and so much more. I liked that it was unexpected and steered far away from the same trite story lines. This book is without a love triangle, cliffhanger and there is a twist at the end that totally took me by surprise. I love that it refrained from the expected.
*The romance in this one is definitely different. It pairs two lonely individuals, who long for love. Yet, their romance is fraught with many obstacles, mainly that Dex is supposed to kill Piper or risk spending his life in an unimaginable Hell. No matter how hard he tries, he cannot seem to carry out his task, because Dex is drawing closer and closer to the unassuming and kind Piper. This is a romance that is slow building for sure, but the final payoff is very sweet.
*I enjoyed the villain in this one. Dex is offered a "deal with the devil" type bargain from a enigmatic man who is unctuous and duplicitous. The best part?! He has this closet with bodies hanging up in it like suits of clothes, and he bears a remarkable resemblance to Monty Burns from The Simpsons. He is mysterious and I liked finding out who he really was.
*While I liked Piper and Dex, the two characters that stole the show for me were Hobbs the butler and Frankie, Piper's best friend. Hobson shows up at Dex's door and says he is his butler. Dex is clueless and gives him the job on the spot. Hobbs unexpectedly becomes an ally as he cooks loads of bacon and makes pots of coffee heavily sweetened with creamer for Dex. This book made me crave bacon and coffee! There is certainly something mysterious about Hobbs as well, and I loved his role at the end. Frankie is a bundle of energy. She is curvaceous, funny and always gorging on sugar. I loved her infectious personality, and I think the next book should feature her as she is awesome.
*I loved that this book utilized the dual view points of Dex and Piper and that it switches back and forth throughout the novel. I am a big fan of the dual narrative as I always enjoy seeing things through each character's eyes. I also enjoyed that the writing is descriptive and clever. There is just a tiny bit of snark that I thought was just perfect.
*Finally, I really liked the addition of the definitions at the beginning of each chapter that gave me insight as to what to expect in the chapter. They were just added a bit of fun to the book.
And The Not So Much:
*While I enjoyed all the interesting new ideas presented in this one, I was left a bit confused about the death escorts, G.R. and the ghosts. What is there role in the whole Heaven and Hell scenario? Are they working for the Devil? I wanted more as far as G.R.'s character is concerned. Did he only live in his mansion in Alaska? I would love to learn more about his closet! I am hoping for a bit more information in the next installment.
*There is this big thing at the end that involves stones and I was a bit perplexed that there weren't explained a bit better. What exactly are these stones? Where do they come from? What are they made from? The stone has a big important part at the end and it just felt thrown in there.
*I never really understood the purpose of Storm. He comes across as a friend and ally to Dex, but is he really?
Recalled is a clever and unique YA paranormal romance that steers clear of the well known themes so prevalent today. There is not a love triangle or a cliffhanger. Instead there are plenty of surprises and unique ideas and an ending that will completely catch you off guard. Not to mention, a creepy guy with bodies in his closet! If you are looking for something different as far as romance and reapers go, be sure to check out this book, especially while you can grab it at the introductory price of $.99. For a buck, this book is a bargain!
Favorite Quotations:
"These bodies were organized. They were hanging—on hangers—and in rows like suits. I had a sudden, vivid image of this man opening his closet every morning and pondering which body to wear."
" Life taught me how to survive, but death taught me living wasn’t all it was cracked up to be."
"For a man, there's nothing better to wake up to than the smell of bacon and coffee. Okay, maybe there was something else, but bacon was a close second."
"Besides, the craziest people I know are the ones who don't eat sugar."
"In the moment, I was just a girl. A girl who got beautiful flowers from a boy."
"Death feels like a very heavy burden now."
"That's the thing about death. It doesn't care about love. It doesn't care if you're not done living. It doesn't stop....It keeps coming until it claims everything a person has, until there's nothing left."
"I kissed her harder. I kissed her for the first time, the last time, and all the times in between."
I purchased a copy of this book. All opinions are my own and I was not compensated for my review.
Posted@ Rainy Day Ramblings.
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April 24, 2013I got a copy for review in exchange for an honest review.
When I first heard about this book I was really intrigued by the blurb and the awesome cover and I knew I had to read it. The concept is good, but I think the book could’ve been better. My main problem with this book is that it lacks feeling, whatever happened I couldn’t feel it and I didn’t care about what was going to happen.
I really liked the idea behind the story and even though the blurb was vague it did sound awesome. So as mentioned before I thought the story lacked feeling, I like it when reading a book I feel with the characters and care about what is happening. I like to know how the characters feel and what they think and there was just too less of that in this book. Most of the time I had no idea what they were feeling or why they were acting a certain way. This resulted in me not really caring about what happened to the characters. I did want to know how the story ended, because so many things happen that I wanted to know how it all will end and be resolved in one book.
I also think there is too less story, there are so many opportunities for it to be more; more before and more after and more during the story. There were so many times I was wondering things like why and how and I felt like these questions weren’t really answered. The ending was nice and surprised me, but it still fell a little bit flat for me.
The characters basically are characters I could like, but for some reason I didn’t. Piper is a really nice girl who does things for others and cares about them. Dex is a bad boy and soon you get a glimpse of his character that makes him likeable. I think there wasn’t enough insight in the characters thoughts and feelings and I couldn’t understand why they acted the way they did. Also many of their actions were a bit unbelievable and especially with the lack of inside thoughts. Also I didn’t feel the romance, I just didn’t get why these two characters fall in love, because I couldn’t connect with them or get an idea what and why they are feeling.
The thing I really missed in this book was world building. There are paranormal elements in this book, but there is almost no attention for this. I did like the idea of the story and world and I think it was interesting, which is why I wanted to know more about it. At the end of the book I didn’t know much more then I knew after the first few chapters. Even though from the blurb you get the idea it will be a paranormal book, the book really doesn’t focus on this. It is an important part of the story, but there is almost no world building. The basics are there, but not enough details to make it feel real.
To conclude: the concept behind Recalled is nice, but the story fell flat for me. I couldn’t connect with the characters and felt like it all lacked feeling and emotions, I just didn’t feel it. The characters act unbelievable sometimes and there is almost no world building.
When I first heard about this book I was really intrigued by the blurb and the awesome cover and I knew I had to read it. The concept is good, but I think the book could’ve been better. My main problem with this book is that it lacks feeling, whatever happened I couldn’t feel it and I didn’t care about what was going to happen.
I really liked the idea behind the story and even though the blurb was vague it did sound awesome. So as mentioned before I thought the story lacked feeling, I like it when reading a book I feel with the characters and care about what is happening. I like to know how the characters feel and what they think and there was just too less of that in this book. Most of the time I had no idea what they were feeling or why they were acting a certain way. This resulted in me not really caring about what happened to the characters. I did want to know how the story ended, because so many things happen that I wanted to know how it all will end and be resolved in one book.
I also think there is too less story, there are so many opportunities for it to be more; more before and more after and more during the story. There were so many times I was wondering things like why and how and I felt like these questions weren’t really answered. The ending was nice and surprised me, but it still fell a little bit flat for me.
The characters basically are characters I could like, but for some reason I didn’t. Piper is a really nice girl who does things for others and cares about them. Dex is a bad boy and soon you get a glimpse of his character that makes him likeable. I think there wasn’t enough insight in the characters thoughts and feelings and I couldn’t understand why they acted the way they did. Also many of their actions were a bit unbelievable and especially with the lack of inside thoughts. Also I didn’t feel the romance, I just didn’t get why these two characters fall in love, because I couldn’t connect with them or get an idea what and why they are feeling.
The thing I really missed in this book was world building. There are paranormal elements in this book, but there is almost no attention for this. I did like the idea of the story and world and I think it was interesting, which is why I wanted to know more about it. At the end of the book I didn’t know much more then I knew after the first few chapters. Even though from the blurb you get the idea it will be a paranormal book, the book really doesn’t focus on this. It is an important part of the story, but there is almost no world building. The basics are there, but not enough details to make it feel real.
To conclude: the concept behind Recalled is nice, but the story fell flat for me. I couldn’t connect with the characters and felt like it all lacked feeling and emotions, I just didn’t feel it. The characters act unbelievable sometimes and there is almost no world building.
February 19, 2013
GENRE: YA Paranormal
THEME: Death, Romance, Ghost
RECEIVED: Author
BLOG: http://seeingnight.blogspot.com/
REVIEW:
Oh man this story is a tearjerker but in a good way, it has a lot of sad bits that will really get you rooting for the lead character. Recalled is very original and will keep you guessing on what the lead will do next, and have the readers at the edge of their seats until the last page.
Recalled follows Dex, well that’s the name he is given by his new employer after he was recently killed. You see Dex was a young man who was living on the streets and one day saves a girl from being hit by a bus, thus taking her place. Dex is giving a chance at a new life and a job that he thought he’d be able to do…little did he know his target and the costs if he didn’t do his job right.
Dex is a complex character, the readers don’t know much about who he really is before he was killed but we get the jest. He had a tough life and I felt being given this second chance was something he deserved. But not the risks, I was rooting for something good to happen to him. He had made some bad decisions but he redeems himself a lot. I loved watching him change and understand that he has a choice in his actions. He becomes a lovable character, who in the end really just wants to live again.
Piper is a girl with the gift of visions; she can see things in the future. She doesn’t see Dex coming into her life. She is wary around him after she has a vision of the man who saved her when she touches him. Her life is pretty much turned upside down once she meets him and slowly discovers the undeniable chemistry between each other. I also liked the addition of her best friend who knows about her visions; she added humor to an intense and darker storyline.
Overall this story will pull at your heart, you’ll root for Dex and hope that he can find a way to get out of this mess his in. As well as hope that Piper will be the one to help him. I loved watching the characters fight the demons inside their heads and each moment together was sweet and romantic when they aren’t in a dangerous situation. My only issue was with Pipers decision to trust so easily and I can understand her curiosity but she really put herself in danger. My favorite tidbit was that the Grimm Ripper has escorts for those who die, but he’s more of a villain than anything. I’m very curious to see whom the next death escort is and what will happen next for Dex and Piper.
RECOMMENDATION:
This is a young adult novel that keeps on surprising you and be prepared for some emotional highs and lows. Fans of Brodi Ashtons Everneath series and Cythia Hands Unearthly series will enjoy Recalled by Cambria Hebert.
THEME: Death, Romance, Ghost
RECEIVED: Author
BLOG: http://seeingnight.blogspot.com/
REVIEW:
Oh man this story is a tearjerker but in a good way, it has a lot of sad bits that will really get you rooting for the lead character. Recalled is very original and will keep you guessing on what the lead will do next, and have the readers at the edge of their seats until the last page.
Recalled follows Dex, well that’s the name he is given by his new employer after he was recently killed. You see Dex was a young man who was living on the streets and one day saves a girl from being hit by a bus, thus taking her place. Dex is giving a chance at a new life and a job that he thought he’d be able to do…little did he know his target and the costs if he didn’t do his job right.
Dex is a complex character, the readers don’t know much about who he really is before he was killed but we get the jest. He had a tough life and I felt being given this second chance was something he deserved. But not the risks, I was rooting for something good to happen to him. He had made some bad decisions but he redeems himself a lot. I loved watching him change and understand that he has a choice in his actions. He becomes a lovable character, who in the end really just wants to live again.
Piper is a girl with the gift of visions; she can see things in the future. She doesn’t see Dex coming into her life. She is wary around him after she has a vision of the man who saved her when she touches him. Her life is pretty much turned upside down once she meets him and slowly discovers the undeniable chemistry between each other. I also liked the addition of her best friend who knows about her visions; she added humor to an intense and darker storyline.
Overall this story will pull at your heart, you’ll root for Dex and hope that he can find a way to get out of this mess his in. As well as hope that Piper will be the one to help him. I loved watching the characters fight the demons inside their heads and each moment together was sweet and romantic when they aren’t in a dangerous situation. My only issue was with Pipers decision to trust so easily and I can understand her curiosity but she really put herself in danger. My favorite tidbit was that the Grimm Ripper has escorts for those who die, but he’s more of a villain than anything. I’m very curious to see whom the next death escort is and what will happen next for Dex and Piper.
RECOMMENDATION:
This is a young adult novel that keeps on surprising you and be prepared for some emotional highs and lows. Fans of Brodi Ashtons Everneath series and Cythia Hands Unearthly series will enjoy Recalled by Cambria Hebert.
February 15, 2013
I’m going to hell. I’ve known this since I was ten years old. The year I murdered someone. Knowing my fate made it a lot easier to determine how I was going to live my life and what kind of person I was going to be. Since I wasn’t going to heaven, why bother living like it?
Wow!! Just wow!!! This seems to be a word that comes to mind quite often after I've finished a book written by Cambria Hebert. But in all honesty it does nothing to describe exactly how much I love her writing. If you've read her Heven and Hell series then you know that she writes amazing storylines that are filled with wonderful characters that you can't help but fall in love with. Well Recalled, book one in her new Death Escorts series is sure to be another winner for her.
That's the thing about death. It doesn't care about love. It doesn't care if you're not done living. It doesn't stop... it keeps coming until it claims everything a person has, until there's nothing left.
The book description is quite elusive in regards to the characters so I'm going to try my hardest not to give too much away. Recalled is told from the point of view of the two main characters, Dex and Piper. Dex has not had an easy life and his opinion of himself is not that great, but when faced with a situation that is life and death, he acts in the most selfless way possible. Despite everything that happens after that, that one act told me so much about him. Piper is a quiet, reserved girl. Her first brief encounter with Dex is impactful. And it sets the scene for everything that is to follow.
The romance in this book did not come instantly. It was something that grew over time throughout the story and there were times that I thought it may not happen at all. It was more of a gradual realisation of feelings. But it was so good watching it unfold.
I watched his jaw clench as I felt his fingers brush over my cheek and stroke downward. My eyes closed at the contact. So rarely did he touch me like this. God help me, I craved it.
The first chapter really pulled me in but what convinced me most to give this book a five star rating was the last twenty percent of the book. It was such a gripping part of the story. And that ending!!!! It really threw me. I can't stop thinking about how things will play out in book two. Hopefully the wait's not too long.
As I said earlier, Recalled is sure to be another winner for Cambria Hebert!! An awesome read!!!
5/5 Stars!!
Wow!! Just wow!!! This seems to be a word that comes to mind quite often after I've finished a book written by Cambria Hebert. But in all honesty it does nothing to describe exactly how much I love her writing. If you've read her Heven and Hell series then you know that she writes amazing storylines that are filled with wonderful characters that you can't help but fall in love with. Well Recalled, book one in her new Death Escorts series is sure to be another winner for her.
That's the thing about death. It doesn't care about love. It doesn't care if you're not done living. It doesn't stop... it keeps coming until it claims everything a person has, until there's nothing left.
The book description is quite elusive in regards to the characters so I'm going to try my hardest not to give too much away. Recalled is told from the point of view of the two main characters, Dex and Piper. Dex has not had an easy life and his opinion of himself is not that great, but when faced with a situation that is life and death, he acts in the most selfless way possible. Despite everything that happens after that, that one act told me so much about him. Piper is a quiet, reserved girl. Her first brief encounter with Dex is impactful. And it sets the scene for everything that is to follow.
The romance in this book did not come instantly. It was something that grew over time throughout the story and there were times that I thought it may not happen at all. It was more of a gradual realisation of feelings. But it was so good watching it unfold.
I watched his jaw clench as I felt his fingers brush over my cheek and stroke downward. My eyes closed at the contact. So rarely did he touch me like this. God help me, I craved it.
The first chapter really pulled me in but what convinced me most to give this book a five star rating was the last twenty percent of the book. It was such a gripping part of the story. And that ending!!!! It really threw me. I can't stop thinking about how things will play out in book two. Hopefully the wait's not too long.
As I said earlier, Recalled is sure to be another winner for Cambria Hebert!! An awesome read!!!
5/5 Stars!!
July 7, 2013
Originally posted at:
Nocturnal Predators Reviews
Favorite Quotes:
"Donut makers are up", she said, flipping the lid open on the box of a dozen donuts. "Therefore, the hour is decent".
"She has an appointment to get the broom she flies on serviced".
"When a woman has a needle in your head, you tel her whatever she asks(...)".
Nocturnal Predators Reviews
I had very high expectations from this novel since the beginning. I've heard so may people praising this story and the hero that I thought, I have to get a piece of the action too. I won't go as far and say that I hated the novel, but I didn't love it either. I'm stuck in neutral.
The only thing the ticked me off was the ending. If it had had a HAPPY ending I probably would have felt better finishing this story. I'm a sucker for happily-ever-afters, because the way I see it, if in my day-to-day life I'm not guaranteed a happy ending then all the characters I get to know when I read a book has to have one PERIOD.
I usually hate different POV's in book in general because it's usually boy and girl and I can never agree with what goes on in the guys' head, so I tend to get angry at the poor guy and totally miss the concept of the story. It was a great surprise that I actually liked what I was reading when I started getting in Dex's head. He didn't swear every 5 words and never once commented on a female body part (I thank you for that Mrs. Hebert). I found it kind of annoying that Dex couldn't make up his mind on killing her or not. One moment it's love and the next "no I HAVE to do this and that" and blah blah blah. Let's just say it got old fast.
I loved the butler. He came off as all knowing since the beginning and I always suspected that he was more involved in the turn of events, even though it never came up in the story.
Piper's chapters were really boring and didn't add any new information to the story as a whole. Personally I could have done without them and even more chapters of Dex. Even though I loved Frankie's few one-liners.
The only thing that I didn't get was the stone concept. It was really weird and I didn't understand the turn of events. I mean couldn't G.R. get another stone to represent that person, even after the initial stone was disposed of?
Favorite Quotes:
"Donut makers are up", she said, flipping the lid open on the box of a dozen donuts. "Therefore, the hour is decent".
"She has an appointment to get the broom she flies on serviced".
"When a woman has a needle in your head, you tel her whatever she asks(...)".
February 20, 2013
(This review was originally posted at My Library in the Making.)
Dex had been a homeless young man for years, doing whatever means necessary to survive - like he did the night he stole from Piper. But survival certainly wasn't in his head when, just moments after that, he pushed her out of the way of an oncoming bus and died for her. He expected to wake up in hell but instead came to in an office, in front of a man who offered him another shot at life - a better one, too - in exchange of killing. Dex accepted the job, and his first Target: Piper.
I really liked Dex. He was a no-nonsense guy, practical and realistic, so it didn't surprise me how easily he believed and understood the fact about Death Escorts. I also liked how, throughout the book, he was constantly torn between self-preservation and selflessness. His hard life didn't give him much chances to do any good so he thought himself incapable of it, but his hidden kindness shone through in a lot of moments during his 'second life'.
Piper, on the other hand, made me facepalm more times than I could've tolerated. I mean, asking for a ride from a guy she hadn't known for more than five minutes and whose name she didn't even know, and then spilling her heart out to him during the said car ride? And even though the book was told in both Dex and Piper's perspectives, I felt like her character fell flat. Another disappointing thing was how the book started and ended without any explanation for Piper's visions, but I guess we'll know more in the sequel.
I also wasn't convinced by their romance. It happened too fast and without much basis, especially because on Piper's part, I felt like it was just physical attraction mixed with gratitude. At least at first.
All that said, Recalled was nothing if not fast-paced. I adored some of the secondary characters as well, namely Frankie, Piper's BFF, and Storm and Charming, two other Escorts, because they added so much more color to the story. Overall, Recalled was a fast, fun read that couldn't have ended better.
MY FAVORITE PARTS were Dex teasing Charming :))
Dex had been a homeless young man for years, doing whatever means necessary to survive - like he did the night he stole from Piper. But survival certainly wasn't in his head when, just moments after that, he pushed her out of the way of an oncoming bus and died for her. He expected to wake up in hell but instead came to in an office, in front of a man who offered him another shot at life - a better one, too - in exchange of killing. Dex accepted the job, and his first Target: Piper.
I really liked Dex. He was a no-nonsense guy, practical and realistic, so it didn't surprise me how easily he believed and understood the fact about Death Escorts. I also liked how, throughout the book, he was constantly torn between self-preservation and selflessness. His hard life didn't give him much chances to do any good so he thought himself incapable of it, but his hidden kindness shone through in a lot of moments during his 'second life'.
Piper, on the other hand, made me facepalm more times than I could've tolerated. I mean, asking for a ride from a guy she hadn't known for more than five minutes and whose name she didn't even know, and then spilling her heart out to him during the said car ride? And even though the book was told in both Dex and Piper's perspectives, I felt like her character fell flat. Another disappointing thing was how the book started and ended without any explanation for Piper's visions, but I guess we'll know more in the sequel.
I also wasn't convinced by their romance. It happened too fast and without much basis, especially because on Piper's part, I felt like it was just physical attraction mixed with gratitude. At least at first.
All that said, Recalled was nothing if not fast-paced. I adored some of the secondary characters as well, namely Frankie, Piper's BFF, and Storm and Charming, two other Escorts, because they added so much more color to the story. Overall, Recalled was a fast, fun read that couldn't have ended better.
MY FAVORITE PARTS were Dex teasing Charming :))
January 17, 2013
I am super excited and honored to have had the opportunity to read and review Cambria Heberts new book Recalled. This book is like none other that I have read in the past its not based around vampires or werewolves or any other common creature you would think of. Instead she incorporated someone that has always been in the back of everyone's mind at one point or another. Mr. Grim Reaper himself and his minions, well in this case his Escorts of death. I have read about black angels and hell hounds but never about G.R. directly who in the book Cambria wrote him to look like Mr. Burns from the Simpsons this made me laugh while reading and gave me quite a visual impression of this man that kept bodies in his office closet (That I will leave you to read more about). Anyways Dex is a street kid who has nothing and already convinced himself he was going to hell some day. He fought when he needed to stole when he was hungry and slept wherever he could get out of the wind. Being in Alaska left Dex cold more often then not and when the opportunity arose to make a deal that would change his life he hardly thought twice about it. Piper is a girl who works hard to make dollars but in the end is left to live on dimes. She studies hard to reach her dreams to help people some day. And somehow when their paths crossed one night Dexs actions changed their lives forever. One may never think of when their time may expire or why. But have you ever thought of where you were going to end up or if you are unselfish enough to help another thus sealing your fate forever knowing it will be most undesirable......
This book kept me turning pages all night! Such a great read of something that is not overdone and played out. Cambria is an amazing author and if for some reason this book does not sound like your cup of tea, I won't call you crazy haha but I would encourage you to pick up any of her other books. She never ceases to amaze me.
This book kept me turning pages all night! Such a great read of something that is not overdone and played out. Cambria is an amazing author and if for some reason this book does not sound like your cup of tea, I won't call you crazy haha but I would encourage you to pick up any of her other books. She never ceases to amaze me.
May 15, 2013
I haven't read any story about Death Escorts or Grim reaper before. The synopsis is really intriguing and made me pick up the book right away.
Dexter and Piper meet in a dark street. He saves her that night from an accident and dies in the process. He meets a dealer who gives him a choice between hell or a life of service to death. He chooses to be a "death escort" but the irony is that if wants this life he has to kill and his first target is Piper.
I could understand why Dex chose to be a death Escort. It was better than going to hell and he had a tough life, he deserves a little slack. He lived on the street and fought to survive everyday. What I didn't understand is why he had to go to hell in the first place. I mean he killed his mom's abusive boyfriend and that to me is not something he should be punished for. It was self defense, right?
I liked Dex. He was too hard on himself. I think he was a much better person that he gave himself credit for. He died to save a complete stranger What else can you ask of a guy?
Life and death both gave him crappy choices and I don't blame him for anything.
I didn't understand Piper. She is like-able but I just couldn't connect with her. If I saw a vision of my best friend dying I would probably want to stay by her side and would certainly not be going on a vacation with some guy, that I have just met. It made no sense to me. The romance was not believable. It seemed forced and was done only because it was necessary for the plot.
I like the idea behind the novel. It's a fun, fast read. It's entertaining and manages to keep you hooked. Nothing more, nothing less.
Dexter and Piper meet in a dark street. He saves her that night from an accident and dies in the process. He meets a dealer who gives him a choice between hell or a life of service to death. He chooses to be a "death escort" but the irony is that if wants this life he has to kill and his first target is Piper.
I could understand why Dex chose to be a death Escort. It was better than going to hell and he had a tough life, he deserves a little slack. He lived on the street and fought to survive everyday. What I didn't understand is why he had to go to hell in the first place. I mean he killed his mom's abusive boyfriend and that to me is not something he should be punished for. It was self defense, right?
I liked Dex. He was too hard on himself. I think he was a much better person that he gave himself credit for. He died to save a complete stranger What else can you ask of a guy?
Life and death both gave him crappy choices and I don't blame him for anything.
I didn't understand Piper. She is like-able but I just couldn't connect with her. If I saw a vision of my best friend dying I would probably want to stay by her side and would certainly not be going on a vacation with some guy, that I have just met. It made no sense to me. The romance was not believable. It seemed forced and was done only because it was necessary for the plot.
I like the idea behind the novel. It's a fun, fast read. It's entertaining and manages to keep you hooked. Nothing more, nothing less.
September 11, 2013
He knew that he was going to hell since he was 10. Murdering a person definitely wouldn’t look good on his life application. But when an unexpected turns of events happens and he dies, he is faced with a decision of life and death with no other but the Grim Reaper.
Agreeing on working for G. R., Dex will have everything. Money, power, and eternity to live. All he needs to do is take someone’s life. But when he meets his Target, he doesn’t know if he can do it. Piper is beautiful, smart, and she is the first person who actually cares about him. Now he would have to decide if saving her would be worth being Recalled.
Recalled has been a very interesting and fast-paced read. I thought that all the “incidents” were too close apart and there were just too many of them. But I loved Dex and the way his thoughts worked. With Piper it was a little different. Her character made me wince sometimes and I just wished that I wouldn’t even listen to her thoughts. But with me being a girl as well, I can understand where she is coming from.
I am definitely looking forward to read the second book in this series “Charmed” which was recently published and has gained a lot of buzz around it.
Agreeing on working for G. R., Dex will have everything. Money, power, and eternity to live. All he needs to do is take someone’s life. But when he meets his Target, he doesn’t know if he can do it. Piper is beautiful, smart, and she is the first person who actually cares about him. Now he would have to decide if saving her would be worth being Recalled.
”I’d done a lot of crappy things in my life, but lying here in this bed felt like the worst. I didn’t deserve her trust, yet I had it. I wasn’t fit to breathe the same air as her.”
Recalled has been a very interesting and fast-paced read. I thought that all the “incidents” were too close apart and there were just too many of them. But I loved Dex and the way his thoughts worked. With Piper it was a little different. Her character made me wince sometimes and I just wished that I wouldn’t even listen to her thoughts. But with me being a girl as well, I can understand where she is coming from.
I am definitely looking forward to read the second book in this series “Charmed” which was recently published and has gained a lot of buzz around it.
June 12, 2013
Recalled is the story of Dex and Piper. A young man who is homeless, cold and hungry marks a young waitress as his next victim. Successfully relieving her of her tips he walks away feeling rather satisfied with himself. But fate has different plans for the pair and, before he can think, he is stepping into the path of a bus to save his victims life… But the Grim Reaper isn't going to give either of them up that easily…
I really liked this story. The split perspectives of Dex and Piper unveil the dilemmas each character faces and the unusual relationship blossoming between them. I particularly enjoyed Dex’s inner struggle between doing what he thinks he must and what he knows is right. Dex is so sure that he is damned and worthless that he doesn't recognise the goodness in the sacrifices he so willingly makes for others.
Piper too has her secrets and despite being one of the most rubber characters I have ever known, (she bounces back from almost everything thrown at her) she seems to have a target painted on her back. Her tenacity and determination to get to the root of the mystery that is Dex almost destroys her and Dex too!
The story read well, the characters were interesting and the telling was witty, tense and heartfelt. A tale worth telling and a book worth reading!
*I received a copy of this book in return for an honest review.*
I really liked this story. The split perspectives of Dex and Piper unveil the dilemmas each character faces and the unusual relationship blossoming between them. I particularly enjoyed Dex’s inner struggle between doing what he thinks he must and what he knows is right. Dex is so sure that he is damned and worthless that he doesn't recognise the goodness in the sacrifices he so willingly makes for others.
Piper too has her secrets and despite being one of the most rubber characters I have ever known, (she bounces back from almost everything thrown at her) she seems to have a target painted on her back. Her tenacity and determination to get to the root of the mystery that is Dex almost destroys her and Dex too!
The story read well, the characters were interesting and the telling was witty, tense and heartfelt. A tale worth telling and a book worth reading!
*I received a copy of this book in return for an honest review.*
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