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booksandpops4000's review
4.0
I was impressed by this novel. It was a really cool ghost story. I thought that the world was so well crafted and it was a nice self contained story so it is a stand alone. I love the mythology that we were introduced to. I really did love both main characters but especially allie. It was a really quick read but it was a very creepy read. It is prefect fall read I would say. It had elements of witch craft as well that i liked. I wish that the Alie friends and dad had a more of role in the story and not just Cory. I felt like i wanted to know more about those characters and did not get the chance. I overall enjoyed the story. I just wish allie life was balanced and not not focused on her Cory. If you are looking for a fun stand alone ghost story that will keep you engaged and up your creep factor check it out!
thehobbitkhaleesi's review
5.0
I WAS UP UNTIL 1AM FINISHING THIS BOOK AND IT MADE ME CRY. IT IS THAT GOOD. ❤️😍😭❤️ READ THIS BOOK, PEOPLE!!!
endlessmidnight's review
2.0
I just found this a little strange. The beginning was rather intriguing, about the grave digging and the voice hearing. But eventually it descended into nothing more than just boredom.
Allie was okay initially, I understood her need to want to speak to her mother and everything. But she became rather boring as time went, and naturally a romance developed between her and Cody. Which I thought was rather okay, although boring.
I just felt a sense of disappointment that Allie never tried to test her boundaries, or was really put into situations which really tested her, which really made me care for her. There just wasn’t there in this book.
And well, you can say that there is where that I stopped enjoyed this book from the intriguing beginning.
Allie was okay initially, I understood her need to want to speak to her mother and everything. But she became rather boring as time went, and naturally a romance developed between her and Cody. Which I thought was rather okay, although boring.
I just felt a sense of disappointment that Allie never tried to test her boundaries, or was really put into situations which really tested her, which really made me care for her. There just wasn’t there in this book.
And well, you can say that there is where that I stopped enjoyed this book from the intriguing beginning.
ania_star's review
4.0
Received from NetGalley
Allie and friends go witching on the cemetery, on a dare. For Allie is more than that, she start to hear and see the ghost.
She is sweet girl, living with her father and her dog. Her mother died few months ago and she is still mourning her death. One night she wakes up by the sound of basketball. A boy moved next door and is playing in the middle of the night. She joins him and they form a friendship. His name is Cody, he moved from Montana, and has a part too.
He will become her guarding, protecting her from the ghost she summoned.
I really like the ghost part, I love paranormal and this was interesting take on it. The romance was nice too, developing slowly over time. I just wish there was more paranormal, more ghosts and summoning.
Allie and friends go witching on the cemetery, on a dare. For Allie is more than that, she start to hear and see the ghost.
She is sweet girl, living with her father and her dog. Her mother died few months ago and she is still mourning her death. One night she wakes up by the sound of basketball. A boy moved next door and is playing in the middle of the night. She joins him and they form a friendship. His name is Cody, he moved from Montana, and has a part too.
He will become her guarding, protecting her from the ghost she summoned.
I really like the ghost part, I love paranormal and this was interesting take on it. The romance was nice too, developing slowly over time. I just wish there was more paranormal, more ghosts and summoning.
heatherhy01's review
5.0
I have been on the lookout for a great paranormal read that would suck me in and not let me go. I have found that in this book!
The story intrigued me and it was so unique to the genre that I couldn't help but be mesmerized by it. I adored the characters and all of their flaws and loved what the author did with the male character in particular. And how he was introduced with the special part he played in the story line.
This book is one part paranormal, one part mystery and a lot of parts romance. It is the perfect mix of YA romance, nothing too racy but innocent and sweet. Perfect for a younger YA reader!
The ending was perfect but I was not ready to let these characters go! I can only hope that this might be the making of a series...one that I would definitely continue with as I feel that these characters were just getting started in their journey.
The story intrigued me and it was so unique to the genre that I couldn't help but be mesmerized by it. I adored the characters and all of their flaws and loved what the author did with the male character in particular. And how he was introduced with the special part he played in the story line.
This book is one part paranormal, one part mystery and a lot of parts romance. It is the perfect mix of YA romance, nothing too racy but innocent and sweet. Perfect for a younger YA reader!
The ending was perfect but I was not ready to let these characters go! I can only hope that this might be the making of a series...one that I would definitely continue with as I feel that these characters were just getting started in their journey.
hauntedbybooks's review
4.0
I was looking forward to reading this book and I was not disappointed! I loved this book! I thought it was a really unique, especially for a horror novel. By that I mean there was a lot of romance in it too, which I really liked. And it covered the grief process as well. I also loved the characters! Allie and Cody were my favorites! This book also had a very eerie feel throughout, as a horror novel should.Overall I really enjoyed Summoner and I really think you should read this book!
melissayabookshelf's review
I didn't have any reading time on Saturday and barely any time on Friday, when I first picked this up, so when I actually got into it yesterday, I couldn't put it down. It's definitely the kind of creepy book I would've loved as a teenager, but at the same time, it has something more than the typical horror novel.
At it's core, it's a story about loss, love, grief, and learning how to move on to live a life without fear. Allie's mother died six months before the story begins, and she's just getting back to herself. She wakes up in the middle of the night when her hot, new neighbor, Cody, is playing basketball next door. She's the MVP on her high school team, so she goes out to challenge him, and doesn't take it easy on him when she realizes that he only has one hand. Instead, she treats him like anyone else she could've run into and suggests he try out for the men's varsity basketball team. He has some secrets, but nevertheless, he's a cute, cowboy type that readers are going to fall for. Seriously.
That said, there are some very creepy aspects...often that take place in a cemetery as a group of teens dare one another to try witching, a means of using dowsing rods to find bodies, rather than water. Unfortunately for Allie, she summons a spirit who seems to want to help her connect with her mother once again, but might have evil intentions.
Highly recommended for fans of Anna Dressed in Blood by Kendare Blake, The Diviners by Libba Bray, teen or young at heart readers of YA who once played with ouija or tarot cards, or watched scary movies about someone who summons the dead, but at the same time, want something more than a predictable ghost story.
At it's core, it's a story about loss, love, grief, and learning how to move on to live a life without fear. Allie's mother died six months before the story begins, and she's just getting back to herself. She wakes up in the middle of the night when her hot, new neighbor, Cody, is playing basketball next door. She's the MVP on her high school team, so she goes out to challenge him, and doesn't take it easy on him when she realizes that he only has one hand. Instead, she treats him like anyone else she could've run into and suggests he try out for the men's varsity basketball team. He has some secrets, but nevertheless, he's a cute, cowboy type that readers are going to fall for. Seriously.
That said, there are some very creepy aspects...often that take place in a cemetery as a group of teens dare one another to try witching, a means of using dowsing rods to find bodies, rather than water. Unfortunately for Allie, she summons a spirit who seems to want to help her connect with her mother once again, but might have evil intentions.
Highly recommended for fans of Anna Dressed in Blood by Kendare Blake, The Diviners by Libba Bray, teen or young at heart readers of YA who once played with ouija or tarot cards, or watched scary movies about someone who summons the dead, but at the same time, want something more than a predictable ghost story.
sarathebibliophagist's review
4.0
After her mother’s death six months ago, Allie Billings pushed everyone away. Finally, one night, she decides to reconnect with her friends, and, on a dare, heads into a cemetery for a night of witching. Allie doesn’t think that anything will come of it, doesn’t even believe that witching is a real thing, but she soon finds herself haunted by a vengeful ghost who has bonded to her.
Allie’s only hope of protection comes in the form of Cody Burkhardt, her cute new neighbor with a tragic past of his own. Cody becomes Allie’s guardian, the one person who can protect her from the evil spirits that wish to harm her. As the full moon draws nearer and the ghost’s power increases, it becomes more and more obvious that this spirit isn’t going down without a fight.
If you’re following my blog, you probably saw my post a couple weeks back that I’d been approved for a boatload of ARCs. What happened was an email from Entangled Teen offering “highly-anticipated contemporary, sci-fi, and paranormal fall ARC’s available... now!” I read the plot summaries and opened the request form, and thinking I’d maybe be approved for one if I was lucky, requested them all. Well, I was approved for every last one. I’m reading in order of release date, so Summoner came first. I picked it up on a lazy Sunday afternoon and finished it Sunday evening. I couldn’t put it down because I just had to know what happened next!
I know that the ghosts are the main focus of this book and Katerina totally freaked me out, but can we talk about the romance for a second? I think that the slow burn almost actually killed me. The anticipation of Allie and Cody’s relationship, just waiting for one of them to make the first move -- ugh, it’s one of my favorite things about YA romances. It was so well done here.
The writing was fast-paced with just enough swoony bits in between the action. I loved both Allie and Cody and rooted for them both individually and as a couple. As for the actual paranormal plot, it’s been a really long time since I read paranormal YA on any kind of regular basis, so I wasn’t really expecting the twists. (If you’re someone who reads a lot of paranormal YA, you might not be as surprised.)
All in all, Summoner was just really well done. This was my first book by S.D. Grimm, but it will not be my last. I’ll definitely be keeping an eye out for more of her work.
I received a free copy of Summoner from Entangled Teen in exchange for my honest review.
Allie’s only hope of protection comes in the form of Cody Burkhardt, her cute new neighbor with a tragic past of his own. Cody becomes Allie’s guardian, the one person who can protect her from the evil spirits that wish to harm her. As the full moon draws nearer and the ghost’s power increases, it becomes more and more obvious that this spirit isn’t going down without a fight.
If you’re following my blog, you probably saw my post a couple weeks back that I’d been approved for a boatload of ARCs. What happened was an email from Entangled Teen offering “highly-anticipated contemporary, sci-fi, and paranormal fall ARC’s available... now!” I read the plot summaries and opened the request form, and thinking I’d maybe be approved for one if I was lucky, requested them all. Well, I was approved for every last one. I’m reading in order of release date, so Summoner came first. I picked it up on a lazy Sunday afternoon and finished it Sunday evening. I couldn’t put it down because I just had to know what happened next!
I know that the ghosts are the main focus of this book and Katerina totally freaked me out, but can we talk about the romance for a second? I think that the slow burn almost actually killed me. The anticipation of Allie and Cody’s relationship, just waiting for one of them to make the first move -- ugh, it’s one of my favorite things about YA romances. It was so well done here.
The writing was fast-paced with just enough swoony bits in between the action. I loved both Allie and Cody and rooted for them both individually and as a couple. As for the actual paranormal plot, it’s been a really long time since I read paranormal YA on any kind of regular basis, so I wasn’t really expecting the twists. (If you’re someone who reads a lot of paranormal YA, you might not be as surprised.)
All in all, Summoner was just really well done. This was my first book by S.D. Grimm, but it will not be my last. I’ll definitely be keeping an eye out for more of her work.
I received a free copy of Summoner from Entangled Teen in exchange for my honest review.
ravensandlace's review
4.0
A special thank you goes out to Entangled Teen for allowing me to read this book! All thoughts and opinions are my own.
4.5 stars
Another book that has ripped my heart into shreds. I'm not sure how much more my heart can take these types of books. But damn, if they are addicting.
I think what is one of the best things about this book is it isn't just about the paranormal. It's about healing and the grief process and trying to get over survivor's guilt. I think because this book had those factors, it made it much more powerful. I kept thinking about well this book showed the grief process and how guilt can eat at people who survive.
Allie was a good character. She readily admitted her flaws, which is something I always admire in a character. She was clearly still grieving and still healing from her mom's death but she was slowly coming out of her grief, with the help of her friends and Cody. S.D Grimm shows the ugly side of grief, which is pushing your friends away and withdrawing. Allie also had really good character growth, which is always something I like.
Cody was such a broken character, it made my heart hurt. He carries so much grief and guilt, it was almost unbearable. Plus, I got to give S.D Grimm props for a disabled character. Cody is missing a hand and has scars. Now, I'm not disabled and I can't speak for the disabled community. But I do feel that S.D Grimm represented the feelings that Cody goes through missing his hand. And how others react around him. He had a lot of character growth as well.
I think what I really liked best, besides what I mentioned above, is that this a romance where both characters benefit each other and help each other positively. There is not obession or Cody being some sort of dominant alpha male. Allie isn't a b-word and she respects Cody's wishes and vice versa. It was a very healthy relationship and I can dig that.
Overall, I am impressed. This was a real solid piece of work and I'm glad I was given the opportunity to read it. It wasn't what I thought it was going to be but in the end, I'm glad it wasn't. I much preferred what I got instead of what I thought I was going to. I highly suggest that everyone check this book out!
4.5 stars
Another book that has ripped my heart into shreds. I'm not sure how much more my heart can take these types of books. But damn, if they are addicting.
I think what is one of the best things about this book is it isn't just about the paranormal. It's about healing and the grief process and trying to get over survivor's guilt. I think because this book had those factors, it made it much more powerful. I kept thinking about well this book showed the grief process and how guilt can eat at people who survive.
Allie was a good character. She readily admitted her flaws, which is something I always admire in a character. She was clearly still grieving and still healing from her mom's death but she was slowly coming out of her grief, with the help of her friends and Cody. S.D Grimm shows the ugly side of grief, which is pushing your friends away and withdrawing. Allie also had really good character growth, which is always something I like.
Cody was such a broken character, it made my heart hurt. He carries so much grief and guilt, it was almost unbearable. Plus, I got to give S.D Grimm props for a disabled character. Cody is missing a hand and has scars. Now, I'm not disabled and I can't speak for the disabled community. But I do feel that S.D Grimm represented the feelings that Cody goes through missing his hand. And how others react around him. He had a lot of character growth as well.
I think what I really liked best, besides what I mentioned above, is that this a romance where both characters benefit each other and help each other positively. There is not obession or Cody being some sort of dominant alpha male. Allie isn't a b-word and she respects Cody's wishes and vice versa. It was a very healthy relationship and I can dig that.
Overall, I am impressed. This was a real solid piece of work and I'm glad I was given the opportunity to read it. It wasn't what I thought it was going to be but in the end, I'm glad it wasn't. I much preferred what I got instead of what I thought I was going to. I highly suggest that everyone check this book out!
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