Reviews

Luminous by Abby Kingston

readitwithred's review

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4.0

This book has a very slow build up, with little hints and moments to get you thinking and it seems like nothing is really happening.

I'll be honest, it was a three star until the last twenty pages, when I realised all the slow set up was to get us ready for a looming battle.

This book has perfectly set up for a great book 2, which I hope will be filled with more action and adventure as it pushes the story on.

This book also makes me want to jump on a plane to Australia, the way the author describes the scenery is beautiful even amongst all the crazy of the story.

All I am going to say is Abby... That last line will keep me up at night until book 2!

corinna_fourhousesreview's review

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adventurous dark mysterious tense medium-paced

3.75

siennabea's review

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dark mysterious medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? It's complicated
  • Loveable characters? It's complicated
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

2.75

I did like this book. I just felt like it was quite repetitive. I also felt like the main character ( Evie) was just a little too ignorant and naive , as in even when she learned of the dangers of the world, she would completely igonore the warnings and do something that is a bad idea anyway, because she wanted to prove she is indepenadnt. It was just quite frustrating to read. Overall it was ok, just a little bit too guessable at times.

Thank you for reading my review 😊.

allielovestoread's review

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adventurous funny sad tense fast-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? No
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? No

4.5

emilythejoyfulnomad's review

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adventurous dark emotional mysterious tense medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Plot
  • Strong character development? It's complicated
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

5.0

I loved how unique this story was, especially the setting. Very familiar but completely its own story. Any supernatural book lovers will enjoy this. 

bandysbooks's review

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adventurous emotional lighthearted mysterious reflective medium-paced

4.0

Everheart Dean has recently moved from Alaska to Australia. In her new town, she meets several mysterious strangers and life is initially good. When dark things start happening, Everheart starts questioning everything. 

This book was a joy to read. There is so much going on and Kingston does a lovely job tying everything together. It moves at a decent pace and I found myself at the edge of my seat to see what happened next.

I look forward to reading the next installment! 

fromthebookshelfofdreams's review

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4.0

Captivating, mysterious, and a whirlwind of emotions.

This debut novel from Abby Kingston is book one in the Everheart Dean Series, and all I have to say upon finishing is I need to get my hands on book two as soon as possible!

Moving to a strange new place for our main character Evie is nothing unusual, but the sense of something ‘other’ about this town is something she just can’t seem to shake.

With six mysterious (and delicious if I say so myself) men bursting into her life, Evie has no choice but to face the harsh reality that her life isn’t going to be as ordinary as she had once hoped for. Goodbye college dreams, and hello save the world time.

I really enjoyed this read. Kingston has created a curious story that is filled to the brim with captivating characters. Her world building was excellent, just enough information provided without being an overload, and the overall pacing of the story was perfect. The romance factor was exactly how I like my YA romance to be presented. Excellent tension and banter between love interests.

I can’t wait for the next book!

kristinesbookworld's review

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4.0

The story is about Everheart Dean who is forced to move to Turquoise Cove in Australia with her father. A heatwave drags her into the ocean for a cool down and she's pulled away from shore by the strong currents. She’s rescued by one of the lifeguards, Sam and he introduces her to his friends, all hot lifeguards. They invite her to their home, give her gifts and teach her about the rip currents that nearly drowned her. But it’s almost like they’re being too friendly, especially when they hardly know her. She begins to understand there’s more to this than they’re saying. But no one will tell her what’s going on. Not even Sam who she’s falling for. What are the secrets they’re keeping? And can she trust someone who’s not being honest?

Right from the start I was intrigued by the mystery of finding out what was going on with Evie. Who was the man in her nightmares? What was it about her that made her special? And why were the boys being so kind to her? The boys being five hot lifeguards all hellbent on doing everything in their power to keep her happy and protected. Even cooking and stocking her closet. Thanks Seth!

In addition to the intriguing plot, the author writes really well and I found myself dragged along wishing I was in Turquoise cove with the warmer weather, going for a swim to cool down. Evie as a character was well developed and I loved that some of the things we learn about her and her father in the beginning becomes important later on. When it comes to character traits, I am not the biggest fan of females with low self-esteem. However, I also believe that is part of being a teenager and Evie sort of outgrew it a bit throughout the book. Sam’s character was very interesting and I hope to learn more about his past in the next book in the series. I struggled a bit to set the other boys apart, but I think they will grow a lot as characters in the next book.

I was happily surprised by this book and could hardly put it down. It had just the right mix of mystery and the supernatural without coming across as too similar to anything I’ve read previously. I want to tell you more but I don't want to spoil the mystery. Instead, you should check out this book yourself! If you are a fan of the Hush, Hush series, The Divisa series or the Fallen series, this is perfect for you.

I was gifted this book in exchange for an honest review
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