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kayleighroy17's review against another edition
5.0
If you like a good paranormal YA featuring strong family bonds, and in a sense, found family bonds? This is the story for you. In a society where werewolves are trying to be integrated back into human society through a government run program, Val and Lyla Blackwood are considered two of the most dangerous in the program. Can they assimilate and remain together? Or is there more to the program than meets the eye?
The character relationships in this novel are wonderful and the pacing keeps the story moving. You will definitely adore not just the sisters, but also the friends they make along the way.
The character relationships in this novel are wonderful and the pacing keeps the story moving. You will definitely adore not just the sisters, but also the friends they make along the way.
joannethefairy's review against another edition
2.0
LOVE the cover, too bad the inside didn’t live up to it. This author has promise and some of her writing eg descriptions of the kidnap site is superb. Other times… not so much. Lots of things needed fleshed out and/or explained. The biggest annoyance for me was the title of the book - The Phased. It is an in-universe rebel group of weres that was against the drugging/taming that society has going. So with that being the title I was expecting a rebellion plot line to appear? Or even just some explanation of what happened to the group. Did they all get captured? Killed? Assimilated? It kind of read like an early draft with all the beats set but not fleshed out or edited to make sure it flowed. It was also much more YA than I expected.
matte4's review against another edition
5.0
4.5 stars (rounded up to 5)
If I had to condense this review to two words, I think they'd be: "wonderfully readable." I thoroughly enjoyed the few short days I spent reading this book. The plot of the story was carefully revealed a little bit at a time and in a way that kept me engaged and wanting to find out what happened next. However, wanting to see where the story took me is only part of why I chose "readable" as a descriptor. The other reason was the character development. The feelings and motivations of the characters leapt off the page, especially for the protagonists.
There is also a very tangible intensity to this story. The protagonists suffer in profound ways and I was left with a mist in my eyes on a couple of occasions that I can't attribute to allergies. But even though the suffering was hard to read about, it's also what propelled me to keep reading. I was compelled by a desire for retribution that kept the story moving forward beyond the development of the plot itself. The end of this story is satisfying by itself and can be read as a standalone, but I really hope we see future installments in this world!
If I had to condense this review to two words, I think they'd be: "wonderfully readable." I thoroughly enjoyed the few short days I spent reading this book. The plot of the story was carefully revealed a little bit at a time and in a way that kept me engaged and wanting to find out what happened next. However, wanting to see where the story took me is only part of why I chose "readable" as a descriptor. The other reason was the character development. The feelings and motivations of the characters leapt off the page, especially for the protagonists.
There is also a very tangible intensity to this story. The protagonists suffer in profound ways and I was left with a mist in my eyes on a couple of occasions that I can't attribute to allergies. But even though the suffering was hard to read about, it's also what propelled me to keep reading. I was compelled by a desire for retribution that kept the story moving forward beyond the development of the plot itself. The end of this story is satisfying by itself and can be read as a standalone, but I really hope we see future installments in this world!
groofay's review against another edition
dark
emotional
medium-paced
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
npscott's review
emotional
funny
hopeful
mysterious
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
So, I am not the true audience for this novel but that being said I did enjoy this book and its concept.
This is a young adult werewolves story with a young romance or two. We are following a pair of siblings of "truebloods" who are undergoing state funded and back domestication program. We start this story as they attempt their final trial to allow them into the local school to start the assimilation back into society. The story involves their ups and downs in this process and with the mysterious organization that is heading up this program.
Overall, the prose was easy to read, the pace was adaptable to the plot of the story, and even though the world is small in nature there is a good bit of worldbuilding.
I am looking forward to reading more of Tecken's work in the future.
This is a young adult werewolves story with a young romance or two. We are following a pair of siblings of "truebloods" who are undergoing state funded and back domestication program. We start this story as they attempt their final trial to allow them into the local school to start the assimilation back into society. The story involves their ups and downs in this process and with the mysterious organization that is heading up this program.
Overall, the prose was easy to read, the pace was adaptable to the plot of the story, and even though the world is small in nature there is a good bit of worldbuilding.
I am looking forward to reading more of Tecken's work in the future.
andrewdmth's review against another edition
5.0
Haven’t we all asked for novel about the Hogwarts Marauders? Victoria Tecken has inadvertantly done just that. In Phased we are quickly dropped in a highschool of various “levels” of Weres (fans of Netflix’s Wednesday will be at home) and we’re given the lay of the land—always with the looming sense dread that is the DOA, which has long had our main protagonists under intensive training and experimentation, ala Stranger Things’ Hawking National Lab.
While I don’t normally read YA, I’m not Unfamiliar with it. Smallville, The second half of the Harry Potter series, Hunger Fames. What Phased has over all of these is a richer cast of non-melodramatic characters. Teens they may be, but the drama never passed an awkward cringe point—they were relatable, and their core purposes were never lost nor confusing.
I think Phased is just the beginning and I look forward to seeing it joined by more books in the series, providing some great new options for readers.
To summarize, if you’re looking for a book that hits the cross point in a Venn Diagram of Wednesday, Stranger Things, and the Hogwarts Marauders, Phased by Victoria Tecken needs to be your next read.
4.6/5
While I don’t normally read YA, I’m not Unfamiliar with it. Smallville, The second half of the Harry Potter series, Hunger Fames. What Phased has over all of these is a richer cast of non-melodramatic characters. Teens they may be, but the drama never passed an awkward cringe point—they were relatable, and their core purposes were never lost nor confusing.
I think Phased is just the beginning and I look forward to seeing it joined by more books in the series, providing some great new options for readers.
To summarize, if you’re looking for a book that hits the cross point in a Venn Diagram of Wednesday, Stranger Things, and the Hogwarts Marauders, Phased by Victoria Tecken needs to be your next read.
4.6/5
theliteraryapothecary's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
hopeful
reflective
sad
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
5.0
I loved everything about this book and would not change a single thing (You hear that Tori! Don't change it!) This book found me at just the right time. I was in the middle of reading a whole bunch of fantasy books that were all to an extent at war with male soldier type characters, and they were all starting to blend into one another. Then Phased came along and pushed them all to the side and said get ready for something completely different - and boy was I ready!
CAWPILE score - 9.0 (which gives it 5 stars status)
Characters - 10: I love them ALL! The characters felt so real and gritty and believable. There were times that I had to remind myself that these are fictional characters and some of them even werewolves. Even the "villains" were believable and terrifying in their own rights.
Atmosphere - 9: The atmosphere and setting were just right for the story. It gave homy vibes when it should, tense feelings in tense situations. It all fit with the story.
Writing Style - 9: I did not want to stop reading this book, which is a huge testament to Tecken's writing. During a time when I'm DNFing more books than normal, this was one that I kind of didn't want to end.
Plot - 8.5: Plot was both slightly predictable in the sense that I had a feeling things were going to happen, however I had no idea how they'd happen and when - so many twists and turns it kept me on the edge of my seat and reading.
Intrigue - 8: There was a ton of intrigue in terms of characters, who can we trust, who can't we trust? And also in terms of what's happening in the story. So many twists and turns, and starting early in the book, that I never knew what was going to happen next.
Logic - 8.5: Everything made sense with the story and the characters.
Enjoyment - 10: Thoroughly enjoyed this book and can't wait for the 2nd part of this (now) duology!
Total - 63/7 = 9.0/5 star.
CAWPILE score - 9.0 (which gives it 5 stars status)
Characters - 10: I love them ALL! The characters felt so real and gritty and believable. There were times that I had to remind myself that these are fictional characters and some of them even werewolves. Even the "villains" were believable and terrifying in their own rights.
Atmosphere - 9: The atmosphere and setting were just right for the story. It gave homy vibes when it should, tense feelings in tense situations. It all fit with the story.
Writing Style - 9: I did not want to stop reading this book, which is a huge testament to Tecken's writing. During a time when I'm DNFing more books than normal, this was one that I kind of didn't want to end.
Plot - 8.5: Plot was both slightly predictable in the sense that I had a feeling things were going to happen, however I had no idea how they'd happen and when - so many twists and turns it kept me on the edge of my seat and reading.
Intrigue - 8: There was a ton of intrigue in terms of characters, who can we trust, who can't we trust? And also in terms of what's happening in the story. So many twists and turns, and starting early in the book, that I never knew what was going to happen next.
Logic - 8.5: Everything made sense with the story and the characters.
Enjoyment - 10: Thoroughly enjoyed this book and can't wait for the 2nd part of this (now) duology!
Total - 63/7 = 9.0/5 star.
jennthebookwyrm's review
adventurous
dark
emotional
funny
sad
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
keandrews95's review against another edition
4.0
The author was kind enough to send me a signed copy of her book! Continuing on a werewolf kick, this book is full of them and offers a slightly unique twist to the typical werewolf stories. Val and Lyla were very interesting characters to me, and I loved getting this sibling bond in the story. They are two different personalities (although sometimes they acted very similar). I got a lot of Stranger Things and Teen Wolf vibes from the story, which I really enjoyed. The found family and the justice they got at the end were nicely done. Tecken does a good job of showing the tension of siblings but also the more tender moments between these two sisters. Tecken does a good job of creating well-rounded characters with their own distinct subtleties and personalities. There is a whole hierarchy within the werewolf culture that I wanted to know more about, and the ending of the book lends itself for a sequel. I did feel like there were scenes that could have been fleshed out more, especially in the beginning with the budding friendships the sisters made with their classmates and being in the actual school itself (I know, weird that I wanted to see more classroom scenes lol). I had a bit of a hard time gauging how much had passed in the beginning of their semester before they got to their holiday breaks. There is also a lot of tension between the Weres and the humans but not a lot of backstory is given as to how werewolves came about in this story, how tensions in the past were, and how this society as a whole function with Weres and humans living side by side (or how lycanthropy is spread). I wanted to know more of that backstory and wanted more information about what was in the Trueblood book. Some scenes I felt could have had more setting details, particularly at the school and the dorms. I did like the plot twist with Lyla and how smooth of a read this book was (especially after reading so many chonky books).
tythereaderguy's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
funny
inspiring
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.75
Absolutely awesome read. Such a cool take on the werewolf genre. Would recommend to anyone looking for an enjoyable read with some unique and interesting characters.