Scan barcode
A review by shadowmaster13
Betrayed by Jamie Leigh Hansen
4.0
Picked this up for 4 bucks at Kmart. Great bargain.
Many things that should have bugged me didn't and I'm left sad that the series is only two books long.
This book has curses, angels, fallen angels, nephlim and secret abilities that are thought out which is always awesome (imo).
It also has insta-love, reincarnation, betrayal, guilt, and an accusing heroine. That's less awesome, and difficult to redeem.
Dreux and Kaylss (she had a different name back then but I'm gonna go with her current incarnation's name for ease) have one night at best together before events cause them to be separated. While I liked them together I wouldn't say that they had enough of a connection for love. They certainly connected Dreux wanting a loving relationship and Kaylss wanting happiness in their marriage.
But all they got time for was Kaylss to trust Dreux. Before Kai, Dreux's half-brother attacked and Geoffrey betrayed them taking Kaylss away.
Dreux is transformed into a granite statue. In the intervening years between 1075 and 2004 Kaylss is reincarnated eight times. In each lifetime, together with Geoffrey (who is nigh-immortal as he resurrects) she attempts to free Dreux from the statue, only to be killed by Kai.
In 2004 Kaylss is running a dojo with her friend Alex and Geoffrey tries to get her away as Kai is coming to get her.
Geoffrey dies, Alex seems to die. Kaylss uses Geoffrey's car and her memory power to go to Geoffrey's house and finds Dreux's statue. Then next morning in a small moment of insanity kissing the statue *surprise* frees Dreux.
Now Kai wants to kill Dreux, Dreux wants to kill Kai and resume his and Kaylss' marriage. Kai has Alex and Geoffrey as hostages and is leveraging their safety and Kaylss' for Dreux.
Kai is a very complex villain he has genuine reasons to want Dreux dead. But at the same time he's eerily scientific and logical. He has that psychopathic way of blaming others for his actions.
Dreux is charming and lovely. He hedges his whole future on Kaylss, and for a long time that doesn't seem like a good prospect. He has a good heart and wants to make Kaylss happy, he wants to fit in to the twenty-first century and Kaylss' life.
Kaylss is a character that I had mixed emotions about. She flip flops around on whether she wants to be with Dreux or not. This stems from a trauma involving her abusive ex-husband who nearly killed her four years ago. She has rebuilt her life and become a strong person and she really finds it difficult to reconcile the idea of love and partnership with being a strong individual. Their is a moment where Kaylss utterly rejects Dreux after reliving the attack. At first I was annoyed, I understood logically her trauma but not emotionally - I wanted her to just get over it. But Hansen made me change my mind, I still wanted her to get over it, but I really understood why Kaylss felt betrayed.
Geoffrey and Alex don't get much screen time but they really won me over in that part, enough that I'm sad Alex has a book, [b:Cursed|3875928|Cursed|Jamie Leigh Hansen|http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1312054981s/3875928.jpg|3921160], and Geoffrey doesn't (so far). I will definitely read Cursed if I can find a copy.
Draven and Silas, are two character that aren't involved directly in the story and yet I was intrigued and want to know more.
What I liked about the reincarnation was that while Kaylss' past lives were easily recognisable as her, her name was different. I also liked that her ability was different yet it still told her the same thing (the pasts of other people).
I forgive the insta-love, because by the time you realise that Dreux and Kaylss had only one night in the past they're nearly in real love in the present. The betrayal, guilt and accusations are handled deftly in a way that I salute.
If Miss Hansen had written more that one other book and that had been less that four years ago I'd look forward to many more books.
Many things that should have bugged me didn't and I'm left sad that the series is only two books long.
This book has curses, angels, fallen angels, nephlim and secret abilities that are thought out which is always awesome (imo).
It also has insta-love, reincarnation, betrayal, guilt, and an accusing heroine. That's less awesome, and difficult to redeem.
Dreux and Kaylss (she had a different name back then but I'm gonna go with her current incarnation's name for ease) have one night at best together before events cause them to be separated. While I liked them together I wouldn't say that they had enough of a connection for love. They certainly connected Dreux wanting a loving relationship and Kaylss wanting happiness in their marriage.
But all they got time for was Kaylss to trust Dreux. Before Kai, Dreux's half-brother attacked and Geoffrey betrayed them taking Kaylss away.
Dreux is transformed into a granite statue. In the intervening years between 1075 and 2004 Kaylss is reincarnated eight times. In each lifetime, together with Geoffrey (who is nigh-immortal as he resurrects) she attempts to free Dreux from the statue, only to be killed by Kai.
In 2004 Kaylss is running a dojo with her friend Alex and Geoffrey tries to get her away as Kai is coming to get her.
Geoffrey dies, Alex seems to die. Kaylss uses Geoffrey's car and her memory power to go to Geoffrey's house and finds Dreux's statue. Then next morning in a small moment of insanity kissing the statue *surprise* frees Dreux.
Now Kai wants to kill Dreux, Dreux wants to kill Kai and resume his and Kaylss' marriage. Kai has Alex and Geoffrey as hostages and is leveraging their safety and Kaylss' for Dreux.
Kai is a very complex villain he has genuine reasons to want Dreux dead
Spoiler
he thinks Dreux killed his motherDreux is charming and lovely. He hedges his whole future on Kaylss, and for a long time that doesn't seem like a good prospect. He has a good heart and wants to make Kaylss happy, he wants to fit in to the twenty-first century and Kaylss' life.
Kaylss is a character that I had mixed emotions about. She flip flops around on whether she wants to be with Dreux or not. This stems from a trauma involving her abusive ex-husband who nearly killed her four years ago. She has rebuilt her life and become a strong person and she really finds it difficult to reconcile the idea of love and partnership with being a strong individual. Their is a moment where Kaylss utterly rejects Dreux after reliving the attack. At first I was annoyed, I understood logically her trauma but not emotionally - I wanted her to just get over it. But Hansen made me change my mind, I still wanted her to get over it, but I really understood why Kaylss felt betrayed.
Geoffrey and Alex don't get much screen time but they really won me over in that part, enough that I'm sad Alex has a book, [b:Cursed|3875928|Cursed|Jamie Leigh Hansen|http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1312054981s/3875928.jpg|3921160], and Geoffrey doesn't (so far). I will definitely read Cursed if I can find a copy.
Draven and Silas, are two character that aren't involved directly in the story and yet I was intrigued and want to know more.
Spoiler
I thought that their interactions were pretty win even though they really weren't allowed to interfere. Also Silas' viewing Kayss' ex attack her and his empathy helped me to sympathise better with her.What I liked about the reincarnation was that while Kaylss' past lives were easily recognisable as her, her name was different. I also liked that her ability was different yet it still told her the same thing (the pasts of other people).
I forgive the insta-love, because by the time you realise that Dreux and Kaylss had only one night in the past they're nearly in real love in the present. The betrayal, guilt and accusations are handled deftly in a way that I salute.
If Miss Hansen had written more that one other book and that had been less that four years ago I'd look forward to many more books.