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Wednesday, June 19, 2013

Book Review: The Keepers by Donna Augustine

The Keepers (Alchemy #1)
By: Donna Augustine 




Two days ago, Jo Davids was a waitress by night and a college kid by day, with the unnerving problem of things floating around her. 

One day ago, Jo's sexy boss, Cormac, noticed her for all the wrong reasons when she witnessed a man transform into a monster in the basement of his casino.

Today, Cormac ordered her shot. If he's real lucky, she won't die. Because if she does, all hope is lost.



**disclaimer**
Author Donna Augustine has a paid Ad for this book in the left side bar. She gave me a copy for an honest review. Under most circumstances I wouldn't post my review on the site so no one could question my motivations, but this is a damn good book and deserves recognition.

I tried to read an earlier story by this author and had to stop after four chapters because it just didn't grab me and the writing was rough around the edges, so I put off reading this one. Now I wish I hadn't. In a genre full of vampires and shifters Donna has written an urban fantasy with a bit of a different flavor. I was hooked instantly and emotionally invested before I knew what hit me. There were things I didn't see coming and the world building used a clever twist of science. You know how they say write the book you want to read? Well, I don’t have to because Donna Augustine did it for me! Readers have certain buttons they hope get pushed while reading a story and this one hit every single one of mine.

I absolutely loved the heroine Jo Davids. She is the typical snarky protagonist with a tortured past found in urban fantasy. What makes her different is the character stays true throughout the whole story. The sexy alpha Cormac doesn't break down her walls and have her jumping in his bed, much to his dismay. Her reactions to what happens around her make sense and feel realistic. And even though Jo is attracted to Cormac it doesn't dominate her every thought which I like because sometimes I want to smack a heroine and say “get a life girlfriend! Or at least a hobby.” <G> You can feel the sexual tension between them as it simmers under the surface, waiting to explode. I think that is sexier than them jumping into bed without a thought to the consequences and lamenting about for the rest of the book.

This is first person POV so you have to love being in the protagonist’s head, which I did. The writing was a little rough in the beginning, but at some point early on it either smoothed out or I was so immersed in Jo’s head I didn't notice. The seriousness and tension at the end of Chapter 4 had me OMGing! Then the beginning of the next chapter had me laughing. It is one of the best chapter segues I've read.

Reviews are subjective. What works for me might not work for you, but I enjoyed the hell out of this story and can’t wait for the next one. Even with a few writing issues I still have to give this 5 Sheep.

Some of my favorite quotes:

“… and he was incredibly handsome in a deeply sexual way. He was nicely over six feet, with broad shoulders encased in a white tuxedo shirt that hung slightly open. But it was the power that seeped from him, not his size that made him alarming to even my senses, not that I’d ever show it, but I felt it in spades. It rolled off him in wave after wave until it practically smothered all my other senses.”

“I guess today I’d see how special I really was. Was I X-men special, or just a little different?”

“I followed him because, as I might have mentioned before, I don’t like desperate people. They tend to do desperate things. Desperate people should be placated until you can get as far away from them as humanly possible, because desperate people had a bad tendency of blowing up and taking you with them.”

“That’s when my shopping spree turned ugly, or awesome, depending on your viewpoint.”


5 "X-Men special" Sheep

 


Sharon Stogner (edit by Kakpar)

 


12 comments:

  1. WOW awesome review Sharon! So happy you found one that you can really sink your teeth into. That's a rare gift! :)

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  2. Thank you so much for taking the time to review this!

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  3. Great review Sharon! I have to read this book now :)

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  4. It is not for sale at Bookdepository.com. Donna, will it be available later for beyond America?

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    1. Thanks Sharon! I really wanted to buy it at once thanks to your review (which happens more often ;) ).

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  5. Hi Aurian, I appreciate your interest! It's available internationally through Amazon. Let me know if that doesn't work and I'll get a copy to you.

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  6. Hi Donna, I would love to get a copy, I just can't buy at Amazon. But shipping books to Holland is expensive. The ladies here can tell you ;)
    auriansbooks at gmail dot com

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    1. I'm going to email you directly to work something out : )

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  7. I so agree your review is spot on - loved, loved, loved this read :)

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    1. Then you know about the chapter ending I loved so much? I was like "no freaking way will he let that happen!" I about fell off my unicorn when he did! And thought "dude, you are so screwed now"

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