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owlerybooks's review against another edition
4.0
Soul Journey follows Annisa a "normal" teenage girl who finds out she is a witch on her 16th birthday and some how her new neighbors Chase and Penelope and her boyfriend Landon have all been connected for centuries!
Before Annisa turns 16 her boyfriend Landon has a streak of control and possessiveness; the way that Annisa handles it was mature and I wish every 15 year old girl had the confidence to tell Landon what he was doing wasn't cool and he needed to stop! This made me feel connected to Annisa on so many levels!! It was so refreshing to see a girl put her foot down and demand some respect!
I really enjoyed the authors take on magick in this story! So many teen books leave out the adults and I loved that the adults were guiding figures and played a huge role in the plot! The way the author introduces the magic using the parents was so refreshing! Also refreshing is the mention of teenagers having sex. . . . GASP. . . I know, I know teenagers NEVER have sex.... sorry lots of sarcasm in that last sentence! The characters talk about sex but not in a way that younger teens cannot read this story. It was done very well!
When I learned that Annisa and her friends had lived many past lives I was ready for some historical flashbacks or just some general history threaded throughout the book and I was a little disappointed that there wasn't but that may because I am a huge history nerd! I also wasn't a fan of some of the moments when these kids acted a bit TOO mature. They are still kids and I was looking for more naiveté from the characters.
Overall this book was so much fun to read! The romances were swoony, the world building was great, and the characters had depth and were well developed for the most part. This is the perfect read for and lover of Fantasy and Young Adult Fiction.
Before Annisa turns 16 her boyfriend Landon has a streak of control and possessiveness; the way that Annisa handles it was mature and I wish every 15 year old girl had the confidence to tell Landon what he was doing wasn't cool and he needed to stop! This made me feel connected to Annisa on so many levels!! It was so refreshing to see a girl put her foot down and demand some respect!
I really enjoyed the authors take on magick in this story! So many teen books leave out the adults and I loved that the adults were guiding figures and played a huge role in the plot! The way the author introduces the magic using the parents was so refreshing! Also refreshing is the mention of teenagers having sex. . . . GASP. . . I know, I know teenagers NEVER have sex.... sorry lots of sarcasm in that last sentence! The characters talk about sex but not in a way that younger teens cannot read this story. It was done very well!
When I learned that Annisa and her friends had lived many past lives I was ready for some historical flashbacks or just some general history threaded throughout the book and I was a little disappointed that there wasn't but that may because I am a huge history nerd! I also wasn't a fan of some of the moments when these kids acted a bit TOO mature. They are still kids and I was looking for more naiveté from the characters.
Overall this book was so much fun to read! The romances were swoony, the world building was great, and the characters had depth and were well developed for the most part. This is the perfect read for and lover of Fantasy and Young Adult Fiction.
lmagie's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
2.25
First off, narration, different voices and pacing was really great, all that achieved by Mae Ruling. Definitely will look out for other audiobooks she might narrate.
In summary, this is a YA highschool drama with supernatural elements with an awesome premise and world building, but has a long way to go in regards of showing, telling and foreshadowing.
I will not be reading the rest of the series, though.
In detail:
*Too much telling, too little showing*
dialogue and descriptions are used as a crutch to explain to the reader what's going on instead of showing it through a scene and letting reader figure it out. Foreshadowing and hints could help with this.
*info dump*
Dialogue and internal dialogue's only purpose seems to be explaining what's happening or why it's happening. Author should probably look up about "cow tools" in the writing community.
*Unrealistic dialogue*
Every character agrees with each other too easy and quickly. Even "bad guys".
No one has negative feelings for more than a scene, they're too "mature".
*MC could be considered a Mary-Sue*
MC is too perfect. Her flaws aren't even really treated as flaws. This isn't an interview where you say your biggest weakness is perfectionism.
From chapter 1 it's repeated to us how perfect MC's life was.
Maybe it's more of an author self-insert, about how she would've liked to react and what kind of relationships she'd like to have.
*Insta love*
MC falls in love with new character from chapter 1, scene 1. Even when having a boyfriend of years. Kinda cringy in the first quarter of the book.
To be fair, insta love is just hard to swallow in general.
*Highschool drama > supernatural*
80% of the book was more about teenage relationships and writing about school than about the supernatural element.
Also, it was too obvious there would be a supernatural element. Everyone kept looking at MC as if they knew something she didn't. All the time. It could've been hinted at subtly a few times instead.
*World building*
Awesome premise. Great world building in general. A whole society, rules and original elements. My only complain is that the real " bad guys" don't seem to have a clear reason to be evil.
In summary, this is a YA highschool drama with supernatural elements with an awesome premise and world building, but has a long way to go in regards of showing, telling and foreshadowing.
I will not be reading the rest of the series, though.
In detail:
*Too much telling, too little showing*
dialogue and descriptions are used as a crutch to explain to the reader what's going on instead of showing it through a scene and letting reader figure it out. Foreshadowing and hints could help with this.
*info dump*
Dialogue and internal dialogue's only purpose seems to be explaining what's happening or why it's happening. Author should probably look up about "cow tools" in the writing community.
*Unrealistic dialogue*
Every character agrees with each other too easy and quickly. Even "bad guys".
No one has negative feelings for more than a scene, they're too "mature".
*MC could be considered a Mary-Sue*
MC is too perfect. Her flaws aren't even really treated as flaws. This isn't an interview where you say your biggest weakness is perfectionism.
From chapter 1 it's repeated to us how perfect MC's life was.
Maybe it's more of an author self-insert, about how she would've liked to react and what kind of relationships she'd like to have.
*Insta love*
MC falls in love with new character from chapter 1, scene 1. Even when having a boyfriend of years. Kinda cringy in the first quarter of the book.
To be fair, insta love is just hard to swallow in general.
*Highschool drama > supernatural*
80% of the book was more about teenage relationships and writing about school than about the supernatural element.
Also, it was too obvious there would be a supernatural element. Everyone kept looking at MC as if they knew something she didn't. All the time. It could've been hinted at subtly a few times instead.
*World building*
Awesome premise. Great world building in general. A whole society, rules and original elements. My only complain is that the real " bad guys" don't seem to have a clear reason to be evil.
Content Warnings
Minor: Death, Sexual content, and Blood
Death and sexual content aren't graphic, just mentioned it hinted at.ksmarsden's review
3.0
Annisa is living a perfect life, as head cheerleader, and the captain of the football team as her boyfriend. But something seems to be missing. Something that becomes apparent when Chase and his sister move in next door; something that will change everything she thought she knew about herself.
I bought the book as part of the Author Promo Co-op's May read (so let's pretend it's still May - shush).
It follows the story of Annisa as she meets Chase and Penelope for the first time, but immediately feels a connection with them - that she could confide anything in Penelope; and that Chase inspires a level of love and desire that she never felt with her boyfriend, Landon.
As it gets closer to her 16th birthday, her parents finally reveal why she feels so different - she is a witch.
I really like Shanklin's take on witches, that there are a finite number of them, and their souls are continuously reborn. The magic that their parents teach them; and the spells that our four main characters experiment with all feel like they come from a solid background.
I think it's an interesting concept about finding ones' soulmate again, everytime you're reborn. I think the parents have a very hard line to walk - they know their kids are meant to be together, and have had a serious relationship in every reincarnation. They know they'll want to be close, but they still have to maintain some boundaries.
And the not-so-good?
The main problem I had with the story was the sameyness of it all. Everyone was totally ok with everything. Annisa wasn't bothered that her parents had lied to her all her life. Landon didn't care too much that his long-term girlfriend dumped him for the new guy. Chase was perfectly content to go along with everything Annisa said (even when he was angry at her, it was a very quiet "let's discuss this like adults and come to a mutually beneficial conclusion" sort of anger). Their parental people were all supportive, understanding and agreeable (even the parents that had been seduced by dark magic).
And Penelope?Warning: mild spoilers: I come to her last, because I really liked her and I struggled over one key fact. Penelope and Landon are soulmates. The curse has been placed on the foursome because Annisa chose Landon instead of Chase in one lifetime. Now they have had several lifetimes where Annisa has made the same mistake, and it is only in this most recent cycle that she has broken the curse and fallen for the right guy. So where does that leave Penelope? She gets to keep her memories and her pain? She knows that she has had many lifetimes of being rejected by her soulmate as he vies for her best friend's attention? I'm just surprised, and hurt on her behalf that she's so placid about it all.
There's a lot of mutually beneficial discussions and planning that goes on, which I found a little repetitive as the book went on. There were quite a few instances of Annisa thinking something in detail; then repeating it in dialogue to discuss with friends/parents in equal detail. I felt like I was always being told twice about everything, rather than Shanklin trusting the strength of her characters' dialogue to get the message across.
Finally, just one small thing. For most of the book, it felt like a YA read, being based on teenagers, and the writing having the air of safety and support. I was shocked when it suddenly jumped into full on smex! It was like watching Sabrina the Teenage Witch and accidentally switching over to 50 Shades!
Now, I have no problems with steamy sex scenes, but it just felt so against the whole vibe of the book. I was expecting a bit of kissing and cuddling and fade to black. Soul Journey just felt confused as to who it was aimed at.
Overall, I think it's a series with a lot of potential, I really like the background of it all. I just think the execution lost a little of its direction.
I bought the book as part of the Author Promo Co-op's May read (so let's pretend it's still May - shush).
It follows the story of Annisa as she meets Chase and Penelope for the first time, but immediately feels a connection with them - that she could confide anything in Penelope; and that Chase inspires a level of love and desire that she never felt with her boyfriend, Landon.
As it gets closer to her 16th birthday, her parents finally reveal why she feels so different - she is a witch.
I really like Shanklin's take on witches, that there are a finite number of them, and their souls are continuously reborn. The magic that their parents teach them; and the spells that our four main characters experiment with all feel like they come from a solid background.
I think it's an interesting concept about finding ones' soulmate again, everytime you're reborn. I think the parents have a very hard line to walk - they know their kids are meant to be together, and have had a serious relationship in every reincarnation. They know they'll want to be close, but they still have to maintain some boundaries.
And the not-so-good?
The main problem I had with the story was the sameyness of it all. Everyone was totally ok with everything. Annisa wasn't bothered that her parents had lied to her all her life. Landon didn't care too much that his long-term girlfriend dumped him for the new guy. Chase was perfectly content to go along with everything Annisa said (even when he was angry at her, it was a very quiet "let's discuss this like adults and come to a mutually beneficial conclusion" sort of anger). Their parental people were all supportive, understanding and agreeable (even the parents that had been seduced by dark magic).
And Penelope?
There's a lot of mutually beneficial discussions and planning that goes on, which I found a little repetitive as the book went on. There were quite a few instances of Annisa thinking something in detail; then repeating it in dialogue to discuss with friends/parents in equal detail. I felt like I was always being told twice about everything, rather than Shanklin trusting the strength of her characters' dialogue to get the message across.
Finally, just one small thing. For most of the book, it felt like a YA read, being based on teenagers, and the writing having the air of safety and support. I was shocked when it suddenly jumped into full on smex! It was like watching Sabrina the Teenage Witch and accidentally switching over to 50 Shades!
Now, I have no problems with steamy sex scenes, but it just felt so against the whole vibe of the book. I was expecting a bit of kissing and cuddling and fade to black. Soul Journey just felt confused as to who it was aimed at.
Overall, I think it's a series with a lot of potential, I really like the background of it all. I just think the execution lost a little of its direction.
iheartya311's review
4.0
Alright, I need the next one! I like the characters a lot and the story moved smoothly. The writing style was not at all boring. I read this book in 3 days which is really fast for me. Even with the twists of fantasy involved, the plot seemed edge of believable. I definitely recommend this book.
theowlery111's review against another edition
4.0
Soul Journey follows Annisa a "normal" teenage girl who finds out she is a witch on her 16th birthday and some how her new neighbors Chase and Penelope and her boyfriend Landon have all been connected for centuries!
Before Annisa turns 16 her boyfriend Landon has a streak of control and possessiveness; the way that Annisa handles it was mature and I wish every 15 year old girl had the confidence to tell Landon what he was doing wasn't cool and he needed to stop! This made me feel connected to Annisa on so many levels!! It was so refreshing to see a girl put her foot down and demand some respect!
I really enjoyed the authors take on magick in this story! So many teen books leave out the adults and I loved that the adults were guiding figures and played a huge role in the plot! The way the author introduces the magic using the parents was so refreshing! Also refreshing is the mention of teenagers having sex. . . . GASP. . . I know, I know teenagers NEVER have sex.... sorry lots of sarcasm in that last sentence! The characters talk about sex but not in a way that younger teens cannot read this story. It was done very well!
When I learned that Annisa and her friends had lived many past lives I was ready for some historical flashbacks or just some general history threaded throughout the book and I was a little disappointed that there wasn't but that may because I am a huge history nerd! I also wasn't a fan of some of the moments when these kids acted a bit TOO mature. They are still kids and I was looking for more naiveté from the characters.
Overall this book was so much fun to read! The romances were swoony, the world building was great, and the characters had depth and were well developed for the most part. This is the perfect read for and lover of Fantasy and Young Adult Fiction.
Before Annisa turns 16 her boyfriend Landon has a streak of control and possessiveness; the way that Annisa handles it was mature and I wish every 15 year old girl had the confidence to tell Landon what he was doing wasn't cool and he needed to stop! This made me feel connected to Annisa on so many levels!! It was so refreshing to see a girl put her foot down and demand some respect!
I really enjoyed the authors take on magick in this story! So many teen books leave out the adults and I loved that the adults were guiding figures and played a huge role in the plot! The way the author introduces the magic using the parents was so refreshing! Also refreshing is the mention of teenagers having sex. . . . GASP. . . I know, I know teenagers NEVER have sex.... sorry lots of sarcasm in that last sentence! The characters talk about sex but not in a way that younger teens cannot read this story. It was done very well!
When I learned that Annisa and her friends had lived many past lives I was ready for some historical flashbacks or just some general history threaded throughout the book and I was a little disappointed that there wasn't but that may because I am a huge history nerd! I also wasn't a fan of some of the moments when these kids acted a bit TOO mature. They are still kids and I was looking for more naiveté from the characters.
Overall this book was so much fun to read! The romances were swoony, the world building was great, and the characters had depth and were well developed for the most part. This is the perfect read for and lover of Fantasy and Young Adult Fiction.
pixiejazz's review against another edition
2.0
**I was given a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review**
First off, let me just say that I really quite like the cover of this book. The colors are definitely eye-catching, and that's part of what intrigued me about the book. I was also mildly intrigued by the synopsis and wanted to read Soul Journey to find out what it was all about.
Soul Journey tells the story of Annisa, a fifteen year old girl who believes she's normal. A simple, normal high school girl. Sure, she's captain of the cheerleading squad and happens to be dating the quarterback of the football team, but that doesn't make her anything special. Or so she thinks...
Enter Chase and Penelope, Annisa's new neighbors. There's something very appealing about the pair, and Annisa can't help but be drawn to them. However, befriending them starts her down a path that will forever change her entire world.
Can Annisa handle the truth about who she really is, and is she prepared to face the challenges that come with that truth? You'll have to read the book to find out.
Okay, so when I first started reading Soul Journey, I was a little surprised by how rushed it seemed. At least it felt that way to me. There really isn't much back story for Annisa. It just sort of starts with her meeting Chase and Penelope, and then things progress from there. You do eventually find out a little more about Annisa later on, but I wasn't expecting the story to start so quickly.
There is also a very adult scene in the book that went on a little longer than I expected it to. I have no problem with adult content in books, but I went into this believing it was young adult. I felt like this scene was a bit too much for the genre, especially considering the characters are sixteen. I know teenagers do these things, but it kind of threw me out of the story for a little bit.
As for the characters, I found it a bit difficult to get attached to any of them. I don't know if it was because the plot seemed to move along at the pace it did, or if it was something else. The only character I really even remotely cared about in some small way was Rayne, and she's considered a "bad guy" in the book.
Annisa and her boyfriend, Landon, have the All-American apple pie vibe going on. They're popular and pretty and well-liked. Penelope and Chase seem a little too perfect, as well. I guess it could be because of the secret they're hiding, but I didn't particularly care for any of them.
It also seemed like once the truth came out and things started to progress in the book, all four of the main characters didn't really have to struggle with much. Everything seemed to come naturally to them, and very rarely did they make any mistakes. I found that a little hard to believe and was slightly disappointed by this. Sure, there are a couple of consequences here and there, but for the most part, nothing too bad ever really happens. I would have liked to have seen the group dealing with more "problems" or pitfalls.
Now, I do feel bad saying this, but the one thing that really made me struggle to get through the book was the editing. I don't know if the book was edited, but there were so many grammatical errors and a handful of spelling errors/wrong word usage throughout the book that I had to keep stopping to fix the mistakes in my head before continuing on. I honestly don't like being so harsh, but bad grammar and spelling are a huge pet peeve of mine. Even moreso now that I've started an editing service. I feel like if the book had been edited a little better, it wouldn't have been such a problem for me to get through it.
Overall, I felt like Soul Journey had potential, but it sort of fell a bit flat for me. I really did like the premise of the story, but I just couldn't get into it like I wanted to. I do believe in being 100% honest in my reviews, even if I feel kind of bad that I've rated a book on the low side. I think constructive criticism and honesty can be good, and if I were an author, I'd want readers to be 100% truthful in their reviews.
Anyway, even though I wasn't overly fond of Soul Journey, I am going to give Soul Redemption, the second book, a shot and see if I like that one any better. Soul Journey, for me, only gets a 2.5 star rating.
If you think you'll like the story more than I did, and you're into young adult stories with romance and supernatural elements, then give Soul Journey a chance.
First off, let me just say that I really quite like the cover of this book. The colors are definitely eye-catching, and that's part of what intrigued me about the book. I was also mildly intrigued by the synopsis and wanted to read Soul Journey to find out what it was all about.
Soul Journey tells the story of Annisa, a fifteen year old girl who believes she's normal. A simple, normal high school girl. Sure, she's captain of the cheerleading squad and happens to be dating the quarterback of the football team, but that doesn't make her anything special. Or so she thinks...
Enter Chase and Penelope, Annisa's new neighbors. There's something very appealing about the pair, and Annisa can't help but be drawn to them. However, befriending them starts her down a path that will forever change her entire world.
Can Annisa handle the truth about who she really is, and is she prepared to face the challenges that come with that truth? You'll have to read the book to find out.
Okay, so when I first started reading Soul Journey, I was a little surprised by how rushed it seemed. At least it felt that way to me. There really isn't much back story for Annisa. It just sort of starts with her meeting Chase and Penelope, and then things progress from there. You do eventually find out a little more about Annisa later on, but I wasn't expecting the story to start so quickly.
There is also a very adult scene in the book that went on a little longer than I expected it to. I have no problem with adult content in books, but I went into this believing it was young adult. I felt like this scene was a bit too much for the genre, especially considering the characters are sixteen. I know teenagers do these things, but it kind of threw me out of the story for a little bit.
As for the characters, I found it a bit difficult to get attached to any of them. I don't know if it was because the plot seemed to move along at the pace it did, or if it was something else. The only character I really even remotely cared about in some small way was Rayne, and she's considered a "bad guy" in the book.
Annisa and her boyfriend, Landon, have the All-American apple pie vibe going on. They're popular and pretty and well-liked. Penelope and Chase seem a little too perfect, as well. I guess it could be because of the secret they're hiding, but I didn't particularly care for any of them.
It also seemed like once the truth came out and things started to progress in the book, all four of the main characters didn't really have to struggle with much. Everything seemed to come naturally to them, and very rarely did they make any mistakes. I found that a little hard to believe and was slightly disappointed by this. Sure, there are a couple of consequences here and there, but for the most part, nothing too bad ever really happens. I would have liked to have seen the group dealing with more "problems" or pitfalls.
Now, I do feel bad saying this, but the one thing that really made me struggle to get through the book was the editing. I don't know if the book was edited, but there were so many grammatical errors and a handful of spelling errors/wrong word usage throughout the book that I had to keep stopping to fix the mistakes in my head before continuing on. I honestly don't like being so harsh, but bad grammar and spelling are a huge pet peeve of mine. Even moreso now that I've started an editing service. I feel like if the book had been edited a little better, it wouldn't have been such a problem for me to get through it.
Overall, I felt like Soul Journey had potential, but it sort of fell a bit flat for me. I really did like the premise of the story, but I just couldn't get into it like I wanted to. I do believe in being 100% honest in my reviews, even if I feel kind of bad that I've rated a book on the low side. I think constructive criticism and honesty can be good, and if I were an author, I'd want readers to be 100% truthful in their reviews.
Anyway, even though I wasn't overly fond of Soul Journey, I am going to give Soul Redemption, the second book, a shot and see if I like that one any better. Soul Journey, for me, only gets a 2.5 star rating.
If you think you'll like the story more than I did, and you're into young adult stories with romance and supernatural elements, then give Soul Journey a chance.