Marked for Vengeance (Alyx Rayer Chronicles #1)
Published October 10th 2012
ASIN B009P4RXRK
Series Alyx Rayer Chronicles #1
Alyx Rayer’s existence in Atlanta, the eternally bustling capital of Georgia, is one of routine and blending in among the worker bees. But her ‘normal’ life is actually a façade for a higher calling; she's a three hundred year old soul, encased in a human vessel and sent from the darkness between heaven and Earth to capture her Marked when summoned by her superiors.
During the initial, routine stake-out of her Marked, a dream prophet named Isaac Walsh, Alyx is thrown for an emotional loop when his allure captivates her heart from two rooftops away. The event marks the very instance when her sense of what’s right and what’s wrong is brutally challenged as her contact with him is strictly forbidden.
While already trapped between honor and desire, her emotional struggles are further challenged by a man in a black suit who continually pops up when she least expects it, his presence evoking a strange response from the scar she was branded with at birth. The scar tingles like a warning beacon, alerting her that something is amiss. Because her superiors never told her what this would mean, or much of anything except what to do when they summon, she can only conclude to try and keep her sanity, and her life, from completely shattering to pieces.
This engaging first book of the series is a Paranormal Romance novel interlaced with twists, turns, and thrilling suspense that is sure to satisfy readers of any genre.
May not be suitable for YA.
During the initial, routine stake-out of her Marked, a dream prophet named Isaac Walsh, Alyx is thrown for an emotional loop when his allure captivates her heart from two rooftops away. The event marks the very instance when her sense of what’s right and what’s wrong is brutally challenged as her contact with him is strictly forbidden.
While already trapped between honor and desire, her emotional struggles are further challenged by a man in a black suit who continually pops up when she least expects it, his presence evoking a strange response from the scar she was branded with at birth. The scar tingles like a warning beacon, alerting her that something is amiss. Because her superiors never told her what this would mean, or much of anything except what to do when they summon, she can only conclude to try and keep her sanity, and her life, from completely shattering to pieces.
This engaging first book of the series is a Paranormal Romance novel interlaced with twists, turns, and thrilling suspense that is sure to satisfy readers of any genre.
May not be suitable for YA.
Susan James Pierce has a degree in Marketing Management, works for a Fortune 500 company in Atlanta, Georgia, and devotes her precious, spare time to writing Fantasy and Sci-fi novels. Even though her full-time career has nothing to do with books at all, she has always enjoyed complex storytelling with fascinating characters, and has had a penchant for the written word since grade school. As a matter of fact, her first publishing credit was for a poem she wrote at the age of twelve. Why her love for writing never translated into a career, she can only attribute to ‘life happens’, but her wish is that she can redirect her career path into something that satisfies her creative inner-self.
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My Review for Book one, Marked For Vengeance
Wow, this book was great. I really enjoyed it. I will say it took me a bit to get into it, as there is a lot of character building, which is ok, but seems a little too much on some that really didn’t need to be, but that’s just my opinion. I did have to get used to the writing style, as I have gotten used to the first person view and in a lot of books they will be first person, with alternating points of view, and that is my favorite is when done right anyway. This is from the 3rd person view I guess its called, but it got confusing at times, as I was not always sure who’s point of view it was from. Think its just me, not reading many books like that. I got used to it by the halfway point, which is also where the book really took off and got really interesting for me.
It’s a good thing I have book 2 already, so I can start it right away. I waited to write this, then go start book 2. The end was where it really got going, then ended suddenly for me, as my Kindle lied, It said I was at 85% done, and then it’s the end of the book. So I was not expecting that, lol
I won’t go into any spoilers or anything. Just let you know a few things I liked, and a few teasers for you, so you can get a feel for the book.
I found Alyx to be a bit hard to like at first, but it just took time for me to connect, but I finally did. I really liked Issac, he seemed to be a great guy. His son we didn’t learn a lot about, Micah, but he seemed to be a great kid, who also seemed to have the same Prophitic dreams as his dad.
I didn’t like Benjiman at all, he was a controlling stuffy guy, and to me could have just been left out of the story all together. My opinion of course.
I liked her best friend for sure. I was happy how all that turned out, the twist I didn’t see coming. Lol
We get some funny parts at times as well. Here is a few teasers that I liked:
This is a pert where Issace thinks Alyx is a stalker, and his son seen her through the peephole when she came to the door (to check on him, as she needs to keep him safe)
“I don’t understand. Why would you NOT open the door for that woman?” Micah asked. He had peered through first. The initial round of knocking alerted him as he headed to the kitchen for a soda, and he didn’t recognize the attractive woman so he went to get his father, who ran to the door to see who it was. When he laid eyes upon her strained, smiling face he jumped away from the door, unable to mask his bewilderment.
“Why did she scare you like that, dad? Do you know her?”
Isaac needed to give his son some sort of explanation, and reinforce a healthy fear for strangers who might approach him. Mainly Alyx. He couldn’t keep him holed up in the apartment forever, and he couldn’t be with him every second of the day.
He waved the bottle of Windex toward the couch. “Go sit down. I’ll explain.”
“I can’t wait to hear about that scary, scary Barbie that was at our door.”
And this part:
“So,” he began, his voice brightening, and her eyes snapped to the mirror to witness his exuberance. A smile covered his pale face, and she couldn’t help but return the gesture as he continued. “You were spyin’ on me then, I knew it! My sexy stalker.”
Yeah, this is a great story, and can see it will just get better with each book, as the background and character building was done in this one, so now it will just be great and faster paced I think.
I highly recommend this series, if you like the paranormal romance books, (less on the romance in this one) or supernatural you will love this.
5 out of 5 stars.
I was provided a copy of this book for my honest review.
This review is also posted at Amazon, Here, and at Goodreads, here.
This review is also posted at Amazon, Here, and at Goodreads, here.
Excerpt of Book One Marked For Vengeance
PROLOGUE:
A Tortuous Birth
She stood shoulder to shoulder with her brethren, nobody able to move, or make a sound. Waiting to be brought to life, their bodies felt more like prisons to their souls that shuddered in response to the darkness around them.
Her mind reeled with images, distant, agonizing memories of the last two times she had endured this torture, and her frozen muscles itched for movement so she could flee. Because even though her spirit had been assigned to a body before, what awaited her in the moments to come never became any easier.
Without warning, the delicate touch of their maker forced their heads backward and opened their mouths. A breath of livened air rushed into their souls. It warmed from the inside, beginning in her chest and rolled out to her limbs, burning and glowing through her newly formed veins. Her eardrums fluttered as waves of sound pounded into them again; the feet of the others shifting beside her, the fragile pop of their necks as they straightened into place.
Before anyone could move from their carefully placed stances, a thunderous voice resonated through them, bending them to its will. Their minds flashed with intricate directives as it barked their commands, ones they could not deviate from, ones that meant the difference between life and death. Their orders ceased, and the burning traveled to their eyes that squinted as a light in the distance flickered like the flame of a faraway candle, the blanket of darkness so thick that even the dimmest glow burned with a blinding intensity. The light strengthened as it moved steadily closer and divided into smaller orbs that hovered in front of each of their faces, illuminating their anxious expressions. A rumble rolled through the air, and they forced their way into the being’s mouths. Their lungs heaved, their hearts raced -- they were alive.
They studied one another in wonder, each of them appearing the same; no hair, lean bodies, naked breasts, haunting, black eyes. Their slender fingers brushed over their new, youthful skin, which felt soft and warm, but tough like a full-plated suit of armor.
As though a switch had flipped, the darkness separated them, and their chilling moans pierced the air as their bodies transformed into their own unique shapes -- undoubtedly from the ones who went through it for the first time. Jaw clinched, she bore the excruciating pain of her own transformation; bones and ligaments cracking, skin stretching to accommodate the growing muscles, her face narrowing and lips plumping. Her scalp tingled and silky, thick hair spilled over her back and shoulders.
Now for the worst part of all, the one she despised the most. She clasped her hands and locked her muscles, bracing for the familiar sharp, stinging pain that seared into their left shoulder blades as they were branded. Their once unblemished skin blistered into the symbol that represented everything they were created for, reminding them every day what their purpose in this lifetime was, to fulfill a purpose and one purpose only. But first, they had to find their Marked.
Tethered by Fate (Alyx Rayer Chronicles #2)
"Where fate would take the both of them now, Isaac wasn’t sure, but either way their paths were irrevocably tethered."
Hurled into the midst of a holy war between the sinister fallen Angel of War and their beloved Creator, gifted humans, Angels, and Spirit Guides unite to create a formidable, ethereal army. With the imminent battle only days away, continue to follow the story that captivated your hearts as a Protector Angel named Alyx struggles with her own inner conflicts between right and wrong, love and honor.
Passionate, engaging, and filled with surprising twists and turns -- see where fate will lead our beloved Angel next in this second installment of the Alyx Rayer Chronicles.
May not be suitable for YA.
Hurled into the midst of a holy war between the sinister fallen Angel of War and their beloved Creator, gifted humans, Angels, and Spirit Guides unite to create a formidable, ethereal army. With the imminent battle only days away, continue to follow the story that captivated your hearts as a Protector Angel named Alyx struggles with her own inner conflicts between right and wrong, love and honor.
Passionate, engaging, and filled with surprising twists and turns -- see where fate will lead our beloved Angel next in this second installment of the Alyx Rayer Chronicles.
May not be suitable for YA.
My Review for Tethered by Fate (Book 2)
Wow, this book was really intense, it was good from page one. Since book one had all the back-story, and character building, we didn’t have all of that in this one.
We start off right were book one ends, which was when it really got its momentum, so it was interesting right away.
I really felt for Alyx, she is the odd one out, and she feels very different from the other Protectors, and tries to hide how she is different. I won’t tell much about that, I want to keep this as spoiler free as I can.
I just want to say it’s great, and this story is really good as a whole, and I highly recommend it.
I will stop here, as I do not want to spoil anything for the people who had not even read book one yet.
5 out of 5 stars for me.
I received this book from the author for my honest review.
This review is also posted at Amazon, Here, and Goodreads Here.
This review is also posted at Amazon, Here, and Goodreads Here.
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Yay glad you enjoyed them botch, Michelle! It sounds perfect for PNR fans for sure! Great reviews! :)
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