Pages: 426
Published by Createspace Independent Pub on April 26, 2014
Genres: Fantasy & Magic, New Adult, Paranormal, Romance
Source: ecopy from Author
Eighteen-year-old Tracey Warren is a ‘run-of-the-mill’ high school student on the verge of graduation. She has her friends and her fun; she has life all figured out. Or she thought she did.
Her pedestrian reality crashes around her after an innocuous touch from a diabolically handsome stranger. Just one touch from Nathan Newcomb and her head and her world spins out of control. Soon she discovers that the only cure for the uneasy feelings and pain is Nathan himself. A man whose very existence balances between violent chaos and rigidly controlled dangers.
Nathan knows that the life of a woman mated to a burdened Sephlem is destined for peril beyond a human’s reckoning. But Tracey calls to his desire to experience love in spite of the hazards. And Nathan’s impossibly potent magnetism draws Tracey into a bonding that will put her in mortal danger again and again.
Once the pair becomes one, the threat escalates and nowhere is safe. There are enemies that lurk behind every corner. But the greatest danger may be in the bloodlines that course through Nathan’s veins.
Can a love for all time survive or will their burdened souls surrender and fade away?
Burdened is the first book in the New Adult series of the same name. I had such high hopes for Burdened. I thought the cover was pretty and creepy at the same time- perfect for the paranormal element of the story, and I thought the summary had lots of potential to unique and very interesting. I love stories involving being mated to someone. I thought this would be right up my alley, but I think by this point you are starting to see that a big BUT is coming.
And here it is…But Burdened just didn’t work for me. I thought the story was ok, but the book on a whole was just a lot more cringe-worthy than it was enjoyable. I put this book down about 10 times, sometimes with the intention of not picking it up again, and sometimes because I just needed a break from it. But each time I convinced myself to go back because I wanted to see how the story would turn out. The plot was interesting. Which is what makes this review so tough for me.
I couldn’t connect with the characters and I big reason for that was the writing. Now, I don’t mean to say that the writing was not technically sound, good writing. It was. Peiri Ann is not a bad writer. It just felt like the book was trying to be something it wasn’t. The writing didn’t flow and it didn’t feel conversational enough to me. It felt like the stiff, buttoned up writing of an academic paper. I just couldn’t get it to fit in with the vibe of a new adult paranormal romance with magic and mystery swirling around. And then to top it off, the story didn’t ever feel 100% believable to me. It felt forced and very convenient.
As much as it pains me to say it, Burdened just didn’t work for me. Some books are just not meant to be, no matter how much you want them to be. But that is not to say that other people, and perhaps many, many other people, would not only enjoy but completely love the Burdened Series. I hope that you and all other future readers are those people. But I won’t be continuing on with this series.
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Peiri Ann is author of the new released A Burdened Novel. She has been writing since childhood with her short stories and poetry published in school publications. She fell in love with the creation of new worlds and the people she imagined would live within them. Peiri has her Bachelor’s in Creative Writing and English and in Psychology. You can find her in the heart of the Windy City reading, writing, enjoying the loves of life.
Bummer this was such a mess. Hope your next read is better.
Sorry it didn’t work for you It’s hard when the writing doesn’t seem to fit the story.
Hi Michelle,
Thanks for the R&R! Sucks it wasn’t a good fit. But luckily, there are a lot of amazing books out there. Happy Reading!