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Connected #1
Connected
High school is hard enough, Em knows. Her freshman year introduced her to all the cliques, annoying teachers, and tough homework assignments. But discovering you have super powers and not knowing how to control them is a whole new level of complicated.
Thankfully, Em isn't alone. Her best friend Roz starts having unusual dreams that come true, and Tommy, Em's secret crush, can hear the softest whispers in class.
A romance blossoms with Tommy. But just as things are looking up, people start dropping like flies. A telepathic serial killer is on the loose and only Em and her friends have a hope of stopping him.
Or do they? If they don't figure out the killer's identity soon, one of them could be next.
Thankfully, Em isn't alone. Her best friend Roz starts having unusual dreams that come true, and Tommy, Em's secret crush, can hear the softest whispers in class.
A romance blossoms with Tommy. But just as things are looking up, people start dropping like flies. A telepathic serial killer is on the loose and only Em and her friends have a hope of stopping him.
Or do they? If they don't figure out the killer's identity soon, one of them could be next.
306 pages, Paperback
First published June 3, 2015
52 people are currently reading
1061 people want to read
About the author
Kat Stiles
21 books329 followersOriginally a Jersey girl, sunny Texas is where I now call home, in a town way up north in the panhandle called Wellington. Along with the man of my dreams, I have two children: a rambunctious little girl and a sweet but vocal little boy. Three cats, three dogs and an inordinate amount of pet hair complete my household. For fun I like to read YA, horror, and existentialist fiction, as well as watch cartoons, movies, and sometimes even cartoon movies. I try not to take anything in life too seriously and I tend to smile often.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 50 reviews
October 12, 2015
Kudos to Kat Stiles for bringing multiculturalism to literature. She truly understands what the concept means. Check out this description of Roz, a major character in the story. “She didn’t even have to try to be beautiful. Her skin was a rich honey brown, a shade or two lighter than Dad’s mahogany complexion. She inherited her hair from her mother—bouncy, silky curls extended past her shoulders, jet black in color, but with a midnight blue sheen when the sun hit it right.” Roz is not only beautiful, but well-spoken, intelligent, and free from stereotypes. I love it.
Oh, back to the novel, haha! “Connected” is a slick YA fantasy novel, a kind of literary X-Men with a healthy helping of beautiful teen love. Mmmm … I remember those days. “Connected” is well-written with well-developed characters. Stiles does a fantastic job with the first-person narrative here, giving the reader a strong, yet flawed heroine in Emily who knows what she wants and how to go about getting it. First narratives often fall prey, even in mega novels, to the wimpy, whiny wishy washy characterizations that make even the best stories tedious, not “Connected”.
Connected is an easy read, a must read, a page turner and highly recommended. It’s also completely unpredictable, something rare in contemporary literature. I’m definitely looking forward to book two. The descriptions are vivid, well-crafted, and set the scenes and moods well. Check it out. “She inherited my mother’s hair color, though she wore it even shorter—the style was a cross between a pixie and the result of sticking your finger in a wall socket that I liked to call, “The Angry Pixie.” Today, it looked flat and lifeless, boyish even. She wore a scowl, which I’d come to believe was her natural expression,” and “The sky was a mixture of muted purple and pink hues, as the sun set and reflected against the increasingly large storm clouds.”
Stiles gets it right as the dialogue is super-authentic especially between Roz, Emily, and Tommy, but I think it’s the masterful inner-dialogue we experience through Emily that defines her and makes her character come through solid. Stiles also does a good job of showing instead telling which brings the reading closer in. Finally I like how the powers are introduced soon, but subtly especially Tommy’s, no spoilers. Did you hear me?
One more diversity check: nurse Judy “Her long black hair was tied back, and from her warm complexion and slight accent, I guessed she was Hispanic,” and “One black haired boy who appeared Italian gazed wistfully at Roz and then looked away, his hands balling into fists.” Love this!
Five stars plus for connected.
Oh, back to the novel, haha! “Connected” is a slick YA fantasy novel, a kind of literary X-Men with a healthy helping of beautiful teen love. Mmmm … I remember those days. “Connected” is well-written with well-developed characters. Stiles does a fantastic job with the first-person narrative here, giving the reader a strong, yet flawed heroine in Emily who knows what she wants and how to go about getting it. First narratives often fall prey, even in mega novels, to the wimpy, whiny wishy washy characterizations that make even the best stories tedious, not “Connected”.
Connected is an easy read, a must read, a page turner and highly recommended. It’s also completely unpredictable, something rare in contemporary literature. I’m definitely looking forward to book two. The descriptions are vivid, well-crafted, and set the scenes and moods well. Check it out. “She inherited my mother’s hair color, though she wore it even shorter—the style was a cross between a pixie and the result of sticking your finger in a wall socket that I liked to call, “The Angry Pixie.” Today, it looked flat and lifeless, boyish even. She wore a scowl, which I’d come to believe was her natural expression,” and “The sky was a mixture of muted purple and pink hues, as the sun set and reflected against the increasingly large storm clouds.”
Stiles gets it right as the dialogue is super-authentic especially between Roz, Emily, and Tommy, but I think it’s the masterful inner-dialogue we experience through Emily that defines her and makes her character come through solid. Stiles also does a good job of showing instead telling which brings the reading closer in. Finally I like how the powers are introduced soon, but subtly especially Tommy’s, no spoilers. Did you hear me?
One more diversity check: nurse Judy “Her long black hair was tied back, and from her warm complexion and slight accent, I guessed she was Hispanic,” and “One black haired boy who appeared Italian gazed wistfully at Roz and then looked away, his hands balling into fists.” Love this!
Five stars plus for connected.
September 12, 2015
Well, it is my book, so there's that. :) I had fun writing it, maybe a little less fun editing it, but overall it's been an amazing adventure. I'm really excited to finally be able to share it with the world. I hope you enjoy reading it as much as I did writing it.
July 20, 2015
Three teens, left to their own devices when two things occur that could easily shatter their world. First, they discover that they have other-worldly powers, which would have been enough to change everything on its own. But then they are met with the reality that there is someone out there with less than desirable intentions, and the object of those intentions could very well become one of them if they aren’t careful. Connected explores the ties between friends, lovers, senses and danger within its plot which is the highlight of the work.
Em has always felt that she was different. Compared to her best friend Roz, she feels downright unappealing. Couple that with the fact that she is bullied day in and day out at school she doesn’t really have any reason not to believe these thoughts about herself. When things begin to change however, and it becomes more apparent just how different she really is, Em suddenly is able to find where she belongs. With this distinct brand of originality and power brought on by her new abilities, Em is able to find the confidence that she always deserved. It doesn’t hurt that the heart throb that is Tommy in into her. As the plot progresses and we discover that these three characters, Em, Roz, and Tommy all have abilities, it is heartening to see that they do not have to brave this new world alone. However, chaos ensues when we discover that there is a killer on the loose, and that he is coming for them.
Connected is a cute, light story written by Kat Stiles that I think young teens will enjoy. The vocabulary and writing style is very geared toward the pre-teen early teenager crowd. I am not sure whether this was done on purpose or if it was just how the story unfolded for Stiles, but either way this is how I would market the book in order to land in the right audience. I am an avid reader of YA, however I normally enjoy the YA variety that can translate over into adult themes as well. This is not a book that I could relate to much, as Connected seemed to connect more with a specific time period in one’s life as opposed to an ideal that everyone could relate to. As I read it, I felt that I was too old to really appreciate it, and I found that unfortunate. I think books should be able to transcend age and speak to everyone. However, I do have younger siblings in my life, and I would be very interested to hear their take on the book. This is something that I think my pre-teen sister would enjoy, so if you are looking for a good, clean tween read, I think that this would be a great pick. The characters are well thought out and the story is very cute and captivating.
Overall, I would give Connected 3 out of 5 stars. I think that had the book been stated as more of a tween novel, I would have known more of what to expect. The vocabulary was not thought provoking nor was I really enthralled by any one aspect of the book. I will however be passing along this book to my sister, as I believe that she would really enjoy it. I am interested to see what she has to think and I would be interested in writing a separate review in her words pending her completion of the book. I received this book in exchange for an honest review.
Em has always felt that she was different. Compared to her best friend Roz, she feels downright unappealing. Couple that with the fact that she is bullied day in and day out at school she doesn’t really have any reason not to believe these thoughts about herself. When things begin to change however, and it becomes more apparent just how different she really is, Em suddenly is able to find where she belongs. With this distinct brand of originality and power brought on by her new abilities, Em is able to find the confidence that she always deserved. It doesn’t hurt that the heart throb that is Tommy in into her. As the plot progresses and we discover that these three characters, Em, Roz, and Tommy all have abilities, it is heartening to see that they do not have to brave this new world alone. However, chaos ensues when we discover that there is a killer on the loose, and that he is coming for them.
Connected is a cute, light story written by Kat Stiles that I think young teens will enjoy. The vocabulary and writing style is very geared toward the pre-teen early teenager crowd. I am not sure whether this was done on purpose or if it was just how the story unfolded for Stiles, but either way this is how I would market the book in order to land in the right audience. I am an avid reader of YA, however I normally enjoy the YA variety that can translate over into adult themes as well. This is not a book that I could relate to much, as Connected seemed to connect more with a specific time period in one’s life as opposed to an ideal that everyone could relate to. As I read it, I felt that I was too old to really appreciate it, and I found that unfortunate. I think books should be able to transcend age and speak to everyone. However, I do have younger siblings in my life, and I would be very interested to hear their take on the book. This is something that I think my pre-teen sister would enjoy, so if you are looking for a good, clean tween read, I think that this would be a great pick. The characters are well thought out and the story is very cute and captivating.
Overall, I would give Connected 3 out of 5 stars. I think that had the book been stated as more of a tween novel, I would have known more of what to expect. The vocabulary was not thought provoking nor was I really enthralled by any one aspect of the book. I will however be passing along this book to my sister, as I believe that she would really enjoy it. I am interested to see what she has to think and I would be interested in writing a separate review in her words pending her completion of the book. I received this book in exchange for an honest review.
July 22, 2017
I really, really liked this book. I loved Em and Tommy (their characters as well as their relationship) and I really like Roz too, though I feel like her change in characterization was too forced.
One of my favorite things about this book was the fact that there wasn't just one character singled out with a special power—it was actually a LOT of characters and I liked the backstory that *anyone* could activate a power if they experienced a tragic event. However, even though I liked the mystery aspects of this book, I thought it was weakly portrayed—I feel like I was solving the mystery WAY before any of the characters and the answers were so obvious that it was ridiculous how long it took the characters (especially Em) to catch on. The ideas behind the mystery were cool, I just think it could be portrayed better.
One of my favorite things about this book was the fact that there wasn't just one character singled out with a special power—it was actually a LOT of characters and I liked the backstory that *anyone* could activate a power if they experienced a tragic event. However, even though I liked the mystery aspects of this book, I thought it was weakly portrayed—I feel like I was solving the mystery WAY before any of the characters and the answers were so obvious that it was ridiculous how long it took the characters (especially Em) to catch on. The ideas behind the mystery were cool, I just think it could be portrayed better.
March 11, 2017
Great Read
This was my first time reading Kat Stiles work and it won't be my last. This story captured my attention from page one and held it until the very end.
This was my first time reading Kat Stiles work and it won't be my last. This story captured my attention from page one and held it until the very end.
August 21, 2015
I don’t read a lot of YA—or paranormal, but this book came up in an online reading group that I belong to and the cover caught my eye—I love the cover! Then I read the book summary and was intrigued. I don’t read a lot of paranormal either, but the powers described to these three teenagers caught my attention because I have a fascination with healing powers. As well, I have personally known a couple of people who claim to have dreams that come true or just have a “knowing” about people. One time I commented that it must be cool to have that ability, and the man said he wished he didn’t have it, because it was very difficult knowing something was going to happen (usually a death) and not being able to do anything about it.
So, I was attracted to this book and once I started reading, I got lost in the story, forgetting that it was YA or considered paranormal.
The opening paragraph grabbed my attention immediately; “Somehow I thought I would know when my life was in mortal danger. I’m not talking spidey sense or anything, just some kind of clue something bad is about to happen. I guess I got the idea from the movies. Real life, I found, is very different…..” When I read that I was hooked.
The book is YA, and author totally got the teenage thing—and since I have been around teenagers throughout the years, I appreciated the teenage insecurities, the alienation that Em felt at school, the very spiteful nasty girl named Angel, that bullied Em. I appreciated Tommy, the new boy at school who liked her, (rather than Roz) and was there for her, protective but encouraging her to stand up for herself. And I could imagine what it was like to have a best friend that the guys just fell all over, while they ignored Em even though the two girls were together. Yet Roz was special and a loyal friend. The two girls shared a strong bond and Roz’s father was the “dad” Em didn’t have. His love reached out and included Em. And I am certain that Em’s strange sister, Lauren could have a book of her own because we only saw an unflattering side of her and it was hard to decide if she was jealous, overprotective, mentally unbalanced or if she also had a deep dark secret from the past. Em’s mother had her own problems; in fact her entire family was dysfunctional in so many ways.
The author portrays the characters well. Some I really liked, others I couldn’t stand, but the plots turns and twists kept me engaged, and several times when I was certain that I knew who the murderer was, in the next minute I wasn’t so certain.
The author ended the story with a great hook. A frightening phone call: the voice of a person she thought was dead, that she believed was dead, that she wanted to be dead, saying “I’m coming home.”
—and I knew I will want to read the next book, even though this isn’t my usual genre.
A job well done Kat Stiles and I highly recommend this book to anyone who likes YA and paranormal—or people like me who will step out of the norm and just give it a try. Enjoy a great read!
So, I was attracted to this book and once I started reading, I got lost in the story, forgetting that it was YA or considered paranormal.
The opening paragraph grabbed my attention immediately; “Somehow I thought I would know when my life was in mortal danger. I’m not talking spidey sense or anything, just some kind of clue something bad is about to happen. I guess I got the idea from the movies. Real life, I found, is very different…..” When I read that I was hooked.
The book is YA, and author totally got the teenage thing—and since I have been around teenagers throughout the years, I appreciated the teenage insecurities, the alienation that Em felt at school, the very spiteful nasty girl named Angel, that bullied Em. I appreciated Tommy, the new boy at school who liked her, (rather than Roz) and was there for her, protective but encouraging her to stand up for herself. And I could imagine what it was like to have a best friend that the guys just fell all over, while they ignored Em even though the two girls were together. Yet Roz was special and a loyal friend. The two girls shared a strong bond and Roz’s father was the “dad” Em didn’t have. His love reached out and included Em. And I am certain that Em’s strange sister, Lauren could have a book of her own because we only saw an unflattering side of her and it was hard to decide if she was jealous, overprotective, mentally unbalanced or if she also had a deep dark secret from the past. Em’s mother had her own problems; in fact her entire family was dysfunctional in so many ways.
The author portrays the characters well. Some I really liked, others I couldn’t stand, but the plots turns and twists kept me engaged, and several times when I was certain that I knew who the murderer was, in the next minute I wasn’t so certain.
The author ended the story with a great hook. A frightening phone call: the voice of a person she thought was dead, that she believed was dead, that she wanted to be dead, saying “I’m coming home.”
—and I knew I will want to read the next book, even though this isn’t my usual genre.
A job well done Kat Stiles and I highly recommend this book to anyone who likes YA and paranormal—or people like me who will step out of the norm and just give it a try. Enjoy a great read!
June 27, 2015
Imagine yourself getting hit by the car, almost ran over and your bones broke and pain radiated throughout your body. Then give yourself a couple of minutes, or maybe ten, then this pulsating purple heat envelopes your body and soon you'll realized, you were completely healed, not scratch, no wounds, no bruises, no scabs whatsoever, no nothing! And you're able to walk away from the scene unscathed. Wouldn't that freak you out? Well, that's exactly what happened to Emily, and this is her story.
Connected is about Emily, the so-called Sweaty Em, who got really sweaty hands that could heal wounds and eliminate pains. There's also her best friend Roz who could see the future, and Tommy,, her love interest who had super hearing and super vision. Added to the mix was Nurse Judy who also had a power on her own. Exciting characters, ins't it?
Their lives were different from each other, but somehow, their future and their powers are somehow interconnected. Murders soon took place, creating havoc and instilling fear among people of Texas. Emily, Roz and Tommy needed to use their abilities to find out the mystery plaguing their town before anyone else get hurt.
I found myself caught up in Emily's world. I was hooked by the premise she narrated regarding her accident and as soon I done reading the first chapter, I didn't stop until I finished all of it. The characters were easy to love and adore. Each and every one of them got distinct personalities, strong traits and likeable features.
I think Emily's journey about discovering her powers and learning about her friends' own different abilities was an exhilarating and suspenseful one. Clearly, Em was no ordinary girl but her uniqueness was what set her apart from the stereotypes. The villain was cunning and deceptive, the kind of villain that really gets me irritated and murderous.
Although there are still some plots missing in this book, I am definitely going to watch out for the next story in the series. I believe this is Kat Stiles' debut novel and I must say, this had been a great piece of fiction, fantasy, contemporary romance all rolled into one. She delivered Connected with flare, and the fantasy elements she created are phenomenal and addictive. I'd gladly spend another day reading this! I love it!
Connected is about Emily, the so-called Sweaty Em, who got really sweaty hands that could heal wounds and eliminate pains. There's also her best friend Roz who could see the future, and Tommy,, her love interest who had super hearing and super vision. Added to the mix was Nurse Judy who also had a power on her own. Exciting characters, ins't it?
Their lives were different from each other, but somehow, their future and their powers are somehow interconnected. Murders soon took place, creating havoc and instilling fear among people of Texas. Emily, Roz and Tommy needed to use their abilities to find out the mystery plaguing their town before anyone else get hurt.
I found myself caught up in Emily's world. I was hooked by the premise she narrated regarding her accident and as soon I done reading the first chapter, I didn't stop until I finished all of it. The characters were easy to love and adore. Each and every one of them got distinct personalities, strong traits and likeable features.
I think Emily's journey about discovering her powers and learning about her friends' own different abilities was an exhilarating and suspenseful one. Clearly, Em was no ordinary girl but her uniqueness was what set her apart from the stereotypes. The villain was cunning and deceptive, the kind of villain that really gets me irritated and murderous.
Although there are still some plots missing in this book, I am definitely going to watch out for the next story in the series. I believe this is Kat Stiles' debut novel and I must say, this had been a great piece of fiction, fantasy, contemporary romance all rolled into one. She delivered Connected with flare, and the fantasy elements she created are phenomenal and addictive. I'd gladly spend another day reading this! I love it!
October 1, 2015
4 Stars for this YA Paranormal Romance
I found the story line in Connected to be original and intriguing! Kat Stiles did a good job foreshadowing enough to help me keep pace with what was to happen next, but also threw some twists my way which caught me by surprise.
Tommy was a wonderful love-interest for Em. I enjoyed reading as she blossomed in confidence and strength with the assurances his feelings gave her. It was really sweet & was definitely my favorite part of this novel.
I'm interested in learning more about the mystery surrounding Em's dad, and I will be on the look out for the continuation next year!
Good job, Kat Stiles!
I found the story line in Connected to be original and intriguing! Kat Stiles did a good job foreshadowing enough to help me keep pace with what was to happen next, but also threw some twists my way which caught me by surprise.
Tommy was a wonderful love-interest for Em. I enjoyed reading as she blossomed in confidence and strength with the assurances his feelings gave her. It was really sweet & was definitely my favorite part of this novel.
I'm interested in learning more about the mystery surrounding Em's dad, and I will be on the look out for the continuation next year!
Good job, Kat Stiles!
August 30, 2015
*Check out the original Review at http://www.confessionsofabookfreak.bl...*
*I was provided with an ARC from Xpresso Book Tours in exchange for an honest review. This did not affect my rating or my review in the slightest. All thoughts expressed in this review is unbiased and my own.*
*SPOILER ALERT: Review may contain spoilers to some of the incidents in the book. Do not read if you haven’t read Connected and are planning on reading it.*
Ugh!
That one word sums up my feelings about this book. Don’t get me wrong, the writing was okay, but that was about it. I hated the characters, the plot, and its predictability. Now, I know a lot of people have given this book great reviews, and I’m not judging anyone for liking it, it just wasn’t my cup of tea. I don’t mean to offend anyone.
Why did I hate the characters so much, you may ask.
For multiple reasons. The first reason is that they are just so incredibly immature. It doesn’t feel like they’re in high school, more like middle grade, except for all the making out between Tommy and Emily, which has to be about a third of the book, no kidding. There is a murderer on the loose, and what do they do? They spent most of their time going on dates and completely ignoring the fact that they are the only ones who can save people from getting murdered.
Tommy is basically just a sex-crazed teenager.
Seriously. If Em is wearing a t-shirt her own size, he doesn’t do anything but stare at her boobs. And not very discreetly, either. He’s just being downright rude, and the worst part? Emily actually gets flattered! I have a few quotes to prove my point.
“His eyes focused on my chest. ‘You have boobies.’
My face flushed in embarrassment. Roz burst out laughing.
‘And they’re huge.’ He continued to stare.”
And a quote from a little later, referring to his staring at her boobs unashamedly.
“I finally understood what he meant when he said he was flattered. It felt good to be that desired.”
Any normal girl would be offended by a guy staring at their boobs. It’s happened to my friend, and let me tell you, she was not happy. It is not realistic. How on earth can you consider it flattering, unless you’re extremely desperate?
Another quote to prove Tommy doesn’t think about anything other than sex, and Em’s boobs. This is from when they go to his room, all alone, because Em is going to heal him.
“’Go lie down, will you?’
‘Wanna start already? Guess that shouldn’t be a surprise.’”
And this is only two of very many moments like this. After about half the book, it feels like the conversations start repeating themselves.
I have another quote that I got really hung up on. It has got to be one of the stupidest sentences I’ve ever read (including the two chapters I read of Fifty Shades of Grey).
“He wore a guilty expression I found entirely adorable.”
What the actual Hell?
So, this is the case; he did something that hurt her, and he feels guilty. Em doesn’t want him to be guilty, since she doesn’t blame him. And then she finds his guilt adorable? Although, I guess it shouldn’t be a surprise. According to Em, there is nothing wrong with Tommy.
The characters lacked depth.
A lot of things that could potentially be really deep and important stuff were thrown out the window. Tommy has a past. And Em doesn’t even care. At all. It’s like whatever he did can’t have been that bad, since he’s Tommy, and Tommy can’t do anything wrong.
To prove this, I have another quote. Tommy has just been in a pretty bad fight, and he’s apologizing to Em. After witnessing something like that, the normal response would be something along the lines of running as fast and as far as possible. This is Em’s reaction;
“No, it’s alright. It was… You were incredible.”
Let’s talk about… Tommy’s obsession with Em’s scent.
And yes, I’ve seen it before in a book, and no, I didn’t mind it then, but that’s because the author made it a funny thing (if you were wondering, yes, I was talking about Mia’s obsession over Michael’s scent from The Princess Diaries. If you have not read it, I suggest you do, because it’s awesome), but in Connected, it just made Tommy look even more like a creep (as if his staring at Em’s boobs weren’t enough).
“’In the time it took to blink, he slid next to me, sniffing my neck. “And your scent…’ he inhaled.”
He does that every time they see each other. Another thing is that, although he keeps going on and on about how hot she is, not once does he mention that she is really nice, or thoughtful, or anything about her personality. It’s like he only cares about her looks.
Enough about the characters. Let’s talk about the plot.
The plot. What to say about the plot? It’s boring, for one thing. I mean, it has the potential of being something great, which is why I picked it up in the first place, but it ends up being utterly boring. There’s more focus on the relationship between Em and Tommy, which is also boring, that I just couldn’t keep up with the plot. And Em, Roz and Tommy were just being stubborn and blind, ignoring what was right in front of their noses. I figured out the mystery in the first fourth of the book, while it took them ages to figure it out. They were so certain, although they had lacking evidence, and Em’s “super-power”, that they didn’t even consider any other options. Mostly, this was Tommy and Roz who refused to listen to Em, who had an advantage, what with her being able to sense other people’s emotions.
At page 214, I was still waiting for something interesting to happen.
And then, finally, it does! A plot twist that could have changed my rating from one hearts to two hearts, or at least 1.5 hearts, would Kat have played her cards better. Instead, everyone just panicked and got anxious and desperate and just started to annoy me even more than before.
So, yeah, there you have it. I won't read the sequel, because apparently, it’s not a standalone, but go ahead and read it if you like. You have been warned.
PS: Sorry about the long, rant-like review, but I really needed to say that.
*I was provided with an ARC from Xpresso Book Tours in exchange for an honest review. This did not affect my rating or my review in the slightest. All thoughts expressed in this review is unbiased and my own.*
*SPOILER ALERT: Review may contain spoilers to some of the incidents in the book. Do not read if you haven’t read Connected and are planning on reading it.*
Ugh!
That one word sums up my feelings about this book. Don’t get me wrong, the writing was okay, but that was about it. I hated the characters, the plot, and its predictability. Now, I know a lot of people have given this book great reviews, and I’m not judging anyone for liking it, it just wasn’t my cup of tea. I don’t mean to offend anyone.
Why did I hate the characters so much, you may ask.
For multiple reasons. The first reason is that they are just so incredibly immature. It doesn’t feel like they’re in high school, more like middle grade, except for all the making out between Tommy and Emily, which has to be about a third of the book, no kidding. There is a murderer on the loose, and what do they do? They spent most of their time going on dates and completely ignoring the fact that they are the only ones who can save people from getting murdered.
Tommy is basically just a sex-crazed teenager.
Seriously. If Em is wearing a t-shirt her own size, he doesn’t do anything but stare at her boobs. And not very discreetly, either. He’s just being downright rude, and the worst part? Emily actually gets flattered! I have a few quotes to prove my point.
“His eyes focused on my chest. ‘You have boobies.’
My face flushed in embarrassment. Roz burst out laughing.
‘And they’re huge.’ He continued to stare.”
And a quote from a little later, referring to his staring at her boobs unashamedly.
“I finally understood what he meant when he said he was flattered. It felt good to be that desired.”
Any normal girl would be offended by a guy staring at their boobs. It’s happened to my friend, and let me tell you, she was not happy. It is not realistic. How on earth can you consider it flattering, unless you’re extremely desperate?
Another quote to prove Tommy doesn’t think about anything other than sex, and Em’s boobs. This is from when they go to his room, all alone, because Em is going to heal him.
“’Go lie down, will you?’
‘Wanna start already? Guess that shouldn’t be a surprise.’”
And this is only two of very many moments like this. After about half the book, it feels like the conversations start repeating themselves.
I have another quote that I got really hung up on. It has got to be one of the stupidest sentences I’ve ever read (including the two chapters I read of Fifty Shades of Grey).
“He wore a guilty expression I found entirely adorable.”
What the actual Hell?
So, this is the case; he did something that hurt her, and he feels guilty. Em doesn’t want him to be guilty, since she doesn’t blame him. And then she finds his guilt adorable? Although, I guess it shouldn’t be a surprise. According to Em, there is nothing wrong with Tommy.
The characters lacked depth.
A lot of things that could potentially be really deep and important stuff were thrown out the window. Tommy has a past. And Em doesn’t even care. At all. It’s like whatever he did can’t have been that bad, since he’s Tommy, and Tommy can’t do anything wrong.
To prove this, I have another quote. Tommy has just been in a pretty bad fight, and he’s apologizing to Em. After witnessing something like that, the normal response would be something along the lines of running as fast and as far as possible. This is Em’s reaction;
“No, it’s alright. It was… You were incredible.”
Let’s talk about… Tommy’s obsession with Em’s scent.
And yes, I’ve seen it before in a book, and no, I didn’t mind it then, but that’s because the author made it a funny thing (if you were wondering, yes, I was talking about Mia’s obsession over Michael’s scent from The Princess Diaries. If you have not read it, I suggest you do, because it’s awesome), but in Connected, it just made Tommy look even more like a creep (as if his staring at Em’s boobs weren’t enough).
“’In the time it took to blink, he slid next to me, sniffing my neck. “And your scent…’ he inhaled.”
He does that every time they see each other. Another thing is that, although he keeps going on and on about how hot she is, not once does he mention that she is really nice, or thoughtful, or anything about her personality. It’s like he only cares about her looks.
Enough about the characters. Let’s talk about the plot.
The plot. What to say about the plot? It’s boring, for one thing. I mean, it has the potential of being something great, which is why I picked it up in the first place, but it ends up being utterly boring. There’s more focus on the relationship between Em and Tommy, which is also boring, that I just couldn’t keep up with the plot. And Em, Roz and Tommy were just being stubborn and blind, ignoring what was right in front of their noses. I figured out the mystery in the first fourth of the book, while it took them ages to figure it out. They were so certain, although they had lacking evidence, and Em’s “super-power”, that they didn’t even consider any other options. Mostly, this was Tommy and Roz who refused to listen to Em, who had an advantage, what with her being able to sense other people’s emotions.
At page 214, I was still waiting for something interesting to happen.
And then, finally, it does! A plot twist that could have changed my rating from one hearts to two hearts, or at least 1.5 hearts, would Kat have played her cards better. Instead, everyone just panicked and got anxious and desperate and just started to annoy me even more than before.
So, yeah, there you have it. I won't read the sequel, because apparently, it’s not a standalone, but go ahead and read it if you like. You have been warned.
PS: Sorry about the long, rant-like review, but I really needed to say that.
July 7, 2015
I received this book in exchange for an honest review.
(note: this review contains mild spoilers from the first chapter)
Beyond entering a paranormal world, I honestly didn’t know what to expect when I started reading “Connected”, but I certainly wasn’t expecting the main character, Em, to get hit by a car in the first chapter! I was pretty much hooked three pages in and found the read to be both fast and highly enjoyable.
I instantly found myself on the side of Em. She’s a sensitive, sweet, and quirky teen who I just wanted good things for. I thought I hated high school, but my experience paled in comparison to Em’s. Saying that she has it rough in high school is an understatement. In addition to all of the torment she receives from her “demon” classmate, Angel, she’s got to deal with a superpower that can be flat-out embarrassing at times!
In fact, speaking of superpowers, I really liked how in this book just because a character has an amazing ability, it doesn’t automatically make them cool. To me, this made the characters feel more real and relatable.
I liked Em’s best friend Roz, and I personally loved that Roz had “minions” LOL. I was also a fan of Tommy, who had a neat superpower of his own. It was fun and exciting to tag along with the three of them to not only discover that the world isn’t exactly the normal place they thought it was, but to find out if I was right about who I thought was the psycho killer (I was!).
On the whole, I found that Kat Stiles developed a unique fictional world in Texas, filled with very colourful, interesting and mysterious characters. I’m looking forward to seeing what will happen in book two of her paranormal universe and can’t wait to find out the answers to all my questions!
(note: this review contains mild spoilers from the first chapter)
Beyond entering a paranormal world, I honestly didn’t know what to expect when I started reading “Connected”, but I certainly wasn’t expecting the main character, Em, to get hit by a car in the first chapter! I was pretty much hooked three pages in and found the read to be both fast and highly enjoyable.
I instantly found myself on the side of Em. She’s a sensitive, sweet, and quirky teen who I just wanted good things for. I thought I hated high school, but my experience paled in comparison to Em’s. Saying that she has it rough in high school is an understatement. In addition to all of the torment she receives from her “demon” classmate, Angel, she’s got to deal with a superpower that can be flat-out embarrassing at times!
In fact, speaking of superpowers, I really liked how in this book just because a character has an amazing ability, it doesn’t automatically make them cool. To me, this made the characters feel more real and relatable.
I liked Em’s best friend Roz, and I personally loved that Roz had “minions” LOL. I was also a fan of Tommy, who had a neat superpower of his own. It was fun and exciting to tag along with the three of them to not only discover that the world isn’t exactly the normal place they thought it was, but to find out if I was right about who I thought was the psycho killer (I was!).
On the whole, I found that Kat Stiles developed a unique fictional world in Texas, filled with very colourful, interesting and mysterious characters. I’m looking forward to seeing what will happen in book two of her paranormal universe and can’t wait to find out the answers to all my questions!
June 15, 2015
Enjoyable! I received an advance copy of Y.A. novel “Connected” by Kat Stiles for an honest review. It’s an enjoyable tale about Emily Milford, a high school sophomore with a newly discovered power to heal. She just happens to have a best friend, Roz, with an ability to see into the future, and a new boyfriend, Tommy, who could hear and see from great distances. With a tight friendship among this trio and a school nurse, Judy, with healing powers of her own, the teens embark on a local mystery to solve a murder and prevent anyone else from getting hurt.
The main characters are believable and their interactive banter fun to read. The villain, Dr. Keith Hayes, is a bit one dimensional, but the depth of the three main characters seems to overshadow that deficiency. Some of the scenes between Emily and Tommy seemed to end abruptly, not allowing the reader to completely enjoy the few moments they spent alone together. However, the overall cadence of the story kept me interested from beginning to end. I enjoyed the little twists as I learned about the extent of their abilities. And what’s up with Emily’s memories about her father? I can hardly wait to get the scoop on that thread and learn more about how much Tommy is truly capable of. I must admit Tommy’s my favorite character.
I absolutely recommend this novel and look forward to part two of this enjoyable story.
The main characters are believable and their interactive banter fun to read. The villain, Dr. Keith Hayes, is a bit one dimensional, but the depth of the three main characters seems to overshadow that deficiency. Some of the scenes between Emily and Tommy seemed to end abruptly, not allowing the reader to completely enjoy the few moments they spent alone together. However, the overall cadence of the story kept me interested from beginning to end. I enjoyed the little twists as I learned about the extent of their abilities. And what’s up with Emily’s memories about her father? I can hardly wait to get the scoop on that thread and learn more about how much Tommy is truly capable of. I must admit Tommy’s my favorite character.
I absolutely recommend this novel and look forward to part two of this enjoyable story.
June 3, 2015
Teen Beach Read.
Connected is part romance novel, part mystery. It’s a good choice if you are looking for a light beach read.
The book’s major flaw is its two plot lines. They felt like two separate books. I kept waiting for the bombshell that tied the two together, but it never materialized. The book spent an unnecessary amount of time on the romance, but because it lacks a strong conflict, this part of the story didn’t draw me in.
It also made the mystery, the better story line, arrive too late in the novel to develop to its full potential. Stiles does a great job integrating the powers of the three main characters, and creating high stakes, but the final scene felt rushed, leaving me wanting more details. When the villain’s motivations were finally revealed, they fell flat.
Overall, there were some good ideas in the story, I’m defiantly interested to see where the story goes, but the execution fell short in some areas.
Despite these minor flaws, Connected is still a fun, fast-paced adventure that will be a perfect compliment to a lazy summer day.
I received a copy in exchange for an honest review.
Connected is part romance novel, part mystery. It’s a good choice if you are looking for a light beach read.
The book’s major flaw is its two plot lines. They felt like two separate books. I kept waiting for the bombshell that tied the two together, but it never materialized. The book spent an unnecessary amount of time on the romance, but because it lacks a strong conflict, this part of the story didn’t draw me in.
It also made the mystery, the better story line, arrive too late in the novel to develop to its full potential. Stiles does a great job integrating the powers of the three main characters, and creating high stakes, but the final scene felt rushed, leaving me wanting more details. When the villain’s motivations were finally revealed, they fell flat.
Overall, there were some good ideas in the story, I’m defiantly interested to see where the story goes, but the execution fell short in some areas.
Despite these minor flaws, Connected is still a fun, fast-paced adventure that will be a perfect compliment to a lazy summer day.
I received a copy in exchange for an honest review.
June 3, 2015
4/5 Stars
In this YA paranormal mystery, three friends discover they each have super-powers, which would be cool except for the psychic serial killer on the loose. Yeah, you had me at serial killer.
The story is told through Emily’s point of view and Stiles captures her voice very well. The high school scenes seem fairly authentic and the Texas setting is great. The budding relationship between Em and Tommy is sweet, yet intense, with all the yearning and emotions of first love. Tommy makes a great book boyfriend. The characters throughout the book are interesting and diverse. The mystery is well developed and Stiles keeps up the suspense right to the end.
I would have liked more back-story, both for the super-powers and what was going on with Em’s mom and sister. It would add a nice depth to the story.
I hope the sequel is in the works. I definitely recommend you grab a copy of Connected.
(I received a copy in exchange for a fair and honest review)
In this YA paranormal mystery, three friends discover they each have super-powers, which would be cool except for the psychic serial killer on the loose. Yeah, you had me at serial killer.
The story is told through Emily’s point of view and Stiles captures her voice very well. The high school scenes seem fairly authentic and the Texas setting is great. The budding relationship between Em and Tommy is sweet, yet intense, with all the yearning and emotions of first love. Tommy makes a great book boyfriend. The characters throughout the book are interesting and diverse. The mystery is well developed and Stiles keeps up the suspense right to the end.
I would have liked more back-story, both for the super-powers and what was going on with Em’s mom and sister. It would add a nice depth to the story.
I hope the sequel is in the works. I definitely recommend you grab a copy of Connected.
(I received a copy in exchange for a fair and honest review)
June 7, 2015
Oh my gosh - I had a GREAT time reading this book! Part romance, part mystery, all wrapped in a wonderful paranormal bow, "Connected" is both fun AND funny. I love the build of the story, particularly the evolution of Emily's character and her relationship with Tommy. Their chemistry is fantastic, their banter is really funny, and their voices are authentic. I think in the best YA novels, the writer creates characters the reader can root for and, in some respects, fall in love with, and I think Kat Stiles definitely did that here. By the end I was totally invested in the entire story and the outcome, and now I can't wait to find out what happens next.
June 16, 2017
I really enjoyed this book. It was a fun, quick read. Em's character was super relatable and I loved her personality, she was funny and insecure and spunky. I really loved her relationship with Tommy too. I'll never forget when he said, "You have boobies!" I literally LOL'd. The book ended on a cliffhanger and I'm dying to read the sequel, I hope it happens!!
December 1, 2017
A great read! Some great laughs to b had up in there! I so called that therapist! He is a creeper! And Scott, definitely not a fan of his! Loving Tommy he seems like a great guy! That BAM ending!! OMG!!! Need the next book now!!
Bravo, Kat Stiles!
Bravo, Kat Stiles!
November 24, 2017
This story defiantly starts of with a bang, with the main female character Emily getting hit by s car! This is a definite YA read with 3 teenager who manifest supernatural powers. The storyline does seem to drag and bounce around and the main plot seems to get lost under Emily and Tommy. The villain seems almost cartoonish but I must admit, I'm very curious about Emily's father, and I really enjoyed how Emily was shy and introverted in the beginning of the book, bullyied by other classmates, and by the end she had blossomed and finally stood up for herself which was awesome!!
I am looking forward to the second book in the series to see what happens with her father!!!
I am looking forward to the second book in the series to see what happens with her father!!!
September 16, 2015
Originally posted on Daydreaming Books.
**I received a digital copy of this book from Xpresso Book Tours in exchange for an honest review.**
This book was really good, I definitely liked the plot and the characters were great as well. It was quite a fast read and I enjoyed the ride. Though I didn't fall in love with it but I enjoyed it immensely.
Summary-
The story revolves around a girl named Emily (or Em), she is the outcast in her class, she has only one true friend- Roz who always stays by her side and is a good friend to her. A new guy named Tommy with a past, enrolls in their school and Em forms a crush on him. Em's always sweaty hands seems to heat up and she learns that she’s a healer and Roz finds out she's a psychic as she starts having visions. They soon understand Tommy is no different than them, he has a sort of super hearing power. Then slowly things starts to spiral out of control. Roz's deadly visions seems to come true and the trio quickly realise that there's a killer on loose. But stopping this person seems quite impossible because he's not an ordinary guy either.
Plot-
The plot was fresh and good. I quite enjoyed it. I liked how Em discovered her powers with the help of the school nurse Judy who had powers of her own and she handled it quite maturely. Her dreams rather nightmares about her father created a sense of mystery in the novel and I definitely wanted to find out more about it and I'm exited to read about it in the next book. Although the first part of the book lacks in action but things began to change and it took an interesting turn as it reached towards the middle. The romance between Tommy and Em was really sweet but I would have liked if there was more depth, hopefully I will get to see that in the next installment. The killer part was handled really well although I already guess the plot twist, I liked how things were executed.
Characters-
I liked the diverse characters in this novel, specially the trio. Em was a relatable character, she was sweet and shy. I loved the moment when she finally stood up for herself to the bullying. Roz was another character I liked, she was caring and sweet and looked out for her best friend. Tommy is the mysterious guy but he opens up to Em and I liked their bond, they could relate to each other. He was quite humorous and I loved it about him. I definitely loved the fact that they were responsible and took it upon themselves to solve the murder mystery.
Tommy's brother was another character I liked, he was really funny and a good brother. I really felt angry towards Em's family, not only she had to face her bitchy classmates who always made fun of her but she had no peace at her home as well. Her sister was quite psychotic, I understood her reasoning for following her everywhere but it definitely crossed the line and what kind of mother was that, she didn't trust Em ever, she was quite unemotional towards everything. And the doctor, he was really, really creepy.
Writing style-
The writing was quite simple and easy to read. I easily breezed through the book in two sittings, I loved the smooth flow of the dialogues. The pace was fast and even throughout the book and I completely loved it.
Overall-
Connected was a book that I enjoyed very much. I liked the plot which was fresh and the characters were relatable. The budding romance between Tommy and Em was really sweet. The writing was simple and smooth and the pace was pretty fast. There was not even a single dull moment in this book and the mystery kept me on my toes. The last portion was really thrilling but the book ended on a cliffhanger and I'm dying to know what happens next, hopefully the second book will be released within next year.
Recommend it?
Yes.
**I received a digital copy of this book from Xpresso Book Tours in exchange for an honest review.**
This book was really good, I definitely liked the plot and the characters were great as well. It was quite a fast read and I enjoyed the ride. Though I didn't fall in love with it but I enjoyed it immensely.
Summary-
The story revolves around a girl named Emily (or Em), she is the outcast in her class, she has only one true friend- Roz who always stays by her side and is a good friend to her. A new guy named Tommy with a past, enrolls in their school and Em forms a crush on him. Em's always sweaty hands seems to heat up and she learns that she’s a healer and Roz finds out she's a psychic as she starts having visions. They soon understand Tommy is no different than them, he has a sort of super hearing power. Then slowly things starts to spiral out of control. Roz's deadly visions seems to come true and the trio quickly realise that there's a killer on loose. But stopping this person seems quite impossible because he's not an ordinary guy either.
Plot-
The plot was fresh and good. I quite enjoyed it. I liked how Em discovered her powers with the help of the school nurse Judy who had powers of her own and she handled it quite maturely. Her dreams rather nightmares about her father created a sense of mystery in the novel and I definitely wanted to find out more about it and I'm exited to read about it in the next book. Although the first part of the book lacks in action but things began to change and it took an interesting turn as it reached towards the middle. The romance between Tommy and Em was really sweet but I would have liked if there was more depth, hopefully I will get to see that in the next installment. The killer part was handled really well although I already guess the plot twist, I liked how things were executed.
Characters-
I liked the diverse characters in this novel, specially the trio. Em was a relatable character, she was sweet and shy. I loved the moment when she finally stood up for herself to the bullying. Roz was another character I liked, she was caring and sweet and looked out for her best friend. Tommy is the mysterious guy but he opens up to Em and I liked their bond, they could relate to each other. He was quite humorous and I loved it about him. I definitely loved the fact that they were responsible and took it upon themselves to solve the murder mystery.
Tommy's brother was another character I liked, he was really funny and a good brother. I really felt angry towards Em's family, not only she had to face her bitchy classmates who always made fun of her but she had no peace at her home as well. Her sister was quite psychotic, I understood her reasoning for following her everywhere but it definitely crossed the line and what kind of mother was that, she didn't trust Em ever, she was quite unemotional towards everything. And the doctor, he was really, really creepy.
Writing style-
The writing was quite simple and easy to read. I easily breezed through the book in two sittings, I loved the smooth flow of the dialogues. The pace was fast and even throughout the book and I completely loved it.
Overall-
Connected was a book that I enjoyed very much. I liked the plot which was fresh and the characters were relatable. The budding romance between Tommy and Em was really sweet. The writing was simple and smooth and the pace was pretty fast. There was not even a single dull moment in this book and the mystery kept me on my toes. The last portion was really thrilling but the book ended on a cliffhanger and I'm dying to know what happens next, hopefully the second book will be released within next year.
Recommend it?
Yes.
March 10, 2018
A great paranormal YA novel. One of the better ones I've read in awhile.
A story based in a small town, where a small number of people who have gone through trauma have activated secret powers. Aside from their powers, the MCs have a pretty normal high school life. That is until Roz starts having visiins and people start getting hurt. Can the trio stop these crimes? Read to find out.
The storyline was nicely done. Detailed to allow the reader to step right into life in Cannondale. The characters were very relatable, and developed nicely throughout the story as they came into their powers.
The relationship between Emily and Tommy was your typical outcast/bad boy pairing with a twist. Their conmection to each other was strong from the beginning, developing into true love. But not without some obstacles.
Overall very well done and highly recommended. Can't wait to read the next installment.
A story based in a small town, where a small number of people who have gone through trauma have activated secret powers. Aside from their powers, the MCs have a pretty normal high school life. That is until Roz starts having visiins and people start getting hurt. Can the trio stop these crimes? Read to find out.
The storyline was nicely done. Detailed to allow the reader to step right into life in Cannondale. The characters were very relatable, and developed nicely throughout the story as they came into their powers.
The relationship between Emily and Tommy was your typical outcast/bad boy pairing with a twist. Their conmection to each other was strong from the beginning, developing into true love. But not without some obstacles.
Overall very well done and highly recommended. Can't wait to read the next installment.
July 26, 2015
Holy fudge cakes and brownies. I always try to write a review immediately after reading a book. There's just something about expressing my reactions and my feelings about a book to you readers immediately after while everything I'm feeling is still fresh. But I have a feeling, but even had I waited to write this review my emotions would be just as fresh.
I absolutely adored this book I loved the romance between Tommy and Emily and the friendship between Emily and Roz. It was such a sweet story but it had such a gritty truth. Yes there were some supernatural aspects what with with mostly everybody having some sort of power but the underlying issues were very real.
In the story we are introduced to a very damaged girl, someone that is ridiculed and bullied. But she rises above all of that and becomes a strong independent character someone you're rooting for. It doesn't hurt the story that she has such an amazing supporting cast. I really enjoyed each character and how thought out they were, their back stories and how their powers are interwoven into their lives. There a few characters I would like to know more about and hopefully this isn't a one shot book and that it is part of a series so that I can read more about this world.
I've got to give major kudos to the author for helping to create a world that was so easy for me to immerse myself in. It led me to the daunting task of precariously balancing a bowl of soup and my Kindle on my lap since I was unable to stop myself from reading. Sure it doesn't take a rocket scientist to realize I should have sat at the table but hey I'm sick what do you expect from me. Even so, I don't think I took more than a ten minute break from this book at a time it was just that good.
Tommy is the kind of love interest that you root for. He's a good guy, though severely misunderstood. But throughout the book you see what a good influence he is on Emily and how he helps raise her self esteem and self worth. While Roz is your typical awesome beautiful best friend. She wants nothing more then to see her friend Emily happy. She's just a whole heartedly good person. Another character I found really intriguing was Lauren, Emily's older sister, there's more to her than we get to read about and I really hope that if this is part of a series that we get a little more in-depth characterization of her.
Truthfully, there is a bit of predictability, you kind of know who the antagonist of the story really is but there's so much more going on that it's okay. You may find yourself a little annoyed at how slow the characters are in discovering the truth in multiple situations but you remember with everything that's going on in their lives and the fact that they are just high school students, that there isn't much you can expect.
I absolutely adored this book I loved the romance between Tommy and Emily and the friendship between Emily and Roz. It was such a sweet story but it had such a gritty truth. Yes there were some supernatural aspects what with with mostly everybody having some sort of power but the underlying issues were very real.
In the story we are introduced to a very damaged girl, someone that is ridiculed and bullied. But she rises above all of that and becomes a strong independent character someone you're rooting for. It doesn't hurt the story that she has such an amazing supporting cast. I really enjoyed each character and how thought out they were, their back stories and how their powers are interwoven into their lives. There a few characters I would like to know more about and hopefully this isn't a one shot book and that it is part of a series so that I can read more about this world.
I've got to give major kudos to the author for helping to create a world that was so easy for me to immerse myself in. It led me to the daunting task of precariously balancing a bowl of soup and my Kindle on my lap since I was unable to stop myself from reading. Sure it doesn't take a rocket scientist to realize I should have sat at the table but hey I'm sick what do you expect from me. Even so, I don't think I took more than a ten minute break from this book at a time it was just that good.
Tommy is the kind of love interest that you root for. He's a good guy, though severely misunderstood. But throughout the book you see what a good influence he is on Emily and how he helps raise her self esteem and self worth. While Roz is your typical awesome beautiful best friend. She wants nothing more then to see her friend Emily happy. She's just a whole heartedly good person. Another character I found really intriguing was Lauren, Emily's older sister, there's more to her than we get to read about and I really hope that if this is part of a series that we get a little more in-depth characterization of her.
Truthfully, there is a bit of predictability, you kind of know who the antagonist of the story really is but there's so much more going on that it's okay. You may find yourself a little annoyed at how slow the characters are in discovering the truth in multiple situations but you remember with everything that's going on in their lives and the fact that they are just high school students, that there isn't much you can expect.
October 17, 2016
Emily, or Em, is a High school student. The night before the first day of school she's being hit by a car. While Em is lying on the asphalt, not able to move, the boys who ran her over leave her there. This traumatic event causes her special ability to activate. She wakes up the next morning without scratch on her. Due to pressuring of her best friend, Roz, and Roz's dad Em visits the new school nurse. Em is physically fine, but she feels different. She finds out that she's a healer. She cannot only heal herself but others as well. She can also feel the emotions of people. She can heal both physical wounds and mental problems.
Roz is Em's best friend. She is drop dead gorgeous with her smooth skin, beautiful hair and perfect figure. Roz is also one of the nicest people Em has ever known. She is friendly and always has a kind word for others. Roz isn't allowed to date yet, so she has to let plenty of boys down. She is being asked out every day on the school bus. Roz has been having dreams that are coming true. The dreams are becoming more scary and they're showing Roz how people are being murdered. Suddenly Em and Roz are facing a race against the clock to prevent these killings from happening.
Tommy and his family recently moved and he now is the new kid at school. He is a cute teenage boy who hates injustice. He has no tolerance at all for the bullies that walk the High school halls. Tommy is quick with his comments and this makes it very easy for him to overrule the nasty remarks that are being made. His senses are enhanced, which means he can hear and see from a far distance and he also has an incredibly developed sense of smell. He can recognize people by scent alone. His ability is handy to have since it makes eavesdropping on a possible killer quite a bit easier. Tommy stands up for what he believes in and has fallen in love with Em. He will do anything to keep her and Roz safe.
Connected is an amazing new series. The story has a natural flow that makes it easy to read. All of the main characters are strong in their own way. I liked it a lot that Em first was a bit insecure about herself and later evolved so much. Em got more confident and finds the strength to speak up for herself. Em, Roz and Tommy complete each other on a personal level and also as a group. Kat Stiles made Connected gripping because of the hunt for a psychic serial killer. I've always been fascinated by the possibility of having special abilities, so I love to read stories about this subject. Connected is a fast-paced read with interesting characters, great action and fascinating secrets. The ending is phenomenal and it made me curious to read the next book in this series. I honestly can't wait to get to know more about these powerful teenagers and look forward to reading their next adventure.
Roz is Em's best friend. She is drop dead gorgeous with her smooth skin, beautiful hair and perfect figure. Roz is also one of the nicest people Em has ever known. She is friendly and always has a kind word for others. Roz isn't allowed to date yet, so she has to let plenty of boys down. She is being asked out every day on the school bus. Roz has been having dreams that are coming true. The dreams are becoming more scary and they're showing Roz how people are being murdered. Suddenly Em and Roz are facing a race against the clock to prevent these killings from happening.
Tommy and his family recently moved and he now is the new kid at school. He is a cute teenage boy who hates injustice. He has no tolerance at all for the bullies that walk the High school halls. Tommy is quick with his comments and this makes it very easy for him to overrule the nasty remarks that are being made. His senses are enhanced, which means he can hear and see from a far distance and he also has an incredibly developed sense of smell. He can recognize people by scent alone. His ability is handy to have since it makes eavesdropping on a possible killer quite a bit easier. Tommy stands up for what he believes in and has fallen in love with Em. He will do anything to keep her and Roz safe.
Connected is an amazing new series. The story has a natural flow that makes it easy to read. All of the main characters are strong in their own way. I liked it a lot that Em first was a bit insecure about herself and later evolved so much. Em got more confident and finds the strength to speak up for herself. Em, Roz and Tommy complete each other on a personal level and also as a group. Kat Stiles made Connected gripping because of the hunt for a psychic serial killer. I've always been fascinated by the possibility of having special abilities, so I love to read stories about this subject. Connected is a fast-paced read with interesting characters, great action and fascinating secrets. The ending is phenomenal and it made me curious to read the next book in this series. I honestly can't wait to get to know more about these powerful teenagers and look forward to reading their next adventure.
September 5, 2015
Like many kids in high school, Em's fighting to stay afloat in the teenage social world. Her hands sweat, she's not as gorgeous as some of the other girls, and one of the more popular girls seems to have it in for her. Em's knee deep in every day high school life, and this is something many teens will have no trouble relating to. Of course, Em isn't completely going under; she has a best friend who sticks to her through thick and thin. And this is a stabilizing element that holds throughout the book.
Friendship is a main string in the otherwise uncertain world that Em's facing and a strong message at that. In the first chapters, Em learns through a tense scene that she (and others) have special powers. Her quick acceptance of this came across naturally, and it was encouraging to see her friend's easy acceptance of it as well. But then, no matter what happened, Em and her friends stuck together and had each other's backs. It was heart-warming to see this type of bond.
The other bond is more of a romantic one, and this relationship is brought over with just the right douse of tension. Tommy's entrance is intriguing but not necessarily love at first sight (which I appreciated). The relationship between the two builds slowly, leaving room for tension, insecurity and anticipation. The story remains clean, only getting a little steamier towards the end. Tommy's got his quirks, but he's a hero girls can drool for.
The author does a great job building the world and Em's predicament in the first chapters. I was swept away into the pages right away and had no trouble cheering for Em from the very beginning. The action moves along nicely, and I never had the urge to skip over a few paragraphs. There were twists and turns with just enough description to make the world visible and sink right in. The first part of this book really pulled me in.
The rest of the book kept up the action, deepened the danger and really brought it on. However, there were several plot hiccups and small holes which broke the flow for me just a bit. Some spots stayed a a bit too superficial and should have dug in a little deeper, and some of the twists weren't as unexpected as they could have been. Still, I enjoyed reading this and when I did set it down for the night, had no trouble picking it up the next day to find out how the entire thing turned out.
I am looking forward to seeing how Em's story continues in the next book and can recommend this to any young adult fans of paranormal romance who love a douse of fun superpowers.
I received a free copy in exchange for an honest review.
Friendship is a main string in the otherwise uncertain world that Em's facing and a strong message at that. In the first chapters, Em learns through a tense scene that she (and others) have special powers. Her quick acceptance of this came across naturally, and it was encouraging to see her friend's easy acceptance of it as well. But then, no matter what happened, Em and her friends stuck together and had each other's backs. It was heart-warming to see this type of bond.
The other bond is more of a romantic one, and this relationship is brought over with just the right douse of tension. Tommy's entrance is intriguing but not necessarily love at first sight (which I appreciated). The relationship between the two builds slowly, leaving room for tension, insecurity and anticipation. The story remains clean, only getting a little steamier towards the end. Tommy's got his quirks, but he's a hero girls can drool for.
The author does a great job building the world and Em's predicament in the first chapters. I was swept away into the pages right away and had no trouble cheering for Em from the very beginning. The action moves along nicely, and I never had the urge to skip over a few paragraphs. There were twists and turns with just enough description to make the world visible and sink right in. The first part of this book really pulled me in.
The rest of the book kept up the action, deepened the danger and really brought it on. However, there were several plot hiccups and small holes which broke the flow for me just a bit. Some spots stayed a a bit too superficial and should have dug in a little deeper, and some of the twists weren't as unexpected as they could have been. Still, I enjoyed reading this and when I did set it down for the night, had no trouble picking it up the next day to find out how the entire thing turned out.
I am looking forward to seeing how Em's story continues in the next book and can recommend this to any young adult fans of paranormal romance who love a douse of fun superpowers.
I received a free copy in exchange for an honest review.
August 31, 2015
Like many kids in high school, Em's fighting to stay afloat in the teenage social world. Her hands sweat, she's not as gorgeous as some of the other girls, and one of the more popular girls seems to have it in for her. Em's knee deep in every day high school life, and this is something many teens will have no trouble relating to. Of course, Em isn't completely going under; she has a best friend who sticks to her through thick and thin. And this is a stabilizing element that holds throughout the book.
Friendship is a main string in the otherwise uncertain world that Em's facing and a strong message at that. In the first chapters, Em learns through a tense scene that she (and others) have special powers. Her quick acceptance of this came across naturally, and it was encouraging to see her friend's easy acceptance of it as well. But then, no matter what happened, Em and her friends stuck together and had each other's backs. It was heart-warming to see this type of bond.
The other bond is more of a romantic one, and this relationship is brought over with just the right douse of tension. Tommy's entrance is intriguing but not necessarily love at first sight (which I appreciated). The relationship between the two builds slowly, leaving room for tension, insecurity and anticipation. The story remains clean, only getting a little steamier towards the end. Tommy's got his quirks, but he's a hero girls can drool for.
The author does a great job building the world and Em's predicament in the first chapters. I was swept away into the pages right away and had no trouble cheering for Em from the very beginning. The action moves along nicely, and I never had the urge to skip over a few paragraphs. There were twists and turns with just enough description to make the world visible and sink right in. The first part of this book really pulled me in.
The rest of the book kept up the action, deepened the danger and really brought it on. However, there were several plot hiccups and small holes which broke the flow for me just a bit. Some spots stayed a a bit too superficial and should have dug in a little deeper, and some of the twists weren't as unexpected as they could have been. Still, I enjoyed reading this and when I did set it down for the night, had no trouble picking it up the next day to find out how the entire thing turned out.
I am looking forward to seeing how Em's story continues in the next book and can recommend this to any young adult fans of paranormal romance who love a douse of fun superpowers.
I received a free copy in exchange for an honest review.
Friendship is a main string in the otherwise uncertain world that Em's facing and a strong message at that. In the first chapters, Em learns through a tense scene that she (and others) have special powers. Her quick acceptance of this came across naturally, and it was encouraging to see her friend's easy acceptance of it as well. But then, no matter what happened, Em and her friends stuck together and had each other's backs. It was heart-warming to see this type of bond.
The other bond is more of a romantic one, and this relationship is brought over with just the right douse of tension. Tommy's entrance is intriguing but not necessarily love at first sight (which I appreciated). The relationship between the two builds slowly, leaving room for tension, insecurity and anticipation. The story remains clean, only getting a little steamier towards the end. Tommy's got his quirks, but he's a hero girls can drool for.
The author does a great job building the world and Em's predicament in the first chapters. I was swept away into the pages right away and had no trouble cheering for Em from the very beginning. The action moves along nicely, and I never had the urge to skip over a few paragraphs. There were twists and turns with just enough description to make the world visible and sink right in. The first part of this book really pulled me in.
The rest of the book kept up the action, deepened the danger and really brought it on. However, there were several plot hiccups and small holes which broke the flow for me just a bit. Some spots stayed a a bit too superficial and should have dug in a little deeper, and some of the twists weren't as unexpected as they could have been. Still, I enjoyed reading this and when I did set it down for the night, had no trouble picking it up the next day to find out how the entire thing turned out.
I am looking forward to seeing how Em's story continues in the next book and can recommend this to any young adult fans of paranormal romance who love a douse of fun superpowers.
I received a free copy in exchange for an honest review.
July 1, 2016
I received a copy of this book from the author in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.
It has been a while since I've picked up a paranormal novel, but my love for this genre was reignited after reading Connected. Saying that I loved this book would be an understatement. I inhaled each page and acted like a giddy fool more than once and I never wanted the story to end. I got all the things I love; romance, suspense, mystery, and a bit of action.
Connected caught my attention right away. Kat Stiles put a great twist on supernatural powers that I found so fascinating. I liked that I got to find out about the characters powers as they did. It felt very suspenseful and entertaining. There was never a dole moment and flowed easily. This book was very funny thanks to Tommy, who I absolutely love. It also is sad and has that horrific foreboding feel to it.
The characters in this book was my favorite part of this book. I loved all the main characters. Emily is the heroine, who is the first to develop her powers. She is an introverted girl who gets teased at school and happens to have a very popular and beautiful best friend who lives across the street from her, Roz. The character development by Emily was so wonderful to watch. I wanted to do a fist pump multiple times as she learned to be comfortable with herself, become stronger, smarter, and stand up for herself. This was also possible with the help of her love interest Tommy who is new to her school. Emily, Roz, and Tommy were the dynamic trio and they complemented one another, stood together, and were friggin awesome. The romance between Emily and Tommy was maybe the best I've ever read from a teenage view. It was so beautiful and romantic. It wasn't rushed, it progressed at the perfect pace and Tommy is the best boyfriend in the world. I swooned all throughout this book with them two together. Kat did great job showing diversity in her characters as well and I loved this. Each character is a different ethnicity, come from different family backgrounds, and have differing personalities (this includes Emily's mother and sister).
I cannot express enough how much I loved this book and urge you to pick it up and give it a try. I promise you will not disappointed. I certainly wasn't. I can't wait to read the next book. I only hope for more Demitri in this one because what's there not to love about that funny hunk. I highly recommend.
It has been a while since I've picked up a paranormal novel, but my love for this genre was reignited after reading Connected. Saying that I loved this book would be an understatement. I inhaled each page and acted like a giddy fool more than once and I never wanted the story to end. I got all the things I love; romance, suspense, mystery, and a bit of action.
Connected caught my attention right away. Kat Stiles put a great twist on supernatural powers that I found so fascinating. I liked that I got to find out about the characters powers as they did. It felt very suspenseful and entertaining. There was never a dole moment and flowed easily. This book was very funny thanks to Tommy, who I absolutely love. It also is sad and has that horrific foreboding feel to it.
The characters in this book was my favorite part of this book. I loved all the main characters. Emily is the heroine, who is the first to develop her powers. She is an introverted girl who gets teased at school and happens to have a very popular and beautiful best friend who lives across the street from her, Roz. The character development by Emily was so wonderful to watch. I wanted to do a fist pump multiple times as she learned to be comfortable with herself, become stronger, smarter, and stand up for herself. This was also possible with the help of her love interest Tommy who is new to her school. Emily, Roz, and Tommy were the dynamic trio and they complemented one another, stood together, and were friggin awesome. The romance between Emily and Tommy was maybe the best I've ever read from a teenage view. It was so beautiful and romantic. It wasn't rushed, it progressed at the perfect pace and Tommy is the best boyfriend in the world. I swooned all throughout this book with them two together. Kat did great job showing diversity in her characters as well and I loved this. Each character is a different ethnicity, come from different family backgrounds, and have differing personalities (this includes Emily's mother and sister).
I cannot express enough how much I loved this book and urge you to pick it up and give it a try. I promise you will not disappointed. I certainly wasn't. I can't wait to read the next book. I only hope for more Demitri in this one because what's there not to love about that funny hunk. I highly recommend.
February 4, 2017
Full review and more available at https://bookplusheart.com/2016/08/07/...
Received a copy from author for an honest review.
A Paranormal YA with mysteries to uncover. Our female protagonist is Emily, she lives with her mother and older sister (a.k.a the Ice Queen). Emily is a sophomore in high school and has a difficult time adjusting. Her one friend, Roz is her saving grace. Roz and her father are more constant and helpful in Emily’s life then her own family.
After a traumatic experiences Emily’s life begins to change even more. With the help of the new High School nurse and Roz, she is able to channel her new abilities for a positive outcome. There is also, a new boy at school, Tommy. He comes from the other side of the tracks and is treated as such in school, but Tommy and Emily are drawn to one another. They can each physically feel a differences when around one another.
Tommy is such a good guy. He is positive and protective. He is kind of Emily and Roz. He stands up for them and tries with all his might to be their protector. The author allowed for diversity in the book with her descriptions of Roz, Roz’s dad, and Tommy. We are able to have a more diverse group of high schoolers.
Side notes, I think Roz and Demetri (Tommy’s older brother, should have a fling). His silly and brute type of personality and her soft and reserved nature would balance out the other one.
Roz, Emily, and Tommy, find out they each have special abilities. Between the three of them, you can almost think of them as ‘the charmed ones.’
There were some reservations I had about the book. We were able to have a resolution with Scott and the Doctor, but what about Emily’s sister. It feels like she was a large part of the story and then she just disappeared. For someone that was such a large negative influence on our main characters, they really all the sudden stopped having situations with her.
I believe though in the next book, which I am assuming there will be, because we are left on a little cliff hanger (nothing to freak about over) that "The Ice Queen" will return with her vengeance.
July 23, 2015
Just turned the last page of “Connected” book 1, and now I can’t wait for book 2 to be released. I received my copy as a part of an honest review exchange and was pleasantly surprised by the experience.
This was a very light read and a real page turner. It worked well for me because I’m very busy right now and can barely find any time for reading. Still, “Connected” managed to fit into my cramped schedule and keep me entertained at the same time.
I found the mystery portion of the book to be the most fun and was certainly what kept me reading every day. As much as one of the characters gave me the heebie jeebies, and another one made me want to jump into this fiction world so that I could give her a piece of my mind, there were others that I genuinely liked spending time with. I consider it a sign of a great story when there are characters that I feel that strongly about – good and bad (after all, you can’t like everyone, and in most cases, you’re not supposed to!).
Now that I’m finished, I already feel that emptiness that I sometimes get when I feel like I’ve been spending time with great characters. I’m going to miss hanging around with Em and Roz, especially, until the next book comes out. I hope to learn a lot more about the source of the paranormal abilities and about Em’s history in the next one. I also hope that Em learns to fight her own battles instead of letting Tommy do it for her and that she learns that the best way to deal with bullying isn’t to bully back.
Having gone through what she did in this book (yikes!), I can see a lot of potential for character growth ahead for Em. It’s going to be great to see what comes next since the foundation is a good one.
This book is perfect for very light and fun reading, beach reading, night time reading when you have a very busy schedule like mine, or anytime for a younger-young adult/middle grade reader. I’d recommend this to readers who are looking to quickly turn pages through an enjoyable launch to a promising series.
This was a very light read and a real page turner. It worked well for me because I’m very busy right now and can barely find any time for reading. Still, “Connected” managed to fit into my cramped schedule and keep me entertained at the same time.
I found the mystery portion of the book to be the most fun and was certainly what kept me reading every day. As much as one of the characters gave me the heebie jeebies, and another one made me want to jump into this fiction world so that I could give her a piece of my mind, there were others that I genuinely liked spending time with. I consider it a sign of a great story when there are characters that I feel that strongly about – good and bad (after all, you can’t like everyone, and in most cases, you’re not supposed to!).
Now that I’m finished, I already feel that emptiness that I sometimes get when I feel like I’ve been spending time with great characters. I’m going to miss hanging around with Em and Roz, especially, until the next book comes out. I hope to learn a lot more about the source of the paranormal abilities and about Em’s history in the next one. I also hope that Em learns to fight her own battles instead of letting Tommy do it for her and that she learns that the best way to deal with bullying isn’t to bully back.
Having gone through what she did in this book (yikes!), I can see a lot of potential for character growth ahead for Em. It’s going to be great to see what comes next since the foundation is a good one.
This book is perfect for very light and fun reading, beach reading, night time reading when you have a very busy schedule like mine, or anytime for a younger-young adult/middle grade reader. I’d recommend this to readers who are looking to quickly turn pages through an enjoyable launch to a promising series.
July 30, 2015
I pick up “Connected” because I enjoy YA fantasy and anything to do with magic. However, I'm sometimes a little apprehensive about YA because of some of the common stereotypes, especially when romance is involved. I was happy to discover this was not the case in this book. The relationships are well-developed and realistic. Emily grows throughout the story. Tommy manages to give off a “bad boy” impression while still being a likeable and romantic, which is hard to pull off.
I'm a little torn when it comes to the writing style. In a lot of scenes, I wanted more detail, and more suspense. Some scenes felt a little rushed. Especially in the first half of the book, I felt like the danger often passed too fast. However, I do understand that those scenes weren't supposed to have as much danger as suspense as the end scenes, so this did give good contrast. Plus, I definitely appreciate a fast-paced story, and this book certainly delivered.
Some things were a little predictable, and I was kind of frustrated with Emily for not figuring things out sooner. However, when readers can guess things ahead of time, sometimes that can be satisfying, especially for a younger audience. As I'm a little older, I can't give a good assessment as to whether or not this book would have that effect. But overall, I think this is a great fantasy book for teens. I was absorbed by the story and found myself reaching for the book whenever I could. I love the way the magic was described, I actually felt warm and calmed along with the characters. Some things that are often hard to describe were covered rather impressively, like feeling distance with one's own family. I was glad this wasn't overdone. I really connected with Emily and felt her pain. No spoilers, but I loved the ending. Part of me wanted a little more closure and detail, but I do appreciate endings that leave a lot to the imagination. I hope there's a sequel!
I'm a little torn when it comes to the writing style. In a lot of scenes, I wanted more detail, and more suspense. Some scenes felt a little rushed. Especially in the first half of the book, I felt like the danger often passed too fast. However, I do understand that those scenes weren't supposed to have as much danger as suspense as the end scenes, so this did give good contrast. Plus, I definitely appreciate a fast-paced story, and this book certainly delivered.
Some things were a little predictable, and I was kind of frustrated with Emily for not figuring things out sooner. However, when readers can guess things ahead of time, sometimes that can be satisfying, especially for a younger audience. As I'm a little older, I can't give a good assessment as to whether or not this book would have that effect. But overall, I think this is a great fantasy book for teens. I was absorbed by the story and found myself reaching for the book whenever I could. I love the way the magic was described, I actually felt warm and calmed along with the characters. Some things that are often hard to describe were covered rather impressively, like feeling distance with one's own family. I was glad this wasn't overdone. I really connected with Emily and felt her pain. No spoilers, but I loved the ending. Part of me wanted a little more closure and detail, but I do appreciate endings that leave a lot to the imagination. I hope there's a sequel!
March 1, 2018
This author is new to me which I enjoy a fresh take on paranormal and YA is not normally my area but this was enticing. A story about teens learning to acknowledge and accept their powers. Aside from powers reminds me of high school just trying to accept yourself. They discover they are a seer, a healer and a heck of a sense of smell. There is a line which I saw others liked as well about a bigger picture of being a healer and healing not being all physical and it just struck me because it’s true even from a normal standpoint heal a wound outside but the inside that takes more time and energy. This book is amazing and I’d let my teen daughter read it. No doubt she’d love it to.
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Thank you for your review
July 10, 2015
Just finished "Connected" and I have to say that it was a lot of fun. I'm glad that I read it in July because this is definitely a summer/beach read. I feel like I am slightly old for the story (I'm not exactly in the YA category anymore), but hey, people are always telling me to "grow up", so I'm still a YA at heart ;)
The first few chapters were very effective at sucking me into the story and making sure that I kept picking up my tablet to continue reading all the way through. From there, the pages just seem to keep turning themselves.
I like how many different layers of story there were so that you're not just following Em along a single thread. There are a lot of other strands of plot that keep the mind busy.
I do wish that there were more questions answered (especially about her mother's hair!), but I guess that's the point to a series - you can't answer everything in one book!
If you're looking for a light summer read that is full of all of the fun, romance, murder, adventure, and mystery of regular high school life (LOL), with super-powers mixed in for some added oomph, then this is the book you're seeking. Highly intellectual, this ain't, but it's just the kind of mind candy that a July read demands!
I'll be reviewing this book in more detail very soon at Envirotodd's Library (depending on when you read this review, it may already be there).
The first few chapters were very effective at sucking me into the story and making sure that I kept picking up my tablet to continue reading all the way through. From there, the pages just seem to keep turning themselves.
I like how many different layers of story there were so that you're not just following Em along a single thread. There are a lot of other strands of plot that keep the mind busy.
I do wish that there were more questions answered (especially about her mother's hair!), but I guess that's the point to a series - you can't answer everything in one book!
If you're looking for a light summer read that is full of all of the fun, romance, murder, adventure, and mystery of regular high school life (LOL), with super-powers mixed in for some added oomph, then this is the book you're seeking. Highly intellectual, this ain't, but it's just the kind of mind candy that a July read demands!
I'll be reviewing this book in more detail very soon at Envirotodd's Library (depending on when you read this review, it may already be there).
May 19, 2016
This book was entered and was a FINALIST in The Wishing Shelf Book Awards. This is what our readers thought:
Title: Connected
Author: Kat Stiles
Star Rating: 5 Stars
Number of Readers: 28
Stats
Of the 28 readers:
Editing 9/10
Style 9/10
Cover 10/10
Plot 8/10
Total 36/40
23 would read another book by this author.
12 thought the plot was the best part of the book.
10 thought the characters were the best.
6 thought the setting was the best part
28 thought the cover was good or excellent.
23 though the author was a good writer.
Readers’ Comments
‘I loved the cover so much – and the blurb too. They made me want to read it. I’m glad I did.’ Girl, aged 14
‘This book reminded me of X-men in a good way. There was an interesting romantic side to it too. Lots happening all the way to the end and I liked the mystery.’ Boy, aged 15
‘This book is perfect for teenagers. Super powers and cool boys and a strong plot. The writing style is not difficult to follow. It will probably never be on the English lit reading list but that’s probably why I liked it so much.’ Girl, aged 14
‘Generally pretty good. A few of the plot twists were predictable and I hardly got to know many of the characters, but I think teenagers will like it. Girls more than boys. This could be the start of a popular set of books.’ Boy, aged 15
‘A fun, teen novel packed full of paranormal powers and a sprinkling of romance. A finalist and highly recommended.’ The Wishing Shelf Book Awards
Title: Connected
Author: Kat Stiles
Star Rating: 5 Stars
Number of Readers: 28
Stats
Of the 28 readers:
Editing 9/10
Style 9/10
Cover 10/10
Plot 8/10
Total 36/40
23 would read another book by this author.
12 thought the plot was the best part of the book.
10 thought the characters were the best.
6 thought the setting was the best part
28 thought the cover was good or excellent.
23 though the author was a good writer.
Readers’ Comments
‘I loved the cover so much – and the blurb too. They made me want to read it. I’m glad I did.’ Girl, aged 14
‘This book reminded me of X-men in a good way. There was an interesting romantic side to it too. Lots happening all the way to the end and I liked the mystery.’ Boy, aged 15
‘This book is perfect for teenagers. Super powers and cool boys and a strong plot. The writing style is not difficult to follow. It will probably never be on the English lit reading list but that’s probably why I liked it so much.’ Girl, aged 14
‘Generally pretty good. A few of the plot twists were predictable and I hardly got to know many of the characters, but I think teenagers will like it. Girls more than boys. This could be the start of a popular set of books.’ Boy, aged 15
‘A fun, teen novel packed full of paranormal powers and a sprinkling of romance. A finalist and highly recommended.’ The Wishing Shelf Book Awards
Displaying 1 - 30 of 50 reviews