Hinder is a high school urban fantasy romance.

If I could describe this book in one line, it would be: fated to be star-crossed lovers. The two main characters, Ethan and Alex, have an elemental ability that can only be used when the two of them are working together. And their element (earth) and fact that they are paired that way makes them extremely beautiful/handsome and irresistibly attracted to each other. However, if they give in to the attraction, they will destroy the world. So they must resist no matter the cost.

I like the premise of this story - star-crossed lovers that will (hopefully) find a way to be together in the end, characters with magical abilities fighting monsters in modern-day America. It was fun and interesting, and I liked the characters, the creativity of some of it, and the writing. I am curious to see

I didn't like how sensual the book was. Apparently it isn't enough for them to be attracted to each other and fight it; what I mean is, there are a lot of books that have that trope but that don't go into much description. But in this book, they think about it all the time, use crass terms sometimes, use magical spell that inadvertently arouse the characters, and more. I, personally, have standards that restrict me from reading books that are very sensual, and at about 65% into the book, I hit my limit and quit reading. For the sake of the review, I hope you will forgive me for not completing it and I'm sad that I don't get to see how the plot concludes. But I will hold to my standards in this instance.

I'm not sure I would describe this book as YA because of the content, although I know that the characters are young and it was written for a YA audience. There was also quite a bit of swearing, in case you wanted to know.

If you are okay with reading a book like this, feel free to do so; the plot was pretty interesting. But I personally wouldn't recommend it.

I received a complementary copy of this book. All opinions are my own, and I am not obligated to provide a positive review.

A truly magical and suspenseful adventure!

Hinder: A Bender's Novel, the first installment in a new series by Kristin Ping, revolves around Alex, the last powerful Earth witch alive, and her bender, Ethan.

Benders are the guardians of witches and they are magically connected to their power. However, Ethan has recently lost his connection to the power, something that happens only the witch he's supposed to be guarding is dead. But Alex is not dead, only hiding along with her family, inside of her aunt's locket.

This was a truly intriguing story, with great characters and powers. I loved the fact that lots of background information on the history of those powers was provided, and we had the opportunity to completely submerge ourselves in the universe.

While I enjoyed the premise and the writing style in general, at some points, I felt like being distracted and not completely immersed while reading the story. I do, however, recognize the uniqueness of the plot and that this could be a result of my personal tastes and not necessarily something that would happen to everyone.

I really liked this book.
All the characters were great and I liked the multiple POV's in the end. at first I didn't like the parents involvement but as the story progressed I realised their importance and ended up liking some of their bits more than a chapter from Alex.
Alex was a nice protagonist. She didn't overly complain about teenage issues, she also didn't suffer in silence, she was brave when needed and timid when rational. all in all she was a pretty accurate representation of a 17 year old female.
Ethan was the stereotypical perfect male - all books like this need one - he fit the role perfectly as well as having the tender side that he only showed occasionally.

The plot was straight forward enough in premise - a unique and nice idea but as the book progressed the simply enough idea seemed to develop arms and legs. I occasionally lost what was happening or has to flip back and consult an early chapter to make sure everything made sense.
It gave the impression that there was too many elements and plot lines humbling together at times and yet as I look back there only seems to be one plot line so I don't understand how everything could get so tangled. it was mainly in the action scenes. people would go from place to place and it just didn't flow.

i rate this 4 stars overall because the characterisation is so redeeming. the plot was slightly confusing but with so much history and world building I almost expect it.
The semi-cliffhanger ending nearly killed me and I can't wait for book 2 despite my slight greivences.

This was merely OK. Oh that cover is beautiful, but I wasn't overall really impressed with the plot. WIth 1 bajillion urban fantasy / paranormal books out there now, I've become really critical. I NEED the story to be different. What can your characters and plot provide me that Mercy Thompson, Kate Daniels, Mac Lane, Elena Deveraux, Kitty Norville, Cat Crawfield haven't ALREADY provided me? It's not a BAD book, no Hinder is well written. I just desperately need something original and this didn't cut it.

What a truly unique and wonderful world this book throws you into! It’s filled with magic, danger, and all the trappings of a teenage high school experience.

Ethan has lived a hard but rewarding life. He lost is mom at a young age, but has managed to keep his own life, even though he is one of the rare and often assassinated earth element benders. Without finding his “wielder,” however, he is left essentially powerless. He’s found ways to cope and has certainly gotten all the things a young teenage boy could want – prestige, a place on the football team, and a hot girlfriend. While he has to hide his supernatural side from the usual high schoolers, he is still able to shine (even sans power) around all this supernatural pals.

Alex, however, has had a bit of a stranger upbringing. She’s the one with the bigger target on her back, being the earth wielder. To protect her from those who may seek to kill her, she has been locked up in magical world for most of her childhood. Now that her mother agreed it is time to make herself known, she’s forced to wear a draining glamour that also makes her into the ugliest girl in school. Everything changes when she meets Ethan, though. Even in the disguise, there is a natural (and forbidden) draw between the two of them.

It wouldn’t be a good story if it was all that easy, right? Well there are bad guys and deception lurking in just about every corner. Just when things start to settle down, kind of, they get turned on their head. Without spoiling all the twists and turns of the story, let’s just say it gets magically crazy and you’re not sure who to trust. There’s even a big disaster or two. In the end we are left at a bit of a crossroads. Where will these two star-crossed lovers end up next? Are things completely bonkers in the world of the magically inclined? Probably!

A big thank you to NetGalley and Fire Quill Publishing for the ARC. I am voluntarily reviewing this book.. I have never read a book by Kristin Ping before. I would rate this book a 4.5. I found it to be quite refreshing. It seemed different-the characters were fun and it reads as a stand alone-it is the first in a series. I can see where this can lead to additional books-but it is not a cliffhanger like some books. There is mystery, and a small amount of romance and a lot of violence. I would say high school and up would be perfect. I enjoyed the read and hope you do as well. I say give it a go.

Hinder is the first book in the Guardian of Monsters series by Kristin Ping.

Hinder is about a teenage boy named Ethan. Ethan is a Bender, someone who works with witches to control their ability. Ethan's witch is named Alex, although they don't know they belong together right away. They both have Earth powers, as witches and Benders focus on one element: Fire, Water, Air, Earth.

However, Earth Benders and witches are almost extinct, so both Ethan and Alex are at risk of being hunted down and murdered if they're discovered by the Necrocretors. Those are the bad guys, but there's so much more to them than just simple villains.

Hinder is an interesting novel. It definitely kept me intrigued, although there were times where I was a bit iffy on the dialogue. It came across as a little cheesy in spots. I mean, I know teenagers tend to have their own way of speaking sometimes, but there were times it was a bit too much for me to handle. I also found it slightly annoying that Ethan kept calling girls by different animal names (fox, ugly duckling, etc). I know that can be a typical teenage boy thing, but it irked me.

The plot moves along pretty decently, although there were some scenes where it did drag a little, at least for me. It wasn't too bad, though, and I powered through it. The last...20% or so of the book really flew by, though, probably because there was a lot going on that kept my attention focused solely on that.

Character-wise, Ethan comes off as a jerk sometimes. His girlfriend is also kind of snotty, too, but she is one of those "pretty, popular cheerleader types" or however you wanna view her. Those girls tend to be a bit nasty. And Alex, she's pretty likeable. I wasn't super keen on her at times, but she's not a bad character.

Overall, Hinder is a pretty good read. I enjoyed it, and it made me curious to know what might happen next. I'd be game for continuing with the series.

If you like witches and magic, and action and romance, give Hinder a whirl. You just might like it.

I give it 4 stars.

❝ Mom worried constantly about that too. She said whoever my Bender was would never be able to resist me. That I had to be the strong one. Because earth Wielders were blessed--cursed?--with unnatural beauty. ❞

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with a copy of this book! All opinions are my own!

In all honesty, I wanted to like this book. It had a stunning cover and the premise seemed kind of interesting but in the end, it just fell flat. The book came off as shallow, a bit sexist, and just confusing. I only read about halfway, so this is a DNF review @ 42%.

Within the first 5 pages of the book, I was ready to put it down. I felt so overwhelmed by the amount of information being thrown at me regarding benders, wielders, witches, guardians, history, etc. It was just so much information at once that most of it just went in one ear and out the other. If anything, there should have been a glossary for the book that went into detail instead of taking up so much of the first chapter explaining rather than developing the story.

And not only that but the book is written in first person, so it makes it sound kind of awkward. When you're thinking to yourself in your head you're not really explaining the history of your world and culture/religion/etc to yourself. That'd be weird because you already know it. So the big info dumps didn't work, especially not in first person.

Despite all that I decided to press on because I was hoping the book would get better. It did not. But, before I get into my issues with the book let me give you guys a brief overview so you'll understand where I'm coming from.

Ahem, enter Alex, the earth wielder, and her partner/earth bender, Ethan. Earth wielders are supposed to be the most powerful of all the elements, they're supposed to be incredibly attractive and blah blah blah. Basically, they're superior. And people resent them for it. Because they don't want to be ruled over/kept in check by earth benders/wielders, assassins hunt them down and kill them. Alex's mother decides to use a spell to keep her hidden away in a world inside a locket until she's old enough/ready to find her bender. Okay, I think that about covers it. Now, let's get into my problems with the story.

The first issue was that wielders and benders are not supposed to be romantically involved, but they're supposed to find each other irresistible. Apparently, every pair ever has failed the test of Resistance. As a way to protect Alex from assassins and to help make the Resistance easier, her mother creates a glamour for Alex which will make her appear extremely ugly. Alex's mother tells her that Ethan will find it impossible to resist her so it will be up to Alex to maintain the boundaries... Um, excuse you? Basically, you're saying men can't control themselves so women have to. That sounds like a basic rape culture mindset and it irritated me so much! I thought it was ridiculous to say something like that, even though I'm sure it wasn't meant to come off that way.

❝ "What is wrong with you?" Alex demanded.

I leveled a look at her too. I've been waiting for you for a fucking hour. That's what's wrong. Learn to be punctual. Better, ask your mother to turn your ass into a clock.

I should've said that. It would've been the best comeback of the year. But I behaved. "Nothing. Can we start?". ❞

The other problem with the glamour was that the book took that one aspect and focused on it entirely too much. Once the two characters met the book became completely shallow. No one could believe that Alex was an earth wielder because of how unattractive she appeared (in her glamour). Everyone, adults, teens, and even, yes, Ethan, made basically no effort to hide their surprise whenever they first met Alex. Even Ethan's father said she was the opposite of what an earth wielder should be and he basically refused to accept Alex was one. It sent a pretty bad message considering earth wielders were synonymous with power and beauty: if you're not beautiful, you can't be powerful.

And, of course, Alex had to deal with so much bullying because of her looks. Even from herself. Alex constantly went on and on about how she missed her ass, her boobs, her hair, her height, her legs, her "sun-kissed skin". It was ridiculous the number of times she mentioned these things. But there was also Ethan's girlfriend, Soph, being super insecure (considering Alex was so "ugly" why would you even feel threatened?) and going out of her way to be a total ass to Alex. For no reason.

And then because I can't be totally unfair and just pick on Alex--Ethan was a jerk too. We were constantly being told how Ethan was a great guy and that's why every girl was after him, blah, blah, blah. BUT he was the one that called Alex an "ugly duckling" in the first place and basically got the ball rolling on the nickname/bullying.

He had his moments, sure, where he would offer Alex help (pick up her books, show her how to open her locker, etc), but it felt like a ploy to get us to like him. "Hey, check him out! He does nice guy stuff". But then the next moment he's judging Alex on her looks, or getting really pissed off at them for being late, being offensive, rude, and just an ass because he thinks he's better than others. He just felt so fake and two-faced to me. I didn't like him at all.

Plus, I took issue with him constantly comparing attractive female characters to animals. Soph was a tiger, Alex was a fox. He even had a moment where he said he knew he shouldn't compare women to animals, but that he couldn't help himself. Ugh. It just came off as really sexist to me, and I couldn't stand it.

So, unfortunately, this book was a total flop for me. It had negative messages, didn't develop the story enough, and had very shallow characters.

Hinder will be released on May 15th.

*I received this book through Netgalley in exchange for an honest review*
DNF @ 60%

It started off..okay and then things were repeated and felt more like a contemporary/slice of life book. I tried pushing through the repetition and slowly explained things, but I just can't do it. At this point I'm not interested anymore, I'm still a bit confused on the magic systems, and the whole making her ugly to save her is grinding on me.

A departure from my normal romance novels, Hinder was just the break I needed. Kristin Ping really outdid herself in creating a unique world and mythos that drew me in and kept me enthralled from beginning to end. It was absolutely magical. The characters are well-written--they have both flaws and strengths and each is individual to the character. They were real and genuine seeming.

Alex has been hidden all her life. She's spunky, weary, and ready to live outside her aunt's locket. Ethan is an All American boy. He's a football player, popular, and a little bit cocky. The two of them are destined for each other, but not in the way you think. I loved this unique twist to Ping's story. There was plenty of action to keep this paranormal junkie happy and just enough romance to keep the romance junkie in me happy. It's a clean one, all sex is kept behind closed doors so to speak so don't go in looking for smut.

If you like young adult paranormal, this is definitely a book you want to pick up.

Disclaimer: I received a free copy of this book and chose to review it. This in no way impacts my opinion.

DNF @ 8%

I really wanted to like this one - I have been wanting to get back into urban fantasy and thought this would be a good start for me - but the beginning was so hectic and not at all what I wanted or was expecting. I was really disappointed with the lack of easing into the story as there were SO MANY infodumps right at the beginning that it made my head swim. I couldn't even get into the story or know who the characters were because of how much information we were bombarded with about the actual setting including things I wanted to experience for myself rather than be immediately told about. I am just disappointed in general with this one.

I have mixed feelings on this story. I liked it, but then again I felt the romance was over-the-top and at times it started to really annoy me. Still the concept was good, and the overall story was okay.

It was ok i guess. It took me absolutely ages to trawl through it because i constantly lost interest and found something better to do.

They say “Never judge a book by it’s cover”. Well unfortunately for this book be cautious before choosing a book by its blurb.

🔹Hinder by Kristin Ping is a supernatural drama and romance based in the world of witches, wolves, benders and wielders. By benders I mean element benders. Ya you got it right Avatar the last Airbender. I thought about it too when I started reading.

🔸The story begins with a young Ethan Sutcliff and how he is discovered and how tragedy strikes his family. Ethan is an Earth Bender with no earth to bend. Why? His wielder is not around because Earth wielders and benders are rare and coveted. No one wants to have someone stronger than them around and Earth magic is the strongest. It is the one that brings balance but can also destroy.

🔹Alex comes into his world and Earth magic is found again. But there is so much danger surrounding her that she is protected up.
🔸I loved the cover and the blurb of this book. But it didn’t work out for me. The writing and word choice just had me cringing half the time. The romance apart had me yawning, the magical description was not that magical. It should be YA but all the mention of sexuality in it I doubt it is for a teen of 13. Honestly I have read many fanfictions which are much better than this book.
↝ ♡ ↜
My rating
2/5
🌟🌟
↝ ♡ ↜
I got this book from Fire Quill publishing and the authoress as review purpose only. Thanks to the author for providing me the ARC.

4 stars
Alex has been literally brought up in a bubble to protect her from the evil that wants her dead.  Ethan is her magical match but has lost his supernatural power but replaced it with physical strength.  While Alex can wield her power is it much stronger when she has Ethan around to bend it to his will.  The pair can control the power of the earth to make things grow and protect each other.  While Ethan has been out in the world and deal with the loss of his mother, Alex has known only safety so when she has reached the age where she can protect herself and must match with her Bender, she is given a glamour by her mother for protection.  Benders and Wielders must vow never to become intimate with each other.

ARGHH - ok that last line doesn't include the small fact that the pair can connect mentally and two teens, well, you know what the hormones are like.  One thing leads to another and they connect physically during their dreams.  I know, weird, right?  The pair must fight the evil Necromancers that want to have power over the earth and the best way is controlling those who can control the elements.  I really enjoyed the battles and back and forths between glamoured Alex (as an Ugly Duckling) and Ethan.  When he sees Alex as a Swan, it takes him time to connect the two but he already likes Alex as a person, so when he sees her as a beauty, he has trouble controlling himself.

There were parts in the story that dragged a bit but since this is the first in a series, the world building was necessary.  There is great interplay between the characters and even the minor ones are memorable, especially Alex's aunt.  She seems like someone I would like to get to know better.  Parents:  sexual situations, language and violence but not quite an R rating.

Hinder is a very creative take on the supernatural world. Benders rely on their compatible Wielder to give them the power for the element they are meant to control. Ethan, being a rare Earth Bender, is hunted from a young age because of it. When he loses his abilities, everyone assumes his Wielder is dead.

Alex has been hidden in a magical locket for years. Her parents know that being an Earth Wielder is a dangerous fate and would do anything to protect her. But it is time to reconnect her with her Bender so they can learn to control their powers together.

When they finally meet, albeit under a powerful glamour hiding Alex's true identity, they immediately feel the pull between them. They have to resist or risk one destroying the other.

As if High School isn't enough, or fighting your own teenage impulses, Alex and Ethan have to figure all that out while fighting for their lives. Oh, and the fate of the Supernatural world.

Fans of paranormal romance will enjoy this unique supernatural novel.

Thank you Rockstar Book Tours for including me on this tour and sending me a copy to read and review!

I'm not going to write a full review on this one. I had received a free e-copy in exchange for my honest review from Rockstar Book Tours, and ended up having to do a spotlight post instead of a review because I did not enjoy this one at all.

*There will be some spoilers ahead to get my point acrosss*

The magic system created was entirely too confusing. There were wielders and benders, and then people could still learn normal spells and witchcraft...

The fate of the love pair was way too tropey, and a little disturbing. For this being a young adult book, there was way too much sex involved, including the destined love pair being fated to share erotic dreams to test their ability to stay out of a relationship since it was prohibited between wielders and benders of the opposite sex.

It had promise, but it was not unique enough too keep my attention, and the writing style was awkward. It also focused way too heavily on the "importance of looks and beauty" and the main character, Alex, even had an "ugly" spell cast on her to keep her looks from distracting anyone, particularly her bender. So she was consistently made fun of, and even the parents were crude regarding her looks.

The whole book had me cringing, and I honestly don't know why I finished it...

Ethan Sutcliff is a Bender. A Bender is some who can control witches powers, bend them and make them do what they want. Benders are witches guardians; they watch over them and keep them safe. Ethan has not been able to use his powers since he was fifteen years old. If he wants to use his powers again he must find his Wielder.

Alex Burgendorf is the last Earth Wielder who has been in hiding for the last sixteen years with her mother and father. Alex must find her Bender before it is too late. She has no idea who her Bender is or how she is going to find him but she is sure she will know him when she comes in contact with him.

I love the world the author has created in Hinder. I love the Benders who can bind the witches’ powers. Benders who can bind an Earth Wielder, Fire Wielder, Air Wielder and Water Wilder’s powers to their will. This has been an epic journey one in which I have enjoyed tremendously and hope to see more of these amazing characters or maybe even more of Fire, Air and Water Wielders.

When I read the synopsis of Hinder I was interested. I thought it sounded unique. After reading Hinder I can definitely confirm that it is. My favorite thing about Hinder is the magic. I just found it to be so interesting. The characters are complex. I did have a problem with Ethan at times. I also struggled reading the first few chapters. Other than that I thought Hinder was well written and fun read.

This is a good start to the series.

The story begins with a young Ethan and how he is discovered and how tragedy strikes his family. From there we go to the now. Ethan is a great Bender with no earth to bend. Why? His wielder is not around. The reasoning is this: Earth wielders and benders are rare and coveted. No one wants to have someone stronger than them around and Earth magic is the strongest. It is the one that brings balance but can also destroy. Suddenly in a flash of an eye Ethan’s world where he learned to be a great bender with no magic changes.

Alex comes into his world and Earth magic is found again. But there is so much danger surrounding her that she is protected up the wazoo...So much so that we have the story of Ugly Duckling enter the fray.

We also have a past between Alex’s parents and Ethan’s dad. A past that does influence how her parents are towards Ethan. When we first meet Ethan he seems a little bit snobby. He is the golden boy. He also labels girls by what animal he sees them as. He doesn’t mean for that to turn into something bad but sometimes it does.

He first sees Alex and is mesmerized. She is a looker. Next time he sees her, he doesn’t recognize her and she is Ugly duckling. Which stays with her. Both aren’t on each others getting to know you list. In fact Alex makes assumptions about Ethan and she finally gets to know him she finds she is wrong. He isn’t dumb, arrogant or have an ego instead he is nice, kind, and fun.

Alex he learns is beautiful beyond the looks. She is smart and witty. He likes to talk to her but it is hard because it is against rules to be together. But they aren’t only feeling tugs of attraction. As they are learning about one another they are training. Training that due to her protection doesn’t go too well. It frustrates them to no end but her mom doesn’t care.

We see Alex in danger and do a few reckless things. We see Ethan be a hero and grow up before our eyes. We see his Dad help guide him but also show incredible love and honesty with Ethan. We see Alex’s parents and Ethan’s dad learn to let go of their differences. We see epic battles, love being denied but hope come to light, and we see where everything isn’t always as it seems. There are deceptions, secrets and growth in characters. We even get some cool reveals and works of magic.

Ethan is a good guy. He at first doesn’t come off as one to Alex but he is. He is misjudged at first. In reality he is a little impatient but as the story grows we see his growth in maturity and see him change. What once mattered changes. As the danger becomes more palpable and he learns more of his magic and responsibility, he grows into a more serious and responsible person. He sees what matters and understands where things stand and what needs to be done.

Alex seems a little spoiled when you first meet her. She is quick to judge and doesn’t really give people a chance. As she lives in her shell, she realizes that it is what is on the inside that matters. She also learns more about herself and others. She gives them time to get to know her and she them. She sees that everything isn’t always as it seems and grows as well. She learns how to fight and work with someone but also to not give up.

The story has a good foundation started for the series. We learn about the different characters, why Earth magic is so important and rare and get great character growth. The world is slowly built and intrigue is trickled in. There is a play on emotions and mystery as well with secrets and deception.We are left with questions to be answered and more adventures to occur. All the characters grow in some way and will pull at you either with like or dislike-an opinion will be formed. The descriptive writing and imagination is nicely intertwined and keeps you in the moment. A great start to what seems to be the beginning if an amazing series as we see Alex and Ethan learn about who they are, how to work together and the danger that surrounds them while they try to figure out how to break the issue of Wielders and Benders not being able to be together if you are each others Wielder and Bender. Look forward to seeing where they go next with this series. .