#Risen #NetGalley
*I received a copy from NetGalley in exchange of an honest review*
I’m just bubbling over with things to say about this book. It’s going to be hard because I don’t want to spoil anything, but at the same time, I’m dying to tell all about it! I will have to say that if you liked Twilight, you will LOVE this. Don’t get me wrong, it’s not the same old cliche. It has its own uniqueness. So Charlie lives with her aunt Rachel in a secluded cabin in the woods. More than anything, she longs to be far away from it and around other people. Oh, and there’s a German Shepherd she has named Jax. The story starts off with a bang. Nice looking guys in expensive suits show up and kidnap Rachel. One is left to “take care of” and dispose of Charlie. Little does she know, they are vampires from the clan called Mentis. She finds this out by running, which only triggers Sebastian’s bloodlust. Thankfully he doesn’t bite her because she has rubbed some natural cream on her that her aunt made. It repels vampires lol. It’s actually a funny moment. Sebastian is reluctant to do away with Charlie because he wasn’t really onboard with the idea in the first place. Queen Seraphina has taken him in when he was a child and claims to have saved him. She is a cruel queen and has been searching for Rachel a long time. When Sebastian touches Charlie, he has a flashback of memories from his past. Did I fail to mention that he has no memories of his past? They have been wiped. As the story progresses, we see more and more clues as to how Charlie isn’t as human as she thinks. Her blood seems to be toxic to vampires.

There’s two other clans of vampires, Corpus, which are vile, foul smelling creatures that look like corpses. And Animas which can change shape into crows. The king of the Animas is Metteo who is thought to maybe be Charlie’s father. He is in love with Rachel. The Animas want to coexist with humans and are a peaceful clan.

There’s so much I want to say. I’m not doing it justice but you just need to read it. I couldn’t put it down. There was never a dull moment. So many battles between the clans and also some glimpses into the Fae, which I think will play a bigger role in future books. I can’t wait for that. I think they play a big role in the vampire war. Along the way, we see a lot of surprises about Charlie. I should also mention there’s another major character named Opal who is a hunter. At first I didn’t like her. She was all about killing vampires. She is won over however and becomes Charlie’s best friend.

My only negative comment is the book sort of ends in a cliff hanger. Not as bad as some books I’ve read. There’s a good stopping point, but not like I would’ve liked. I still give it 5 stars because it grabbed my attention better than a lot of books and held it throughout. I really think it would make a great movie and I fell in love with the cover.

This was a quick, easy, vampiric read that I enjoyed thoroughly. I love books where the main character is naive to the paranormal world, then is thrown right into it. I think Charlie did a great job of handling it well. And I’m sure Sebastian helped with that. My only complaint is that it ended with a cliffhanger. Other than that, really like it!

Noteworthy experiences while reading this book: This one was full of cliches.

Check out author's other books? Maybe
Recommend this book? Not Really

Notes and Opinions: This one could have been a lot better, it started out pretty well but once you got into it the writing just didn't work for me. It was a very fast read with a little to much action sometimes. (Never thought I would say this). The romance was a little instalovey but not overly done, although it could have been better. For me, the story and characters were well in hand but the writing style just lacked what I was looking for.

Go Into This One Knowing: Cliffhanger

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Carol***BeautyandtheBeastlyBooks's review Mar 18, 2018 · edit
liked it
bookshelves: arc, funny-banter, insta-love, netgalley, paranormal, vampires

3.5 stars

*** ARC received in exchange of an honest opinion***

It’s been a while since I’ve read a vampire book and I quite liked going back to it.

Risen is full of action, sometimes even a bit too much action. I liked Charlie, the heroine. She’s funny and is faring pretty well considering everything she discoveres and that happens to her.

Sebastian is pretty swoon-worthy and, just like Charlie, there’s a mystery around him. I have a theory for him, but I’m still undecided about Charlie.

I think the romance part of the story was borderline insta-love and I would have liked to see it grow a bit more. And more of a slow-burn.

But I’m curious about the rest of the story, it definitely peeked my interest.

An intriguing young adult paranormal fantasy novel with vampires. This story is not your usual vampire story and you are sure to enjoy the different take on vampires and young love

It's been a long time since I big into a vampire read. I was happy to see this one on NetGalley and happy to get a chance to read it. Look at that cover. It is so so pretty. I was very excited for this read and really didn't remember what it was about when I picked it up to read... except vampires obviously. I enjoyed this book. There were things that were cliche about the read but there were was a bit of uniqueness too that made the story very interesting.

Charlie has lived with her aunt in the woods secluded for years. Her aunt wanted nothing to do with the world outside her little piece of solitude. Charlie wanted more and couldn't figure out why her aunt kept them so secluded... that was until the day vampires showed up and kidnapped her aunt and tried to kill her. Surprise! There is something special about Charlie. One of the vampires, Sebastian, who was supposed to not care about humans has a need to protect Charlie. There is something special about her and he thinks it can help him uncover his past. Charlie just might be someone very important to another clan's king. So Sebastian with Charlie in tow take a road trip to the den of a vampire clan. Along the way, they meet some vampire hunters, so scarier vampires, and quite a few dangerous situations. Of course, nothing is easier once they get to their destination and that is when all hell breaks loose.


So I really didn't know what to expect going into this read. I was afraid at first it would be the same human girl falls for vampire boy. Well, there is a little of that but really what makes this book stand out from other vampire books is the story, the world building. The vampires are broken down into different clans and each clan is different, different powers, different beliefs, different ways of living. How vampires were created is really different in this story too. I really enjoyed this most of all. A different take on vampires altogether. I love it when reads are original.

Another great aspect of this book is that was action-packed. There were tons of fights and fleeing and dangerous moments. Action packed from beginning to end. This makes for a very fast and fun read. There were some slow moments... slow as in not action packed not slow as in boring... These moments were good too. Lots of bickering and witty comments. Sometimes the interactions between Charlie and Sebastion felt forced. Later on in the read, I realized it was because Sebastion and Charlie just didn't know how to be in the same breathing area as another person. So awkward.

The appreciated the characters. The book was really a quick read so I didn't feel I got to know them as much as I would have liked but I did like what I did get to know. Charlie is a little complicated. She is a little immature but she has been sheltered her entire life. She grows into herself throughout the story though...not just falling for a vampire... she learns that she is big on humanity and compassion and she is tough and brave... she will do anything it takes for those she cares about.

Sebastion is a bit of a jerk. He is abrasive and obnoxious and doesn't give much thought to others... he is a vampire. However, he grows too. There is a soft spot in him when it comes to learning about his past. He remembers nothing of his human existence and feels he doesn't belong where he exists as a vampire. So he discovers a little humanity and compassion too.

The romance is nothing really to speak about. It wasn't overdone. It was hate to respect to kind of friends to yup I am in love. When it did hit the love stage it wasn't drowning in it and all mushy or even swoony. A little sweet but kind of something that is shown just enough to know its there, but really they had more important things to worry about like surviving. I like that the romance to second to surviving. Sometimes I feel books are a little unrealistic when people are running for their lives and they have time to canoodle. So it worked well for this story.

All in all, I enjoyed the read.... except the freaking ending. I hate cliffhangers. Well it wasn't a cliffhanger like is someone gonna die but there were so many unresolved things... things I wanted to be explained and needed to know... Guess this will be in the next book. It did end on a semi-good note though. So there was that.





A good read... will anxiously await the next chapter to this story.

I received this book in exchange of an honest review. Charlie lives with her Aunt in a secluded cabin in the middle of nowhere. One day men show up her Aunt call monsters and we are introduced to vampires. Sebastian is one of the mentis vampires and is told to kill Charlie. He finds a secret about Charlie that makes her valuable and decides to help her. Cue the cheesy romance and even though he is a monster she can't help but want to stay with him. This book wasn't bad and it would definitely be a great read for teen vampire lovers!

WHENS THE NEXT ONE? This story was interesting that I couldn't focus on anything i was supposed to do but read. Sebastian is a good book boyfriend, but he's just too cute with Charlie and how they enteract. I really cannot wait for the next one.

Review: ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥

Charlie lives in a secluded woods with her Aunt Rachel and Jax, the dog. They live in a cabin and have minimal contact with the outside world. Charlie is hoping to go to college and will be old enough to make her own decisions soon. She is mildly aware there is something strange about her life. Her Aunt doesn't want her to be seen by anyone or have a phone. She is cut off from the world.

This book starts with a spooky walk in the woods. No sounds from the animals and Jax is on guard. Little does Charlie know, her wish is about to come true. Leaving her cabin is not going to be what she expects though. Her Aunt is kidnapped and Charlie has to trust the only person left.

Sebastian is a vampire and Charlie's only lifeline. He is left with the task of killing her but first, he wants her help. Aunt Rachel has many secrets and Sebastian wants more than one answer. Charlie is special but this mystery is only just starting to unravel.

A world with Vampires, hunters and fairies. A war is brewing and everyone needs to take their places. A broken king and some amazing fantasy skills. This book is a fabulous start to a new series. It will leave you wanting more. It will also give you more questions than answers but it's a whirlwind adventure.

Charlie and Sebastian are both great characters. Their romance is intense. I really enjoyed this book. I couldn't put it down. I want to know more! 5 stars out of 5.

*I received an ARC in exchange for an honest review. A fast-paced story with lots to offer.


Amazon U.k Paperback £7.18 or £7.36 Kindle, 300 pages

Amazon US Paperback $9.99 or $10.24 Kindle

Expected publication: March 27th 2018 by Entangled: Teen

Risen by Cole Gibsen (Blood Eternal #1)

Lots of potential and I plan on following on.

http://tometender.blogspot.com/2018/03/risen-by-cole-gibsen-blood-eternal-1.html 19 likes

This is such a great book! I loved it and specially Sebastian, he is definitely my fave character. The story was very interesting and even if I didn't love Charlie (hence the 4 stars) I am really intrigued as to finding out what she is. She has some very interesting abilities. Now when it comes to Sebastian I fell in love right away, I knew he was good deep down and now that we know a few interesting tidbits of information about him I am curious as to who he is, I have a bit of an idea but I could be wrong. The story has some action, a bit of romance and you won't be bored at any moment. I also have to say that I liked the different kind of vampires and the story behind it. The story is not finished and I wish we could have gotten a bit more, there are quite a few lose ends that I definitely need to know about and I hope I don't forget by the time the next book comes out.
Would definitely recommend and it's a great read for people of all ages, not just teens.

I was so excited to dive into this book! I've read this author before and loved her - and so a YA vampire book? So excited! Unfortunately, it fell flat for me. The writing is good, but the storytelling is off for me. I felt like I was dumped into the middle of a whole bunch of action that...didn't hook me. I'm not sure if I needed more build-up, or if I needed more chemistry between Sebastian and Charlie, or what. I can't put my finger on it, but I do know that as I kept reading on, I felt more and more disconnected from the storyline and ultimately chose not to finish.

I sincerely appreciate the opportunity to read and review.

Wow. What a read!
I was enamored with this unique vampire story! Right from the start you're sucked in and can't stop until the very end!!!

You'll find new vampires/clans and everything in between.
Risen is well written, filled with fabulous characters, some you'll love/love to hate and root for!

I can't wait for more!!!!

4.5 stars from me.

*Recv'd a copy via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review*

Huge thanks to Netgalley and Entangled Teen for the e-arc for this book.


It has been a long time since I have read a vampire novel and just as long since I read one as original as this one. It was compared to Twilight which, (gasp!) I loved (you wanna fight about it?) so here we go...


We start the story with Charlie, who live with her aunt in a remote cabin the woods in Illinois. When her aunt is kidnapped, she teams up with a vampire named Sebastian, who may not be what he seems...other than a vampire of course. He wants to know about his past life and Charlie seems to be the key to him remembering and likewise, he is the key to saving her aunt from her kidnappers.

The first thing that drew me in was that in this novel there are three types of vampires, Corpus, Mentis and Anima, each with their own unique powers and...lifestyle choices. The second thing that kept me reading was the sassy attitude of Charlie. Even though she finds out vampires exist in her world, she still doesn't take any crap from them. The third thing was the vampire hunter, Opal, who turns out to be a key friend in Charlie's life.


The writing was breezy and easy to read making it a rather quick read (I finished in 3 1/2 hours total).

You can see the influence of other novels in the plot, but it didn't bother me as much as I thought it would and some of the dialogue was cheesy, but I wasn't even mad, though. This book was a quick enough read that I didn't lose interest so basically if you're looking for something supernatural with a little cheeseball effect, this is the one for you and I am pretty sure there's going to be another with how it ended and I am also not mad about that.

The opening chapters of this book scared the bejesus out of me! Enthralling reading with every page turn.
Review copy received from Entangled Publishing via Netgalley

I'm honestly sad to say that I was not a big fan of this book. I love a good vampire tale and i was hopeful. While I did finish it, there were too many problems that just made the whole book fall flat for me. Mostly, the characters just didn't really have much back story so I found that I didn't really care about them. What little back story they had was repeated in the book a few times too often for my tastes. Some authors can get around the lack of back story by building the character through feelings and emotions, but instead you're just thrown into the story and I ended up not really caring what happens. When there's finally enough action to carry the story, the whole book just ends somewhat abruptly. I can see that it's set up for a sequel but, unless there's some serious changes before the publication, I won't be following the series.
For my family-minded readers, this is very definitely a teen novel and more mid- to older teen. There's cursing sparsely throughout but it's not always mild. There's also, given the content, violence that's not very mild either. It's definitely not the most graphic violence and not for gross-out factor, but it's there since it's necessary to the story.
There were a few things that I liked about the book. I enjoyed a few of the secondary characters like Matteo. I really liked the different clans that the author introduces and how they're differentiated. The necklace was a cool touch as well. Unfortunately, these things weren't enough to carry the story. I regret saying this is one you should probably pass on.

I would like to thank the publisher, author, and Netgalley for providing me with a copy in exchange for an honest review.

Risen (Blood Eternal) by Cole Gibson
Oh my gosh I feel head over heels in love with this book!!!! One of the best books I've read in years!!!!
I absolutely love the chemistry between Charlie and Sebastian! I can't wait to see where they go! Opal had me laughing so much! I don't want to give to much away with this book because it will be a great read for anyone who reads it! I got lost in this book and loved every minute of the journey it took me on! I can't wait for more!!

"Risen" is an interesting new vampire romance (don't judge it by the cover- it's much more bubbly and YA-ey than it would appear). Charlie is a normal teenage girl who lives with her reclusive aunt and is homeschooled. Charlie has always dreamed of branching out on her own and living the true normal teenage experience. She has applied for colleges away from home and just as she is telling her aunt about her plans, "monsters" show up and take her aunt away. These vampires are part of the Mentis clan of vampires, and they are taking her aunt to be used as a pawn in a war which is pending between the three main clans.

Left to be disposed of by one of the vampires, Sebastian, Charlie regrets her desire to leave home and wishes only to save her aunt. Sebastian decides not to kill Charlie as instructed and instead takes her to the leader of the Anima clan, who he suspects is her father. Along the way, they encounter vampire hunters and a whole world Charlie would have never guessed existed.

As this is part of a series, we are introduced to a new world and a new mythology around vampires, which was pretty intriguing. However, the main mysteries of the book, such as who Charlie really is (or what) are not resolved. It felt like it left off way too early, but I assume these cliffhangers will be resolved in the next book (I hope).

Overall, it was an intriguing start to a new series. The romance felt very forced, and I wasn't sure I liked them as a couple, but I am curious to see if this develops more in future books (they don't really get to know each other that well before it starts turning into something more). The main characters have a lot spunk and teenage drama-type attitudes, but this suits the YA category well. I'm curious to see how this series will evolve!

Please note that I received an ARC from the publisher through netgalley. All opinions are my own.

This book pulled me in at page one and didn't let go, even after I finished it. I still can't wrap my head around the twists and turns that happened during my journey with Charlie and Sebastian.

Charlie's aunt is kidnapped by two men who show up in the middle of the night. A third guy, Sebastian, is tasked with getting rid of Charlie. When Sebastian touches her, he knows she's different and need protecting.

Sebastian has no memory before he became a vampire, until he meets Charlie. With just one touch, he gets a flash from his life before. He needs to keep Charlie safe so he can get answers to his own questions.

At first, I thought this would be a run of the mill vampire book. I was wrong. Every time I thought I figured something out, I was thrown for a loop. I didn't want to put this book down and found myself still reading at 3am to see what would happen next.

This is the perfect book to recommend to anyone. It's got vampires, mystery, and a little romance all in one book. I will be telling everyone to go pick up this book. I will also be the first in line to get the second book in the series.

An advanced readers copy was provided for an honest review.

Its always refreshing to find a new take on vampire lore. There are so many vampire books, an they are all the same, but Risen is something I personally haven't read yet. It was entertaining. The characters were likable and I couldn't put the book down. Definitely, a book for fans of twilight and the vampire Diaries.

Received an advance reader copy in exchange for a fair review.