I loved reading this mix of both Fantasy and YA. It contained the best of both worlds, and was interesting until the very end. I would definitely recommend this book to my students.

This was the first book I've read from this author and I really enjoyed it. The story was different from anything I've read recently and really captured my attention. It was so well written and the characters were fantastic. I see that it's the first book in a series so I'm looking forward to reading the rest when they come out.

DNFed
Thank you Netgalley for sending me a review copy of this book!!!

I wanted to like this book. Like I REALLY wanted to like it. But the entire thing felt so...cliche. I felt like I had read the story before, and though the characters were pretty okay in terms of originality that didn't make up for the fact that the plot felt lacking.

I LOVE the fact that there was a content warning at the beginning, I think more books could benefit from this. This book is undeniably a New Adult book, with subject matter that wouldn't be appropriate for younger teens. However despite the content, the story read like a YA book.

In conclusion: I don't think this is a bad book. It just felt tired, and I will be keeping an eye out for more projects from this author, because the writing has potential. This one just wasn't for me.

I received this book free from NetGalley in exchange for my honest review.
Thanks NetGalley!

I'd say romance is the main plot of this story-line, and that the blurb led me to believe i'd be reading something a tad different. I'm not a huge fan of "insta-love" storylines. The book is definitely geared towards young adults, but i'd say closer to the teens than the "adults." AT times it was a tad cliche, but it's likely i'm just not the right audience for this book.

This urban fantasy romance confused me. It wasn't just that I was up and down with the characters, but I had no idea where the story was going because it felt like I was being pulled into many directions. I was initially interested in the premise but having dragged myself halfway, I'm so sorry but I can't.

I was not expecting this story from the blurb. I love everything about this book. The characters were amazing and well rounded. The world building and religious element well thought out and it had me guessing and working out timelines. It truly was a great story and I can not wait for the next book!

I received an ARC from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review! All thoughts and opinions are my own.

DNF at 40%

This book was not for me. The premise sounded interesting but as I got further and further into the story I just found it hard to continue reading it. Maybe a few years ago I would have been more interested in it but now it just reminded me of so many YA tropes (insta-love...) and I hated it.
I didn't care for any of the characters, Ella annoyed me, her whining attitude was so puerile. Zac was supposedly that sexy guy who seemed more like a stalker. The secondary characters were dislikeable at best. I found the story line so confusing and I couldn't see where it was going and at that point I was just no more invested in it.

As I said I really don't think I'm the intended audience for this book

Romance as a main plot isn't usually my cup of tea, but I follow N J Simmonds on Twitter and she's so lovely and supportive in the community I had to read the book I'd been hearing her talk about throughout its creation.

As a romance in itself I probably wouldn't have read The Path Keeper, but a Fantasy with adult themes? Count me in!

The story of Zac and Ella was so endearing. There was something really pure and beautiful in the way Simmonds described their relationship. I loved that the characters lives all intertwined throughout the past and present timelines in this novel.

Simmonds did a fantastic job of combining real world historical events with a fictional fantasy plot and I thoroughly enjoyed her take on religion. I'd happily accept love as the basis of existence.

The writing flowed nicely and I had no struggles jumping back and forth between timelines and characters. Each chapter ended on a perfect note, urging me to keep turning the pages.

The Path Keeper holds strong themes of motherhood and the bond between mother and child. I was heavily invested in many of the characters and found myself clinging to the hope of a happy ending (for most of them).

Simmonds ended this story in such a way that you can choose to read it as a stand alone or decide to continue the series to find out what happens next...

I wasn't sure what to expect, but I enjoyed reading this. An interesting story with fun characters. Well written.

I couldn't get into this book I never finished its. I just couldn't bond with the characters or get into the story.
I received this book from net gallery in exchange for a honest review.

I really wanted to enjoy this, but it just wasn't for me. Everything seemed a bit rushed, and though I was slightly intrigued as to what was happening behind the scenes, it wasn't interesting enough for me to carry on reading.

It just seemed to lack substance and I really couldn't find myself interested enough in the characters to continue. I unfortunately has to DNF this book at 30%.

This book was an enjoyable read for me. Many thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for the ARC. I would be interested in reading more from this author in the future!

This book is all over the place. The pacing, the plot, the overabundance of english colloquialisms that cheapens the writing, the inability of describing the characters well, could all be improved if the book had been heavily edited.
The plot reeks of standard YA clichés (you know the drill, bored teenager girl moves to another city and meets hot one-dimensional guy) and of cheap, white suburban spirituality.

The writing is great, the storyline is something different, and I really liked the characters. The main character is Ella, she’s 19, and the story revolves around her falling for Zac, an angel. But this book is so much more than. I loved the chapters with Dolly and Evie. This was Ella’s previous life. The dialogue and character descriptions here were spot on and I felt as if I were in London during the war. There were other reincarnations too, and everything linked and formed the story. Sebastian was the creep of the story and boy was he written well. He makes my skin crawl just even typing his name in my review. He’s Ella’s stepbrother. I wasn’t sure about Ella’s mother Felicity, but her storyline made so much sense as the plot unfolded.

There was so much to love about this book. I loved the historical elements, I loved the chapters on different lives, and I loved how everything came full circle. It was well written and I’m looking forward to reading into book 2 to see what happens next for Ella and Zac.

When I first jumped into The Path keeper I had no idea what i was going in for. But as soon as I meet Ella I was sold, she has a mouth like a sailor and face like an angel. I Freaking love it. She’s just herself and that’s amazing. I’ve come to love that Zac calls her Rivers, but kept wondering why he seemed to know her so well and she did not. So I dove back into the book to learn more about those two wich seemed destinied to each other. My heart was aching for all the woman we learned and their life, but i think most of all my heart ached for this reincarination aka Ella... She was headstrong, stubborn and funny... but her heart bled for Zac. Poor poor Zac who had to try to pull away, but in the end could'nt.. It was driving me insane how Zac pulled in and out..hell I was getting mad at Zac like come on! You’re supposed to be together! All of those reincarnations, sadness, pain, death… it made me sad…. I wanted the happy ever after… i wanted theirs happily ever after.. . I wanted them to succeed in that area so bad…I sat there and bit my lip, waiting, hoping crossing my fingers as I flickered the pages… i wanted to scream and yell, i felt so much for Ella and For Zac. I came to Love Zac, his stubborn, his love, his everything it was amazing how he choose love over everything, and i bet he'd done it sooner if they'd let him. .. And that ending! I want more.

I need their happily ever after.

I enjoyed the book and really liked it. Waiting to hear more from the author. Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for the arc.

I really don't know how to put my feelings into words. I love Zac! There...I said it! I've fallen for him and I don't want to come back to reality. I think The Path Keeper is a fantastic beginning for a series that pushes the boundaries on YA+ novels. It gives young adults, not teens, something to read where they can relate to the characters. You know...those in college, trying to learn who they really are...yea those kinds of people, we need more representation for them and this is the book to start with.

Talk about a cliffhanger...I apologize for this terrible review but I need time to really get my thought straight. This book ripped my heart out but I need the second one already!

The synopsis of this book was really good. I was expecting an angel story but it was much more than that. I liked the fate concept. Choosing our paths were really good idea. Writing was good. I liked the ending more than beginning. But i am really glad i read it through because in the end i wanted to read more. I can't wait to read more of this story. Especially learning more of Zac's mother.

Firstly, thank you to the publisher, author and NetGalley for the eARC in exchange for an honest opinion.

TW: incest, rape, religion, attempted suicide

Bechdel: No

The Path Keeper is a book that I was holding out relatively mediocre hopes for, but unfortunately they haven’t been met. The book starts out with a nice trigger warning:

“The Path Keeper is a work of fiction but features potentially upsetting themes including sexual abuse, death and mental health issues. It also includes scenes of a sexual nature.”

Which is appreciated, however I don’t think I was prepared for the messaging behind the sexual abuse, and that is one thing that I can’t look beyond.

To be honest, I don’t even really want to discuss the plot or the characters, the only thing I need to know about the book can be summed up in this paragraph (I’m not going to put a spoiler warning on it either because people need to know what they’re walking into):

‘What the fuck! I thought he was going to rape me, Zac. Why did you wait?’ ‘Ella, if it wasn’t for the fact I’m madly in love with you, I would have stood aside and let him continue. It isn’t part of what I’m here to do.’ Clearly her face said it all because he hesitated before continuing. ‘Let me start from the beginning. Before anyone is born they’ve already picked their life path; their parents, the challenges they will face, and the lessons they’ll learn. That’s the whole point; life’s not meant to be easy.’ ‘You’re telling me people choose to be sexually abused, or to die horrible deaths? You’re telling me people that are injured in wars ask for it? What is wrong with you?’ She stood up and poked his chest with her finger. ‘I thought you were meant to be pure love and light? That sounds like a cop out!’

People do not choose to be sexually abused.

I'm convinced that I've read this book before and when I did a bit of googling it turns out I was right to have some feelings of dejavu. This is not particularly original and I object to the victimhood of the main character. I do love the cover though. Thanks to the publisher and netgalley for an eARC.