Charlotte AbelRecensioni
Autore di Enchantment
Recensioni
Enchantment (Channie, #1) di Charlotte Abel
Jonathan goes home to recuperate , and during a restless night he goes into the basement where he finds not only his brother's things but also some of his own. Going through some papers he finds a mysterious picture of his father and a woman he couldn't identify.
The story gets pretty intense after that. After knowledge of the photo's existence, Jonathan's parents separate. Jonathan decides to go camping alone to prove he's still independent despite losing his hand. That's where River comes in. His attraction to River is unreal, but there's also an awful lot of mystery surrounding Shula. I loved this story, it flowed so nicely. The characters are so real in the book and I loved the way the shifter society was explained. I think this was the first Shifter novel I have ever read that the description of the Shifter ways actually seemed plausible. An excellent book, one worth staying up late to finish.
Here goes:
Channie is a Mage or a witch. Channie's people live a secluded life away from Empties or the Magically Disabled(MD). Empties is a more derogatory way of referring to the non-magically inclined. The mages seclusion makes them completely clueless about many things especially on Pop Culture. And saying their clueless is a lot nicer way to put it, there are other choice words I could have used. A Mages given name is called a power name, they are bestowed with a name as a baby at a magical ceremony, a power name says how their particular magic will work or what their personality might be like. Although a power name can adversely affect a mage and a power name might not be what's expected. Channie's father is proof of that. I can imagine that his parents might thought naming him Money would make him have a lot of it, but instead he can't seem to earn it or keep it, in fact his name actually brings his family a lot of grief. Channie's sister's power name is Abundance and her mother's power name is Prudence, I would say their names are actually more befitting of them.
About Channie:
Channie's power name is Enchantment which means she enchants or bewitches others to do things her way. As Enchantment, Channie seemed to have a little stubbornness which does not go with her power name. I almost forgot about that when her parents cursed her with the new power name Chastity, because they were afraid she would get herself knocked up by a MD boy. Chastity was basically a bitch most of the time, and Channie felt it was all Chastity but I think some of it was her personality. With her new power name, Channie was short tempered, a jealous freak, and quick to jump to conclusions. Okay, i'm gonna stop now if I keep going I will give away too much about Channie. Of course Channie meets MD Josh and falls madly in love with him. DUH.
About Josh:
Channie met Josh when her family had to run for their lives from their home when her father got himself into some financial trouble. Josh had the unfortunate luck to meet Chastity when Channie wanted a guinea pig to test out her new power name. Josh is a sweet guy who was focused on his goals for the future until Channie entered his life and turned it askew on it's ass. Of course Josh meets Channie and falls madly in love with her. DUH.
About the couple:
Man, why couldn't they ever get a break. Since Chastity was a curse because as it turns out Channie's parents are dumb asses, every time Channie releases or uses power it's actually a curse. Boys already can't get too close to her without feeling Chastity's wrath and when she decided to go against her peoples prejudice of empties and got involved with Josh all she kept doing was cursing him. Poor Josh had to deal with physical, mental and i'm sure a lot of emotional pain being in a relationship with Channie but he also had to deal with the bitch Chastity. No apologies Chastity was a Class A bitch, some of it was Channie not having more control of her emotions, she was always apologizing to Josh, it was like he was in an abusive relationship. Her mood swings could give a guy whiplash.
To sum up:
Power names seems to be out of the bearers control sometimes but I think it's just easier to be what's expected. Many times Channie had to remember that a power name does not control free will and she needs to be aware of her actions before she acts, easier said than done for her most of the time. Channie does have one positive influence in her life with a befitting power name, Wisdom. Aunt Wisdom's influence made Channie seem less "back woods" compare to her parents who would not get awards for being good parents anytime soon. There were many other characters but Channie's and Josh's tumultuous relationship was front and center and a strong force on the story that I forgot others existed most of the time. Except for her nephews and Josh's little brother no one else existed for me.
Charlotte Abel is a genius, the concept was such a dream and the storytelling was intense and mind boggling. I was actually happy with the ending, it makes me ready to go on to it and see where things go form here.
Some characters made a turn for the better in this book. One of such character was Hunter. When we were first introduced to Hunter in Enchantment, I thought he was just a jerk trying to get into Channie's pants. I fell in love with Hunter in Taken, he turned out to be a great guy who cares for Channie's well being and a good friend to Josh.
Channie continues to be her same old moody self, and Josh continues to be the sweetheart that Channie doesn't always listen to. There were somethings that Channie had to deal with that made me uncomfortable but definitely added to the story. Channie was used to her mage way of life so when her father and mother either hit her or threatened to she did not see a problem with it. She even thought she would deserve it if she was stupid enough to disobey. Channie and her sister Abby had a conversation about it being okay for a man to hit them if they stepped out of line and that a male in control of their life is okay too. I thought it was funny that Channie never cut Josh any slack for reacting angrily to upsetting situations although Josh would never try to control her or think of putting his hand on her. My female equality mindset really wanted to shake some sense into those women that this is so not right. This scene definitely builds on the mage world and life, it also shows Abel's boldness with her in-depth storytelling.
There is so much happening in Josh and Channie's world that kept me tuned in to their story and experiencing their trials and triumphs to their ultimate destiny. Such a intense action driven read. This time the cliff hanger has me anxious about how things will be in the next installment of the series.
I opened this book expecting a different type of story. Especially being labeled as a shifter romance. I was surprised with all the twists and turns that kept me wanting more after each chapter. I do wish there was a bit more action, especially with all the twists that the author takes you on, I was expecting more over the top action to follow along with it. Since it is described as a shifter romance, I think it could have used a bit more romance, but since I normally don't read a lot of romance, I'm not really complaining.
The characters were easy to have strong feelings for, both hate and love. It's a roller coaster of emotions that will take you with the characters to a whole new land. Just the very concept of society being cut from corresponding with one another is scary and intriguing. It really got me thinking about how it would be in today's time.
The ending left a lot of things open, with a huge cliff hanger. I wasn't sure there was to be a second book, and this left me quite frustrated, but considering the huge cliff hanger I was pretty confident the author had the intentions of writing a sequel. I'm anxious to read the second book, so keep a look out for my future review of River's Remorse.
I'm happy to give this book 5/5!
I was so glad about that encounter with the two trackers, that you wouldn't believe it!! Finally everyone was rushing to do something meaningful! Something other than argue over a pot of stew or killing mice or making cornbread. But, all that annoyingly normal stuff was kind of insightful of the characters' thoughts and feelings. And I liked how this time there were multiple points of view. It was nice to hear Josh's thoughts for a change.
This novel seemed to take the story to a whole new plane. There was action, lots of running away from things and people, strong emotions and of course - every decision came with its consequences. Towards the end, everything was so intense, I was having hard time breathing. It was really an exhilarating ride.
The characters:
*Channie - Oh goodness, this girl irritated me so much with her weird decisions! Protecting Josh would've been much better if she'd actually listened to him. Besides, how could an Empty protect a powerful mage? She brought more trouble than anything else.
*Josh/Valor - I can't wait for him to actually step into his real shoes. Josh is a boy, while Valor is a man, and I really want to see the man. He's been peeking out from time to time both with resolution and cold-blooded decisions. Too bad nobody listens to him half the time. I guess though that this is what keeps the story going. I mean, if everything got solved right away, then there would be no story, so I get it :)
*Hunter - omg, Hunter was hilarious. And the new job he got - it cracked me up!!! I can honestly not imagine him doing those things. His accent was amazingly well portrayed.
*Daddy turned out to be not-so-selfish after all. I felt really bad for him when his wife turned psycho.
*Momma - urgh, just URGH!!! Magic here was like drugs in our world. The woman got seriously addicted and it turned her all Wicked Witch of the West. I really wanted to just see her dead. Harsh, but true. Sorry.
The ending was really powerful. It made me all emotional, but I didn't cry. I was just angry. Such a cliffhanger, Charlotte!!! You're playing dirty!!! LOL
Love it :) Really a great read!!
To be honest, I feel a little bipolar about this book. Because at moments it was so amazing, I was literally holding my breath in anticipation. Unfortunately there were also those other moments when I just rolled my eyes. A couple of scenes seemed like they took forever to end, and I'd totally understand that if they were somehow important. But they weren't, and I just felt like they should've been cut shorter.
Other than that, it was a very well written, very well thought out novel. I rode the emotional roller coaster along with Channie and Josh and the rest of the characters and enjoyed every single bit of it. I loved the cheesy moments, as well as the tense ones. I would've liked to see more action, but... not up to me. Besides, I hear book 2 is packed full with it, so I'm holding my breath!!
About the story:
I'm afraid it wasn't all that original - just the ordinary girl-meets-boy, girl-falls-for-boy, relationship-is-impossibly-difficult kind of thing - but it was presented in an original way and it's safe to say that I liked it.
This was the first witch book I've read so far, where nobody speaks the spells/curses. We're just told that a spell is used and what it does, but how exactly it's manipulated... no one knows. I don't mean this as a bad thing. With all that goes on, I think that it's better this way.
The characters:
* Channie - I loved Enchantment's easy going nature and kind of missed it after she was renamed. Then I loved Chastity's strong persona as well. Until she kind of turned into a control freak, sometimes scaring me from the screen of my kindle. I must admit that I loved her most in the end, when she was her real self. When she was shy, selfless and full of love.
* Josh was a cutie and totally swoon worthy. But I was kind of hoping that he wouldn't behave like a sulking boy all the time, that he would grow up and be the man that I felt he should be. I think he did that towards the end. I loved him the most when he was angry with Channie, because anger kind of suited his otherwise gentle nature. The only thing I didn't like about him was the extensive crying. I'm not sure guys do that. It made me roll my eyes again and again.
* Momma & Daddy kind of made me squirm every time they were mentioned. They were tough characters with old beliefs and emanated coldness most of the time. I think that Mrs. Abel did a very good job on them. To be honest, I kind of enjoyed it when Channie got the upper hand over them.
* Aunt Wisdom cracked me up. She was one hell of a woman. My respects for her and her honest opinions and words. I wish I had an aunt like that to care about me as much as she did about Channie.
All the rest of the characters, Abby, Hunter, Eric, the triplets and Elijah amused me in their own way. I had fun reading about them.
To wrap it up: I recommend this book for anyone who likes heavy romance and some action.
Favorite quotes:
One
The teacher cleared her throat and said, "I expect my students to respond to roll call with 'present', but if any of you find the pronunciation of more than one syllable at a time beyond your capabilities, you may simply say, 'here.' This is an advanced placement English Literature course. Surely, you have a basic grasp of the language or you wouldn't be in my classroom." - Old Lady Windsor
Two
"...Maggots, dead fish, fried liver - "
"What are you doing?"
Josh opened one eye and grinned. "Thinking of gross stuff."
"Does that help?"
"Almost as much as a cold shower."
Three
"That's too bad." Josh puffed his chest out and said, "I was really looking forward to demonstrating my awesome survivalist skills."
"When we get back to the cabin, I'll let you skin and gut this one to prove your manhood."
"Uh..." The skin around Josh's lips turned green.
Wow! Just, wow! I didn't expect this book to be such a black, but it left me speechless and wanting more! I'm greedy like that. Every chapter was full with tension and drama. Every page screamed that there was more, so much more in the next one. and I had to keep on going until I found myself at the end, eyes full with tears, heart racing in my chest.
Because River's Recruit wasn't just the next book. Oh, no. It was an adventure that left me breathless, it was like a fairy tale with elements of reality. It had me gasping in expectation at every corner.
Yeah, it was that good and I know I can't wait for the next installment to come out. So Charlotte, you better hurry it up!
So, here we're introduced into the lives of two very different people. Jonathan, who is an ex-marine (due to the fact that he's left with only one hand after his unit's car got blown up in Afghanistan); and River, who doesn't even live in our reality of this world. and then they meet in the midst of a snow storm that sort of placed them together for longer than initially intended.
When their worlds collide, neither one of them is left a choice but to embrace the card they'd been dealt. And what a card it is!
Outside of all the action, adventure, drama, etc., what's really interesting is River's world. Her community of people (kind of cult like) live isolated and outside of any technology and the like. Much like the Amish, now that I think about it. However, they have laws that are so severe, most of the punishments seem to lean toward death. That's how the Community control the people mostly - through fear of death. Understandable, isn't it? Family ties and family trees are respected more than anything. And of course, obedience is mandatory for everyone.
I really liked how the characters' names were almost all Biblical. Like Reuben and Issachar and others I can't think of right now. Out of all of them I really ended up caring for Reuben. He was just so amazing! He despised the severity of the laws but was well aware there was no way around them. If there was, he was definitely taking it. And he wanted the absolute best for River. He treated her like a daughter, even though if she'd been 'bought' by anyone else, she'd have been a concubine. Worthless and used up.
So, River. She was this wild spirited, but obedient to Ruben, young girl. She had a backbone and mad bow skills. Also, she always seemed to be able to see through people.
Jonathan warmed my heart too. H was such a sweetheart, knowing nothing about the Community but being determined to protect River with his life if he must. Brave, reckless at times, but always putting others before his own needs.
I don't think I need to go on. Really. You should've gotten the picture by now. This book is... an adventure you must not miss!
This review was originally posted at YA Story Teller
Finding Valor is the last installment in the Channie Series. As such, I was scared to start reading it, because I had no idea how good it would turn out to be. It's a real fear you know, seeing how many trilogies have horrible endings. Luckily though, it scored a great rating.
And there's a good reason why. Charlotte Abel has done an exceptionally good job finishing this series. Her writing style has improved over the years and it's quite obvious. Sure, at times it felt that the book was just too long, but I realize now that if it had been written any other way, we as readers would have missed out a lot. The events just had to unfold the way they did, or the effect of this final novel would not have been the same.
Finding Valor started out slow, with Joshua's lack of memory of all things Channie related. I loved how it was explained that he would remember certain things for an instant and then forget them right away because of the curse Channie's mom placed on him. This way it seemed that the pain of the emptiness inside his heart felt all the more excruciating. I don't know how I would've felt in his place - not remembering a single thing for the past (was it a) year. Not remembering being married and completely in love...
It wasn't any easier on Channie either. She willingly gave Josh up, just so she could protect him from her insane mother. How sad is that?
The intensity of the action was held by the two major events: a) Channie's sacrifice and b) the fight with the mage queen Dominance. Each chapter built up the tension even more, until I could barely wait to see what was going to happen in the end. I felt like skipping to those last pages just so I could know. You know? There were surprises at every turn and I'm happy to say I couldn't really predict them. I love that kind of book.
But what I loved the most was that all the characters grew throughout the novel. Joshua started out as a naive, disbelieving guy and became a recognized, responsible leader. Channie started out as a girl who'd lost all hope, but ended up with more than she could've ever wished for. Even Hunter had grown into a man who understood the comings and goings of the world around him.
Lots of mistakes were made, even more love came to be and I could only say that I was entirely satisfied by this final installment of the Channie Series.
Reading this story it reminded me of young love and the wanting and dreaming of meeting your very own Prince Charming. This is one of those stories that you see the story unfolding and you turn every page to make sure it’s going to happen. The writing is great, easy to read, words flow so you just keep reading till you reach the end.
The story begins with Channie (Enchantment) moving to a new city with her family, her father is on the run from a very powerful family, he owes them a huge gambling debt, this family is well known and will not just want money they may even kill Channie’s (Enchantment) family to get revenge on her father.
Starting at a new school is hard enough but to be living around non magic humans is a whole other complication. Channie (Enchantment) meets Josh and their amazing almost fairy tale story begins.
All I can say is this book is well written its about love, magic, awful parents, dreams, hopes and its touching funny and you just want the best for Channie and Josh.
I will be keeping an eye out for a sequel.
If you’re looking for a heart warming read this is the book to read.
Charlotte Abel is an amazing author/storyteller.
Enchantment, a YA paranormal romance, is the start of the Channie series by Charlotte Abel.
From Amazon.com
While other girls are wearing push-up bras, Channie Belks is trying to hide the fact she's a witch.
Sorta hard to do after her parents slap a chastity curse on her for flirting with "dirty-minded, non-magical, city-boys." She can't even walk by a hot guy without zapping him.
There's a way to break the curse; but one mistake could kill her. It's not worth the risk ... until she meets Josh.
Suddenly, the threat of death isn't such a deal-breaker.
What I liked and didn’t like
The dialogue was by far the best aspect of the book, being colourful and evocative without working too hard at it (a sure sign of talent). I also liked how the characters were so casual in their use of magic, as illustrated in the first chapter by Channie’s dad, which said a lot about the world they lived in.
Within the first couple of pages I'd consigned this book to the trash heap, luckily I'd already committed to reading and reviewing the book because it's the only thing that kept me reading. By the time I'd reached the end of the first chapter I was beginning to see the good things the book had to offer but at a third of the way through I was over the constant sensing of lust, and the overuse of the word itself.
The plot was repetitive and angst-ridden and I needed something more to happen than the lightning quick relationship between Channie and Josh. It was like Abel was writing the book according to topics that weren’t allowed to overlap. Where in the great wide world were the uber powerful mages who wanted to kill Channie’s family? Why couldn’t that thread have been given greater weight in the first several chapters instead of just being mentioned in the first and then forgotten?
By the half-way mark I had skipped ahead to three-quarters of the way through and was rewarded with some decent writing and something different (non-romance) happening. It was refreshing and I was happy to keep reading, until the chunder worthy romance came back that is. Needless to say I didn’t finish Enchantment.
What really ticked me off was the lack of bookmarked chapters in the ebook (I read the ePub version), which made it difficult to tell where I was in the story and made me wonder if it was ever going to end. I couldn't easily skip ahead and see what was coming next, which might have inspired me to keep reading.
My overall opinion
These are my initial notes:
Page 3, para 4 - really? She's 16 and she hasn't figured out what lust is? A half-naked boy has his hands all over her naked back and she still can't figure it out? Give me a break. "Maybe she was getting sick." Maybe she needs a brain replacement.
The blurb makes this book sound so very good, it’s a pity the actual text doesn’t live up to the hype.
As a reader it’s safe to say that I didn’t like this book. Although, after her initial brainlessness, Channie did grow a few brain cells, I never came to like her. There was too much lusting, or sensing of lust, and too little of... well anything else of any interest.
Mostly I found Enchantment to be heavy on the romance with not enough of the rest of the plot, or at least not enough early enough in the book to a) keep me interested or b) assure me, as a reader, that there was more fun stuff to come. In short there was no incentive to keep reading.
As a writer I’m taking inspiration from the dialogue, which was colourful and interesting and seemed to appear on the page without effort. I’m also taking the reminder that all the elements of a plot such as romance, suspense and action need to be woven in equal parts throughout the book, not just in isolated sections, lest readers like me get bored and put it down.
They end up having to leave Arkansas and the rest of her family, since her day got himself into some major trouble. So they moved to Colorado and decide to live with the non-magics. This is where Channie meets Josh, who I really like; he is a true friend, and more to Channie. She gets teased right away, as her name is now Chasity Belks (they also changed their last name) and well, that is too close to Chasity Belt, lol, Poor girl, and not to mention, any guys to “lust” after her, they get a zap like a taser, and if they touch her, even worse.
It’s a great read, and Channie and Josh really try everything to reverse this curse her parents have put on her. What her parents didn’t expect was Channie became stronger them they are, and can’t push her around or give her a whipping anymore. (which is so wrong in the first place)
I was not expecting the amazing twist near the end, I was shocked, and loved it. I am not telling you what, but it was awesome!
I do not want to give too much away, so wont say too much more, but will say, that this is a touching, sad, funny, exciting story. I can’t wait to read book 2 Taken. I need to know what happens, like now, lol.
I highly recommend this book and series. Its great for all ages, not just the young.
5 out of 5 stars.
I was provided this book from the author for my honest review.
See the book tour at my blog, and read an excerpt there too.
http://concisebookreviewsbymichelle.blogspot.com/2013/01/book-tour-enchantment-c...
Imagine for a moment having a name and it’s tied to your personality. You’re probably asking yourself, how can a name be tied to a personality? Let’s say your name is Charity, you might be inclined to do charitable work. The concept of a power-name is unique and thoroughly explored. Channie warned her parents several times that they couldn’t just change her name with another spell without consequences. Channie finds herself fighting to stay as Enchantment while possessing Chasity’s power and it frightens her. The reason they change her name has to do with her sister, Abundance, and their belief Channie will end up just like her. This worries them more because they are living around Empties (those not magically gifted).
On the night Channie’s power-name is changed, she decides to see what type of effect her new name has on men. She meets Joshua Abrim at the local park where he’s hanging with his friend and sure enough her new name affects men the way her parents had anticipated. Over time Channie and Joshua fall in love. Channie has strong sexual feelings towards Joshua and no doubt had there not been a magic barrier, I’m sure they would have consummated their relationship. Alas there is that obstacle and Joshua understands. There’s a hilarious scene involving a spell gone awry and girls reacting to Joshua as if he were a member of a popular boy band. Joshua also is a bit unsure if he believes what Channie tells him about magic and witches. At first he’s inclined not to believe her, but overtime he comes to terms with it. The way he accepts Channie is lovely and although he wants to protect her, he’s at a complete loss at how to do it. I respect Abel for handling the reality of teenagers and sex. I believe the plot could have gone either way, but instead she emphasizes the importance of an emotional connection. The only boy Channie felt a mild attraction to before meeting Joshua was Hunter. Even she admitted to herself that it wasn’t love, but lust and that her parents hadn’t warned her that females could feel it too.
A few people have suggested Channie is a bully and has no remorse using her new found powers as Chastity to get what she wants, but I disagree. One simply has to look at her parents and you understand how and why she takes situations into her own hands. They just order her around and punish her for Abundance’s mistake; heck they punish her for their own mistakes. I love the fact that the voice of reason in the family is aptly named, Aunt Wisdom. Channie is in many ways naive about the world and very much is still able to be controlled by her parents. Changing her name also changes her, something her parents did not anticipate. There were moments I felt Channie was a bit too childish especially towards her relationship with Joshua, but I had to step back for a moment and put myself in her shoes.
Joshua’s real identity isn’t known until the end and upon my first read I couldn’t connect the dots as some have pointed out. After a second reading it became clear and even though the ending is predictable, I admit to being surprised. There’s a few unanswered questions that I’m sure are addressed in Taken. Overall, it was an enjoyable read. I really liked the spells and the chaos that ensues.
People who like to read YA novels, will read this and give it a five rating. I couldn’t because I didn’t love it enough for a five rating, but I did enjoy it and to be honest I have Taken and just need to find a moment to read it. If you’re a fan of fantasy or paranormal books this might appeal to you.
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