Customer Reviews

Final Touch (The Rayne Tour, Book 3)

5 star:		(5)
4 star:		(11)
3 star:		(3)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

Final Touch, the third in The Rayne Tour series, follows Shayley, the daughter of a rock star, when she gets kidnapped by a former stalker. The kidnapping at first seems to be similar to Elizabeth Smart's kidnapping (the man who kidnapped claims he's a prophet and wants to take her to be his wife in the new religious compound he's going to start) but takes it's own turn as Shayley works to get free of his clutches. The book moves back and forth between Shayley's view and what is going on back at the house where her mother and friends are in a non-confusing manner. The action is very mild and the Christian aspect is visible but not in your face. There are a series of questions at the end of the book for discussion that relate to the christian aspects of the book.

The voice of the character seemed very young and the content is PG making the book appropriate for even the younger middle grade female readers. Because the character seems so young I would not recommend this book for a high school aged audience, and because the entire focus of the book is following a female character I wouldn't recommend it as a read for boys.

The final book in the Rayne Tour trilogy, Final Touch begins with Shaley on her parents' wedding day, anticipating the three of them finally becoming a family. It's been about a year since the last book took place, and it's mentioned that during this time, both Shaley and her parents have accepted God and become Christians. But that's not the focus in this book; instead, the momentous day turns scary as Shaley finds herself kidnapped, beaten, and whisked away to parts unknown but her former stalker. Though he calls himself Joshua now and claims to be a prophet of God, Shaley's fear multiplies when she realizes that his intention is to isolate her and make her his "wife".

Final Touch moves around among viewpoints, including those of Shaley (whose voice is very clear and believable), her mother Rayne, her friend Brittany, and one of the SWAT team members sent in to rescue Shaley. As the kidnapping lengthens into days, it is easy to see Shaley's fear, but her determination not to become a victim is satisfying. There are some coincidences, but life is often like that. More disturbing is the work Shaley puts into making her situation known that is left hanging because nothing comes of it. Maybe life is also like that, but on hindsight, it seems like quite a bit of filler. And ultimately, that's what the entire book seemed to me...filler.

It's not that there isn't a lot of excitement and there were sections when I was eagerly turning the page to find out what would happen next. It's just that the addition of the extra viewpoints didn't really move the story along well, and I felt at times that the author was looking for ways to extend an already short story. There really wasn't a need for this book at all since Shaley's parents' story had already come to a close, though I will say it was generally well written. I just came away with the feeling that this was an addition that was a last minute decision. I'm certainly not saying this is a bad book, but probably an unnecessary one.Perhaps I would have received the book better if the timeline of Shaley's life had moved forward a bit more and it seemed less like this was just an effort to extend the series beyond the first two books. I did appreciate, however, that the author chose not to hit the reader over the head with overt examples of Christianity and instead took a highly believable, soft approach that fit with the storyline. I liked it, just didn't love it.

Kayla (14 yr old granddaughter) Says:

Final Touch was just as I hoped it would be. On the day of Rayne and Gary's wedding everything goes terribly wrong and Shaley gets kidnapped. As Rayne and Gary race to find her, Shaley is learning things and slowly figuring out that if the ever wants to see her Mother and Father again she must risk her life and try her hardest to send clues to them. I have been wanting this book since I finished the second one and I can tell you 'Final Touch' was well worth the wait. It left me guessing right up til the end. If you haven't read 'Always Watching', 'Last Breath' or 'Final Touch' you're missing out on a great series!!! I hope that Brandilyn Collins and Amberly Collins will continue this series so I can see what other mess Shaley can get into!

The third book in the 'Rayne' series by Brandilyn Collins and, Amberly Collins. The day Shaley O'Conner has waited for all her life is shattered by a nightmare.

On a lavish estate in California guarded from the media, Shaley's mom, rock star Rayne O'Connor, is marrying her teen sweetheart and Shaley's father, Gary Donovon. It's a dream come true for Shaley, who has always longed for the father she never knew.

But minutes before the wedding, Shaley is kidnapped. Who is this man who has taken her and why? As Rayne and Gary race against time to find their daughter, Shaley's abductor eludes the FBI at every turn. Fearing for her life, Shaley wills herself to stay strong. But as the days pass, she realizes that no one can save her but herself.

Brandilyn says her novels are seat-belt mysteries and Final Touch lives up to take handle.

At the end of book two Last Breath , we read as Gary and Rayne "Shaley's parents" were reunited and we read as the paparazzi photographer known as Cat was locked up and behind bars for stalking . All was back to normal and Gary and Rayne were ready to finally say together their "I Do's" and have the wedding of the century, thus begins the final chapter in the Gary, Rayne and Shaley show. However, all will not turn to a happy ending as just minutes before the wedding , we see the kidnapping of Shaley. As the clock ticks by, we discover the involvement of the FBI and SWAT squad and soon the whole world is keeing their eyes peeled for news of Shaley. Will the pair be reunited and Gary and Rayne recieve their happily ever after. We discover a face from the past as the kidnapper is a prior stalker who wants to make Shaley his bride and purify her soul.
When the kidnapper is put under pressure and the gun goes off , is this the end of Shaley ? The only downside to this book was I found unlike the prior two in places it tended to drag but other than that it was a great conclusion to a wonderful series.
Find out in Final Touch - the end to a great teen mystery series by Mother/Daughter duo Brandilyn and Amberly Collins

This is a fun and adventurous little book! I read this all in one day - wrapped up with Shaley's adventures from page one! This is the third book in "The Rayne Tour" series, but is fine as a stand-alone title (at least I thought so, as I haven't read the first two yet, and jumped just fine into this one!)

Shaley's abductor was certainly a wacko! After he'd nabbed her and told her his plans, I confess I'd be freaked out if I was in her shoes. But Shaley wasn't - and this wasn't because she acted like some super-girl. She was portrayed as any normal girl, but with inner strength from the Lord, she was able to overcome her trails.

One character I really liked was Randy, a member of the SWAT team on the chase of Shaley's abductor. He just seemed so real and personal, as he tried to rescue a girl he'd never met - yet wanted to protect. He reminded me of my father, a lot!

To sum it all up, Brandiyln and Amberly make a great team for this series! I need to try to get my hands on their other books in the series! Shaley's story in this book, Final Touch, was engaging and left me wanting more!


Thanks to Zondervan for giving me this book to review!!

Though I'm not a YA reader normally, I love Brandilyn Collin's adult suspense and gave this series a go. Final Touch is a great conclusion to this series. It's the kind of book that has the tension you would expect in suspense, but at a level that works for younger readers. Yet, once I picked up Final Touch, I literally couldn't put it down until I reached the end. It brings the other two books full circle, but can be read on it's own. The authors sprinkled in just enough about earlier books to have it all make sense.

This book is perfect for high schoolers or advanced middle school kids. But don't deny yourself the pleasure of reading it either. Two thumbs up.

Final Touch by Brandilyn Collins and Amberly Collins is the third and final book in YA mystery/suspense series The Rayne Tour. Shaley O'Connor is the daughter of a famous singer, and her biggest dream is about to come true. Her mother and her father are finally getting married! However, before the wedding, Shaley is kidnapped! Her life now depends on her skills and smarts. Will Shaley escape? Will the police find her? Will Shaley's parents ever get married?

Find out in Final Touch.

The action in this book was so exciting. Readers journey with Shaley, the authorities, and Shaley's parents with different viewpoints to keep things interesting. I love the narrow misses, the investigation, the action of it all. Shaley does a lot of smart things to try to escape from her captor, and I found myself satisfied with the combination of faith and suspense fiction. I especially loved the climax- it was like a highly organized collision of events. Unlike most modern teen fiction, Final Touch is enjoyable and clean. I found no objectionable content in this book.

I know I would recommend that readers read the first two books before enjoying Final Touch. It's possible to start with Final Touch, but I know that I as a reader wouldn't be as interesting in the story if I didn't know who everyone was and why things were happening. In fact, to be honest, the first and second books outshine Final Touch, especially the first book, Always Watching. The plot of Final Touch simply wasn't as exciting as the plot of the first two books.

Note: I received a review copy of this book from Zondervan. I am not obligated to write a positive review- only a honest one.

The Rayne Tour is an easy to read trio of books with this novel being the third in the series and again the writers seamlessly pick up where the second book left off with Shaley and her mom Rayne preparing for a wedding to Shaley's father Gary.
Her parents were reunited in the second novel and their relationship spark was rekindled and the wedding day has arrived with jitters and last minute preparations including a wedding ring delivery that Shaley has made arrangements to pick up directly from the jeweler delivering it only minutes before the ceremony.
When Shaley goes missing it shocks her parents and best friend who finally figure out the person driving the van from the jewelry store is a stalker who has been out to kidnap Shaley and he finally found the means to do it.
As the kidnapper takes a terrified Shaley across state lines and the FBI searches for her and her parents are frantic with worry the book highlights a Biblical theme of praying and relying on God for strength and safety and finding a way out of her situation.
The book is fast paced and easy to lose yourself in as you find out how Shaley takes chances to alert others to her whereabouts and the police are closing in leading to a dramatic showdown.

FINAL TOUCH was exceptional! The third book in The Rayne Tour series picks up where LAST BREATH left off. Shaley O'Connor is experiencing the best day of her life as she counts down the minutes to her parents wedding. A day long in the waiting, Shaley has finally been given the chance to know her estranged father, and her mother has once again fallen in love with the only man in her life. All too soon, Shaley's perfect day turns into a nightmare. Abducted by a crazed stalker, Shaley is whisked away and held captive by a man that wants her to live with him as his wife in the new world he is going to create for himself. Shaley's spunk and determination are tested when she realizes her captor's plan has been well thought out. Having only a thread of hope remaining, she prays her parents find the clues she's left behind.

FINAL TOUCH was a book I could not put down! Finishing in less than eight hours, the suspense in the book captivated my entire though process preventing me from getting anything else done the day I delved into it. Brandilyn and Amberly make a great team. All the suspense of Brandilyn's other novels, but with the voice of a teenager as the main character, giving the book a fresh feel to it. Though some feel bringing in the voice of a SWAT team member was unnecessary, I couldn't help but think . . . spin off series??? Great job ladies. I can't wait for your next collaborative project.

Book provided for review purposes.