Customer Reviews

Revealers

5 star:		(8)
4 star:		(8)
3 star:		(3)
2 star:		(4)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

Vampires, werewolves and demons are no problem for Jules, Dani, Zahara and Margo. That's because these girls are young members of a powerful coven of witches and it is their job to hunt down these evil creatures of the night. If there is a threat to innocent humans, they will be there with cape, broom and spell to take the monsters back to...where bad things go. While they fight the things that go bump in the night, they still have to keep their grades up in school and literally fly under the radar, careful to keep their magical identities a secret. They have been told that if anyone finds out, there will be consequences. They aren't sure what these consequences are, but they suspect it can't be anything good and accept it as one of the many secrets that the coven seems to be keeping. Besides, when the girls turn 18, they will be initiated into the inner circle and the secrets will be revealed to them.

Jules is the youngest and most rebelious of the group. She's always the first to break the rules or question the outdated traditions of the coven. She even gets herself involved in a dangerously forbidden romance. She is trying to be a good little witch, but it's dificult for her to follow every rule and regulation, especially when some of them don't make sense or don't seem fair.

As Jules watches her friends become part of the inner circle, she notices a change in each of them. They are acting strange and seem very afraid of something. She wonders exactly what secrets the coven is hiding. As Jules gets closer to the truth she begins to doubt the intentions of her own friends and family and she has no idea who or what she can trust. Up until now, she's been hunting "monsters" for what she thought was the good of the world, but she's not so sure who the real monsters are anymore. As she watches her world crumble, she now must decide if she will follow the ways of the coven or stand up and fight for what she thinks is right.

Revealers is a fantastic, supernatural coming of age story about friendship, courage and trust. It is a perfect mix of magic, suspense and sweetness, a delicious treat with a few tricks up it's sleeves.

I was lucky enough to win a copy of REVEALERS from a contest on Amanda Marrone's blog, and read it soon after it came in the mail, intrigued by the mysterious beauty of the metallic blue cover. I finished the story over the course of two or three days, drawn into the world of Jules, a highschool senior and Revealer witch: one of several teenage girls with the power to force werewolves, vampires, etc. into revealing their true natures so the Revealers can kill the unpleasant undead.

I haven't read many paranormal YA books about witches, so I liked learning more about Marrone's particular brand of magic. The folklore behind witch balls was an especially nice touch. Magic takes a backseat, though, to the banter between Jules and her friends--Marrone does a good job of pulling off dialogue between teenage girls, steering clear of the cliche-and-slang-filled speech created by lesser YA authors. I did, however, find the snarkiness-to-politeness ratio a little high, particularly since Jules's sarcasm doesn't seem drastically different from the legions of snarky paranormal heroines out there. But I've been guilty of snark before, too, and I liked Jules, anyway.

I especially liked how Jules actively pursues her crush, Conner, and has no hang-ups about her sexuality. This isn't a finger-wagging dangers-of-teen-sex kind of book, or one that promotes promiscuous girls jumping into any hot guy's bed, but instead shows how a young woman can smartly explore sex in a way that doesn't have horrible consequences. That always gets a thumbs up from me when I see it in YA.

Anyway, despite my rambling in this review, REVEALERS is not a romance novel, and moves along at a fairly brisk pace with increasing suspense and danger to the witches. Not to spoil too much, I did find the parts with demons and spells a little cheesy, and found the fate of one of the characters dealt with in a somewhat unbelievably casual way. So I wouldn't say I rank plot as one of this story's strengths, but I definitely read it for the fun characters and snappy dialogue. Be sure to check this out if you're an aficionado of YA paranormal fiction, but also give it a try if you're new to the genre.

Jules and her good friends Dani, Sascha, Zahara, and Margo aren't just your ordinary clique of teenagers; they belong to a coven of Revealer witches and have the power to make certain supernatural creatures reveal themselves so that these dangerous beasts can be destroyed. But at the age of eighteen, each girl is initiated into the coven's inner circle. But this ceremony isn't all that it's cracked up to be, at least, it seems this ways to Jules after having watched three of her friends come out changed--and not for the better. It turns out that there's a big secret the mothers of these young witches have kept from their daughters, a secret that could tear the world as they know it apart. It's something that if they don't follow to the tiniest detail, one of them could be lost--forever.

Revealers is a fast-paced and interesting story about supernatural beings such as witches, werewolves, vampires, ghosts, and demons. The story started off strong, because I was intrigued by the coven's duty to destroy all the dangerous supernatural creatures--basically everything that isn't human except for themselves. I found myself becoming skeptical about the origins of the coven's strange traditions, as Jules did during the story, but I did not like the lack of details when the big secret was revealed. The secret itself was not the issue, but the fact that people could actually agree to its conditions blew my mind. Also, the solution to this problem was a bit unrealistic as the secret was; it came way too easily. I would think that after such a horrific secret, fixing it would be a little harder than it was in this story. Despite the slightly disappointing ending, Revealers was an quick and enjoyable story with action, magic, and a touch of romance.

Revealers was good, but I definitely would not consider it anywhere near great. I recommend this for fans of the supernatural, especially teen girls who like books about magic.

While Jules complains about the superficial rules of her coven -- always fly home, wear cloaks not coats -- it's never occurred to her to question the larger issues.

How could vampires and werewolves be anything but bad? And how could the coven's mission to reveal and destroy such monsters be wrong?

But as Jules's eighteenth birthday approaches, she sees the other girls in the coven turn angry and frightened as they're fully initiated. How much is there that their mothers haven't told them? Why is her best friend, Dani, so upset that she's determined to run away? And what's up with the visions of demons some of the girls are having?

The more Jules finds out, the more certain she is that it's no longer time to accept what the older generation has to say -- it's time to fight for their lives.

REVEALERS is a spooky, suspenseful read, with a unique paranormal world. Readers will enjoy Jules's no-nonsense attitude and applaud her courage in trying to protect her friends and do what's right. Though the pacing sometimes seems rushed, the many plot surprises will keep them guessing until the very end, and the conclusion is hopeful without being pat.

Recommended to fans of the supernatural.

Reviewed by: Lynn Crow

Nestled in a regular Connecticut community is a coven of witches that have been keeping their area safe from werewolves, vampires, and demons for hundreds of years. For the youngest generation of the coven--Sascha, Margo, Zahara, Dani, and Jules--this is their life, and though they wish for a little more freedom, they recognize their responsibility.

They are all eager for their eighteenth birthdays, when they will be initiated into the inner circle of their coven along with their mothers and learn all of the coven's secrets. But as their birthdays start to pass by, Jules--the youngest of the witches--begins to realize that there is more going on in the coven than what their mothers are letting on, and her friends can't talk about--something that she's finding that she can't condone.

The overall impression that Revealers gives to the readers is rushed. While the plot is one that is unique and attention grabbing, many elements of the story, such as Jules' romantic interest, her training and background, and the twist towards the end of the novel fall short of expectations and instead the story races ahead to the next scene without taking sufficient time to cover each new event.

However, the dynamics between the girls are realistic: they're not the best of friends, they oftentimes frustrate each other, but they have a strong bond and know they're lives depend on them working together. The typical drama and angst when it comes to crushes is also present, and grounds the story to reality. And each girl's coping mechanism to the news their mothers have kept secret is also authentic--anger, aloofness, alcohol, denial, and determination.

The result? Revealers is an intriguing tale with realistic characters and emotions, full of relatable teenage tendencies, and fun bits of supernatural and magic, but the execution is weak and rushed, with gaping holes that could have been filled in easily to make the novel seem more like a complete story. Marrone should be willing to elaborate more and write a more extensive book, or keep her next book simple.

Jules seems like an atypical high school senior, but she's not. She has the abilities of a Revealer witch. Her job? To get werewolves, vampires, and other creatures that go bump in the night to "reveal" themselves, so her friends and her can destroy them. Everything is going great, the girls think they are sacrificing their time to help society, and then Margo turns eighteen. That's when everything changes. I can go into more, but the other reviews on here do more justice to the teaser plot. I personally thought that while the writing wasn't bad, the pace at which it was written was merely average. The romance between Jules and Connor seemed flat and indistinct. The ending was anti-climatic and cheesy (I remember laughing a bit). Overall, this book gets three stars. I do have to applaud Ms. Marrone on her use of dialogue. If there's one thing I remember from reading that book, it was that the conversations between the teenagers were realistic. They did not sugar coat everything, and use words you only see in books.

If you read Amanda Marrone's first book, Uninvited, and found it to be lacking in substance, have no fear: Revealers is 10x's better, the characters are more interesting and developed, the plot is intricate and compelling, and the light touch of romance is much, much better. In other words, if you, like me, were unhappy with her first novel, I promise that you NEED to read Revealers!
Revealers is a story filled with paranormal activity-- witches, demons, ghosts, vampires, and shapeshifters of all sorts. Add to that the characters, which are much more dynamic than Uninvited's 2D characters;the witty and sarcastic humor; the mystery and suspense that comes into play during most of the first half but continues a bit into the last half when they finally realize what their coven has been up to all these years; and yes, even a slight touch of romance towards the end, and you have, in my opinion, a great teen fantasy book that can be enjoyed by adults too.

But Be warned: Even though it is geared towards a younger audience, I wouldn't pass it on to just any teen, especially under the age of 15 or so, due to the fact that they do swear a fair amount *F-Word included!* and there are a few scenes that may be inappropriate for younger kids. But if you can get past these 'flaws', the story line itself is amazing.

5/5 STARS! A spectacular story, one that I would recommend to every fantasy/paranormal fan. I hope that Marrone continues to write more books that are just as wonderful as Revealers! I would love to read more about Jules' world and what will happen next.

Author: Amanda Marrone
Pages: 268
Publisher: Simon Pulse (September 30, 2008)

Witches are just hocus-pocus, bippity-boppity-boo... right?

Wrong.

For Jules and her friends Dani, Zahara, Margo, and Sascha, being a witch is a full-time job. They're part of a coven of Revealer witches that hunt and kill the evil creatures that lurk in the shadows of the night. Using their powers, they reveals the beasts for what they truly are and then rid the world of them, leaving behind the clean up work for the only two male coven members, Michael and Connor.

When the girls turn eighteen, they are initiated into the inner-circle of the coven, and all the secrets are revealed to them. But will they like what they hear? Jules is the youngest, and as she watches the changes in her newly-initiated friends, she begins having second thoughts on whether she truly wants to be a witch.

Meanwhile, her relationship with long-time crush Connor blossoms. But they must keep their love secret, as it's against the rules for the girls to have relationships before the age of eighteen. But is he really what he seems?

Startling revelations come to light, and the whole coven is thrown into chaos. Can Jules and her friends stop it?

* * *

As Amanda Marrone's sophomore novel, I must say I was impressed. The Revealer witch idea was unique, as opposed to many witch-related novels in the YA market at the moment. Her writing style was still a little juvenile, but that could be overlooked easily.

REVEALERS brings witches back to the forefront, this time in a different light. They still retain the age-old stereotype of flying brooms and cloaks billowing in the wind, but bring a modern feel to it by having otherwise normal teenage girls hold the power. It's fast-paced, and for once, the romance is only a minor sub-plot--very hard to find in today's paranormal fantasy.

I enjoyed REVEALERS, and will definitely be on the lookout for anything else by Amanda Marrone. 4 stars.

Amanda Marone is not to be missed!

Having read and enjoyed her first effort "Uninvited" I am really pleased that her second book is even better.

This is another foray into the paranormal, this time putting witches center stage in a fresh, fast-paced thriller that is bringing the paranormal back into the scary business rather than the misaligned love-lorn creatures of the night. The characters are so smartly written and enjoyable that this book should easily appeal to adults as well as the young adult genre.

Ms. Marrone writes of good vs. evil and of the severe consequences of our choices and/or the situations which inadvertently arise when one thinks they are doing the right thing and then brings things up a notch by how far the character will go to do the 'true' right thing. She is such a promising author and superior to several who are undeservedly popular (that means you ms. Meyer.) I really hope to see her books do well.

This book is not to be missed and I am really looking forward to her next, whenever that will be.

Plot:

I have nothing but positives to say about the plot. Marrone's story is a refreshingly new take on a genre that has been done a million times over. The plot is unique, engaging, and well-paced. Witches, vampires, werewolves, ghosts, and demons all make an appearance. Marrone gets extra points for her creativity with the paranormal objects mentioned throughout the book (ghost balls, the room's contents). There are twists and turns I did not expect to find in this book but was very happy to read. There is, pleasantly, A LOT more going on than the plot description and YA status would suggest. These twists and revelations keep the suspense level high and create enough motivation to zip through this book in a single sitting.

Writing:

Here's where the bad part comes in. The writing is problematic. As far as grammar, editing, etc is concerned, Marrone does a fine enough job. Her writing isn't beautiful or engaging, but it is perfectly adequate and at a reading level simple enough to be appropriate for very young teens but not dumbed down where adults would find it boring. The problem with this is that while Revealers would be a very enjoyable book for young teens, it isn't appropriate for them at all. Unnecessary sex and profanity appear often. I don't mind these elements in my books (I am a 25 year old), but these elements will, disappointingly, stop me from recommending this book to younger teen readers whom I think would have otherwise really enjoyed this book (I work in a library and parents can get pretty wacko about a recommendation with sex and cursing for their 12-14 year old. Stupid or not, that eliminates Revealers from my pool of recommendations).

My biggest gripe, however, is that Revealers reads like a framework to a great story, not a fully fleshed-out finished product. All the characters are partially formed with little depth. While not necessarily unoriginal, all of the characters read like rough draft sketches that should have been expanded upon and weren't. The main character was not very likable as a result of this, and characters that did really appeal to me (like Dani and Finn) didn't get enough page time or development. The plot is the same: the framework for the plot is excellent, but it is not developed beyond a framework. There is no visible effort to create atmosphere, building tension and excitement, or any of the other elements that breathe life and depth into a story.

Overall recommendation:

Five stars for storyline, 3 stars for development= 4 stars overall.

Despite the flaws, the plot is original and good enough to spend the time reading this book. Read it with a grain of salt and the above points in mind and I think Revealers will be a satisfying read for teens and adults looking for a fresh take on the YA paranormal genre.