The Soulkeepers [Paperback]

G. P. Ching (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: June 24, 2011 | Series: The Soulkeepers

When fifteen-year-old Jacob Lau is pulled from the crumpled remains of his mother's car, no one can explain why he was driving or why the police can't find his mother's body. Made a ward of his uncle and thousands of miles from home, a beautiful and mysterious neighbor, Dr. Abigail Silva, offers to use her unique abilities to help him find his mom. In exchange, she requires Jacob to train as a Soulkeeper, a gifted warrior charged with protecting human souls. He agrees to her demands, desperate for any clue to the mystery of his mother's disappearance. But soon Jacob finds himself trapped in a web of half-truths, and questions Dr. Silva's motives for helping him.

               

Don't miss these other books in The Soulkeepers Series:

• Weaving Destiny (Book 2) -Available now
• Return to Eden (Book 3) - Available now
• Soul Catcher (Book 4) - Available Now

Editorial Reviews

Review

"5 stars. An utterly spellbinding, elaborate and spectacularly written adventure. From its very first words - "Death lived up to Jacob's expectations" - the story will pull readers in and take them on an adventure as Jacob discovers abilities he never knew he had and tries to uncover the truth about his mother's whereabouts." -- Fiktshun Reviews

An astounding book. The concept of the storyline was genius. Every line, every word felt well-thought out and meaningful. The Soulkeepers never felt like an outright horror book to me, no slashing or blood-letting, but I was completely creeped out (in a good way). -- Andrea Thompson

Fantastic read, no matter how old you are. Does it matter that I bought The Soulkeepers for my children and I wound up loving it myself? No. No matter how old you are, you will love this book. -- Cathy Webster

One of those rare stories that seizes your attention from the start and never lets it go. I would highly recommend The Soulkeepers. It has everything a reader could ever want." -- Sarah of ThatBookishgirl.com

About the Author

G.P. Ching is the author of The Soulkeepers Series and a variety of short fiction. She specializes in cross-genre paranormal stories, loves old cemeteries, and enjoys a good ghost tour. She lives in central Illinois with her husband, two children, and one very demanding guinea pig. Visit her at www.gpching.com and www.thesoulkeepersseries.com

Product Details

• Paperback: 310 pages
• Publisher: CreateSpace Independent Publishing Platform; 2 edition (June 24, 2011)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1460995457
• ISBN-13: 978-1460995457
• Product Dimensions: 8.5 x 5.5 x 0.7 inches
• Shipping Weight: 12 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.3 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (818 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #313,958 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

G.P. Ching is the author of The Soulkeepers Series, The Grounded Trilogy, and a variety of short fiction. She specializes in cross-genre paranormal stories, loves old cemeteries, and enjoys a good ghost tour. She lives in central Illinois with her husband, two children, and one very demanding guinea pig. Visit her at www.gpching.com and www.thesoulkeepersseries.com.

Amazon Author Rankbeta 

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#74 in Kindle eBooks > Literature & Fiction > Science Fiction

#79 in Kindle eBooks > Literature & Fiction > Fantasy

#93 in Books > Science Fiction & Fantasy > Fantasy

#99 in Books > Science Fiction & Fantasy > Science Fiction

#74 in Kindle eBooks > Literature & Fiction > Science Fiction

#79 in Kindle eBooks > Literature & Fiction > Fantasy

#93 in Books > Science Fiction & Fantasy > Fantasy

#99 in Books > Science Fiction & Fantasy > Science Fiction

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

127 of 132 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars The Soulkeepers August 8, 2011

By Laura

Format:Paperback

I'll be honest, the first time I sat down to read this book I had a hard time getting into it. I finally set it aside for a while. It wasn't the book's fault. Or the author's. I just had a lot going on in my life at the time and couldn't manage to summon the focus necessary to absorb this book. And it deserves that kind of focus.

There are so many things going on that you need to be able to concentrate solely on this book to give it the attention it deserves. It's like one of those movies where you can't risk looking away for a second or you will miss something. That said, you want to trust me on this: it's worth it.

For a teenager, Jacob is a strong character. He is well developed, as are all the characters, with all the flaws and quirks necessary to make him become real. He has a very strong sense of self and loyalty. He is a kid who knows who he is and he refuses to let anybody change that. Even in the small town atmosphere that he finds himself in. When he is taken from his home in Hawaii and forced to live with his Uncle in Paris, Illinois, Jacob has to adapt to an entirely new way of life. Not only is he living with relatives that he never even knew existed but he also has to leave island life far behind. No more sand and sea, casual attitudes and acceptance of his differences. Here his differences are glaringly obvious and he's not allowed to forget it.Jacob also slowly becomes aware of the fact that he is different in other ways too. Ways that aren't quite....normal. In a quest to figure out who...or what....he is, and his quest to find his missing mother, he is brought together with Dr. Silva and they have adventures quite unlike anything I have read before.

Even the secondary characters, Malini (I loved this character), Uncle John, Dr. Silva, even the kids at school, just leap off the page at you. It's like they are sitting next to you telling you their stories. Malini is Jacob's best friend and love interest and she is lovely. Mature beyond her years and determined not to forget her heritage like her parents seem to being trying to do, she is the perfect counter-character to Jacob. Malini helps Jacob adjust and settle in to this new life. She is very accepting of his differences and determined to help him figure things out. And Dr. Silva? Well, I'll let you discover her on your own. She is distinctly unique.

This author will keep you guessing until the very end on who the true "bad guys" are and who the good guys are. Each character has so much depth to them that you truly see what real people they are and that everybody has flaws. The plot is very well developed, so in depth, with so many twists and turns that it will keep you engrossed from start to finish. There are some Christian elements to the book, but I won't say more than that because I don't want to give anything away. I will say that it's not "in your face" Christian but very intriguing and interesting. The worldbuilding involved in this book is fantastic and I could see it in your mind as clearly as a movie.

This book has it all. Teen angst, magic, good versus evil, fantasy, first love and suspense. Once I started reading it I couldn't put it down. It leaves you wanting to see what happens and wanting to return to the world of Jacob and Malini. Entertaining enough, that any editorial flaws (which I didn't notice many) are easily overlooked because you are so drawn into the world that you just don't care. As the first in a series, it is easily a stand along novel, so no worries there. Thoroughly enjoyable. This book is available in both paperback and for ereaders.

77 of 81 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars An utterly spellbinding, elaborate and spectacularly written adventure April 20, 2011

By Fiktshun

Format:Paperback

Ever since he recovered from the car accident in which his mother went missing, Jacob has been suffering from disturbing nightmares. The doctors say it's just his brain trying to recover from the trauma, but something about them feels too real.

Miles from his home in Hawaii, living with relatives that he never even knew existed, the dreams still come to him night after night. And now he's having them about his neighbor across the street. A woman who appears to float more than walk and who doesn't need shoes even in the dead of winter.

Already an outcast at his new school, all he wants is to find out what happened to his mom and go home. But with no money and no leads there will be no quick escape for him from the small town of Paris, Illinois. And when he is pushed to the limits one too many times, Jacob learns a secret about himself that makes him question who he really is and if his dreams are more than just fantasy.

With no one else to turn to, Jacob is tempted to accept the offer of help from his mysterious neighbor, Dr. Silva. But he has a feeling that she is keeping secrets from him and her help comes at a price. One that even for finding his mother just might not be worth paying.

***

The Soulkeepers is an utterly spellbinding, elaborate and spectacularly written young adult novel by author G.P. Ching. From its very first words - "Death lived up to Jacob's expectations" - the story will pull readers in and take them on an adventure as Jacob discovers abilities he never knew he had and tries to uncover the truth about his mother's whereabouts.

The story is equal parts paranormal mystery and epic adventure as Jacob learns about the importance of what he is and what his role is in the battle of good versus evil. The Soulkeepers will twist and turn, taking readers on a ride that will end way too soon in a place completely unexpected.

Author G.P. Ching delivers a book that is unequivocally unique, where both the story and characters are the stars. Her writing is simply magical and will enchant readers with its easy flow and moments of humor - especially in the chapter titles. The book talks of God and religion but in no way feels as if the reader is being preached to or as if being made to learn a lesson. Each point has relevance and is key to the story's development.

The Soulkeepers is a must, must, must read. It's a story that will be enjoyed and devoured by readers who want to be completely swept away by an adventure, who love a battle of good versus evil, who need a puzzle to solve and who can find excitement outside of a love triangle.

78 of 85 people found the following review helpful

3.0 out of 5 stars Good story. November 27, 2011

By Sara Hulce

Format:Kindle Edition|Amazon Verified Purchase

3.5 stars.

I usually try to stay away from books about fallen angles and religion. Not because I'm not religious myself, but because too many books seem to mock or contradict one religion or another in the process. I don't know if I would've read Soulkeepers had I known it was this kind of book but I ended up enjoying it. I think for me, it's best to ignore all the religious innuendos and just read it as a story. I can't do this with every book, but with Soulkeepers it was fairly easy to do.

The thing I enjoyed about this book was how easy it was to get into the story. It didn't slow down and there was always some mystery hanging in the air which kept me intrigued. I liked Jacob as a main character and found him to be a breath of fresh air. I don't always like reading about guys from their POV, mostly because I don't totally relate, but I liked Jacob's personality and it was easy to relate to him on some level and in turn like him.

I liked Malini and I'm certainly curious to find out what kind of role she'll play in the future. Overall, I enjoyed this story... don't LOVE the whole religious aspect of it (this is again my person preference) but as a story it was good.