A new urban fantasy series from the award-winning screenwriter of ground-breaking BBC TV series Spirit Warriors.“I just wanted to be normal, but the day college started a supernatural world opened up. Now I don’t know who to trust… or even if I’ll survive the night.”When Marley moves into her dorm at Blackville University, she has classes to sign up for, parties to attend, and an … attend, and an over-protective father to avoid, who, as luck would have it, has just been hired at BU as its newest History professor.
While trying to befriend her roommate, Marley discovers that Cassie might just be the oddest – if richest – girl she’s ever known. Then there’s Eve, the older girl with a mysterious past who hides her true face under layers of make-up and a bitchy attitude. Thank God for Tyler who seems nice or she would think college life was a bust already.
After a disastrous night out ends with them all thrown together for the first time, something happens that no one expected. Something magical. And suddenly they discover they each have been gifted with strange new powers – but why? And who is the mysterious good-looking stranger who seems to know far more than he is willing to tell them?
Written like your favorite CW or Netflix show, expect thrills, heart-thumping romance as well as epic twists and turns that will keep you guessing!
WHAT READERS ARE SAYING:
★★★★★ – “OMG. THIS. BOOK… So full of twists and epic turns. – Kanyonmk, Amazon Reviewer
★★★★★ – “Spectacular. The action and adventure start from the beginning and don’t let up… Ever.” – Susan P, Amazon Reviewer
★★★★★ – “This series is amazing, each book just keeps getting better.” – Nicole Henderson, Amazon Reviewer
★★★★★ – “I’d give this more stars if I could. I am hooked on this series.” – Patricia Eroh, Amazon Reviewer
★★★★★ – “All I can say is WOW!!!!! I LOVE THIS STORY!!!!!” – Goodreads Reviewer
★★★★★ – “Hang on to your seats because this series is going to blow you away!” – Holly Stover, Amazon Reviewer
★★★★★ – “One of the best series I’ve read. Must-read.” – Derek Williams
★★★★★ – “Definitely a series to read if you’re a fan of Supernatural, Charmed, Pretty Little Liars and a whole bunch of similar shows..” – Jon, Amazon
This special edition contains the following books for a discounted price:
1. What Doesn’t Kill You (Twisted Book 1)
2. Beware The Signs (Twisted Book 2)
3. See No Evil (Twisted Book 3)
more
This book skipped around a lot. It was considered 3 books in one, but didn’t make sense if you were reading them as stand-alone books. It is a good concept, but I’m not sure it is worth purchasing the rest of the series.
Book Review
Title: Twisted Saga 1 (Books 1 – 3)
Author: Jo Ho
Genre: YA/Fantasy
Rating: *****
Review: As this is a bind up of the first three novels in the Twisted series, I will be reviewing each book individually as I have done with other bind ups in the past. I didn’t know much about the Twisted Saga before starting it, but we know from the synopsis that it follows Marley.
What Doesn’t Kill You (Twisted Book 1)
The opening couple of chapters to What Doesn’t Kill You were dark and gritty, and I absolutely loved them, and I hope that they are setting the tone for the rest of the novel. We are introduced to something that like hunting and killing people by snapping their necks and it has been around for hundreds of years, we get all this before we are introduced to our protagonist Marley Gray who is studying at Blackville University.
As we approach the ¼ mark in the novel, we are introduced to Cassie, Marley’s roommate, Tyler, the girl who lives opposite them and Eve, who was supposed to be Tyler’s roommate but decided she didn’t want Tyler sharing a room with her. We learnt that Cassie is an only child from a rich family, while Marley’s mother left her and her father when she was young. Marley is also on a lot of medication and is prone to seeing things that aren’t there, but they do seem a little bit like spirits to me. Tyler similarly to Marley lost both of her parents in a car accident and her younger sister is in foster care but she plans to take custody as soon as she can. We don’t know much about Eve but there does seem to be a big event in her past which has led to her new gothic look and bad attitude but not much has been revealed yet.
We learn that Marley and Eve have a lot in common and so do Tyler and Cassie, but it is Cassie who discovers that Marley takes medication for schizophrenia which might explain her hallucinations, but it does genuinely seem that Marley has the ability to see dead people as everyone she sees seems to have been a real person that Marley has no knowledge of prior to seeing them. This starting when Marley was very young, and she has been taking medication for years, but she is hiding it from her new friends to try and have the chance to appear normal, but I have a feeling that it isn’t going to last long now that Cassie knows.
Towards the end of What Doesn’t Kill You we are introduced to Michael and Christian. Marley seems to know who Christian without having met him before, however, we soon learn Christian is a guardian and he was there to protect all for girls; Marley, Eve, Tyler and Cassie from Michael as they all have mysterious powers. The ending leaves a cliff hanger with Marley, so I had to read Beware the Signs as soon as possible.
Beware The Signs (Twisted Book 2)
The opening of Beware the Signs picked up immediately where What Doesn’t Kill You left off. The girls especially Marley are now having to deal with a ghost version of Christian who is angry that Marley unceremoniously ended his life and now has to get them to finish the job he started but the girls are very reluctant to do that. However, they are willing to look a little closer at their powers and what they mean and how to use them and once again it is the extremely resourceful Eve who comes to save the day in that respect. We are now about halfway through the series and I like grumpy Christian and the plot line with the girls having powers was really interesting and I was looking forward to seeing where this is going.
Learning about their powers was interesting, it seems that Cassie has the ability to change her appearance into someone else as she does it with Marley and Michael. Tyler has the power to alter things on a molecular level as she turns the rain to glass and heats up chemicals until they explode, Eve seems to have a command over the elements and animals in particular moths and finally we know Marley can see and interact with the dead, but I think there is more to it than that.
The ending of Beware the Signs sees the girls primarily looking into what their powers are and what situations bring them out as they can’t seem to control them at all right now. I really like the dynamic between the girls and how their powers seem to be something that actually prevents them from getting to their goals unless they can learn to control them which they need Christian to help them to do it.
See No Evil (Twisted Book 3)
The opening of See No Evil introduces some internal and external conflicts that the girls are going to face, but it seems that the blood moon that is referred so many times seems to have some magical significance. It seems the four girls with powers has also repeated through time even being four sisters or friends. Eve and Tyler seem to have the best grasp on their powers most likely because they have the best grasp on their emotions and do their best not to let things overwhelm them. On the flip side, Cassie and Marley are having real trouble summoning their gifts without actually feeling the emotions that summoned them in the first place namely fear.
The major theme is this book is learning, each of the girls is learning about their gifts and how they can work together in order to keep themselves safe. However, Marley and Cassie are having the most issues and it seems like Cassie might be the one who can be corrupted as she doesn’t have anything driving her except her own desire to be beautiful which Michael might promise to her in order to control and use her against her friends.
We know at the end of this book that Michael is looking for ways to exploit the weaknesses of the girls and he seems to be targeting Tyler who has a younger sister with a kidney issue which makes her an easy target for an exceptionally strong demon like Michael. Michael also seems to know what these girls will be capable of if they have the right training and he wants to stop them before they get that far as his goal is revenge pure and simple, but the question is revenge against who and why has he had to wait three centuries in order to achieve that goal.
Overall, I found these novels to be dark and gritty with a huge paranormal and mystery element to it which I really enjoyed as most paranormal books especially those focusing on angels and demons are overdone but the Twisted Saga felt fresh and new and I’d highly recommend it.
I have started these books from the beginning and have become extremely fond of the characters. All four girls COULD be me (you have to squash them all together) because I can relate to so many of the things these girls struggle with (outside of the paranormal of course). But aside from that, the story is “edge of your seat” action with demons, kidnappings, and more than their share of ghosts. I am holding my breath to see where this series will take us. This should absolutely be written into a script and made into a television show airing weekly! Or more often (haha, that would keep the author very busy). In summary, this book is the first three of a VERY awesome series that you will love! It is very clean, no sex and rarely a curse word is used but is written about college girls so there are some actions outside of the paranormal that are realistically done. This is a great series – give it a try. You’ll be hooked too.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
Twisted Series:
What Doesn’t Kill You, Episode #1 – Totally awesome!, and it’s just the first episode. It’s a cliffhanger but it’s written in episodes, which I totally dislike in any book. That pet peeve aside, Ms. Ho has done a jam up job with the start of a new series. This genre is right up my alley and I love everything I’ve read by this author. The story starts with the introductions of the main characters and touches on their background. I’m sure as the pages grow, the characters will develop more with time and experiences. So far, I like all of them, and I usually don’t care for this age group, but I’m looking forward to reading the rest of the story. The last chapter pretty much gave a big hint of the future of these four young women and the roller coaster ride their lives will be now.
I wish I could tell what happened to Christian, but that’s a spoiler; I let you enjoy the story with fresh eyes and no heads up. The story line can go anywhere from here and I know the ride will be fast paced and twisted. I thank the author for the clean language; yes, real people do not use vulgar language, whether they’re Christians or not. 5 stars even though it’s in parts – made for the screen, not to make more profits. 5*
Beware the Signs, Episode #2 – Intense. Intriguing. More players join the original cast as the storyline develops. The four young women start to recognize their special abilities as the evil begins. Well written with interesting characters and a plot that grows with suspense and twists. As with the first episode, it’s a cliffhanger. 5*
See No Evil, Episode #3 – Intriguing. Suspenseful. Dangerous. Things are getting worse in this well written and well thought out episode. A lot of the darkness is interacting with the four young women. It’s easy to get immersed in the actions of all involved. I love the way the present is mixed with Salem in 1693. The flashbacks aren’t excessive; just appearing to build the present’s horror or mirror happenings of 1693. 5*
The Blood That Binds #4 – Darn, another cliffhanger, but of course. Started a little slow for me, but quickly picked up the pace. Intriguing and suspense filled as the story progresses along with an interesting, developing plot. The back stories of all the characters are getting meatier and the evil is setting his play into motion affecting the young ladies mysteriously. This is a must read series, but it’s easier on the reader to have all five books, the wait in between is hard. 5*
When Trouble Comes #5 – More and more nasty stuff is coming out of the woodwork. The girls are keeping too many secrets and are not learning to work as or be a team. Trouble is coming big time from many points and this is the creepiest of the series. Well written, well thought out and a continuously evolving story line keeps the reader immersed in the pages. Ms. Ho does a great job with her vivid descriptions and twists to the plot. Only complaint is waiting soooo long for the next part. 5*
Bad Habits #6 – More and more secrets and discoveries with this well written, well thought out episode. There’s plenty of intrigue and suspense, while the girls are growing more as individuals and as partners. With this episode, some of the girls are getting more likable. Simon and Christian are getting their share of the pages. Michael is getting his licks in where he can and he’s growing stronger, too. 5*
Left Behind #7 – Pretty intriguing and plenty of suspense as Michael does his thing. More secrets are unveiled; personalities becoming more pronounced; and magic is willing and jointly tried. There’s a brief meet between past and present. Allie is more prominent in this episode. Ms. Ho wrote a good plot and background storylines; it’s quickly read and hard to put down. 5*
Hell Hath No Fury #8 – Pretty intriguing and plenty of suspense as Michael and the girls do their stuff to keep/find Allie and to find the two black magic containers. Ms. Ho wrote more of good plot and background storylines; it’s quickly read and hard to put down. 5*
Twisted Series End.
An overall fantastic and thrilling series I can’t get enough of!
What Doesn’t Kill You – #1
OMG. THIS. BOOK.
Now I admit I’ve gotten hooked on the latest trend of serials, but this book is the first I’ve read that completely and utterly had me from the first page. I could almost describe reading this book is like watching a television show. I love the characters. Each is well written as separate complex individuals. Then there’s the story. So full of twists and epic turns that I can’t explain it without giving spoilers away. The author did a great job setting up the story to want readers to return. If you have even the slightest inclination to read this book I beg you to try it! You will not be disappointed.
While the story is geared towards young adults, I believe older audiences will enjoy this book as well. There’s mystery, suspense and lots of entertainment. There also some honest dealings with troubled teens who have secrets and feelings to work through.
What Doesn’t Kill You is the first book in the Twisted series.
Final Rating: 5 Stars
Beware The Signs – #2
After the freaky events that happened in book one, now the girls are torn between believing and denying what their eyes saw. I love how each girl is wrapped up in their own world and I hope that they can soon come together as friends and work through their problems together. There is more in depth to some characters and of course the suspense holds up all the way to the end. I have come to enjoy the side snippet of the past that is touched on in each book. I really want to learn more about the past girls and how it relates to the future. Overall, I say this was a great sequel that I can’t wait to read book three!
Beware the Signs is the second short serial in the Twisted series.
Final Rating: 5 Stars
See No Evil – #3
If this was a show I would be binge watching it. I feel like there is so much going on and the suspense buildup leaves me wanting way more than there is in one short book! This book flew by in the blink of an eye. There is more going on in each individual girl’s life and they are struggling with their powers still. As the story progresses more questions appear and with it more trouble. As always, book three was fast-paced, action filled and has a mild cliffhanger at the end. Come on book four!
See No Evil is the third short serial in the Twisted series.
Final Rating: 5 Stars