Official Review: Hope Found by Jackie McMillan
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Swiftmover07
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Official Review: Hope Found by Jackie McMillan
[Following is the official OnlineBookClub.org review of "Hope Found" by Jackie McMillan.]
2 out of 4 stars
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Jenna McCloud has had recurring nightmares for the past year; she doesn't know what they mean or how to stop them. To make matters worse, Jenna also suffers from severe migraines. These migraines are so bad that they turn into blackouts, where whole days disappear. The doctors don't know what is wrong with her. Jenna wonders if she is going crazy, between the nightmares that have her waking in the middle of the night - with a pounding heart and covered in sweat - and the migraines that cause her to faint in the grocery store and black out at work. That is, until help comes in the form of Alex and Josh. She had never met the pair before, but feels oddly safe with Josh, and magnetically drawn to Alex. Could they possibly have the answers she is looking for?
Alex is in mourning after the death of his father, the leader of a race of vampires. During his mourning period, Alex discovers a long- lost prophecy his father had been translating. With the help of his closest friend, Josh, Alex determines Jenna may be able to fulfill the prophecy. Alex can't believe it; could this girl be the one they have been searching for? The savior of them all?
I have to say, my favorite part of Hope Found was the attention to detail of the descriptions. For example, when describing a room, there was such great detail I could easily see the color of the drapes, sofa, desk, etc., in my mind's eye. Jackie McMillan made me feel as if I were in the room with the characters, seeing what they were seeing, and feeling what they were feeling. Moreover, I also liked that the setting is the modern day, but with nuance. The work retained the archetypes of traditional vampire lore, yet it approached them with originality.
However, the plot itself is somewhat choppy. The perspective jumps back and forth from character to character; with no pre-warning of this happening, it was somewhat confusing. At first, I thought I had accidently skipped a page. And then, as the book developed, the perspective suddenly jumped to a different character. - not just one or two, but several characters’ perspectives. Consequently, this made it very confusing to determine who were the real main characters of the book and who were just the supporting characters.
I was disappointed in the constant perspective changes because they gave away the storyline. There was no element of surprise; the reader knew everything, from every point of view. It left no desire for the audience to want more, to have to keep reading page after page to see how the plot would develop. Additionally, the book was written in UK English but had quite a few grammatical errors: incomplete sentences and misspellings throughout the book, for example.
Overall, I would have to give Hope Found a rating of 2 out of 4 stars. I am giving it this rating because even though the plot was given away throughout the entire book and the point of view is constantly changing, it is still a pleasant read. If you are one for vampires and descriptions so accurate that you are enveloped by the world created by the book, then this book is still worth reading. As this is the first book in a series, I will have to read the next installment to see how the characters develop in their relationships, and with their important mission.
******
Hope Found
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2 out of 4 stars
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Jenna McCloud has had recurring nightmares for the past year; she doesn't know what they mean or how to stop them. To make matters worse, Jenna also suffers from severe migraines. These migraines are so bad that they turn into blackouts, where whole days disappear. The doctors don't know what is wrong with her. Jenna wonders if she is going crazy, between the nightmares that have her waking in the middle of the night - with a pounding heart and covered in sweat - and the migraines that cause her to faint in the grocery store and black out at work. That is, until help comes in the form of Alex and Josh. She had never met the pair before, but feels oddly safe with Josh, and magnetically drawn to Alex. Could they possibly have the answers she is looking for?
Alex is in mourning after the death of his father, the leader of a race of vampires. During his mourning period, Alex discovers a long- lost prophecy his father had been translating. With the help of his closest friend, Josh, Alex determines Jenna may be able to fulfill the prophecy. Alex can't believe it; could this girl be the one they have been searching for? The savior of them all?
I have to say, my favorite part of Hope Found was the attention to detail of the descriptions. For example, when describing a room, there was such great detail I could easily see the color of the drapes, sofa, desk, etc., in my mind's eye. Jackie McMillan made me feel as if I were in the room with the characters, seeing what they were seeing, and feeling what they were feeling. Moreover, I also liked that the setting is the modern day, but with nuance. The work retained the archetypes of traditional vampire lore, yet it approached them with originality.
However, the plot itself is somewhat choppy. The perspective jumps back and forth from character to character; with no pre-warning of this happening, it was somewhat confusing. At first, I thought I had accidently skipped a page. And then, as the book developed, the perspective suddenly jumped to a different character. - not just one or two, but several characters’ perspectives. Consequently, this made it very confusing to determine who were the real main characters of the book and who were just the supporting characters.
I was disappointed in the constant perspective changes because they gave away the storyline. There was no element of surprise; the reader knew everything, from every point of view. It left no desire for the audience to want more, to have to keep reading page after page to see how the plot would develop. Additionally, the book was written in UK English but had quite a few grammatical errors: incomplete sentences and misspellings throughout the book, for example.
Overall, I would have to give Hope Found a rating of 2 out of 4 stars. I am giving it this rating because even though the plot was given away throughout the entire book and the point of view is constantly changing, it is still a pleasant read. If you are one for vampires and descriptions so accurate that you are enveloped by the world created by the book, then this book is still worth reading. As this is the first book in a series, I will have to read the next installment to see how the characters develop in their relationships, and with their important mission.
******
Hope Found
View: on Bookshelves | on Barnes and Noble
Like Swiftmover07's review? Post a comment saying so!
Goodnight sweet prince, may flights of devils wing you to your rest. - Anne Rice
Latest Review: One Way or Another by Mary J. Williams
