Today on Novels On The Run I have my tour stop for PROJECT FIVE FIFTEEN SERIES, by Samantha Summers. I have my review for # 1 ( I was meant to have # 2 reviewed too, but I will do that in a couple days) and a grand prize giveaway.
First Light
Samantha Summers
Series: Project Five Fifteen #1
Publication: May 12th 2012
Genre: YA Romantic Thriller
A government experiment. Sixteen teenage boys on the run. An innocent young girl caught in the middle. When Ronnie Rose meets the handsome and alluring Kalen Smith, she can tell there's something he's hiding - something dangerous. But in trying to uncover his secret, Ronnie is plunged into a terrifying world she isn't prepared for... and the consequences could be deadly. Can we choose who we fall in love with?
Published by: Self Published
Released : Availablw Now
Details: Digital for review, 166 pages on my ereader , 367 Paperback Pages
RATING: 3.5 KALEN & ACE STARS
Blurb : Goodreads
What do you do when you've always dreamed of a hero; your knight in shining armour, only to find when he arrives he isn't a hero at all? ... He's a killer.
Ronnie Rose is trying to cope with the loss of her father; now it looks like she might lose everything else that's dear to her too. Huge debts threaten to destroy her family, her childhood home and her future. Only one person cuts through her pain. Kalen Smith has just moved to town. He's trouble and everyone knows it. He and his mysterious friends keep to themselves and the town likes it that way. But when Kalen mourns at her dad's funeral, Ronnie wants to know why and her investigation plunges her into a dangerous world of murky government secrets, with deadly consequences. Ronnie knows she should walk away from Kalen before it's too late. Problem is, she's falling for him...
Can we choose who we fall in love with?
BOOK REVIEW by Michelle:
Veronica is attending her father’s funeral and she sees a boy standing to the side watching with a sad look on his face, his name is Kalen.
Kalen has many secrets, and many skeletons in his closet. His closet is rather stuffed full. Kalen is a child/teenage assassin.
I liked the idea of this story. I was torn when reading between really liking where Samantha took me....and being teased too much with Kalen and Ronnie’s relationship...or no relationship. I think I needed a bit faster pace.
I thought there would be more action. I enjoyed the back stories, although they came at rather random moments. To me they didn’t appear to flow into the story as well as they could have. They seemed more plopped in for info for us. But, I liked hearing about Kalen in his role as assassin and his connection with Veronica’s father.
I liked the sub characters, especially Ace. I felt like I knew him the most and also Denver, with his movie star looks, and what appeared quite a gentlemanly personality. But don’t be fooled by appearances with these lads. Ace didn't feel very dangerous, he was quite a sweetie pie.
Who would suspect a child/teenage assassin?
I really liked Kalen. I felt like the romance side wasn’t rushed as Kalen was trying very hard to keep his secrets and the lads safe and he knew he was trouble for Ronnie. He had also done many, many bad things in his nineteen years. I believed that Kalen could be an assassin. He showed his strength and ability to fight.
I must admit I had trouble with Ronnie. I liked her, then I really liked her and then I found her really darn annoying.
Let me clarify. Ronnie was very independent and appeared a strong character, except around her sister and that fool Jared. When Veronica and Rachel’s father dies and leaves them in a world of financial hurt, instead of bonding together to get through it, they end up being torn apart by the most annoying character, Jared, the father of Rachel’s daughter, Cloud.
Jared is a great character as he will really annoy and anger the reader. I appreciate a writer that can do that to me. It means Jared is a 3D character. But dang that boy needed a stinky dead fish slap from me. What an ass wipe.
Then Ronnie met some new friends. I really like Alex and Diana, great chick friends. Just what a girl needs to get her out of the dumps. They style her, and she becomes a new girl, she turns eighteen and is getting on with life. She is maturing.
Then...... she turned annoying. I am sorry but I couldn’t help being a little turned off by her behaviour when she was back with Kalen in her life.
The Cowford Gang, they are a GANG!!!! They are wanted for questioning, they torture people. Ronnie , Ronnie , Ronnie, have a little faith. Kalen has done nothing but save your ass, shown you respect and done nice things for you. The guy had no choices in life. He never led the life of a child from the age of four. He is trying to keep 4 other boys safe and fed and alive. There is a lot on Kalen's shoulders.
I wanted to shake Ronnie whenever Jared went near her and mouthed off and when Rachel talked down to her and used her.
The thing with this type of storyline, is the plot. I had trouble with some flaws. When a government agency - S.R.U. - Special Requirements Unit, goes to the trouble of training boys, Kalen was under five when found and brought to The Agency for training/transforming into a hardcore assassin, then I need the plot to be tight. As tight as a government agency would be.
The lads have fled the coop , for reasons that you will find out, they are holed up in a small seaside town of Clanots Ocean, staying in the most obnoxious residence, The Taylor Holiday Mansion. Not some little log cabin in the woods, where you would keep yourself hidden as much as possible.
Now the said millionaire does not know they are staying there, but the whole darn town virtually does. WT! They are in effect squatters, with all amenities. Ok so electricity, who is footing the bill.
In a lot of assassin stories, the Agency usually wants to know where their men are, so often trackers are installed. This not being the case, well that is ok. If you have put that much time, money into these assassins, then you really want to know where they are at all times. Now that is me being overly picky, so I will let that slide as we know you can always cut the little tracker thingys out. What I think I am trying to say, is I found it hard for 5 boys to be hard to find when a whole town knew where they were. They weren't lying low, so to speak.
Government has access to satellites, modern technology......lethal men, soldiers.
If an Agency really wants to find you, they will know what to look for, where to search....hence Andrews.
Now if these lads weren’t part of a highly secretive Government Agency, then stay at the big mansion and hope none of the towns folk dob you in or come snooping to see if Mr Taylor knows you, but they were. Also you are going by the names that you were given at THE AGENCY.
Maybe I was too old for this one? Maybe I just had to go with it J
Veronica is attending her father’s funeral and she sees a boy standing to the side watching with a sad look on his face, his name is Kalen.
Kalen has many secrets, and many skeletons in his closet. His closet is rather stuffed full. Kalen is a child/teenage assassin.
I liked the idea of this story. I was torn when reading between really liking where Samantha took me....and being teased too much with Kalen and Ronnie’s relationship...or no relationship. I think I needed a bit faster pace.
I thought there would be more action. I enjoyed the back stories, although they came at rather random moments. To me they didn’t appear to flow into the story as well as they could have. They seemed more plopped in for info for us. But, I liked hearing about Kalen in his role as assassin and his connection with Veronica’s father.
I liked the sub characters, especially Ace. I felt like I knew him the most and also Denver, with his movie star looks, and what appeared quite a gentlemanly personality. But don’t be fooled by appearances with these lads. Ace didn't feel very dangerous, he was quite a sweetie pie.
Who would suspect a child/teenage assassin?
I really liked Kalen. I felt like the romance side wasn’t rushed as Kalen was trying very hard to keep his secrets and the lads safe and he knew he was trouble for Ronnie. He had also done many, many bad things in his nineteen years. I believed that Kalen could be an assassin. He showed his strength and ability to fight.
I must admit I had trouble with Ronnie. I liked her, then I really liked her and then I found her really darn annoying.
Let me clarify. Ronnie was very independent and appeared a strong character, except around her sister and that fool Jared. When Veronica and Rachel’s father dies and leaves them in a world of financial hurt, instead of bonding together to get through it, they end up being torn apart by the most annoying character, Jared, the father of Rachel’s daughter, Cloud.
Jared is a great character as he will really annoy and anger the reader. I appreciate a writer that can do that to me. It means Jared is a 3D character. But dang that boy needed a stinky dead fish slap from me. What an ass wipe.
Then Ronnie met some new friends. I really like Alex and Diana, great chick friends. Just what a girl needs to get her out of the dumps. They style her, and she becomes a new girl, she turns eighteen and is getting on with life. She is maturing.
Then...... she turned annoying. I am sorry but I couldn’t help being a little turned off by her behaviour when she was back with Kalen in her life.
The Cowford Gang, they are a GANG!!!! They are wanted for questioning, they torture people. Ronnie , Ronnie , Ronnie, have a little faith. Kalen has done nothing but save your ass, shown you respect and done nice things for you. The guy had no choices in life. He never led the life of a child from the age of four. He is trying to keep 4 other boys safe and fed and alive. There is a lot on Kalen's shoulders.
I wanted to shake Ronnie whenever Jared went near her and mouthed off and when Rachel talked down to her and used her.
The thing with this type of storyline, is the plot. I had trouble with some flaws. When a government agency - S.R.U. - Special Requirements Unit, goes to the trouble of training boys, Kalen was under five when found and brought to The Agency for training/transforming into a hardcore assassin, then I need the plot to be tight. As tight as a government agency would be.
The lads have fled the coop , for reasons that you will find out, they are holed up in a small seaside town of Clanots Ocean, staying in the most obnoxious residence, The Taylor Holiday Mansion. Not some little log cabin in the woods, where you would keep yourself hidden as much as possible.
Now the said millionaire does not know they are staying there, but the whole darn town virtually does. WT! They are in effect squatters, with all amenities. Ok so electricity, who is footing the bill.
In a lot of assassin stories, the Agency usually wants to know where their men are, so often trackers are installed. This not being the case, well that is ok. If you have put that much time, money into these assassins, then you really want to know where they are at all times. Now that is me being overly picky, so I will let that slide as we know you can always cut the little tracker thingys out. What I think I am trying to say, is I found it hard for 5 boys to be hard to find when a whole town knew where they were. They weren't lying low, so to speak.
Government has access to satellites, modern technology......lethal men, soldiers.
If an Agency really wants to find you, they will know what to look for, where to search....hence Andrews.
Now if these lads weren’t part of a highly secretive Government Agency, then stay at the big mansion and hope none of the towns folk dob you in or come snooping to see if Mr Taylor knows you, but they were. Also you are going by the names that you were given at THE AGENCY.
Maybe I was too old for this one? Maybe I just had to go with it J
I did like the idea of Samantha’s child/teenage assassin story. I am going to read ‘As You Were’ book 2 as I am intrigued by the ending to this one. I liked where Samantha took us towards the end.
Me thinks the action may be coming.
Sorry, but I was being honest with my review. I see sooo much potential with this story...again, maybe I was too old for this one??? I still rate this story well and I can see from Goodreads that other readers have either felt like me, or really loved it. So I think this is an up and down read for some of us.
Michelle
As You Were
Samantha Summers
Series: Project Five Fifteen #2
Publication: December 14th 2012
Genre: YA Romantic Thriller
Ronnie and Kalen are finally together, living their life in secret under the radar of the people who want Kalen dead. But when a visit from an old friend sends Kalen away on a rescue mission, Ronnie finds herself plunged back into the world of Project Five Fifteen quicker than she ever thought possible.
It’s fast becoming clear The Agency will never give up their hunt for the boys, and a betrayal closer to home starts a chain reaction that will change everything. Now, caught in a deadly web of lies and deceit, Ronnie is forced to question who she can trust; even the person she once trusted most.
As enemies close in, Kalen’s past threatens to destroy the happiness they sacrificed so much for, and it’s only a matter of time before the ultimate choice must be.
SAMANTHA SUMMERS
Born in London, an only child with an overactive imagination, Sam spent much of her childhood telling ghost stories to her younger cousins and dreaming about far away places. She graduated university with a BA in marketing, but it wasn't long before her passion for storytelling and travel got the better of her. She currently lives in Sydney, Australia, where you'll probably find her hidden away in the corner of a park somewhere - writing, reading, dreaming or watching movies on her iPad. She loves everything spy and assassin and has a slightly unhealthy obsession with Star Wars, mainly Darth Vader.
Website: http://www.projectfivefifteen.com/
Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/5835481.Samantha_Summers
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/projectfivefifteen
Twitter: https://twitter.com/5fifteen
Thank you for your review. Interesting points raised.
ReplyDeleteVery in depth review. Thank you!
ReplyDelete