Review by Bets_9 -- Opaque by Calix Leigh-Reign
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Bets_9
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Review by Bets_9 -- Opaque by Calix Leigh-Reign
[Following is a volunteer review of "Opaque" by Calix Leigh-Reign.]
I was hooked on, Scion Sage Book One from the very first page. I was drawn to Adam and his seemingly sociopathic ways. His keeping as well away from everyone at his high school and having inappropriate feelings for someone in his life are all classic symptoms of a sociopath. Adam has already made decisions and taken steps to continue on this path. He is well on his way to making some even more devastating and life-changing decisions when he meets Carly. Carly and Adam are drawn to one another, for reasons only Carly understands. It is in this new relationship with Carly that Adam begins to learn and understand that the two of them are special. This discovery and many others to come are what make this story work. The two of them must learn to be strong and resilient to save their futures and the futures of all they love.
Author Calix Leigh Reign has written a page-turning hero's tale. The characters are engaging and the situations interesting. I found it hard to stop reading in places and enjoyed this story. I think the character development is well done for both Adam and Carly. Adam learns and grows through his trials, and even though Carly is not the main character she also undergoes tribulations and growth as well. They both manage to make the changes necessary to survive and in doing so they also become more adult. I also enjoyed the varying culture and language used throughout the story.
I, however, rate this book a 3 out of 4 stars for several reasons. Although there were some surprises in the story, for the most part, I found it to be somewhat predictable. I also found a few mistakes in the book, the mistakes are not grammatical they are more along the lines of confusing statements and improper name placement. On page 216 a character says, "Why don't you want me like you wanted Lana," there is no Lana in the story anywhere. Then a character is said to "unfold the futon Dauma's lying on, to make room for his mother," how can he unfold something someone is lying on. These are minor mistakes that don't detract from the story.
As an adult, I enjoyed this book even though it is billed as a young adult book. I would agree with this assessment as the story is based on high school students. However I would recommend this book not be read by anyone younger than high school age, for several reasons, but mostly for the dark content in the beginning. Adam is billed as a sociopath and he has dark thoughts and actions not really appropriate for someone under the age of 15 I think.
There are only two instances of profanity used in the book. On page 3 the main character mumbles "F you Mark," under his breath. There is the actual use of the entire word "F***ing" on page 147 in paragraph #4. There are also several references to sex and genitalia throughout the book. For the most part, the sexual references and descriptions are pretty tame. There is only one remark that could be seen as possibly unsuitable, on page 69 in a depiction of a text message a character has said, "I need you inside of me Mark." I would say this book is in no way erotic and would rate it a 1 out of 5 for those reasons. There are also a few descriptions of gruesome violence. On page 16 a girl dies and her death is described, and on page 248 one of the characters is described "Carly recoils when a twitching severed leg lands near her face." This book is a hero’s tale so the violence is not unexpected.
******
Opaque
View: on Bookshelves | on Amazon | on iTunes | on Smashwords
I was hooked on, Scion Sage Book One from the very first page. I was drawn to Adam and his seemingly sociopathic ways. His keeping as well away from everyone at his high school and having inappropriate feelings for someone in his life are all classic symptoms of a sociopath. Adam has already made decisions and taken steps to continue on this path. He is well on his way to making some even more devastating and life-changing decisions when he meets Carly. Carly and Adam are drawn to one another, for reasons only Carly understands. It is in this new relationship with Carly that Adam begins to learn and understand that the two of them are special. This discovery and many others to come are what make this story work. The two of them must learn to be strong and resilient to save their futures and the futures of all they love.
Author Calix Leigh Reign has written a page-turning hero's tale. The characters are engaging and the situations interesting. I found it hard to stop reading in places and enjoyed this story. I think the character development is well done for both Adam and Carly. Adam learns and grows through his trials, and even though Carly is not the main character she also undergoes tribulations and growth as well. They both manage to make the changes necessary to survive and in doing so they also become more adult. I also enjoyed the varying culture and language used throughout the story.
I, however, rate this book a 3 out of 4 stars for several reasons. Although there were some surprises in the story, for the most part, I found it to be somewhat predictable. I also found a few mistakes in the book, the mistakes are not grammatical they are more along the lines of confusing statements and improper name placement. On page 216 a character says, "Why don't you want me like you wanted Lana," there is no Lana in the story anywhere. Then a character is said to "unfold the futon Dauma's lying on, to make room for his mother," how can he unfold something someone is lying on. These are minor mistakes that don't detract from the story.
As an adult, I enjoyed this book even though it is billed as a young adult book. I would agree with this assessment as the story is based on high school students. However I would recommend this book not be read by anyone younger than high school age, for several reasons, but mostly for the dark content in the beginning. Adam is billed as a sociopath and he has dark thoughts and actions not really appropriate for someone under the age of 15 I think.
There are only two instances of profanity used in the book. On page 3 the main character mumbles "F you Mark," under his breath. There is the actual use of the entire word "F***ing" on page 147 in paragraph #4. There are also several references to sex and genitalia throughout the book. For the most part, the sexual references and descriptions are pretty tame. There is only one remark that could be seen as possibly unsuitable, on page 69 in a depiction of a text message a character has said, "I need you inside of me Mark." I would say this book is in no way erotic and would rate it a 1 out of 5 for those reasons. There are also a few descriptions of gruesome violence. On page 16 a girl dies and her death is described, and on page 248 one of the characters is described "Carly recoils when a twitching severed leg lands near her face." This book is a hero’s tale so the violence is not unexpected.
******
Opaque
View: on Bookshelves | on Amazon | on iTunes | on Smashwords
Latest Review: Strong Heart by Charlie Sheldon
