A wonderful new world to explore

I am unfamiliar with this author and thus was reluctant to purchase this one. thought it to be yet another author jumping on the supernatural band wagon. How wrong I was this an excellent story-line with well developed characters and your left with the need for more. Not that its incomplete, its not it wraps up most of the main threads but leaves some points dangling invitingly that could develop in future books.

It took a short while for me to ware to the narrator but she does an excellent job, and i was soon lost in the book.

I highly recommend this book to any who lov eany supernatural themes including witches, vampires, sifters etc.

Can't wait for the next one

10 personnes ont trouvé cela utile

"yeah, but would he kiss me??!"

That is the typical reaction to, well, just about everything.
There may have been a story there but I missed it, gagging.

7 personnes ont trouvé cela utile

Has the depth of your average rain puddle

Let me start by saying that I'm a huge fan of the "shifter genre." Sadly, Gayle Parness seems to be a bigger fan of girl's bathroom gossip as the majority of the 11 hours running time of this book it felt like I was listening in on the average high school girl's social dramas of "does he really like me" or "how can I make sure he knows I like him".

I know this book is supposed to be more in the "young adult" category, but honestly, I had to turn it off several times because the story just got soooo bad. A vampire who doesn't need to drink blood, but can absorb energy _but only_ if the person is a shifter.. which by a strange coincidence is exactly what the main character is. And of course Jackie isn't just _any_ shifter, she is a Cheetah shifter, who can work magic, healing magic, as strong as any Fae.

Really?!?

Now, I could forgive all of the "fan girl" service to the "I'm a super hero" and overlook the "there are no downsides to being a supernatural creature" if the story had _actually_ gone ANYWHERE. Seriously, anywhere at all

First, we are introduced to the main character Jackie as she begins her training to join a "team" of other shifters. Don't get your hopes up, what the team is supposed to do never really comes into play as the members of the team spend all their time worrying about who is dating who and why.

I couldn't believe it when I got to the end and realized that there were exactly TWO conflicts between the "team" (the Rogue Shifters from the title) and what I presume to be "The Bad Guy of this book." The first one is ended with the team's vampire-shifter-hotter-than-hell trainer Garrett (I wish I was making up how often Jackie comments on how attractive Garrett is) talking his way out of it. The second (and last) conflict is _at least_ a real fight. When the fight is over, I was surprised to see there was still an hour left in the book.

Unfortunately for me, that is an hour of my life I won't get back, as it is TOTALLY pointless! It turns out to be another hour of "we went to dinner", "we had a party," "we had sex," or "we talked to our friends." Finally coming to "Oh I'm soooo happy....the end"

If you want a good shifter story I highly recommend the Mercy Thompson series by Patricia Briggs or Jane Yellowrock by Faith Hunter as both are excellent examples of how to balance personal drama, social life, and being a supernatural creature.

However, if you've missed sitting in the high school lunch room listening to the "mean girls" gossip about the football team, then this book is for you!

5 personnes ont trouvé cela utile

Very weak

Cliche, after cliche, after cliche. The author rarely shows, but instead tells. These result in one dimensional characters that the reader does not care about enough; predictable, unexciting plot and a let down ending. While I realize that this is a story for teens and the POV character is a teen, still her voice is too annoying and shallow, keeping the worst of the teen stereotype of drama and flightiness. If paranormal adventure and romance is your genre, there are much better books out there then this one.

5 personnes ont trouvé cela utile

Absolutely Terrible.

Would you try another book from Gayle Parness and/or Reba Buhr?

No, the story was pointless and poorly written. None of the characters matched their age or life experience. The "relationships" were improbable and stilted. And the narration was annoyingly irritating young and clueless. Nothing matched the promising book summary.

Would you ever listen to anything by Gayle Parness again?

No.

Who would you have cast as narrator instead of Reba Buhr?

I don't think anyone could have saved the writing.

You didn’t love this book... but did it have any redeeming qualities?

The basic plot line - a strong young woman with a hard past who finds out she is an elite-level Shifter.

Any additional comments?

Nah.

5 personnes ont trouvé cela utile

What's surprising book!

On this book I took a Gamble with the new writer and a new reader you don't know what you're getting into. But this book was a very pleasant surprise. Good plot, good reader and a very well put together book. It was refreshing, fast pace, and will develop characters a enjoyable new book.

5 personnes ont trouvé cela utile

Better than expected!

I honestly thought this book was going to be more of a teen story...I was wrong! This was a great shifter story with romance, action, intrigue, and some great characters. The sex was not drawn out, but cleverly written. I thought the narrator did a fabulous job. I would listen to more from the author and narrator. Well done!

3 personnes ont trouvé cela utile

Not a book I will listen to a second time

Tough book to get through. Too much very predictable "drama". The narrator always started the sentence on a higher note, then went lower on the last word. It was a reading style that was unnatural & rather irritating. I won't be listening to any other titles in this series.

3 personnes ont trouvé cela utile

An Enchanting Story

I am not normally a reader of the paranormal, but this story broke through my wall of rigid adherence to normalcy – of sticking to stories concerned only with real life. Was it love conquers all, or the comradery of teamwork that sucked me into this fantasy? In part, I would agree on both accounts, but this would only be a fraction of the truth. What really kept me listening was the excellent story line, the skillfully balanced pace, the well-defined characters, and a beautifully written dialogue between the two major players.

With vivid descriptions especially those expressing the movements of the cheetahs, this enchanting story opens all of the senses pathways from whiffs of enticing aromas lacing the Californian air to vibrant characters embroiled in a battle, long overdue. Above all, "Rebirth" is a story of love and trust, of redemption and risk; and although it is written for a younger generation, it will, nonetheless, have many a woman wishing for a Garrett in their lives.

The Narrator was also excellent. In her story telling, she spoke with clarity and captured the emotions of love and the spirit of youth perfectly.

3 personnes ont trouvé cela utile

A fun exciting romp through a beautiful world

This beautifully written and narrated tale captivated me from the first line. Reba Buhr's narration is first rate. She speaks clearly and captured the young heroine's voice very well.

One of my favorite things about Rebirth was losing myself in the world. I love all the supernatural people, especially the fey and cheetahs. There is so much playfulness in this book. When the shapeshifters are in animal form I was delighted by the realistic depiction of cats at play and hunting.

Perhaps the most interesting shift was Jackie from child to adult. I felt that Jackie "shifted" from a tormented teen to a powerful young woman and so I was comfortable with her relationship with a very old... and yet... sexy young vampire. The author handled this beautifully.

The writing is rich in detail, sumptuous, smooth and thoroughly professional.

I will definitely be getting the next installment when the audio comes out.

3 personnes ont trouvé cela utile