The Ascension : An In-Between novel

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I know I seem to be focusing on the negatives, but this book had a lot of good in it. It had some interesting concepts, a nicely paced plot, and a good amount of sex appeal. I've heard people say that the series gets better and better, and I'm willing to bet that that's true. However, this one just didn't quite work for me. View all 8 comments. Apr 03, Denisa rated it it was ok Shelves: Iik, nope, I'll stay away from this one.

There were -IMHO- two big problems with this book: The MC was whining too much and complaining about her powers 2. It was boring as hell. So yeah, the plot might get interesting at one point from what I've heard from other reviews , but I think it's just not worth the hassle.

I want my bad-ass chicks and alpha heroes, not whiny little children who aren't hap DNF. I want my bad-ass chicks and alpha heroes, not whiny little children who aren't happy with who they are. Why the 2 stars, though? Frankly, because I've read worse. On to the next one! View all 6 comments. UF fans that love a feisty kickass protagonist and even more delicious leading men. When you're working in a gentlemens club and one of your dancers takes off their heels, alert the big guns; an ass kicking is on the menu.

From the moment I read that first line in the book I knew I was going to be glued to this story. The story begins with a kick ass twenty five year old Rhiannon a bartender at a "gentlemen's club" or let's just call it what it is, a strip joint. She's a snarky, heroic, guarded, foul mouth spewing, tough as nails, "shit kicker wearing" Necrom Rhiannon's Law She's a snarky, heroic, guarded, foul mouth spewing, tough as nails, "shit kicker wearing" Necromancer. I love those protagonist with the badass attitudes and the fighting skills to back it up and she makes no apologies for her sassy attitude.

But I just love it!!! Since then she was raised by ruthless foster parents that only led to her life alone and fending for herself. As you read the gritty details of her sad and heartbreaking childhood unfolds and it's then that you realize that Rhiannon is lucky to alive at all. Although Rhiannon hides her Necromancy skills from others, she can no longer hide it from vampire Disco once he has discovered it, and he asks forces her to use her skills to seek out missing vampires to confirm if they truly have met the true death. So first I must get this off my chest: My first thought of Disco was; What self respecting vampire would actually name themselves Disco??!!

It sounds like some hideous nightclub outside the strip of Vegas filled with college spring breakers!! But keep reading there's also a back story to that, and even an angelic name to go with it. Besides once I got to know Disco, I decided the could call himself "The Tooth Fairy" for all I cared because his masculinity, charm, strength, and straight up deliciousness made up for ridiculousness of having the name Disco.

I've tried to deny the complexities of my feelings, but every time I'm in your presence they always return. Our kind experiences all things intensely, and emotions are equally difficult to suppress. As selfish as it makes me,I won't hide the way I feel for you any longer.

I couldn't if I wanted to. The least I could do is put down the cigarettes you so obviously detest. Now I must say at I was especially happy with the choice name of vampire Baxter ,because well that's my last name and all. I look forward to reading more about him in the next book. It was a universal law. To maintain that delicate balance, someone had to excell at one thing, and do piss poor at another. Since Goose had an Einstein brain, it was only fair that he had Steve Urkel-like reflexes. Basically without spoiling any of the plot Rhiannon, Disco, and Goose become engrossed in the challenge of discovering who or what is actually killing vampires by cutting out their hearts???!!

In case my review doesn't tempt you enough to read it, I borrowed a visual for all my lovely friends on here from J. Sarre's GR page so you can see what Rhiannon and the gang are up against. See this plot is so unique form all the other vampires books out there, J. Saare has such a unique modern take on vampires as well as some of the old mythology, I was fascinated from the beginning. There's so many twists and turns throughout this book, just when you were sure you had solved the mystery, think again! Never was there a dull moment while reading this book, and when I wasn't reading it I was thinking about it.

He lowered his chin, grinned wickedly, and his voice dropped an octave, oozing with sexual innuendo. Is there anything else you would like me to do for you Rhiannon? His grin intensified, eye glistening. This book alone would get 5 stars from me based on those scenes alone. He's easily one of my top favorite vampires.

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Allow yourself to fall. What rock have I been living under and why haven't I read this before now?! I added a long time ago to my Tbr pile Rhiannon's Law Never make a deal with a demon, they're evil bastards and will screw your ass over and Saare left us with was so evil and I'm so grateful I stumbled back onto this series after reading my friend Jamie's review thank you Jamie because It would have been torture to have to wait for Renfield to be released, luckily I have already downloaded it, even though I'm apprehensive to read it because I'm anxious of the outcome.

I personally have one question remaining: View all 50 comments. Don't get so high and mighty, God will only reward that arrogance with a huge bitch slap back to reality. Rhiannon is a bartender who doesn't want her ability known, but finds she has little choice when called out hiding by a local Master vampire who needs her help finding out who has been slaughtering local vamps for ritual magic.

The story-line is good, full blown mystery material, as she pairs up with another necromancer who is less powerful but more knowledgeable. With the supernatural community they follow clues, attend bizarre parties, and finally stumble upon the real villain, who turns out uber creepy. The book is hard to put down because the pacing stays strong, there's excitement pulling me in multiple directions - between personal and the mystery - and the author has a well-done writing style.

A lot of emotion comes through the characters, who feel well rounded, even the tormented ghosts who want vengeance. It's not a simple find and follow trail, but they have to go into different strange situations to find out secrets, even holding a seance that packs a punch of its own surprises. On the downside, I seriously hated the ending and its implications.

I won't spoil it here, but it almost makes me not want to read the second book. I'll only try it out because the other ratings are so encouraging. May 28, Alisha rated it it was amazing Recommends it for: UF fans of kick-butt female protagonists. Which rocked my damn socks off. Overall, I found this to be an awesome series starter. Basically, it's about sassy bartender, Rhiannon Murphy, and her induction of sorts into the world of the dead and undead.

She's grappled with many past metaphorical demons as well as her own rare ability to see dead people. Along with her new partners-in-crime, fellow necromancer Ethan "Goose" McDaniel and mysterious vampire "Disco, Rating: Along with her new partners-in-crime, fellow necromancer Ethan "Goose" McDaniel and mysterious vampire "Disco," she attempts to solve mysterious disappearances that might involve the living and undead alike.

Though ultimately I ended up super digging the book, for some reason it took me a handful of chapters to get into the story and characters. Even now I'm having trouble describing why that was. Rhiannon had this voice, rife with endless Badass-isms, that either grew on me or mellowed out with the unfolding of the story but either way, grated at first. I couldn't reconcile the again "superbadass" nature of her personality with her extreme scaredy-cat behavior when it came to something she's been exposed to for most or the entirety?

Disco for some reason just didn't seem to illicit any reaction from me pos or neg for a while. I just don't know! Whatever the case may be, I found my interest was slow to start. And then "boom" went the dynamite! Saare must have either lived in, visited, or extensively researched New York because the environment felt real and lived in, more than the result of random name-dropping of locales.

The characters were intriguing, as well; yeah, I know what I said above about Rhiannon and Disco but as the story progresses there's a whole lot of internal digging and character development. I specifically enjoyed getting to know Disco's family and their stories and relationships especially Paine; he could support a whole series himself, and I'd run to read it. In fact, in my opinion this was a character-oriented book. I felt like one of the biggest focuses of the book was delving into Rhiannon's psyche and tracking her personal development as a necromancer.

For me, the main mystery was secondary to that. Another thing about characters which is neither here nor there I guess Granted, only about 10 are critical to following the plot, with even fewer being "main" characters Rhiannon, Disco and Goose. Pretty tough stuff, but the way Saare weaves it into her tale is nothing short of amazing and gripping. This book was a ride, ending with a cliffhanger that melted me where I sat. The Renfield Syndrome cannot come soon enough, and I know it's going to be an absolute knockout with the great setup it's been given.

I've noticed some reviews taking issue with some of the editing on the book go read them to see what I mean. I personally don't pay attention to my inner editor when it comes to my reads, unless it screws with comprehension. So I leave extensive discussion of such out of this review, though I don't completely disagree with some of the points brought up in relation to it. View all 5 comments. Jul 27, Jamie rated it it was amazing Shelves: Okay - I don't have the time right now to do a review any justice, but I will say that I enjoyed this book immensely.

Main character Rhiannon works as a bartender at a strip club. And she can see dead people. Yes - Rhiannon is a necromancer, which I think is very cool. Not too many UF series use necromancers, and even the ones that do think Anita Blake lose their way somewhere along the line. When vampires start disappearing, Rhiannon gets asked to help a local group of vamps. In walks Disco, a Okay - I don't have the time right now to do a review any justice, but I will say that I enjoyed this book immensely.

In walks Disco, aka Gabriel. Gabriel is a tall, powerful and sexy-as-hell vampire. He is immediately attracted to Rhiannon. Rhiannon tried to keep her distance - this girl is a most terrible past. I don't want to spoil it, but she has lived through things that would have put others in a mental institution for the rest of their lives. Rhiannon is cautious at first, but she begins working for Disco and his family, and sleuth-work ensues.

Goose, aka Ethan, is another necromancer in the group that works as Rhiannon's mentor. This book was well-paced and well-written. It has a dark and gritty feel to it. Rhiannon doesn't live in a world of sunshine, flowers and happiness. She's just trying to get by, one day at a time, and has a hard time letting down the tough other walls she has constructed around her. I very much enjoy the relationship that develops between her and Disco.

He is not the usual type of vamp - he isn't arrogant, he isn't power-drunk, and he isn't an ass. He knows what he wants and he is willing to wait for it patiently. He is sweet and supportive, and just might become a part of my harem of book boyfriends yet. The ending of this book introduces the reader to a demon who knocks this story sideways. I will be reading the Renfield Syndrome soon.

I look forward to continuing with this dark and intriguing series. If you like dark UF and sexy vamps, I would definitely pick this up. It was well-worth my time and has me hooked on Rhiannon's world. View all 20 comments. Rhiannon is a crack-up! She's foul-mouthed and straight to the point but I love her! First book I've read by Jaime Saare and it certainly won't be the last: View all 4 comments. I just can't make up my mind whether I want to try this. I'm real iffy with Urban Fantasies these days Jul 14, Catherine rated it liked it Shelves: This was a quick and easy read, but it wasn't anything special.

I liked it for the most part , but nothing seemed to jump out at me and make me love it. I felt that most of this book skimmed the surface of the character development. Rhiannon got developed, yes, but none of the other characters did. Even her love interest, Disco, seemed pretty two dimensional. Rhiannon was an interesting character. In the beginning I didn't like her much. I like funny, and I like strong, but I don't like bitchy. She came off as too much. She crossed the line from snarky into rude and crass. Also, she seemed so blatant because she was insecure.

You know how someone is really insecure about something so they keep bringing it up in the hopes that they'll head off jokes or even get people to comfort them? That was Rhiannon all over. She wasn't that educated so she needed to throw it in everyone's face all the time. She spent so much effort living down to people's expectations that she seemed foolish.

Her personality was just off putting. But sometimes Rhiannon's character really worked for me. Sometimes she just killed with her "Rhiannon's Law" and her inner dialogue. My opinion of Rhiannon didn't really change until I learned about her past. She was all mouth to cover her fear. I still hated her attitude, but I understood her better. I felt bad for her being forced into working with Disco. I was pretty surprised that she started liking the people involved so quickly.

I expected her to be resentful and mistrustful for a lot longer. I really was not happy with Rhiannon being forced by circumstances to join that group. I couldn't believe that she didn't strain against her circumstances. All in all she took the whole situation in an extremely calm way. It didn't fit with my expectations of her. Disco what a funny name! I didn't get the interest in him. He tended to fade into the woodwork when there were other people on the scene.

I found him really interesting. His personality and his circumstances caught me a lot more effectively in a chapter or two than Disco did in the whole book. I was actually pretty disappointed that Disco was the love interest. Disco's little family was interesting. I liked getting to see the dynamic there. I also liked that we spent some time with a separate vampire family. It was nice watching Rhiannon deck that little snot that tried to whammie Disco. Everything was going alright until the very end.

Dead, Undead, or Somewhere in Between

Even though I didn't think it was the best series starter out there, I was still interested in seeing where the series would go. The events from this book were wrapped up and I was about to close the book happy. But then the author threw in a totally unnecessary cliff hanger! You could have ended the book there! Why did you do this? I was so mad! All my happy feelings about the book turned to ash. I think it was supposed to hook me into the next book, but it backfired.

I lost total interest and felt played. I've already turned my copy into PBS because I don't plan on reading any further. View all 18 comments. Jan 30, Regina rated it liked it Shelves: Urban fantasy is difficult for me to read right now and I guess, I can be difficult on urban fantasy books. But despite that, I was pleasantly surprised by this book.

The last half of this book is amazing. Interesting characters and new plot developments that were surprising. The ending is a cliff hanger, but it is one of the coolest cliff hangers I have read and good news — the sequel is out already. So it is easy to dive in to the next one. For us who are just rea 3. For us who are just reading this series now we can get immediate satisfaction.

I should say that I did struggle with the first half of this book. Choppy scene endings and few, sometimes no, transitions to the next scene made it difficult to follow the action. Some of the sentences are oddly worded, so I did do some re-reading. And there are a quite a few repeated urban fantasy storylines from other series.

So this book actually had a number of things going against it, but despite all of these things I was interested to keep reading. Saare, tells the story in a captivating way. It is good fun, in a new setting. What Saare does really well, is that she gets what makes a decent urban fantasy story — struggle. Nothing comes easy in this story. The main character is highly damaged from an abusive upbringing. Because of this, Rhiannon isolates herself emotionally. The characters each have to overcome barriers to get what they want; the hurdling of those barriers makes for good reading.

For me, all of this works together to put together a fun urban fantasy read. I would recommend this book to people who enjoy urban fantasy books and particularly, like watching the evolution and struggle of damaged characters. Now, this is sort of off topic, but I have been avoiding urban fantasy books lately; after gorging myself for about 18 months on the genre, I started to get bored with newer series and all of the repeated themes. Vampire with abilities to read minds? Kick ass heroine who is also a necromancer?

In Between the Lines- Book Project by Ashley Tauriac — Kickstarter

Virgin heroine, despite her being in her early to mid-twenties? Heroine who is scarred in one way or another and unable to exist in the world strong empathy, strong psychic, sexually abused, orphaned, etc. The healing power of vampire blood? Rudeness and snarkiness for humor? Frequent readers or even infrequent readers of the urban fantasy genre have seen all of these themes and more. And rarely, rarely are they presented in a new and interesting way.. So, aside from new releases in my favorite series, this is the first book in the genre I have read for awhile.

What is it with this genre that there is a lack of new and innovative writing? Is the genre glutted? Have all ideas been explored? Just some thoughts not really related to this book. View all 31 comments. Feb 14, Mandi Schreiner rated it really liked it. Her life may seem mundane, and that is exactly how Why I read: I kept putting off buying this book hoping it would become available elsewhere.

When it became clear that getting it elsewhere was not going to happen, I sucked it up and ordered the paperback from a company I loathe.

Why this book?

After all the build-up and waiting, I am so happy to say that my expectations were most definitely met. From the very first page, with the opening paragraph, I knew I was going to love this: Turns out, she has very unique and special abilities that have come to the attention of the vampire population. Disco convinces Rhiannon to use her special abilities in providing help to solve the mystery of local vamps who have gone missing. The story takes off from there… From the very beginning I knew that Rhiannon was going to be one of my top favorite Urban Fantasy heroines. She cusses like a sailor, is brutally honest, and is not afraid to throw down if she feels she is being threatened.

How can you not love a heroine who says things like this to her romantic interest? He is seemingly shy! At first look, Rhiannon and Disco could not be any different. Incidentally, the quote above is directed at him. And what does he do? He loves her tough talking smartass too. He is truly dreamy, and his appeal is off the charts.

This book moves fast, is very smart and clever, has some explosive sexual tension between the Hero and Heroine, and there is some awesome gore. The Renfield Syndrome is the next in the series and will be out sometime in the summer If you love your Urban Fantasy and Paranormal Romance, this is a wonderful blend of both genres. You want to read this book! View all 7 comments. Nov 02, Jenne rated it it was amazing Shelves: This was a re-read for me and it was just as good the second time.

I had forgotten how vulnerable Rhiannon is in this book. In the future installments that's not the case. Rhiannon has to be my all time favorite MC her sarcasm and actions are so funny. When I look back to this book compared to the last one the transformation and growth that Rhiannon goes through is crazy. I do wish there had been more scenes with Paine in book 1 though. It's not often book 1 in a series starts out as good as this one does.

Anyone who is a lover of the Night Huntress Series needs to read this book! It was a strong start for a first in a series. Rhiannon is a necromancer and she can see vamps after they die as well. This makes her a hot commodity. Someone is kidnapping vamps and removing their hearts while they're alive and aware. Disco is the head of his line of vamps and decides that Rhiannon is going to work for them and try to catch who's killing the vamps.

Rhiannon has had a very troubled childhood and doesn't trust or love anyone. Disco gets to her and she is scared to let go and fall for him. I highly recommend this series. May 29, Rhonda rated it it was amazing. I had seen this book around before I joined Goodreads, about a year ago.

1. Souq | The Ascension: An In-Between Novel | Kuwait.
2. Dead, Undead, or Somewhere in Between by J.A. Saare?
3. Buy for others?

It kept catching my attention and I did nothing about it. I added it to my TBR shelf 6 months ago, then acquired the book 2 months ago where it just sat. WEll, I was playing around with my Kindle a few nights ago, and decided offhandedly that I would go ahead and read this. What in the world took me so long???

This book is awesome. When I wasn't reading it, I was thinking about reading it, an 4. When I wasn't reading it, I was thinking about reading it, and when I was reading it I didn't want to put it down. This is a fabulous start to a new series, and I found the writing really good. The characters were all great, primary and secondary. The plot was great. By the time I finished these pages, I felt like I had read at least a page book. The story is fast paced, and so much happens.

Others have done the plot in their reviews so well, that I'm not gonna go there. I am looking forward to the next book I loved this book!! View all 36 comments. I'm really surprised I didn't like this one more based on so many rave reviews on Goodreads, but I just didn't enjoy reading it.

I think my main problem was the character development or lack thereof. Rhiannon really grated on my nerves and seemed like a rebellious teenager to me even though she is in her early 20's. Her snark and cursing were just too over-the-top. The other characters also fell flat for me. In fact, there were a few scenes that were super confusing to me, because 2. In fact, there were a few scenes that were super confusing to me, because I couldn't tell the secondary characters apart.

I kept thinking "what just happened? Also, the romance did nothing for me, probably since I didn't care about the characters. It just seemed too accelerated. I will say that the ending was very intriguing definitely a cliffhanger with a great set-up for the next book. Unfortunately, even with that incentive, I think I'll have to pass on the next book.

View all 3 comments. Deciding that it was in her best interests to flee, she ends up in NYC. Rhiannon is also an untrained Necromancer who can see the dead. She has a potty mouth like a trucker, and an attitude that tells people to stay the hell away from her. She not only has the ability to see dead people, but to communicate with them, and raise them from the dead as well. As a reader, you can understand how Rhiannon might be affected by this and why she is so resolved not to let anyone else hurt her ever again.

I absolutely LOVE Rhiannon as well as her laws that pop up throughout the book and can only hope that they continue into the Renfield Syndrome. One of my favorites: Rhia learns that she has the ability to see the undead dead meaning vampires who are killed; something that no other necromancer seems to be able to do from a PI named Goose. Hmmm Her mistake is in shouting at one of the apparitions in front of two vampires who are stunned to learn that there is someone with her untrained abilities around while their kind is dying at an unusual rate.

Naturally, this talent comes in demand by Gabriel Trevellian or Disco as he is called by his family in order to get the answers to who is responsible for killing his kind and why. Other vampires then become aware of what she can do and try to caputre her so that they can control her. Rhia believes she has no choice but to work with Gabriel because of her experiences with vampires in Miami and what happened to her best friend. Dead, Undead, or Somewhere in Between is the first book in J. There are several short stories that are added to the end of this book which I thought was a nice gesture on the part of the writer.

Dead, Undead, or Somewhere in between May 3, 2. The Renfield Syndrome August 23, 3. The Ripple Effect Completely and utterly a wonderful read!! My mind is running around in circles frantically trying to understand what happened to it. But a good funny. Something like perfect bliss. Yet, bliss doesn't even describe what happened. In fact, this is probably going to be one of the hardest reviews for me to write. This book was so amazing and I want to express how much I want everyone else to read it!

There lies the problem since I don't have the right words to even explain this b Completely and utterly a wonderful read!! There lies the problem since I don't have the right words to even explain this book. Rhiannon had me at the first page with her crazy "Rhianon's Law 27", the fact that I can still remember that it's law 27, and it's about strippers, shoes, and fighting says it all. The whole book just sticks in your head.

Rhiannon is a smart mouthed, pirate worthy swearer, and she's tough as nails. No she's not super woman, but she can handle herself. Unlike other super paranormal but kickers out there she knows when she's shit deep in it and can make the smart decision.

The Ascension An In Between Novel

Rhiannon is the queen of damaged and complicated characters. Her past is haunting, a nightmare into State Foster Care system. There is a reason she will not trust people and pushes them away from her. She's learned to live and survive. Rhia's sarcastic humor and running dialogue had me clutching my sides with giggles often enough, which was a great counter to the dark world and gore.

When a vampire named Disco approaches her Rhia soon discovers there's a name for what she is, Necromancer. She has an infinity for the dead, and the theory behind how Vampires and Necromancers connect is really brilliant! The world is believable and each new character is given such depth that I feel like if I went to New York I could find these characters and join them for a game of pool.

Two pages into the book if someone asked me if I would fall in love with a vampire named Disco, I would have snorted and said "Heck, no! Saare creates a beautiful and touching romance. It was a pleasure to witness Rhia's healing. There's clearly going to be some love triangle rivalry in the future, but Saare has built up the other interest so well that I'd feel cheated if he didn't get a chance.

Even though Disco is easily in my top 10 fiction hotties! This book is dark, gritty, and harsh. Countered by compassion and tender emotions. It's complicated, but so simple. Many more creatures await to be discovered, especially since Disco owes a demon a favor. Even when you think the action is over and the mystery is solved a cliffhanger of EPIC proportions comes out and wallops me on the head!

Saare, how could you do this to readers!? Oh, the total obsession is on! Rhiannon works in a bar, so sexual content is there. Dirty thoughts, humor, and sex scenes. So the book is completely written. It mostly needs to be edited down because it would probably be over pages in its current state! I guess I tend to be a little wordy. This kickstarter is to raise funds for the cost of an editor to help slim it down, then cover designer, and formatting so I can get it to looking like an average novel. I also have about 50 students that I have worked with in medicine and on missions trips over the years that I would like to give free books to when it is completed.

So you are welcome to donate a book to one of them, and you also have the opportunity to grab one for yourself here as well! Also, there is an option for me to come and speak about the topic of marketplace ministry in a group setting for those who are located near Nashville, TN. Check out an example in the video below. Thanks so much for your time! I'd love to hear your feedback about the project and the concept.

Also, please don't hesitate to ask any questions I can help you with! With all kickstarter projects the set goals are all or none, but I hope we'll be able to meet the goal. Otherwise, this is my first published book and it needs to be edited again before being printed, so the main factor is time, especially since I'll be working for the next few months. I set the projected date back a bit to help compensate for this.

Questions about this project? Check out the FAQ. Donate a book to a student I have worked with in the past five years. You can be recognized as a supporter in the acknowledgments. You get a signed copy of the book. You get a week of electronic devotions written by the author. We will also give a book away to a student and you will be recognized as a supporter in the acknowledgements.

You get three signed copies of the book. Ashley will also teach on the subject for your bible study or organization, etc. Must be within 6hrs of Nashville, TN. You will get a signed copy of the book. Ashley will also teach on the subject for your Bible study or organization, etc.

Must be within continental US or approved by Ashley. Nov 8, - Dec 8, 30 days.