Grovers Mill (The Stranger Book 1)

The caretaker's wife shushes him but Meursault does not understand why, thinking the comment "made sense. Meursault's conduct does not match up with society's expectations. Conventional norms expect him to be emotionally attached to the corpse, to want to see it, to be disturbed by talk of its decay. Yet the caretaker's comment about the body rotting is also not a normal thing to say as his wife's shushing him indicates. Meursault, however, is unbothered, even interested, by the scientific fact. Still in the mortuary, Meursault accepts the caretaker 's offer of coffee and they smoke cigarettes.

Under bright electric light, Meursault, an Arab nurse , the caretaker, and Mme Meursault 's friends sit vigil over her coffin. Meursault thinks there is something surreal about these other old people. The noise of one old woman crying irritates Meursault. The caretaker explains Meursault's mother was her only friend. After the stops crying, Meursault is irritated by the silence. Again, Meursault's behavior seems out of sync with social expectations: Meursault is superficial, thinking of the woman's crying and the sitters' silence as irritants rather than as empathetic expressions grief.

Next morning, Meursault again declines the director 's offer to show him his mother. The home joked that they were engaged. Though Meursault said he was "embarrassed" to decline to see his mother the night before, he does not act any differently now. The sun is blazing and everyone sweats miserably in their black formal clothes. Heat makes the landscape " shimmer. The first appearance of both of the novel's symbols.

The intense heat conveys the universe's utter indifference to human tragedy: The landscape shimmers, repelling any attempt to read emotion or symbolism into it: Importance of Physical Experience. One of the pallbearers asks Meursault about his mother's age but Meursault doesn't know how old she is. The funeral itself happens "so fast, so deliberately, so naturally" that Meursault can't remember it.

The fact that Meursault doesn't even know his mother's age shows just how distant they were. Meursault, again, is more invested in physical than emotional experience: The nurse's comment is ironic given it's a funeral procession: Retrieved December 17, Important Quote and Explanation from.

Download this Chart PDF. They're like having in-class notes for every discussion! Get the Teacher Edition. My students love how organized the handouts are and enjoy tracking the themes as a class. I just want sex scene in book I read so steamy, I nearly have nosebleed.

I hesitant to read this, when I know it's told from first POV. Ellie is my kind of gal. Sure she's just an ordinary girl, with Mary Sue tendencies please pardon me! Also, I love how Collin is just an ordinary guys with shady past. I mean, he's no vampire, also not growing furs in the middle of the night, or can charm with fae persona. Collin is a troubled hero, not a military kind of guy, but he still sexy and can charm you.

He got so much mystery about him! And the ending you wrote about him and Ellie, Ms Swank, it's nearly break my heart!! Please, please, pretty please with cherry on top, you will write the sequel from The Curse Keeper. And I hope I don't wait any longer. I'm nearly dying here to read what Ellie will do with the curse.

Need any paranormal romance with unusual take of myth and maybe kinda tired with paranormal hero but want them still sexy? The Curse Keeper is your answer. It's will make you screaming. Like I do before write this review. Since I'm so curious, I go into the author's web and.. Ugh, can you forward the release date, Ms Swank? This book was such a disappointment. It started off with promise. A year old curse that needs to be broken to save humanity.

But then it spirals out into the cliche land of insta-love, having sex when bad guys are chasing you, betrayal, and the man "knowing what is best". When the guy started saying that the girl was going to regret ever meeting him, I knew what was going to happen and it was so over the top cliched that it made me mad and it turned this book from a halfway decent 3 star to a This book was such a disappointment. When the guy started saying that the girl was going to regret ever meeting him, I knew what was going to happen and it was so over the top cliched that it made me mad and it turned this book from a halfway decent 3 star to a 1 star.

Oct 10, Barbara Ann rated it it was amazing Shelves: This book appealed to me on so many different levels: Growing up in N. Swank provides her own unusual theory about the lost colony by weaving its history into a very creative fictitious plot involving Native American mythology, magic, and the supernatural. She has created a complex plot centered around two descendants, Ellie and Collin, connected to the colony and their secret responsibility to guard the gate separating the earthly and spiritual worlds.

The storyline is engaging and kept me enthralled during the entire book, which I figuratively devoured in one day. Ellie has no idea their encounter has set in motion events that will endanger her life and threaten the future of humanity. Now the clock is ticking, and time is running out for Ellie who must accept the responsibilities given to her as a Curse Keeper and take the necessary measures to close the gate to keep angry, vengeful gods and spirits from entering the earthly realm.

Ellie has no clue what she's supposed to do and is forced to rely upon, Collin, the second Curse Keeper whom she finds both infuriating and desirable to help her survive the next seven days. The Characters Ellie Lancaster is the protagonist, and the entire story is told from her POV, which is effective in building suspense since readers only get her limited viewpoint, and when secrets and revelations come to light, I was just as shocked as she as her world spins out of control right up to the very end.

However, when Ellie does finally get in the game and accept her magical gifts, she is a woman to be reckoned with, and she really steps up to earn my admiration and respect. Ellie is a gutsy young woman who has the gumption to stand up to the arrogant, drop-dead gorgeous Collin, who tries to intimidate her at every turn throughout the first half of the book.

She has the attitude and the snark to put him in his place when he deserves it.

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Their witty banter and bickering are engaging and at times downright hilarious. Even in the midst of danger and despair, Ellie finds ways to lighten the somberness of the situation and ease the tension. Collin is a complicated character and what you see is not always what you get with him. He even tells Ellie not to trust him, even though he seems to always have her best interests at heart.

Collin is a mysterious man with many secrets, only some of which are revealed in this first book. The Romance The chemistry between Ellie and Collin is potent, especially when they link their magic together. Swank gradually builds the sexual tension between them until it becomes clear that it isn't if they will get together, but when. You have me under your spell. This is a series I will most certainly continue to follow.

I received an ARC of this book from the publisher via Netgalley to review for an honest opinion. The quotes used are taken from a pre-published copy and may be changed or omitted in the published version. It is clear that a lot of research has been put into The Curse Keepers. The book recounts an imaginative interpretation of the mystery of the vanishing town of Roanoke. I certainly haven't heard this version of events before!

The Stranger

Following the mystical events of four hundred years ago, Ellie - our unlucky-in-love heroine - has renounced her Curse Keeper heritage. All this is to change when she meets shady Collin Dailey, the other Curse Keeper. Grover Swank interweaves Native American mythology with modern life in an American small town.

Ellie struggles between her disbelief of the family's stories, daily obligations, her distrust of Collin and growing bravery. Her personal growth is nice to read; there's no instant transformation into Superman here. As I watched the page numbers go by I began to suspect there would be a cliffhanger in the near future.

Although some questions were addressed, nothing is truly resolved so I'll be treating myself to the sequel! Aug 13, Joelle rated it it was amazing.

A hybrid of sorts, the Chosen meets Aftermath. This is my second favorite series by DGS. This book grabs you by the throat, has you on the edge of your seat, and you are genuinely afraid of what might happen next. Do not read this at night time. Ellie needs to save the world, not find a boyfriend. The son of the land and the daughter of the Fictional, Flirtatious, Fun! The son of the land and the daughter of the sea face a battle.

I agreed to give an honest review for an early glimpse ARC of this series, and even if you are not a current fan of DGS, you will be sucked into another great adventure! Nov 22, Booknut rated it really liked it Shelves: A wild adventure, constructed on an opulent foundation of mythology and Native American lore, The Curse Keepers is definitely a rollercoaster ride of a novel, that will have your heart bursting and breaking! Nov 21, Jessica rated it it was amazing Shelves: I mean, I totally saw it coming, but hello knife in my chest!!!!!

I loved every minute of it! I already knew Denise was one heckuva writer, as I've read and loved her contemporary romances, After Math and Redesigned. She has completely blown me away with this one! Urban Fantasy can be a tricky genre to write, but Denise has nailed it! I love how she combined the history of the Lost Colony of Roanoke with Native American lore and her own imagination.

I was so intrigued- I had never read a book like this before and I loved the idea behind it- two people, known as the Curse Keepers, who are destined to prevent the gates of hell from opening and releasing the evil spirits into this world. You can really tell DGS has done her research and I was completely fascinated when I read the Author's Note at the end and saw how much she made her own. DGS mentions in my interview below with her that Ellie might very well be one of her favorite characters ever. I totally see that because I really enjoyed Ellie's character myself. She is tough as nails even though she has known great loss in her life.

She is funny, witty, and above all- she's real. She has her insecurities and vulnerabilities, and even though she tries to remain tough on the outside at all times, there are times where we see her fall apart and while she sees it as weakness, I saw a scared girl who is having the fate of the world literally thrust upon her shoulders and basically told to have faith in something she has fought so long not to believe. Ellie has not had much luck in the relationship department.

She keeps choosing men who are stable and dependable- she isn't for living on the edge and bad boys are not her thing. However, when Collin Dailey walks through the doors to the restaurant she works at- all bets are off. Ellie didn't have a chance in hell in resisting that man. Where do I start? He is cocky, arrogant, and a bit unfeeling in the beginning. He and Ellie do NOT get along, and it's clear that after discovering they are the other Curse Keeper, that they are only spending time together for the purpose of doing their destined jobs. I loved their back and forth banter.

Even though Collin makes it quite clear he isn't the least bit interested in Ellie, those two have so much sexual chemistry, I thought they would literally melt each others' faces off with the intensity in which they looked at one another. Collin continuously warns Ellie that he is not to be trusted, and while she doesn't at first, spending time together makes her rethink that choice. Watching Collin and Ellie's relationship change and evolve into so much more was such a lovely addition to the novel.

The Curse Keepers

Being a romance girl, I loved that the romance played a secondary role in the book. Collin is a bit of an enigma. There is so much more to him than meets the eye- while he may come across as nothing but a cocky flirt, he really does have depth to him. As the book progresses, we see his resolve towards Ellie start to crack and he can no longer hold back how he feels for her, even though he knows he should.

What you feel with me. And no man will ever give you what I can. She makes tremendous sacrifices to help keep her father and stepmothers' inn running and in business, and goes to see her father every day, no matter how painful the visit may be. When she finds out she is the one being targeted by the ancient gods, she worries constantly about their safety and her best friend Claire's. Ellie is far from selfish and I liked that she thought about the consequences to her destiny. I feel like I'm going to die waiting for the next book in the series to come out.

It's not that this one left off on a cliffhanger per say, but it definitely leaves you ready to discover what in the world is going to happen next. Ellie is going to be back with a vengeance and I would NOT want to cross her. She has experienced so much in this book- from falling in love to making sacrifices for her loved ones, to heartbreak and betrayal- I admire her resilience and I am so ready to see where she takes us in The Curse Breakers!

Aug 16, Kathy Rice rated it it was amazing. Denise has once again out done herself.

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What a great book, if you enjoyed The Chosen Series; you'll totally love this book, and bite your nails waiting for the second in the series to come out I know I am! Watch for The Curse Keepers Mar 13, Meigan rated it really liked it Shelves: Fun, interesting spin on the disappearance of the Roanoke Colony. Ellie Lancaster and Collin Dailey are Curse Keepers - a role passed down from generation to generation. They are the current generation of Keepers and unfortunately for them, the curse has been broken. They now must work together to stop both vengeful gods and demons from wreaking havoc on humanity.

I really liked the author's paranormal twist on the disappearance of the people of Roanoke. I also like that instead of making it far- Fun, interesting spin on the disappearance of the Roanoke Colony. I also like that instead of making it far-fetched which can get weird with the paranormal, she wove in certain aspects that had a grain of truth to them. Many speculate that the Roanoke colony disbanded and went on to live with other peaceful Indian tribes; Swank revolves her curse around Native American lore and legends, all with ties to the Croatoan tribe. She clearly put some time an effort into the research, which always deserves a high-five.

I really liked all of the characters, Ellie being one of my favorites.

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One aspect of Ellie that I liked was her difficulty with the curse. She was taught from a young age the importance of being a Keeper. Something happened to her and because of that, the details are fuzzy. This throws a serious wrench in things - Collin is the Keeper for the Manteo side, Ellie the Dare side. Collin only knows so much about the Dare side of the equation, as neither side was really privy to all of the opposing sides' details. He certainly isn't much help as far as guiding Ellie and telling her what to do, and unfortunately for them both, Ellie's father is in ailing health and has more bad days than good.

Those parts were interesting, I kept wondering how in the heck Ellie was going to pull her weight and keep the apocalypse from happening when she can't even remember the basic, but important, words of protection. Another fun part was the relationship between Ellie and Collin. They didn't start off as friendly, it was a gradual progression. It was truly hate or at least aggravation at first sight, and some of their moments of bickering were quite funny. Be warned - the ending is a bit of a cliffhanger. Or at least, it ends with some unanswered questions which I assume will be answered in the book that follows, The Curse Breakers.

That can be read before or after the book, it's not one of those vengeful novellas that are actually 'required reads' as opposed to 'extras', which is what all novellas should be. I recommend both this book and the novella if you are looking for something a little different in the paranormal world. If you want vampires and weres instead of angry Native American gods and spirits, then this probably won't be your book: Mar 26, Patricia rated it it was amazing Shelves: This is a story unlike most stories I have read lately. It was a refreshing story that made me smile and laugh out right in a few spots.

Ellie has lived her whole life in the same place hearing stories from her father about the curse keepers and the lost village of ROANOKE. She grew up thinking these stories were just fair tales. After her mothers death she ignores all the stories and forgets the ways. Until the day Collin Dailey walks into her life. He takes her breath away literally on their This is a story unlike most stories I have read lately.

He takes her breath away literally on their first meeting. As they realize what is happening. They go on an adventure to recover the artifacts that needs to be down before the dawn of the seventh day to close the gates to hell. Along the way they fall for each other but can they handle the betrayal that befalls them along the way. I started reading and couldn't put it down. The heat between Collin and Ellie is electrifying.

The bad boy and the good girl knowing that they shouldn't be together. But are pulled together to save the world. The author weaves a tale mystery and native American lore all in the same book. Wouldn't it just be great to find out exactly what happened to that village. I am also a sucker for a story that has folk lore in it. The history that is wrapped up in those folk lore stories. Denise's characters are written with such a passion, you just want to love them. The way she mixes the lore with the characters. Weaves the past with the present.

The not knowing if they are going to survive in the wake of what happens. All the characters are fun to read. You just know that something will eventually tear the characters apart. I will tell you though the book does leave you on a big ole cliff , so I am going to get the second book cause I want to really know what happens to them. So if you don't like hanging off the cliff get both the books and have a night of reading.

You will learn a bit of lore , get wrapped up in some mystery, and watch them fall in love. So check it out , I hope you won't be disappointed in this fun read Nov 18, Theresa rated it really liked it. This book takes on a mythology I haven't seen very often and makes it shine. Ellie, a descendant of one of the settlers from the Lost Colony, is a Cursekeeper. One of two from each generation entrusted to keep the world from being destroyed by vengeful spirits. Collin, the other Cursekeeper is conceited, condescending and just plain trouble, but when the two meet, he literally takes Ellie's breath away.

The two are forced into an uneasy partnership in a race against time to keep the native ameri This book takes on a mythology I haven't seen very often and makes it shine. The two are forced into an uneasy partnership in a race against time to keep the native american spirits from being unleashed upon the world.

This book is obviously well-researched and very detailed. The story jumps right into the action, but slows a bit after the initial meeting in order to provide on overview not just of the curse but of some the the mythology surrounding it. Even though there's a lot of information to get through, the author manages to include some great banter between the characters and some hot chemistry to balance out the info-heavy first half. As the story progresses, sparks fly and the action picks up, leading up to a conclusion that I didn't see coming at all.

Ellie and Collin together are great. Ellie knows he's bad for her, hell, he even tells her he is, but she can't help falling for him. Unprepared and not very confident, Ellie really grows into herself as the story goes on. Collin has that bad boy appeal, but he has a softer side too and he protects and stands up for Ellie. Together, they make a good team and a steamy couple. I'm really looking forward to the next book esp.

Oct 05, Mlpmom Book Reviewer rated it really liked it Shelves: Swank's writing style after reading her NA Contemporary Series Off the Subject and when I saw that she was writing a whole new series in a genre I already love, I just knew I needed to try it. I am so glad I did because this truly was unique and let's face it, that is getting harder and harder to come by these days in any genre. Not only did this have a great action packed story line but it had enough sexual tension between the two main characters the Curse Keepers Co 3.

Not only did this have a great action packed story line but it had enough sexual tension between the two main characters the Curse Keepers Collin and Ellie to get your heart racing and your blood pumping. Throw in a little history about the lost Colony of Roanoke, some paranormal activity of ancient spirits and gods, and an ancient curse and Ms.

Swank really did create a different kind of read that stands out in the genre. I liked hard working tough girl Ellie from the very beginning, she knows that she wants out of life and she goes after it. Cocky arrogant Collin on the other hand, I had to warm up to. But it wasn't long before I saw underneath his cocky bad boy image and saw that he really was a good guy just doing some really bad things.

This was a great beginning to what promises to be an action packed, unique series filled with history as well as lies, betrayal and a steam tension filled romance, that I think any lover of Urban Fantasy will really enjoy. Jul 16, Peg rated it it was ok. I enjoyed the premise, but not the execution. First of all, the 2 leads are both dislikable. I actually don't care what happens to them in the rest of the series and won't be reading further. I never got a real handle on either character because their personalities were unstable.

Also, they are human but supernatural. This needs better clarification than was done here. The writing was decent but there were errors, including glaring ones. Just didn't captivate me or hold my attention enough I enjoyed the premise, but not the execution. Just didn't captivate me or hold my attention enough to continue, and while reading I kept being distracted by other things. When away from the book, I couldn't even remember the characters' names. Nothing about this captures the imagination, IMHO. Learned a lot about an event I don't remember ever learning about in school, did a lot of Googling, etc.

If only the fictional curse built around the event had not been so seriously ludicrous. Collin was a jerk. Ellie was an idiot. How many freakin' clues did she need about what Collin was going to do? We were treated to laughable dialogue like "Are you an angel or an enchantress? I was the blade of grass on a sunny meadow. I was the deer in the field Collin was a jerk. I was the deer in the field. I was tempted numerous times to DNF this book. Reviews suggest things improve in future books. Collin isn't quite as much of a scumbag. Ellie wises up and grows up a bit. Because of those possibilities plus the fact that I've enjoyed the author's Rose Gardiner series, I probably will consider reading the next book in the series.

I'm such a masochist. Aug 13, Melissa rated it it was amazing. It was amazing, once again Denise has done it. Can't wait for more. The story keeps you on your toes a page turner. Oct 12, Shelley rated it liked it Shelves: This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review. There have been plenty theories going around as to where the actual Roanoke settlers disappeared to. The people of Roanoke simply left the settlement behind and moved on; the whole population of Roanoke Island was killed by a disease; the village was destroyed by a severe storm such as a hurricane; the people of Roanoke decided to leave Roanoke Island to live with the Natives; or the colonists were killed by the Native Americans.

Since the English were more interested in their own histories, and not the Natives who they replaced, we will probably never know the reality of what happened to the settlers who lived there. In Swank's version of what really happened to the Colony of Roanoke, she makes up a curse that was created by a Croatan Indian Manteo and the Son-in-Law of the governor of Virginia Ananias Dare to lock away all the demons from the face of the earth.

For years, there have been Curse Keepers preventing the gods, and demons from escaping into our world. Have you cast a spell to entrance me? Or are you an angel sent to save my soul? Ellie, along with Collin Daily, are so called Curse Keepers from separate lines with roots that go back to the Colony. When they meet, not only does strange things start to happen like dead birds showing up on Ellie's doorstep, but Ellie is forced into believing that the curse is real after trying hard to put it behind her after a hardship loss when she was 8 years old.

Now, Ellie stands in the way of preventing the demons from escaping and sucking the Manitou the spiritual and fundamental life force out of every living creature when the gates to the Algonquian named hell Popogusso are opened. You can't trust me. I found hard to like Ellie at times. I found myself cringing at how hard she fell for Collin's bullcrap, and lies, and failed to look at the situation without falling for everything he tells her.

I wanted Ellie to be more brave, and kickass, and not take crap from those who for some reason or the other, have an absolute obsession with obtaining her. Collin's character is pretty much exactly what you expect from him to be. He has a very questionable past.

He hangs around with undesirable people who gravitate towards Ellie when she stumbles upon things she should have avoided in the first place because she refuses to listen. He is also utterly frustrating in that he goes against his own path to protect Ellie when she needs it the most, and above all, he left me with a broken heart when all is said and done.

I sincerely appreciate it when authors do their due diligence in researching actual settings, and using factual people when telling their stories. I will be reading the next book in the series since I already have it loaded on my Kindle. Here is hoping that we get a much more desirable and kickass Ellie. Published November 19th by 47North It sounded like it had everything I look for when it comes to searching out new authors: It had its moments, but not enough to make me chair dance while I read.

The author did a wonderful job with that part. She also got the nature of the Outer Banks residents in her secondary characters — both the hospitality as well as the love-hate relationship everyone in a tourist town feels towards the tourists themselves. The plotline itself is fairly tight. She was at best irritating and at worst insufferable. She thinks about sex constantly, which might explain her insta-lust for Collin.

Apart from her need to mention her lust every few pages, she also takes assertive young woman over that very nebulous line into stupidly reckless — something that, of course, puts her in further danger. Several sex scenes, minimal on the graphic description Nov 16, Kayla rated it really liked it. Ellie Lancaster has lived her whole life by the site of the mysterious Lost Colony of Roanoke, the Virginia settlement that vanished without a trace around Ellie is one of those descendants—a Curse Keepe Synopsis: I needed to get a grip and stop acting like a teenage girl with a crush.

I needed to save the world. Not find a boyfriend. Although a boyfriend would be a nice side benefit. As I walked toward him, I reminded myself that Collin was not boyfriend material. He was a guy used to getting his way with the charm he exuded now. I thought this book was different and had an interesting feel to it. They must keep the peace or see the world destruct. This book had a lot of action but the constant bickering was kind of frustrating to keep reading.

The Curse Keepers (The Curse Keepers #1) by Denise Grover Swank

I give this book a 3. Sep 25, Lexie rated it really liked it Shelves: A Roanoke Island, my guilty historical love. So that had me hooked.