I received this book for free from the Publisher in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.
The Nine: Origins by Kes TresterPublished by Owl Hollow Press on October 11, 2022
ISBN: 9781958109076
Genres: Young Adult Fiction, Romance, Paranormal, Fantasy, Contemporary
Pages: 288
Format: ARC, eBook
Source: NetGalley, Publisher
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Eighteen-year-old Blake usually hides her ability to see moments in others' pasts and futures, but when a premonition compels her to save a life, she’s drawn into a centuries-old paranormal society on the brink of war.
As she struggles to find her way amidst the political intrigue and shifting alliances, her path is complicated by a budding romance with Nicholas, the chancellor’s son, and her attraction to Jessie, a man who makes the rules as he goes.
When she sees a series of bizarre murders before they occur, it’s not long before the killer learns of her visions, and Blake must decide whether to trust her head or her heart in a race to unmask the murderer before she's the next to die.
The Nine: Origins is a promising introduction to this fantasy series. It is an ambitious mix of the supernatural and coming of age. Upon browsing Netgalley I found this intriguing book, the synopsis sounded awesome, and the book cover had me instantly hitting request. I was instantly hit with the passion and love poured into this book. Instantly I was hit with characters that sparked with life. Combing the elements, foresight, telekinesis, and the other six special gifts. It’s not easy to combine these elements into a fantasy story but Kes Trester achieved it with relative ease.
The Nine: Origins is the first book in The Nine series. Blake Wilder, 18, can see pivotal moments in other people’s lives. It seems enhanced by the power of touch and hasn’t caused the loss of lives so far. That all changes when she witnesses a car crash that will affect the future of a boy she goes to school with. This event leads her to meet Nicholas the son of the Chancellor of a secret organisation that could potentially be falling apart at the seams. She needs to pick sides, but whom can she trust? She is a powerful voyant and is a strong card to hold on either side, her alliance could be the deciding factor on who could win the power struggle.
This story isn’t bad by any account, but I did struggle with certain elements of it. The pacing of the story seemed to be inconsistent, and I went through periods of not being able to turn the pages quickly enough to finding some of the chapters a bore. The relationship between Blake and her best friend, Scarlett felt very stilted, and I personally didn’t feel that Scarlett had much of a role except to be Blake’s best friend. It was mildly frustrating. The Romance between Nicolas and Blake seemed very fast, even for young adults. I would’ve personally preferred a slower burn over a few books, I believe that would’ve created more of a realistic timeline of things.
Overall, a great book with a killer premise, I just personally felt the execution was somewhat lacking.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
A native of Los Angeles, Kes Trester is a veteran of the film and TV commercial business. Her well-reviewed debut novel, A DANGEROUS YEAR, has been optioned for film/television. Her next book, the contemporary YA fantasy THE NINE, will be released by Owl Hollow Press in fall of 2022 with books two and three in the series scheduled to release in 2023 and 2024, respectively.
