Shine: The Knowing Ones
by Amy Freeman
Blurb:
We walk among you. Wherever your lives take you within this world, we are there, and we are many. We are not superior, we simply know more... far more... and none of you are safe.
Sam has always had the gift of reading auras and seeing future events. But since beginning college, her gifts are strengthening - becoming more foreboding. Dark visions she can't explain haunt her daily. She senses danger but doesn't know why. Meeting gorgeous Olympic swimming star Trin Kosolov, who shares her extra sensory abilities, only seems to intensify the imminent peril.
Sam soon discovers she was born with an identity she never knew she had and finds herself fighting for her life as she and Trin struggle to save humanity from an evil that could ultimately destroy them all.
The Review
Samantha has a unique ability to read auras and foretell events that had not occurred yet. Her ability, enhances when she starts living in the dorm. She always feels a dark presence looming around her. The story starts with her encounter with this dark presence and the emergence of few mysterious characters. Romance enters her life when she meets the Olympic swimming star, Trin Kosolov who possesses similar paranormal qualities like her. While, she didn’t know much about him - he seems to know all about her, for he is her assigned Keeper.
Together, they start battling the dark forces -with lots of help from the Elders of Knowledgeable Ones. Sam could not understand how she was related to this group, but they definitely seem to need her. But, apparently did the Evil Ones. Day by day, as her power grew, she encountered a lot of pain and bewilderment of why all these were happening to her. She found her soul mate in Trin, and it was their profound love for each other that kept on saving them from all dangers.
Rating
Reasoning
I could not put this book down once I started reading this book. It took me a long time, to give my rating as a reader. The story is very gripping and as a reader I wanted to reach the end. But, it was equally frustrating with the fast pace at which all the characters were moving and the number of characters interacting with each other was very daunting and difficult to keep up with. There were times I was confused as to who belong to the enemy camp and who were the good ones. Specially between the twins Anvil and Ashbel. Till the last pages of this book new characters have been introduced to the story that kept my head spinning. But if I go only with the storyline, it is very gripping. I was not disappointed by the ending, the author kept the movement going till the very last page - very rare in these kind of stories. When, in the ending a reader should be able to slowly let go of her breath (sort of like cooling down after an an aerobic session) here I was huffing and puffing till I did not put my e-reader off. I would surely wait for the sequel to follow this fast paced novel.
The setting of the story is very unique, not something you would find in a paranormal genre. But, I could not understand whether I would call it a paranormal thriller or a paranormal romance. The romance between the two protagonists, though was the antidote to the conflict, was not given much importance. If I take it as a thriller, then I would call the ending disappointing, because the character on which I was banking on, made a sudden turnover, which I was not expecting. I cannot say that I wasn't surprised by the ending, but it took away the evil which I was expecting at the end. But if you want to keep genre aside, this roller coaster ride is something each paranormal lover should go through.
The setting of the story is very unique, not something you would find in a paranormal genre. But, I could not understand whether I would call it a paranormal thriller or a paranormal romance. The romance between the two protagonists, though was the antidote to the conflict, was not given much importance. If I take it as a thriller, then I would call the ending disappointing, because the character on which I was banking on, made a sudden turnover, which I was not expecting. I cannot say that I wasn't surprised by the ending, but it took away the evil which I was expecting at the end. But if you want to keep genre aside, this roller coaster ride is something each paranormal lover should go through.
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Excerpt
Sam climbed out of the shower
and dried off. She was confused, even angry. Never before had she sensed such
conflicted energy in another person. What was wrong with him? Wrapped in a towel, she raced over to
her dresser and began digging for clothes. Bra, underwear, jeans—she tossed it
all onto her bed and made a beeline for her closet. Should she be offended? And that intensity…that wasn’t normal.
and dried off. She was confused, even angry. Never before had she sensed such
conflicted energy in another person. What was wrong with him? Wrapped in a towel, she raced over to
her dresser and began digging for clothes. Bra, underwear, jeans—she tossed it
all onto her bed and made a beeline for her closet. Should she be offended? And that intensity…that wasn’t normal.
Sam had never been in love
before, but this surpassed anything she had ever even heard of. Opening
the closet door she found a shirt, pulled it from the hanger, and tossed it on
the bed with everything else. She reached in the back, grabbing a jacket and
threw it on the bed as well. Tossing the towel aside she began dressing with
lightning speed, confusion and unanswered questions running through her head
the entire time.
before, but this surpassed anything she had ever even heard of. Opening
the closet door she found a shirt, pulled it from the hanger, and tossed it on
the bed with everything else. She reached in the back, grabbing a jacket and
threw it on the bed as well. Tossing the towel aside she began dressing with
lightning speed, confusion and unanswered questions running through her head
the entire time.
She
didn’t know how much longer she could take this. She pulled her underwear on,
then grabbed her bra. She let out an exasperated breath as she slipped her arms
through the straps and reached back to fasten the hook. If something didn’t give soon—she stopped. Lifting her head
toward her bedroom door, she focused. A familiar security swept through
the room. Eyes still on the door, she grabbed for her robe and pulled it on.
The short hemline and thin satin material didn’t conceal much, but her thoughts
lay elsewhere, captivated by the glorious energy filling the room. Why was he
back?
didn’t know how much longer she could take this. She pulled her underwear on,
then grabbed her bra. She let out an exasperated breath as she slipped her arms
through the straps and reached back to fasten the hook. If something didn’t give soon—she stopped. Lifting her head
toward her bedroom door, she focused. A familiar security swept through
the room. Eyes still on the door, she grabbed for her robe and pulled it on.
The short hemline and thin satin material didn’t conceal much, but her thoughts
lay elsewhere, captivated by the glorious energy filling the room. Why was he
back?
She crossed her room, following
the energy to its source, the dormitory hall. Tying the sash, she moved to the
front door, stopping in front of it. Heart hammering in her chest, she
placed her hand on the doorknob and turned it. As the lock disengaged she
cracked the door.
the energy to its source, the dormitory hall. Tying the sash, she moved to the
front door, stopping in front of it. Heart hammering in her chest, she
placed her hand on the doorknob and turned it. As the lock disengaged she
cracked the door.
He stood, beautiful, frustrated,
and still wet. One arm rested on the door jamb, head bowed as if he had been
arguing with himself. His shirt clung to his muscled body, sun streaked hair
damp and shaggy around his tanned face. At the sound of the door his thick
black lashes lifted. He froze. His conflicted energy swept through her as his
electric blue eyes scanned her body. Sam’s fist tightened around her sash,
biting down on her bottom lip, barely able to breathe as his eyes traced every
curve, revealing angst of unexpected erotic desire—and he found her eyes.
and still wet. One arm rested on the door jamb, head bowed as if he had been
arguing with himself. His shirt clung to his muscled body, sun streaked hair
damp and shaggy around his tanned face. At the sound of the door his thick
black lashes lifted. He froze. His conflicted energy swept through her as his
electric blue eyes scanned her body. Sam’s fist tightened around her sash,
biting down on her bottom lip, barely able to breathe as his eyes traced every
curve, revealing angst of unexpected erotic desire—and he found her eyes.
He had nothing left. Caught
completely off guard, his strength broke, conflict won out. In all the moments
leading up to this one…when she thought she needed him, he now realized
how much he truly needed her.
completely off guard, his strength broke, conflict won out. In all the moments
leading up to this one…when she thought she needed him, he now realized
how much he truly needed her.
Self-preservation flooded
through him. His restraint, will power, every device he had ever used to
control or extinguish his own needs and desires came crashing down around him
before he even had a chance to engage them.
through him. His restraint, will power, every device he had ever used to
control or extinguish his own needs and desires came crashing down around him
before he even had a chance to engage them.
His initial reason for coming
back vanished. Shoving the door open, he wrapped an arm around her, pulling her
to him. He slammed the door shut. His lips pressed against hers, ravenous,
taking what he needed. Nothing else mattered to him. Nothing.
back vanished. Shoving the door open, he wrapped an arm around her, pulling her
to him. He slammed the door shut. His lips pressed against hers, ravenous,
taking what he needed. Nothing else mattered to him. Nothing.
Drawing him in, Sam’s fingers pushed
through his hair, repressed desire set free, building with every touch, every
caress. She molded to him as he lifted her against the wall. Liberating
release flooded his veins, as if he were experiencing sunlight or truly
breathing for the first time. Decadent power flowed unlike anything he had ever
experienced. His lips left hers as he hungrily searched every aspect of
her neck, his labored breath hot against her skin as he crushed her to him. She
gasped, trying to find air—the way this felt—indescribable.
through his hair, repressed desire set free, building with every touch, every
caress. She molded to him as he lifted her against the wall. Liberating
release flooded his veins, as if he were experiencing sunlight or truly
breathing for the first time. Decadent power flowed unlike anything he had ever
experienced. His lips left hers as he hungrily searched every aspect of
her neck, his labored breath hot against her skin as he crushed her to him. She
gasped, trying to find air—the way this felt—indescribable.
Energy in the room spiked as their auras merged, his
energy fusing with hers.
energy fusing with hers.
Sam grabbed his dampened shirt,
pushing it up his sculpted back, his powerful muscles moving beneath her hands
as he helped her pull it over his head. Wanting more, hearts racing, blood
pumping, her craving fingers explored his powerful chest, pushing past his
naked shoulders, caressing his neck and lacing her fingers into his hair—she
pulled.
pushing it up his sculpted back, his powerful muscles moving beneath her hands
as he helped her pull it over his head. Wanting more, hearts racing, blood
pumping, her craving fingers explored his powerful chest, pushing past his
naked shoulders, caressing his neck and lacing her fingers into his hair—she
pulled.
Trin gasped, responding to the
erotic pain, arousal flooding his body. He found her lips again, pursuing,
pushing. Reason and reality had disappeared. Trin was taken, lost in the
seduction of the woman he loved. Wherever her ravenous fingers went the
tension, stress, and pressure melted away beneath them, erasing the pain, the
doubt, and the crushing fear of defeat. He welcomed it.
erotic pain, arousal flooding his body. He found her lips again, pursuing,
pushing. Reason and reality had disappeared. Trin was taken, lost in the
seduction of the woman he loved. Wherever her ravenous fingers went the
tension, stress, and pressure melted away beneath them, erasing the pain, the
doubt, and the crushing fear of defeat. He welcomed it.
A few broad strides to her room,
back to the bed he had forced himself to leave only ten minutes earlier. His
powerful body covered her, his soft lips moving passionately against hers.
back to the bed he had forced himself to leave only ten minutes earlier. His
powerful body covered her, his soft lips moving passionately against hers.
A measurable physical science
erupted within the room, elements working together in a feeding frenzy as
preparation set in to ignite a power that had not been alive for a
century.
erupted within the room, elements working together in a feeding frenzy as
preparation set in to ignite a power that had not been alive for a
century.
Trin’s strong hand slid down the
side of Sam’s body, his large fingers wrapped around her thigh pulling it up
around his torso.
side of Sam’s body, his large fingers wrapped around her thigh pulling it up
around his torso.
A voice—buried deep within the
euphoria of the moment—nagging him.
euphoria of the moment—nagging him.
Annoyed by the distraction he
pushed it out, driven by his aching need for her. Never having experienced such
power, he was unprepared to fight it, and in this moment he was unwilling to fight it.
pushed it out, driven by his aching need for her. Never having experienced such
power, he was unprepared to fight it, and in this moment he was unwilling to fight it.
Sam’s fingers pressed into his
back, her breath sweet and inviting on his neck, the exhilarating warmth of her
mouth tracing the length from his collar bone to his jaw line, then pulling his
face back to hers, erotic softness of her lips molding to his over and over
again.
back, her breath sweet and inviting on his neck, the exhilarating warmth of her
mouth tracing the length from his collar bone to his jaw line, then pulling his
face back to hers, erotic softness of her lips molding to his over and over
again.
Stop. Not yet.
His hand moved to the sash on
her robe, pulling at the knot, loosening the tie.
her robe, pulling at the knot, loosening the tie.
You have not earned her yet!
Trin flinched—pausing, the words
rattled him. His pumping heart forced labored breath as conflict and truth
wrestled for his attention. She was his Goddess, his sacred prize, yet he had
given her nothing.
rattled him. His pumping heart forced labored breath as conflict and truth
wrestled for his attention. She was his Goddess, his sacred prize, yet he had
given her nothing.
Sam’s hand slid beneath the
waistband of his jeans, pulling at the buttons. The sensation of her fingers
yanked him back to her. A throaty groan escaped him as his lips covered hers. He
pulled the sash loose, the warmth of her skin flooding him like a drug and he followed
its beckoning pull.
waistband of his jeans, pulling at the buttons. The sensation of her fingers
yanked him back to her. A throaty groan escaped him as his lips covered hers. He
pulled the sash loose, the warmth of her skin flooding him like a drug and he followed
its beckoning pull.
Searing gold hummed around her,
energy of living intelligence full of life and light—all elements positioned
and ready to accomplish their reason for being: to ignite the Oracle power.
energy of living intelligence full of life and light—all elements positioned
and ready to accomplish their reason for being: to ignite the Oracle power.
You will lose her!
“Sam,
wait—” Trin stopped, catching her hand in an iron fist at his lower torso.
wait—” Trin stopped, catching her hand in an iron fist at his lower torso.
About the Author
Amy Freeman grew up in Salt Lake City in a family of five siblings, one of which is an identical twin. She spent most of her time as a child daydreaming and creating stories. She wrote a stellar screen play at ten, her first full length book at age thirteen, and her second and third at age nineteen. She has been published in Meridian magazine, Moab Adventures magazine and has just released her debut novel SHINE the Knowing Ones —the award-winning first edition in the SHINE series. She is active in several writing and critique groups and maintains an online page for writers.
Book Two SHINE: Domination is in the works with an anticipated release next year. Amy lives in St. Augustine Florida with her husband and youngest son, Jackson.
You can find Amy at the following
Giveaway
1 eCopy of Shine
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