Review: Relentless (Relentless #1) by Karen Lynch

Relentless

Author: Karen Lynch

Series: Relentless

Publisher: Self

Pages: 352

Amazon - TBD

Release Date: 26^TH December 2013

Synopsis: (Goodreads)

Sara Grey’s world shattered ten years ago when her father was brutally murdered. Now at seventeen, she is still haunted by memories of that day and driven by the need to understand why it happened. She lives a life full of secrets and her family and friends have no idea of the supernatural world she is immersed in or of Sara’s own very powerful gift.

In her quest for answers about her father’s death, Sara takes risks that expose her and her friends to danger and puts herself into the sights of a sadistic vampire. On the same fateful night she meets Nikolas, a warrior who turns Sara’s world upside down and is determined to protect her even if it’s the last thing she wants.

Sara’s life starts to spin out of control as she is hunted by an obsessed vampire, learns that her friends have secrets of their own and reels from the truth about her own ancestry. Sara has always been fiercely independent but in order to survive now she must open herself to others, to reveal her deepest secrets. And she must learn to trust the one person capable of breaking down the walls around her.

Review: 4 ½ out of 5 stars

I love it when I come across a recommended book on Amazon and end up loving it! Relentless by Karen Lynch is the first book in the series and was a real page turner.

Our MC is Sara Grey, a bit of a social outcast with two male best friends; she lives with her uncle after her father was killed ten years prior and she has never known her mother, she was a likeable if not stubborn character and one I could really relate to; she was believable in her reactions but at times was a little obstinate and refused to listen to reason and we all know what happens when a character takes risks – drama and problems. All she wants to do is find out whom and what killed her father.

Sara knows about the supernatural, she has her own surprising ability but it isn’t until she goes out clubbing with her best friends Roland and Peter that she really comes face to face with them; this is the night that also put her in the sight of Vampires and others of her own kind, one in particular who is intent on protecting her and moving her away from her family and friends to be with others just like her.

Nikolas comes across as dominant, at times cold and just as stubborn as Sara but for good reason; I liked that he was upfront with her right from the onset and didn’t drag out what she was or what he wanted. The banter between them was written well, I thought we’d get a bit of romance but nothing came of it which was unfortunate so I’m hoping we get some relationship progression in the sequel. Best friends, Peter and Roland were wonderful and also extremely protective of Sara, I liked the relationship they each shared. I’m quite curious about Chris, he was always around but we don’t find out much about him; all of the characters were interesting and played an important role in the overall story.

I won’t reveal what she is because the surprise is always the most enjoyable aspect for me; I found this book to be well thought out with a plot that is fast paced and kept me guessing along the way and the supernatural creatures were each written well – we had werewolves, imps, vampires, trolls just to name a few, the bad guys were developed well and I loved the friendship Sara had with Remy.

Overall, Relentless is a very well written book and kept me entertained from the very beginning; I can’t wait to read the sequel.

  

About the author: Karen Lynch grew up in Newfoundland, Canada - a place rich in colorful people and folklore to which she attributes her love of the supernatural and her vivid imagination. She moved to Charlotte, North Carolina years ago and was immediately charmed by the southern people but she says she will always be a newfie.

Though she loves supernatural fiction, she has a soft spot for Charlotte Brontë and Jane Austin. She is a fan of classic rock, country and classical music but her favorite music is the sound of a good thunderstorm or a howling blizzard. Two of her favorite past times are baking artisan breads for her friends and spending quality time with her two German Shepherds.

A voracious reader, she fell in love with books and writing at an early age and it grew into a lifelong passion. Relentless is her first published work and she hopes it is the first of many.