The Buried Covenant - Shawn P. Keenan

Genre: Sci-fi, Religious, Occult, Young Adult


The book starts out pretty slow, but does get better. It starts out pretty much like most young adult novels do, focusing on things like relationships and friendships. Our hero, Jayke, is a boy who doesn't know much about his past and is really nervous around others, especially those his own age. He slowly starts to learn he has some kind of super natural powers. We meet a few ominous characters one being Amber, who we later find out goes by a different name, and a different character all together. A group called the Aduro really wants to stop him, because he's the key of the future. In this book it seems love is our hero's reason for strength. I will admit I didn't like this book too much at the beginning, and the entire book almost lost me when we discover it's religious affiliation, but with a title like 'The Buried Covenant' it should have been expected. It wasn't written poorly by any means. It was easy to get through, I read the entire book in a sitting. It's pretty cool that Jayke goes through a metamorphosis of understanding himself, and the things he's capable of. Heck, he even has a romantic interest, even though he must stay pure and cannot be with her, which must be difficult, for anyone.


Synopsis from Amazon.com:
Being hardheaded is a common character flaw, but most teenagers can’t crack a concrete curb with their skull. And while a skilled skateboarder appears to defy gravity, he can’t keep water from pouring out of an upturned cup.

Unintentionally tapping into latent powers has brought Jayke Wolff to the attention of the Aduro, an ancient society plotting an apocalyptic new world order. He’s now their number one draft pick, and they’ve dispatched their most seductive member to close the deal. It shouldn’t take much convincing a hormonal teenage boy to turn his back on a cryptic covenant for a future of self-indulgence and unchecked power. But if Jayke can’t be tempted by pleasures of the flesh, the flesh can be influenced in less pleasant ways as well. Armageddon can’t wait forever. Killing Jayke will also work.

I thought it was pretty slow at first. As I said before it does get better. It has good character developement as we see Jayke go from a shy and unsure guy to a strong character with more understanding of himself. I read it in a sitting, so that should tell you it's not a terrible book, at least I didn't think so by any means. I recommend reading this book if you're into the occult, religious affiliation and the supernatural. If you're looking to read this book, goodreads.com has it up for June 2011 for a free read here. 

Shame on anyone who thinks evil of this.

Rating:

The Boleyn Inheritance - Philippa Gregory

Genre: Historical Fiction

The Boleyn Inheritance is a novel that takes place in the era of King Henry and switches between the perspectives of Jane Boleyn, Anne of Cleves, and Katherine. It's a novel of characters plotting, and trying to save their own hides from the Kings changeable opinions of them. Henry, the king is a stink of an old man who changes his mind so frequently nobody knows if they will live or if they will die at his command. Everyone seems to be after the same thing, fortune and status.

Jane is willing to take the kings side against anyone's trials, if it'll save her from the kings hatred, she's simply only looking out for herself. If you've read or watched the movie The Other Boleyn Girl you would know that she's given away her own love to death.

Anne of Cleves was once nearly queen, but problems arise and she fears she may be beheaded by the king who decides she fairs better as a sister than as a queen.

Katherine is a young harlot who uses her own sexuality to get into the kings chambers, simply for fortune of dresses and fancy jewels.

Inside the back cover:
"The Boleyn Inheritance is a novel drawn tight as a lute string about a court ruled by the gallows and three women whose positions brought them wealth, admiration, and power as well as deceit, betrayal, and terror. Once again, Philippa Gregory has brought a vanished world to life--the whisper of a silk skirt on a stone stair, the yellow glow of candlelight illuminating a hastily written note, the murmurs of the crowd gathering on Tower Green below the newly built scaffold. In The Boleyn Inheritance Gregory is at her intelligent and page-turning best."

To be quite honest, it was hard to get through it. I'm glad I finished it though. It's not poorly written by any means, but the characters just seem so...flat. I don't know how better to explain that. However, I don't feel by any means that Philippa Gregory is a poor writer. I just felt that the characters needed something to set them off. I think the only character you see any real development from is Jane Boleyn. I loathed most of the characters in this book, apart from Jane. It's a book full of evil and deceit. If you're into books about plotting and deceit this may very well be the book for you. However, for me, I can't ever see myself picking this book up for a second read. Worth at least the first read anyways. Could have been worse, could have been better.

Shame on anyone who thinks evil of this.