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Revelations (The Infinity Series Book 1)
![Revelations (The Infinity Series Book 1) by [Westbay, Bellamy]](https://images-na.ssl-images-amazon.com/images/I/51Qu7Pdv3SL._SY346_.jpg)
Gwen is a pretty typical, early twenties college student. Her daily life consists of classes, girls’ nights out, and the occasional boy problem. Alex is an angel who can no longer call heaven home and is older than the Earth by thousands of years. He’s settled in the same beach town as Gwen with his family of hybrids, and is working toward keeping others like himself safe. When the two of them meet, both their lives become more complicated than they could have imagined as all their other relationships are impacted, and they realize that their fates are intricately intertwined.
In Revelations by Bellamy Westbay, the action and mystery start early as we get to know Gwen, Ky, Beverly, Hannah, Alex, Eli, Zane, and a slew of supporting characters. Told from alternating viewpoints between Gwen and Alex, the story flows extremely well. The two characters complement each other’s narratives, providing insight into their lives and motivations, plus the pacing is perfect. The use of two main voices works as an excellent tool, helping to increase character depth and revealing important plot points while still maintaining the overall sense of intrigue. It can sometimes be difficult to write a supernatural story without being hokey or goofy, but that angle is also well done, enhancing the book’s plot without straying outside the initial rules established by the author. While nearly all of Gwen’s schoolmates and casual acquaintances are somewhat two dimensional or stereotypical, such as the fact that pretty much everyone she knows is insanely attractive, it’s not a problem that distracts from the narrative. Somehow, that aspect actually helps.
All in all, this is a fun and compelling action/ mystery the really revs up when Gwen realizes she no longer knows who she can trust on a day to day basis. All of her friends are suddenly behaving differently, and even her parents begin to act strange, giving her even more cause for concern. As more and more twists and turns occur, the reader has the pleasure of trying to decide who everyone might be fighting for, but quickly realizes that whoever is behind everything is staying one step ahead.
Revelations is subtitled “The Infinity Series, Vol. 1” and because it’s part of a series, it ends on a huge cliffhanger. Throughout the book very few questions receive a definitive answer, but the ending does seems to interrupt the action in an appropriate place. I look forward to the next installment!
Pages: 331 | ASIN: B078T6CSNT
Revelations: The Colburn Curse
Natalie leads a life like no other woman. The man in her life is not her husband and her son is not her own. As a woman in the pre-Civil War days, she does as she is told, and her life is simply not her own. Her son, Matt, who she lovingly protects from the hatred and violence of his brother, the man in her life, is being raised with no idea of what true love is. As Natalie continues to serve Pete and put up with his endless brutality, she simultaneously succeeds in teaching Matt how to recognize his brother’s faults and steers him toward the life he deserves.
Catalina DuBois’s Revelations: The Colburn Curse contains rich tidbits of various genres, and they all seem to blend flawlessly into one breathtaking piece. With mystery being the underlying and ever-present element, DuBois’s book is laced with romance, historical fiction, and tantalizing snippets of fantasy.
As I read, I felt as if I were on an emotional roller coaster of the most bizarre kind. I desperately hated Pete from the moment he entered the picture. There was not a signal redeeming quality present in him, and I felt no qualms about despising the sight of his name. Then DuBois throws a monkey wrench into the equation– a complete game-changer. I was amazed at how swiftly the author was able to make me change my mind. Then, as quickly as she brought me to a new line of thinking, she reintroduces the Pete of old. DuBois is a master of the plot twist. I was two breaths away from an audible gasp when she had Natalie suddenly reveal her own revelation about Pete’s true identity. Who doesn’t yearn for a book that gives them that feeling?
I will admit that I had a difficult time in the early chapters seeing how the vast array of characters would fit together by the book’s end. DuBois, however, is more than adept at pulling together characters from settings that are seemingly unrelated. I might add, when she does, it is amazing.
The storyline centering about Ambassador Florian Lafayette and his sister, Embrasia, is the most engaging in the book. The two are, without a doubt, bent on living on the edge. Their antics would seem to lead them down a path of destruction, but a few chance meetings change the siblings and their wild ways like no amount of preaching could. I find their storyline to be filled with the most rapidly moving action.
Having read several other books by the author, I can say this one is, by far, my favorite. When you can finish a book and feel immediately like rereading it, you know you have found a keeper. DuBois is the queen of prologues. I never ceased to be amazed at her ability to pull me in within the first paragraphs. There is no one else out there penning romances with touches of fantasy based on historical fiction like Catalina DuBois.
Pages: 285 | ASIN: 1973233002
LITERARY TITAN 