97: Rise of the Battle Bred Paperback – December 11, 2013

This is a fun book! I am looking forward to #2. One of the things I really enjoyed and that made this different from others in the genre is the way the protagonist speaks. It's so natural and engaging. I can't stand dialogue that is stilted or too-formal or fake-casual. So I was happy to have a teenage girl character who speaks and thinks the way real teenage girls speak and think. (Believe me, I know how teen girls speak, for better or worse!) The only exception to this is that the author seems to be cautious about not using too much profanity, which I consider a good thing.This does have some similarities to Twilight: high school romance, normal girl, good-looking boy with special powers, easy to read but interesting enough to keep readers involved, unusual situations invading normal life. But the differences are that 97 has a *much* more likable main character, more believable dialogue, adults as actual characters, and a cliff-hanger ending. The possibilities for the next book are fascinating. I thought this was better than Twilight, and with the way 97 ends, the series will probably be quite a bit better than the Twilight series taken as a whole. But similar to Twilight, I think young adult readers will be motivated to stop texting for a while because they're so busy reading this book.

Fabulous story concept. The author alternates between the story of the Warlochs and William and Jane's story as she weaves her tale. Early in the story I found myself struggling to read faster because I wanted to know what was going to happen, definitely pulled in quick. Jane and William are easy to like and I was rooting for them. I truly loved Crady's personality; she has a ton of it.Generally the book was clean. There were a few swear words and some adult themes. The Warlochs use women for a "physical release" and a "pleasant diversion." I tend to be super sensitive to the subject and most people wouldn't give it much thought because it was dealt with very smoothly. However, that was the reason I knock the book down to four stars.Jane seemed a little casual about the dangers associated with the Lochspawn, but I suppose the guilt from what happened because of her casual attitude/actions could add an interesting curve to book two. I found it curious that Jane left a pink trail wherever she'd been, a trail that only William could see. It makes me wonder if perhaps plain Jane isn't so plain. Looking forward to continuing the story with book two.

Upon my initial reading of the book description for “97”, I initially thought the premise sounded interesting. So, I gave it a try, expecting…well, something interesting. But what I got was so much MORE than interesting, “97” is an engaging story that will firmly capture you in its grip from the first page to the very last.The author’s choice to write “97” from both Jane and William’s points of view and that of the Warlochs adds only to the excitement and the endless postulations on how both worlds are going to fuse together in the end. V.L. Holt has created a world that is seamless and unpredictable and has the perfect buildup for a sequel.I loved this book. In fact, so captivated was I by this GREAT story, I found myself sneak reading it everywhere I went! I was simply unable to put it down. And now, I’m a little sad that I have finished it and am reluctant to leave all of its characters behind. I am eager to read the next book, and I will be looking forward to reading more of V. L. Holt’s fabulous writing in the future.

I'd heard some buzz about this book and, as a fan of well-written young adult fiction, I took a chance on a heretofore unknown author. No regrets here. I loved Jane, the novel's quirky protagonist--her voice, her humility, her humanity. I appreciated the author's portrayal of comfy-as-your-favorite-faded-jeans friendship between Jane and her longstanding best friend, Crady--the BFF every high school girl deserves. And who wouldn't relish Jane's emerging relationship with William, her hunky and mysterious new neighbor? In Rise of the Battle Bred, the author mixes hallmarks of YA novels of this genre--teenage insecurity, self-discovery, and love--with a creepily imaginative world of warlochs and warfare; gargoyles and gifts.Other pluses: gritty enough to be interesting,yet still managing to keep it PG. The plot pulled me and kept me engaged enough that I could forgive the few little grammatical errors that slipped by in editing.The groundwork has been laid for a strong second installment. Nicely done, Holt.

Fans of paranormal teen romance will enjoy this story about a small-town teenage girl (Jane) who falls for a mysterious and attractive newcomer (William) and is drawn into the supernatural life he leads. While this first, self-published novel is occasionally a bit rough around the edges the story is inventive, the characters likable/relatable, and plot well-paced to maintain interest. Holt juxtaposes the modern love story between two teenagers with an ancient tale of love, power, and betrayal and it is interesting to see the two stories intersect as the plot unfolds. The ending is satisfying while begging for a quick sequel. VL Holt obviously has a great imagination and it has been well used in this debut novel!

I gave this book 5 stars because it is so well-written. It is a story about a quirky teenage girl being raised by her Mom in a small town. A super hot guy moves into her neighborhood and they connect the first time they set eyes on each other. But there are secrets to be revealed, enemies to battle and friendships to be tested. I found the characters to be interesting and the story inviting. Kudos to this new author for presenting an exciting and heartfelt adventure.