Descendant Blog Tour: character sketch, review & giveaway

Hi and welcome to Reader Girls. We are today's stop on the Descendant blog tour. Enjoy the Character Sketch author Nicole Giles is sharing with us, check out this YA paranormal, read our review and enter the giveaway. Thanks for spending time with us and this special book!

Descendant by Nichole Giles

YA paranormal*Paperback, 278 pages

Published May 1st 2013 by Rhemalda Publishing

Purchase: Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Book Depository | Indiebound

Seventeen-year-old Abigail Johnson is Gifted.

Blessed-or cursed-with Sight and Healing, Abby lives an unsettled life, moving from place to place and staying one step ahead of the darkness that hunts her. When she arrives in Jackson, Wyoming, she is desperate to maintain the illusion of normalcy, but she is plagued with visions of past lives mixed with frightening glimpses of her future. Then she meets Kye, a mysterious boy who seems so achingly familiar that Abby is drawn to him like he's a missing piece of her own soul.

Before Abby can discover the reason for her feelings toward Kye, the darkness catches up to her and she is forced to flee again. But this time she's not just running. She is fighting back with Kye at her side, and it's not only Abby's life at stake.

Praise for DESCENDANT:

"A hot new spin on paranormal, Descendant is refreshingly imaginative and powerful. I can't decide which was best -- piecing together Abby's sinister past or keeping up with her heartbreaking future. If you like your YA laced with melt-my-heart romance and a good helping of heart-pounding suspense, you'll love this book!" -- Michelle Davidson Argyle, author of The Breakaway

"Nichole Giles has crafted a story that breathes from the pages. Her characters are authentic, the action intense, with powerful emotions that will keep Descendant on your mind long after the book ends. Open your eyes to another facet of our world in Descendant and you'll be sucked into an adventure with Abby and Kye, that will explore the power of gifts, courage, and love. With top-notch writing, Giles has crafted a story that breathes from the pages." --Rachelle J. Christensen, award-winning author of Wrong Number and Caller ID

"Nichole Giles brings a fresh new voice and flawless writing technique to the world of Young Adult fiction. I was swept away to another place and never wanted to come back." --Tristi Pinkston, author of Turning Pages and the Secret Sisters mystery series

"This debut novel delivers in all the right ways, with heart-pounding action and a delicious romance that sweeps centuries. I loved it!" --Elana Johnson, author of Possession and Surrender

Character Sketch: Kye Murphy

When I first started drafting Descendant, I had two characters in mind, and one scene. Those characters were Abby and Kye, and that scene is definitely in the book. At the time, I wasn’t sure what the story was really about, or what would happen by the end, but I knew two things. The first was that these characters had never met before the story started and the second was that after they did meet, their lives would be irrevocably changed. 

Abby was a little easier for me to write—she’d been hanging out in my head for quite a while, so I sort of knew who she was before I started. Kye was different. He was there, but much quieter and more forceful with his demands. And believe it or not, it was his persistence that got this story drafted the first few times. I guess he was ready to have his story told. 

So I had this male voice speaking to me, but I had no idea what his name was. I tried out a few, but none seemed quite right, so after leafing through three or four baby name books and online searches, I made his name up. Yes, I did. (I later found out it wasn’t as made up as I thought—I have since found two or three books with similar names, though none spell it the way I do. At least that’s something.) 

Similar to his love interest, Abby, Kye has not lead an ordinary childhood. Rather than spend years on the run, like Abby’s family, Kye’s parents opted to divide and conquer, both heading to opposite sides of the globe to prepare for the battles they know are coming. Because of this, their only son has been left in the care of the only remaining Gifted leader, Valdemar, who trains Kye in every skill the boy might someday need to know. Scuba diving, rappelling, rock climbing, lock picking, horseback riding, base-jumping, skydiving, outdoor survival, boating—you get the idea. This guy can do a lot of stuff, and obviously, he’s in great shape. 

The one thing Kye does not know how to do is cheat death. He’s not is invincible.

But he does have a remarkable skill. Kye has the Gift of communication, which allows him to converse with other species. In the story, we see him communicate with animals, like Finn. But his ability isn’t limited just to animals. It’s all living things, including plants, trees, faeries, sprites, mermaids, and also people who speak languages other than his native tongue. Basically, if it’s alive, he can speak to it. 

This ability comes in handy a few times in Descendant, but nothing to the degree of which I hope to explore in future stories. I think this is an incredible Gift—one that could make a really big difference in times of both war and peace. Imagine what would happen if you could talk to everyone and everything with whom you came into contact. With this ability, an army would always, always have a well-spoken negotiator, regardless of who was fighting the battle. 

So more than a love interest, Kye Murphy is a very, very important character in the story of the Gifted people. If you want to know just how important, I’m afraid you’ll have to read the book.

Thanks for visiting!

About Nichole Giles: 

Nichole Giles was born in Nevada, and moved with her parents to a number of cities in and around the West. Writing is her passion, but she also loves to spend time with her husband and four children, travel to tropical and exotic destinations, drive in the rain with the convertible top down, and play music at full volume so she can sing along. 

Descendant slowly wove a spell around me the longer I read. What an enchanting story! Abby is a refreshing heroine. In the beginning after she leaves Las Vegas and relocates with her mother to Jackson, Wyoming, she tries to be a loner. Two girls won't let her, they instantly befriend her and try to draw her out of her self-created shell. Abby is grieving but she also has to live. One boy, Eric, tries hard to get her attention. She doesn't feel comfortable around him, but she is drawn to the popular and good-looking Kye. Weeks pass before these two are thrown together while on a birthday celebration to Yellowstone. It's then Abby discovers the once distant Kye is a sweet, nice guy and he's like her. He's Gifted.

Author Nicole Giles has created an engrossing YA paranormal filled with mystery, dark and light, the battle of good vs. evil, and a time-spanning love in Descendant. I lament about insta-love, but not here. Abby and Kye's attraction stems from a historical connection I fully understood and appreciated. I really liked Abby. As a kid accustomed to moving, a lot, she keeps her feelings restrained, figuring she doesn't really need to show others her true self since she might be leaving soon. Her powers of Sight and Healing are also very cool and her visions are creepy and intriguing. Once she connects with Kye and her two friends Jen and Rose, she begins to shed her need for anonymity and enjoys being with others. Like Storyville in the tv show, Once Upon A Time, Jackson is a special place. The story's pacing was just right, revealing what was necessary, raising questions when needed, showing us another world and otherworldly beings. 

Paranormal fans searching for an engrossing read have no need to search any further. Pick up a copy of Descendant, sit back, and get lost. Get lost in the world of the Gifted, the light and the dark, and maybe fall in love (but remember, Kye is Abby's guy:). I recommend it!

Rating: 4

Cover comment:

Just like the story, the cover art is refreshing.

Book source:

I received a promotional copy in return for my honest review.

Giveaway:

Nichole is sponsoring a massive giveaway during the blog tour of DESCENDANT!