Runes: A runes Novel (Runes series Book 1)

“True love transcends logic, Freckles. It’s a blending of minds and souls.” “It makes us feel and see things in ways that normal people don’t. You don’t question it or try to understand it. You just accept it for the gift it is. " The Plot When Raine’s swim team is hit with a case of misfortune she starts to suspect that the new members in town have something to do with them. When she starts to notice the runes that are all around her she doesn’t act naïve and demands answers that she doesn’t get. The runes hold the answer to her questions but no one can reveal to her what they mean so for most of the book we spend it trying to figure them out. Along the way Raine must deal with her connection to all the events going on and her guilt over the horror that has befallen her swim team. As well as the loss of her father, her love for her best friend and her growing feelings for her neighbor. The Characters Raine was such a wonderful heroine. She lives a typical normal teenage life. The only issues she has to deal with his her missing father and her crush on her best friend. But she is like any teenage girl and she enjoys her life. When the mysterious Torin St. James moves next door his cockiness and arrogance makes her furious but she doesn’t let him get to her. She was feisty and fought back when she needed to but always sweet and caring of those she loved. Torin was just GREAT! He comes off as an arrogant bad ass but there is so much more to him. He has a destiny that he didn’t know he was choosing and has been living with the repercussions for eternity. When he moves next door to Raine he knows what his job is and holds no attachments to anything. That of course changes when he actually meets his new neighbor and is she doesn’t fall for his charm. So although it’s against the rules Torin breaks all of them realizing that his need to protect Raine transcends it all. Like every girl in this book you will definitely swoon for Torin and fall in love with him as you learn more about him and his story. Some of the secondary characters are equally as wonderful. Cora and Eirik are Raine’s best friend and through it all they are her biggest supporters. They all look out for each other and are there for each other through all the good and bad times. The Romance Okay so this book has a bit of a love triangle. Something I detest. But I like when there is really no competition just indecision. I adored Eirik, Raine’s best friend, he was caring and protective of her. It takes him a long time to get the nerve to finally take things to the next level but when he does he is wonderful. Unfortunately, he seemed very distant at times and secretive. I have my questions about him and wonder what his part is in this whole storyline. Now Torin on the other hand was no match for Eirik. The moments between him and Raine were so intense and so funny. They both fought and loved passionately when together. The chemistry between them engulfed the pages and had you wanting more of them. So when things don’t turn out great or when they try to fight what is growing between them it is a sad and frustrating. The Wrap-Up I was blown away by the storyline and characters! Runes was a great start to this series and I can’t wait to continue! This book has great characters, a great storyline and a great cliffhanger that has me wanting to read more! If you are a fan of YA Paranormal Romance this is the series for you! Pick it up now! Happy Reading!

This book is FREE! It’s a mythological YA. I love these books; they are so fun to read. Raine is a forceful character and I love how the book doesn’t really center too much on just her. It really shows all aspects of her friends and family as well. She is very involved in her life, and looks to her future without seeming too mature for a seventeen year old. It shows in the writing how she truly cares about things outside of herself. She may seem a bit dense sometimes but I think that was intentional. One thing that stuck out for me was the two love interests in this book. They have an opposites attract thing going on; which makes for better story telling IMO. Eirik is sweet and almost like a beta-alpha if that makes sense. He cares for Raine but doesn’t try to take over her life. He respects her and gives her space. He is there for her when she needs someone to lean on. I love Cora, she is spunky and fun. She helps to keep Raine from taking life too seriously. We all need a friend like Cora. Torin is mysterious yet can’t seem to help himself when it comes to Raine. He likes to stir the pot and get Raine all riled up for no other reason than to see her get flustered. Their verbal foreplay is awesome and it really makes the tender moments that much more poignant. The plot in this book is pretty intricate I think. I realized after reading it a second time that I missed some things. This is definitely a book you need to pay attention too. The mythology in this book is profound but written in a way that it doesn’t hurt you head too much. I appreciate the background done to make this book more three dimensional. There is more than one plot and they all seem to intertwine making it a bit hard to understand at times. If you like mythology, I would recommend this book.

After seeing the reviews on The Book Curmudgeon, I thought I would really like this book. I was not disappointed. I give the book five stars because that is the highest allowed but it is much more. This is a book I would recommend to young readers because the characters are well developed and the main character has to deal with many changes in her life and in the face of this and magical events Raine shows a strength of character at seventeen that many adults do not show. It also delves into the Norse mythology which might be a great introduction to a person’s heritage. It has action and romance and lots of twists and turns to keep even the most relutent reader turning pages. It is probably on about a seventh grade level if I had to guess based on the vocabulary and content. Raine, the main character, must deal with the disappearance of her father, her mother’s weirdness, her friends possibly moving away and the mysterious handsome boy next door, who seems to know more about her than she does herself. If his handsome good looks and motorcycle aren’t enough to turn a girl’s head, Torin, the hottie next door, saves her life using strange markings which intrigues and frightens her. Raine and Torin share a heritage filled with gods and warriors and runes that can heal, predict the future, etc. Torin’s past is not really developed in this book but I am hoping that is part of the plan for future stores. We do learn he is defiantly not seventeen. He drove a motorcycle and spoke well more like a sage than a handsome leading teenager. I found myself in love with this character even though at first I thought he was going to be the villain that leads Raine astray. Raine’s other friends Eirk and Cora are will developed characters not just thrown in to move the story along, which is a challenge in a young adult book. The author maintains a great balance of developing characters, settings, and plot development without being too wordy. Raine and Eirk seemed to have that fickle young girl and male friend relationship going on (your my brother, Erik who? And do I want him as a boyfriend). It made Raine real to me. I enjoyed the romance which was steamy without being smutting. Love triangles always make for great conflict in a story and this is no expectation. The story’s plot is so wonderfully rich with snippets of information about Valkyries, and other such discovers that to do more than exclaim “read this book” would give it all away. I will say for a young girl bent on revenge she is very logical in her allies. I like that even the evil guys are utilized to exact her revenge. The story is filled with page turning action and mystery. Raine must choose a side and fight for this way of life she was flung into head first when he moved next door. The series seems to hold a lot of potential and I think once I read the next book I will understand even more about the characters and the mythology as well.

I first read Runes several years ago and when I saw it featured as a free book, it reminded me of how much I loved the series so I re-read the book. I'll likely re-read the entire series. The slowly revealed mysteries, the developing relationships between friends and couples, and the action packed into the stories pull the reader in. Ednah Walters has created a wonderful fantasy universe populated with characters from Norse myth mixed with seemingly average teenagers. The story is enthralling and exciting - an original reimagination of the Valkyries and Norse pantheon. Throughout the intertwined stories of three teenagers growing up in the Pacific Northwest, their friends and families as they are introduced to the supernatural world of Valkyries and Norse gods, the author develops complex characters and plotlines that pull you in. This first story in the series features Raine and Torin. Raine is a loving and kind teenager, trying hard to grow into the woman she wants to be. She has a few good friends and a devoted family, but is facing tragedy amidst the pressures of growing into adulthood. Torin, an ancient Valkyrie, has grown cold and detached over the years until he meets Raine. She draws him to her with her energy and kindness, breaking through his barriers easily. He shows himself to be protective, loving and patient. A bit intense, Torin is a strong male character nonetheless. Raine is everything he needs and nothing that he expected to find in his life. The story of their love will pull at your heartstrings. Five stars for this YA fantasy romance. I'm off to read the next in the series.

I've wanted to read this for a long time and jumped at the chance of listening to the audio. While I enjoyed it, there was one major thing that annoyed me. I'm going to list my likes and dislikes, so lets get thee bad out of the way first. What I Disliked: The dreaded love triangle!! Why oh why do authors feel the need to put in a love triangle. It's something that I loathe and if I know there's a love triangle, I usually steer clear. She "loves" her boyfriend, whom just happens to be her best friend, yet when the new mysterious neighbour comes on the scene, she can't stop thinking about him, even when she is with her boyfriend. It really turned me off the whole book, which is a pity because there was much to like. Raine: I really, really didn't like how she was with Eriik. I just wanted her to end it and go with Torin if that's what she wanted instead of staying with him. Likes: The Norse mythology: Loved this aspect of the book. We don't have nearly enough books dealing with these kinds of myth! Torin: Super hot and awesome!!! Such a mysterious character and with some amazing abilities. The feel: And what I mean by this is that while parts felt incredibly familiar to other books, it felt comfortable reading this. It felt like a lot of my favourite books rolled into one. In all, this was a good read. I enjoyed a lot of it but didn't like the rest. I will definitely pick up the ext one in the hopes Raine cops on a bit!! ;) Stephanie Terry did a good job with the narration though I did find that she used the same tone for a number of characters. Overall I enjoyed her performance and would lidten to more read by her. *I received a copy of this via AudioBookBlast for review. This in no way affects my thoughts.*

o I got this book from Amazon for free. I find some of the best books that way. This was no exception. I loved, loved, loved this book. It was a random pick for my before bed reading and it just so happens that once I started it I couldn't stop. This book had me in it's grasp! I loved the characters. Raine was a bit annoying at times, but she was a teenager so it was to be expected. If a teenager is not annoying you at some point, then there is something wrong. Raine was a well developed character though, and the pain she has already felt by the time the book starts is enough to make her more real. The love triangle in this one is predictable, but that is not a bad thing. I knew as soon as each male was introduced that we were going to see it happen. I am not sure which guy I am rooting for either. Both have their qualities. I know that Raine has made up her mind already, but I think that she needs to keep an open mind. I tend to go for the underdog types, and the best friend is the underdog in my opinion. The whole idea of this story is new, which is rare in the urban fantasy genre right now. There are so many series popping up that it is hard to find something that is not like everything else. This one is definitely different. We all need something new and fresh in the genre. Without giving away the ending, let me just say I was so upset that I had to turn off my Kindle. I can't wait t get my hands on the next one. Pros: Characters, Storyline, Idea Cons: The ending killed me. Overall rating: Highly, highly recommended!!

4 stars. Runes is a great mixture of action, drama, mystery, suspense, romance, and Norse mythology. If you liked Mortal Instruments, the Lux or Covenant series, or the Revelation series, then you will probably like this book, too. Plot: Raine already has a lot going on. Her father has disappeared without a trace, her mother continues to talk to him in his absence, and her best friend and secret crush Eirik has finally started showing some interest in her. But when a new guy moves in next door, things really go sideways. Characters: Raine is actually quite likeable as a heroine because she’s so … well … human. She was kind, but at the same time, she didn’t really take crap from anyone either. Throughout the book, she also grew stronger but continued to be vulnerable at times, too. Torin is your typical YA/NA Alpha male in that he is playful and flirty one minute and aloof the next. However, what makes him special is that he makes it clear that he’s not indifferent to Raine; he admits his attraction almost immediately. He also explains that he is keeping secrets and that those secrets prevent him from getting involved in a relationship with her. Of course, once we see his protective side, we know that won’t last too long. Eirik was probably the hardest character for me to get a read on. He went from being no more than a friend to being in love in 0-5 seconds; then, he seemed to change his mind in the end. He also had secrets of his own. Regardless, he was always very caring and supportive. Raine also finds strength in her best friend Cora and in her mother. Cora is a spunky, fun-loving girl who tries to get Raine to step out of her comfort zone. Raine’s mother is quirky, loving and protective, but not to the point of being overbearing. There are a few villains, and it’s hard to tell who to trust. Throughout the book, we think everything that’s happening can be attributed to a couple of jealous girls. It’s not until the conclusion that we really find out what’s really going on. Writing: There are a couple of typos, but Walter’s writing is very easy to read in terms of both grammar and storyline. She is great at world building, and she did a remarkable job of explaining the mythology in a gradual manner, so as not to give too much away at any given time. Some of the language the Torin used occasionally seemed off (maybe not modern enough?), but that can probably be attributed to his background. There is a little cursing and violence (nothing graphic) and lots of sexual tension, so if the book were a movie, I’d probably rate it PG. Bottom Line: At the end of the book, Raine makes a decision that pretty much takes everything we know and throws it out the window. The result is a different kind of cliffhanger, and I can’t wait to see how she deals with the fallout. Fortunately, the next book is already out, so there’s no waiting.

Raine is a typical teenager who is in high school. Her father disappeared a while ago, on a trip and her mother seems to act rather strangely. Her best friend used to live next door, but now that space is taken by a guy she can only describe as gorgeous. His name is Torin and there is something about him…. Raine gets injured and Torin heals her, by putting ruins on her body. But he saved her life and they are inexplicably drawn to each other. But does she have feeling for her best friend Eirik? She discovers Torin’s ties to Norse mythology, and then it all falls to pieces. This is a fantastic story, one that takes you to all areas of mythology. Raine and Torin are finding what makes each other tick, and Eirik is caught in the middle somewhere. Torin is the bad boy, mysterious type…..tall, dark and handsome. Other characters are just as interesting, especially Raine’s best friend Cora. I fell into the book and never came up for air until it was done. Ednah Walters has written a book that some of us dream about for years to come. The storyline is beautifully written and the characters to die for. Raine faces danger and she needs to decide who she can trust, while continuing her education and her attraction to Torin. Nothing is as it seems. I read this book when it first came out, but my review isn’t here. Read on my friends.

I bought this book by accident hahaha - but once I've bought I was like: ahhh whatever, I will read it and once I started I just couldn't stop! Torin made fall in love with him straight away and Raine was a reader, just like me lol. Loved Cora and her bubbly personality. And then Book just got more and more interesting, when all the paranormal world was revelled. And all the hardships for main characters and the friendship, the love! My mouth was actually open and my husband was laughing at me because I was so engrossed in it! I love them and now Ednah is one of my favourite writers! After few re-reading, a proper review: I have read this book months ago, but due to lack of time, laziness and other personal things going on I didn't write a review straight away. So I had to reread the book again. Seriously, it was like 4th or even 5th time. And I will re-read it again in few weeks as next part is to be released!! YAY!! I have bought this book by mistake (damn, brilliant one-click on Amazon! - I <3 to be bits LOL). Normally, I would be like - panicking and clicking cancel, please! but with this book I was like: aaahhh whatever! Besides the cover is so pretty! I simply loved this book. In the story we have quite few characters, but the main two are: Raine and Torin (yum). Raine is a typical seventeen year old teenager, she loves to read, have a crazy best friend and has a crush on her childhood friend, Eirik. She is determined to take their relationship further, but then hot, bad-ass guy moves next door. And everything changes from the first meeting which was just hilarious! Torin is cocky and in most situation he is a smart ass that loves to put Raine in awkward (nice awkward!) situations. But of course dealing with teenager's hormones is not enough to complicate Raine's life. In addition her dad has been missing for few months, her mum because of that is acting strange and also the new guy (that makes her blood boil with anger and emotions that she has not yet felt) with his new friends are behaving a bit strange. One jealous girls, that is convinced that Raine is trying to steal her boyfriend, changes everything with her obsession. And after that the whole life of Raine, Torin, Eirik and their friends just changes and they are thrown in the middle, where a normal human should not be part of. And now Raine is responsible of keeping her family and friends safe. It's a brilliant read. I never was a big fan of Norse mythology (thank you my ex), but thanks to Ednah it has changed and I just love her writing. Is easy and her books show so much emotions!

Il romanzo è davvero bello, mi è piaciuto tantissimo, peccato per il finale da urlo che mi ha strappata un paio di bestemmie. Non mi piace leggere romanzi che rimandano a un seguito ma ormai è diventata una moda e temo di dovermici abituare e basta. Runes è un romanzo per teenager, un po' alla Twilight, ma davvero piacevole e con una trama insolita. Lo consiglio agli amanti del genere perché secondo me merita davvero.

Ich habe mich jetzt auch entschlossen eine persönliche Bewertung für dieses Runes von Ednah Walters abzugeben. Ich habe Runes nur durch Zufall entdeckt, als ich auf der Suche nach guten YA Büchern war - und bin sehr glücklich über diesen Fund! :-) Darum geht es: "Seventeen-year-old Raine Cooper has enough on her plate dealing with her father's disappearance, her mother's erratic behavior and the possibility of her boyfriend relocating. The last thing she needs is Torin St. James'a mysterious new neighbor with a wicked smile and uncanny way of reading her. Raine is drawn to Torin's dark sexiness against her better judgment, until he saves her life with weird marks and she realizes he is different. But by healing her, Torin changes something inside Raine. Now she can't stop thinking about him. Half the time, she's not sure whether to fall into his arms or run. Scared, she sets out to find out what Torin is. But the closer she gets to the truth the more she uncovers something sinister about Torin. What Torin is goes back to an ancient mythology and Raine is somehow part of it. Not only are she and her friends in danger, she must choose a side, but the wrong choice will cost Raine her life." Das klang für mich doch schon mal sehr vielsprechend - zumal ich auf dieses "Bad Boy - Getue" in YA Büchern stehe. *grins* Davon gibt es auch reichlich... Raine Cooper ist eine mir sehr sympathische Protagonistin, da sie realistisch rüberkommt und ihre Gedankengänge meist gut nachvollziehbar sind - im Gegensatz zu Mädchen in anderen Büchern ist sie kein naives, schwaches Mädchen, das ständig beschützt werden muss. Dann gibt es natürlich Torin...herausfordernd, interessant... Schon die erste Begegnung zwischen Raine und Torin verläuft interessant und nicht gerade reibungslos und gibt einen ersten Vorgeschmack auf die spritzigen Dialoge (Streitereien), die sich die beiden im Verlauf des Buches liefern - obwohl beide sich offensichtlich (!) sehr zueinander hingezogen fühlen. Aber dieses Buch ist keineswegs eine Liebesgeschichte. Nein, es ist der Auftakt zu einer Buchreihe vollgepackt mit Spannung, Action, Romantik, Freundschaft und (natürlich) Mythologie. Magic. Auch die anderen Charaktere, allen voran Andris und Cora, haben mich fasziniert und machen Lust auf mehr. Ednah Walters Schreibstil ist passend zum Buch, absolut YA - gerecht, sie legt Wert auf Details und arbeitet die Charakterzüge der Charaktere genau und nachvollziehbar heraus. Da das Buch leider nicht übersetzt wurde, möchte ich noch hinzufügen, dass es kein Grund sein sollte das Buch aufgrund von Zweifeln an seinen Englischkenntnissen nicht zu lesen - es ist absolut machbar. Natürlich muss wahrscheinlich das ein oder andere Wort nachgeschaut werden, aber das macht ja nicht viel Mühe. ;-) Das einzige Manko, das, meiner Meinung nach, an diesem Buch zu finden ist, ist das Fehlen von Action und Spannung. Dieser Teil erscheint eher wie eine Einleitung, in der die Charaktere vorgestellt werden. Natürlich gibt es ein spannendes Finale, aber bis dahin zieht es sich ein bisschen und die Handlung bleibt auf der Strecke. Deshalb 4 Sterne. Dies wird durch Ednah Walters in den folgenden Bänden jedoch schnell wieder wettgemacht. ;-) Alles in allem, ist Runes der interessante Auftakt zu einer tollen (!!!) YA-Mythologie-Serie, die es sich zu lesen lohnt und die man, wenn man erst mal in die Welt von Raine und Torin eingetaucht ist, nicht mehr aus der Hand legen möchte. ;-)

Once you start reading you won't want to stop... Torin St James is not going to get out of your mind..

Runes(Runes series Book 1) A Young Adult book that is Electrifying, Mysterious and Romantic. 5 Star Ultimately Satisfying Read Runes starts like a teenage highschool story with Lorraine 'Raine' Cooper, her best friend Cora and best friend forever now boyfriend Eirik, they live in Kayville North West Oregon but something changes big time with the arrival of a mysterious new neighbor next door to Raine, then we have Raine drawn to this gorgeous blue-eyed black haired man, Torin St James who rides a Harley and goes to their high school. We have a love triangle between Raine, Torin and Eirik, even though she tries to stay away from Torin, the worse it gets. He is a magical man, the mysteries about him and her unfold throughout the book and poor Eirik comes out in second place no matter what Raine tries to do to remedy that situation! There is so much going for this book, mystery, lots of action, mega chemistry between Raine and Torin, action packed scenes throughout and lots of teenage drama. This is a most enjoyable book where best friends forever Raine, Cora and Eirik find themselves in a fight for their livers with only Raine knowing the whole reason why! After the arrival of Torin St James there is lots of electricity with all the girls impressed by him and wanting to be his girlfriend but for Raine, she stays with Eirik.. until it is impossible to resist Torin after he heals her. Mysteries, magic, and madness abound in this story which draws from the Norse mythology, which is fascinating and fantastic. There is so much happening in Runes that the series is going to be a major seller, I think. I loved the story in Runes it has amazing charisma in the characters, is well written and developed but it is left with a cliff hanger which I trust will be resolved in the second book Immortals. This book has something for everyone although written as a Young Adult book, ages 14 - 100 will enjoy Runes! I received this copy free for an honest review