in summoner, s.d. grimm introduces us to allie billings six months after the death of her mother. she's only just started to come out of the fog of grief and hanging out with her old friends is part of that. she's not thrilled that her friend nell has decided that they need to go witching at the local cemetery. at least her mother isn't buried there.

but other are, and allie is weirded out when she thinks she hears them talking to her. that same night she meets her new neighbor, cody burkhardt. even in the dark she can see the scars that mar his body and the hand he is missing on his left arm. but she doesn't press him for answers. she doesn't want to make things awkward because for the first time in a long time she hasn't felt the need to pretend.

cody understands loss. and he finds himself as drawn to allie as she is to him. it's just hard to trst it at first. he's too used to being the freak. but so is allie. and she's even more freaked out when she realizes that she can see ghosts. she can even see the outline of cody's missing hand. it's actually a phantom limb. but as allie learns more about the ghost world, she comes to realize that seeing the undead is more a curse than a blessing. and it puts her life, as well as cody's, on the line and there's a chance that both of them won't make it.

the relationship between allie and cody blossoms quickly, but they have so many nice moments together, it's hard to be mad at how quickly they fall for each other. i really enjoyed this one, it's the perfect spooky romance for the fall.

*3.5 Stars* 

I don't know about you guys but I love fall, and the one thing I love even more than fall is Halloween. It just has so much potential to be deliciously creepy with the right books, movies, and activities. Therefore, when S.D. Grimm's Summoner landed on my radar with its attention grabbing tagline of "One Night. One dare in a cemetery. One new, hot neighbor," I simply couldn't resist. Dares, a cemetery, AND a hot neighbor. It looked like the creepiness and eeriness of fall & Halloween had shown up early this year! 

The result? S.D. Grimm's Summoner did end up being not only eerie but fast paced; however, I will admit, it wasn't nearly as eerie and frightening as I hoped it would be. 

Summoner introduces us to Allie, a high school senior who is constantly suckered into sticky and potentially dangerous situations with her best friends. When the book first opens up, Allie is trying her best to be as normal as she can be, as it's been a rough year and it shows openly in the way she acts and talk to the people who are supposed to be her best friends - the people who understand her the most. 

I liked Allie from the get-go. It was easy to relate to her feelings over loosing a loved one, and I also admired how she easily accepted new people into her circle, no matter the "baggage" they may carry. I felt that Cody was a good match for her. Suffering an incredible loss himself, Cody is just as guarded and sheltered as Allie is - if not more. I really enjoyed watching them come together and develop this half playful and half serious relationship. There banter, in particular, had me laughing out loud at times. 

The one aspect I didn't like that came from Allie and Cody's friendship and potential romance was the fact that they completely closed themselves off from the rest of the world. Over the course of the book, Allie completely ignores her best friends, choosing to throw them to the side to put all her attention on Cody, and that just rubbed me the wrong way. I mean, you can have friends AND a boyfriend at the same time -it's doable! Additionally, I feel that having more time dedicated to Allie and Cody's friendships with others would've added to the story - I personally would've over to know more about Allie's crew. They seemed like a lot of fun!

I found the plot in this to be interesting. I enjoyed seeing S.D. Grimm dig into what it mean to be a "summoner." I've seen books on the topic before, but S.D. managed to make it fun and interesting. It introduced some fun twists, and while some parts of the story I could see coming, some did manage to surprise me. I especially enjoyed how S.D. used the summoner line to further Allie and Cody's coming to terms with their respective losses. It was an interesting way to go about it. However, as hinted to above, I wish this book was just a tad more creepy. I wanted scare-my-pants-off/can't-sleep-with-the-lights-off-fright, and unfortunately, I didn't get that with this one. Summoner, though, is perfect for the fan who wants a paranormal thriller/mystery read on the tamer side. 

While I did have some issues with Summoner, it is still a worthwhile read - perfect for fans of paranormal with an extra helping of romance. Plus I will admit: that epilogue was perfect. I had such a huge smile on my face!! 

Grade: B- 

*This review will be cross posted on Amazon & Barnes and Noble once it is released.*

Another book that has ripped my heart into shreds. I'm not sure how much more my heart can take these types of books. But damn, if they are addicting. 

I think what is one of the best things about this book is it isn't just about the paranormal. It's about healing and the grief process and trying to get over survivor's guilt. I think because this book had those factors, it made it much more powerful. I kept thinking about well this book showed the grief process and how guilt can eat at people who survive. 

Allie was a good character. She readily admitted her flaws, which is something I always admire in a character. She was clearly still grieving and still healing from her mom's death but she was slowly coming out of her grief, with the help of her friends and Cody. S.D Grimm shows the ugly side of grief, which is pushing your friends away and withdrawing. Allie also had really good character growth, which is always something I like. 

Cody was such a broken character, it made my heart hurt. He carries so much grief and guilt, it was almost unbearable. Plus, I got to give S.D Grimm props for a disabled character. Cody is missing a hand and has scars. Now, I'm not disabled and I can't speak for the disabled community. But I do feel that S.D Grimm represented the feelings that Cody goes through missing his hand. And how others react around him. He had a lot of character growth as well. 

I think what I really liked best, besides what I mentioned above, is that this a romance where both characters benefit each other and help each other positively. There is not obession or Cody being some sort of dominant alpha male. Allie isn't a b-word and she respects Cody's wishes and vice versa. It was a very healthy relationship and I can dig that. 

Overall, I am impressed. This was a real solid piece of work and I'm glad I was given the opportunity to read it. It wasn't what I thought it was going to be but in the end, I'm glad it wasn't. I much preferred what I got instead of what I thought I was going to. I highly suggest that everyone check this book out!

The story flow was a bit off for me.  This was a supernatural book and the first half of the book was more about Allie and Cody than the supernatural.  Allie was a bit annoying with how she was acting around Cody.  It was more like a preteen with her first crush. The love word was said rather quickly and without a lot of depth to the relationship.  I loved Cody and his back story was heartbreaking.  The fact that he was not perfect but scarred and missing a hand was a plus with him being a guardian.   The second half did pick up more with the supernatural part and was pretty good.  I received a free ebook in exchange for an honest review.

First of all every thing about this book calls out to every bookworm out there, the cover, the blurb, the title. The title did it for me right away and reading the blurb definitely solidified for me that I just had to read this!! All my favorite tropes in one book, YES PLEASE!!! I'm so glad for getting a copy of this. I loved reading it, it was a super fast read.

I was impressed by this novel. It was a really cool ghost story. I thought that the world was so well crafted and it was a nice self contained story so it is a stand alone. I love the mythology that we were introduced to. I really did love both main characters but especially allie. It was a really quick read but it was a very creepy read. It is prefect fall read I would say. It had elements of witch craft as well that i liked. I wish that the Alie friends and dad had a more of role in the story and not just Cory. I felt like i wanted to know more about those characters and did not get the chance. I overall enjoyed the story. I just wish allie life was balanced and not not focused on her Cory. If you are looking for a fun stand alone ghost story that will keep you engaged and up your creep factor check it out!

Six months ago Allie lost her mother to cancer which caused her to cut herself off from her boyfriend and friends. Now Allie has started to feel more like herself again and wants to repair her relationships that she had ignored however she’s told her boyfriend that they should only be friends moving forward. What Allie never expected rejoining the group was to end up in a cemetery taking part in a dare to go “witching” for bodies with divining rods.

When Allie’s turn arrives to use the rods she finds that she begins to hear a female voice speaking to her and little does she know she has summoned the ghost with the rods. Allie then finds herself beginning to have nightmares with the voice haunting her and when she’s up in the middle of the night she runs into her new neighbor, Cody. Cody has also suffered a loss due to an accident leaving him scarred and missing a hand. As the two grow close Cody helps Allie return to the cemetery to face the voice to see what is going on bringing him into Allie’s curse as her guardian.

Summoner by S.D. Grimm really seemed to be a bit of a blend of a young adult contemporary romance with a supernatural fantasy. Allie and Cody were both battling with dealing with their respective loses in their lives which that alone could have brought them together to begin a relationship without the ghostly aspects of the book but adding those in gave the book a whole other layer to the story making this quite the interesting mix.

I rather enjoyed most everything about the story. The characters were extremely likable and the fantasy element was a rather interesting plot to follow and not one that I’ve seen often. My one complaint really came from a small bit to the story were Allie tries to find out more about summoning by heading to the library to read a few paragraphs then complain of needing to know more. My first thought here was what teen is really heading to the library in this day and age? It would have felt a lot more realistic to hop on the internet.

Overall thought this one was a nice little mix of genres all bundled into one fast paced and enjoyable young adult read. I’d certainly recommend checking this one out if it sounds like one you’d enjoy reading.

I received an advance copy from the publisher via NetGalley.

Thank you netgalley for an arc for an honest review. This was beautiful and stunning and I loved this book more than I thought I would! It was intersting, well written, and the characters practically flew off the pages as I read to the very last page.

Every now and again you read a book that absorbs you and settles in your soul as you read it. The moment you finish, and the first read experience ends, you feel the cold seep into the hollow left by the end. You have to sit, the text heavy in your lap, as you mourn and readjust to the world around you, as you untangle yourself from the characters, world, and words the author wrapped you in.

Grimm’s characters have a raw honesty that pulls you in. Allie and Cody’s pain reverberated within me. It was nuanced. It was aching. It felt so real. Not only that, but hats off to Grimm for providing two characters whose chemistry grew and was founded on an understanding of each other and their boundaries. Their relationship progressed with a natural flourish. Not only that, but the staccato writing mimicked the breathlessness and dizziness of a crush seamlessly. 

Summoner revolves around a fascinating and eerie concept that tickled the back of my mind and whispered what ifs that haunted my dreams: divining for dead bodies and accidentally summoning souls with the wit and conniving of fae. As I tried to put the puzzle together, I had fifty different ideas for how things would resolve. Well. It the end had me crying and surprisingly none of those ideas proved quite right.

I enjoyed Grimm’s side characters. Lawson reminded me of Odin: gruff but kind old man who knows more than he lets on. Allie’s best friends, Nell and Mandy, had their own quirks and personality. I do wish that they played a bit more of a prominent role. Allie’s narration made sure that we knew how much they meant to her, and I would like to have them enter more than just at plot crucial moments. Derek and Hunter fell flat after they had entered and served their purpose: barely even to return in dialogue.

Overall, the binge reading of S.D. Grimm’s Summoner, gave a great escape to relax from a long week. Allie and Cody’s building relationship and sweet, slow burn had me smiling and curling around my phone in joy while the eerie paranormal elements kept me on my toes and kept my mind racing. Additionally, anything with awesome dogs immediately has me sold.

“Summoner” follows Allie, 6 months after she lost her mother to cancer, as she rejoins her friends on a crazy dare. Nell seems to find the oddest things to do, and now she has them using a divining rod to locate dead bodies in a cemetery. Although creeped out, not wanting to be a chicken, Allie gives it a try and begins to hear a voice. As we soon learn, Allie has been cursed and can summon the dead- in this case, using a divining rod. 

At the same time, Allie is juggling some teenage romantic drama with her recent break-up and the new hottie next door, whom her friend can’t seem to stop hitting on. Cody has just moved from Montana and is haunted by the events of 2 years earlier, where he lost his hand. Allie finds herself drawn to him and luckily, he seems to reciprocate although he is hardly willing to jump into something new himself. To make things even more complicated, he turns out to be her Guardian. When a Summoner is cursed, they get a Guardian to try to protect them from the dead, who are trying to destroy them.

The build-up to the supernatural/horror aspects is very slow, as we know as much as Allie and Cody do (which is to say, nothing). The big reveals come later in the book and we slowly piece together what is happening and how to stop it alongside Allie and Cody. Allie and Cody are both fiercely protective of the other, which may actually stand in their way when it comes to stopping the ghost which is haunting Allie and threatening her existence. Overall, it is more a romance with elements of the supernatural than vice-versa.

The strength of this book is really in the demonstrations of the power of forgiveness and acceptance/overcoming guilt and moving past family death. The supernatural elements were just enough to make the book stand out from the usual contemporary YA romance but overall, it retained a lot of the same feel and personal growth as one without the supernatural. I found the ideas about Summoners/Guardians really unique- here, this isn’t a skill they were born with and didn’t find out about until now- this is a new thing placed on them somewhat at random and they have to figure it out entirely. No special community or anything exists to educate them (though they do get a little help on the way, thankfully), so it really seemed to set itself apart from other, potentially similar books.

Largely for the romance/personal growth, it was difficult to stop reading this one (see if they were too stubborn to let the other one help with their problems), and I enjoyed seeing Allie and Cody’s relationship evolve. The supernatural elements were just the icing on the cake.

Please note that I received an ARC from the publisher through netgalley. All opinions are my own.

After her mother’s death six months ago, Allie Billings pushed everyone away.  Finally, one night, she decides to reconnect with her friends, and, on a dare, heads into a cemetery for a night of witching.  Allie doesn’t think that anything will come of it, doesn’t even believe that witching is a real thing, but she soon finds herself haunted by a vengeful ghost who has bonded to her.

Allie’s only hope of protection comes in the form of Cody Burkhardt, her cute new neighbor with a tragic past of his own.  Cody becomes Allie’s guardian, the one person who can protect her from the evil spirits that wish to harm her.  As the full moon draws nearer and the ghost’s power increases, it becomes more and more obvious that this spirit isn’t going down without a fight.

If you’re following my blog, you probably saw my post a couple weeks back that I’d been approved for a boatload of ARCs.  What happened was an email from Entangled Teen offering “highly-anticipated contemporary, sci-fi, and paranormal fall ARC’s available... now!”  I read the plot summaries and opened the request form, and thinking I’d maybe be approved for one if I was lucky, requested them all.  Well, I was approved for every last one.  I’m reading in order of release date, so Summoner came first.  I picked it up on a lazy Sunday afternoon and finished it Sunday evening.  I couldn’t put it down because I just had to know what happened next!

I know that the ghosts are the main focus of this book and Katerina totally freaked me out, but can we talk about the romance for a second?  I think that the slow burn almost actually killed me.  The anticipation of Allie and Cody’s relationship, just waiting for one of them to make the first move -- ugh, it’s one of my favorite things about YA romances.  It was so well done here.

The writing was fast-paced with just enough swoony bits in between the action. I loved both Allie and Cody and rooted for them both individually and as a couple.  As for the actual paranormal plot, it’s been a really long time since I read paranormal YA on any kind of regular basis, so I wasn’t really expecting the twists.  (If you’re someone who reads a lot of paranormal YA, you might not be as surprised.)

All in all, Summoner was just really well done.  This was my first book by S.D. Grimm, but it will not be my last.  I’ll definitely be keeping an eye out for more of her work.

I received a free copy of Summoner from Entangled Teen in exchange for my honest review.

Summoner was a read that I hadn't fully expected. It was also a read that gave me topics I'd like to look more into such as witching. I'd like to thank Chapter by Chapter blog tours, Entangled Teen, and Netgalley for giving me the opportunity to read an e-ARC of this one! You guys can look forward to reading this one in September!

I really enjoyed getting to know Cody and Allie in this story along with their griefs. Allie lost her mother six months before the story began and you get to explore her grief as the story progresses and the holidays come. She's left with a journal full of advice after pushing her friends away until the night she goes into the cemetery on a dare and summons a vengeful ghost.

The way it was written, it made it sound like Cody knew that he was a guardian when he really had no clue. I thought that it was interesting that guardianship could be passed through blood (as seen when Cody's blood mixed with Moose's) so in theory, a person could have multiple guardians.

I actually enjoyed their slow buildup with their romance although it was hinted that it was “love at first sight” neither actually acted on their feelings until after they got to know each other and their boundaries.

For some reason, I kept picturing Allie's dad as being similar to Bella's father, Charlie, in Twilight. I'm not sure if anyone else felt that way or not.

I have to say that while the ending was fairly obvious, I was surprised that one of Allie's friends was a descendant to the spirit that was trying to take Allie's soul. I'm glad that the friend was actually put under a spell and didn't knowingly try to harm anyone.