[BLOG TOUR] Sacred Bloodlines (The Guardians #1) by Wendy Owens

Title: Sacred Bloodlines
Author: Wendy Owens
Series: The Guardians #1
Publisher: Four Bean Soup Publishing
Date of Release: November 21st 2011
Pages: 286
Source: *Received in exchange for an honest review*

Tragedy has defined Gabe's short existence in this world. An ominous darkness lurked on the edge of his existence until one day in a subway, strange things start happening. A series of events lead Gabe into a new and fascinating life filled with angels and demons, but he isn't sure if he wants to be a part of it.

Gabe is thrust into the middle of this exciting world that is full of things he has longed for in his life but it comes with a price. This new life also promises constant terrifying dangers that Gabe fears he may not be able to survive.

This was a really interesting book. The pure imagination and thoughts that went into the plot and characters could easily be seen, I also love the way the secret mansion is tied in and that no-one except its occupants know of its destination! The cover is so angelic and ethereal, it immediatly casts a mysterious but also out-of-this-world feel. His eyes are also stunning... why can't mine be that blue?!

Is he really cursed?
Gabe has always moved from home to home, never feeling as if he has a true place in this world. And he has always felt different. But when he begins to experience things that are far from normal and they begin to get worse as he grows older, he starts to suspect that he doesn't belong in the mortal world or, he just simply does not belong anywhere. But when he is faced with the truth, it becomes very hard for him to believe.

Gabe is a lovely character, he is very shy and appears to keep to himself. But when he first meets Uri, I am happy to say he did not immediately run off with him, he thought about it and considered the present effect and the information he was being supplied with by Uri. You can also feel through he words that he does not truly believe in himself at times, however, he does grow stronger and as he begins to find out more about his strengths and advantages, you see his character become more confident with his actions and purpose.

I did find this book to begin fast, meaning you where thrust into danger on-the-spot. But, at times I did find the story to progress a little slowly, especially when it came to the retelling of their species history.

This was a book full of danger but also the power of love between two people that can sometimes heighten their strength and make them believe in themselves again. I did enjoy this book and look forward to reading the next book in the series to see how the story is to progress: Cursed.

Gabe closed his eyes and leaned his head back against the cool subway tiles. The pungent smell of urine and burnt electrical wires filled his nostrils as the loud roar of a passing train erupted in his ears. His social worker’s words replayed again and again in his head, “difficulties with home placement,” “a past filled with tragic incidents,” “more time needed to find the right parental candidates.” Gabe knew what that meant, after years of being shipped from one foster family to the next, it was clear what people thought of him. He was cursed. “And why wouldn’t they,” he thought. It was even obvious to himself. The bustle of the station increased as the train squealed to a halt. Gabe grabbed his ragged black backpack and headed to the nearest set of open doors. He twisted and turned, trying to make his way through the thick crowd. A chill came over him, one that was all too familiar and Gabe found himself filled with dread. Coming to a sudden stop he looked around at the sea of people. Just steps from the train doors he was unable to move. He was staring and searching, his breath now shallow. The voices around him were instantly silenced as a pulsing white noise consumed his mind. Gabe’s hands were clammy and he felt his legs weaken. “Are you getting on or what?” the man behind him shouted. The man was wearing a plain, tan trench coat and carried a briefcase. Gabe looked back at him, not able to hear what he was saying for a moment, still distracted by the deafening white noise in his head. “Come on, some of us have places to be,” the man grumbled as he rudely pushed past Gabe and boarded the subway car. Stumbling to a nearby column, Gabe steadied himself, attempting to regain his composure. As sounds came flooding back, he heard the buzzer warning that the doors would soon be closing. Gabe looked up and prepared to make a dash for the opening. Before he could make his move, he caught sight of a young woman standing in front of the subway doors. She was wearing a long, black leather coat that was cinched at her waist. There was an odd grey color that surrounded her, creating a halo effect around her entire body. He had seen this before, actually more times than he cared to recall. He even saw the same grey aura the night his parents died. Gabe stared intensely at her back as she stepped into the subway car. She slowly turned around, her black hair was short, cut just above the chin, which she wore slicked back, tucked behind her petite ears. Gabe thought she looked as though she were trying to remove the femininity from her small frame in any way she could. Her skin was pale; the color reminded Gabe of milk. He watched, frozen, as the girl lifted her head and looked directly into his eyes. She flashed him a small, wicked smile as the doors closed. He saw her eyes flicker a hint of red. A moment later, the train pulled away. Gabe slid to the cold floor as the crushing weight of impending doom filled him. Gabe had been plagued by these feelings and visions his entire life. He could remember being sent to at least a dozen different therapists all over the city. Their diagnoses were all the same; however, ‘hallucinations brought on by depression caused by the tragic loss of his parents.’ Some had him writing his feelings in journals, but most of them found it easier to load him up on medication and send him on his way. He had learned a long time ago that the easiest thing to do was to lie about the visions. Gabe wondered if the therapists were all right. Perhaps he was just crazy with grief. His parents had died when he was only five years old. He found it hard to believe such grief could plague a person for eleven years, but what did he know, he was no ... A loud explosion suddenly interrupted Gabe’s thoughts. He reached out his hands to try and steady himself as the ground under him shook violently. He threw up his arms to cover his head, plaster crumbling and falling like rain from the high ceilings.

Wendy Owens was raised in the small college town of Oxford, Ohio. After attending Miami University, Wendy went on to a career in the visual arts. After several years of creating and selling her own artwork, she gave her first love, writing, a try.

Since 2011, she has published a young adult paranormal series, The Guardians, which will contain five books total, as well as a novella.

Wendy now happily spends her days writing—her loving dachshund, Piper, curled up at her feet. When she's not writing, she can be found spending time with her tech geek husband and their three amazing kids, exploring the city she loves to call home: Cincinnati, OH.

Website | Facebook | Twitter | Goodreads

a Rafflecopter giveaway