MORE
Author: T.M. Franklin
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Synopsis: Ava Michaels used to think she was
special.
As a child, she fantasized about having magical powers . . . making things happen. But Ava grew up and eventually accepted the fact that her childish dreams were just that, and maybe a normal life wasn't so bad after all.
Now a young college student, Ava meets Caleb Foster, a brilliant and mysterious man who’s supposed to help her pass Physics, but in reality has another mission in mind. What he shows Ava challenges her view of the world, shaking it to its very core.
Because Caleb isn't quite what he seems. In fact, he's not entirely human, and he's not the only one.
Together, the duo faces a threat from an ancient race bound to protect humans, but only after protecting their own secrets—secrets they fear Ava may expose. Fighting to survive, Ava soon learns she's not actually normal . . . she's not even just special.
She's a little bit more.
As a child, she fantasized about having magical powers . . . making things happen. But Ava grew up and eventually accepted the fact that her childish dreams were just that, and maybe a normal life wasn't so bad after all.
Now a young college student, Ava meets Caleb Foster, a brilliant and mysterious man who’s supposed to help her pass Physics, but in reality has another mission in mind. What he shows Ava challenges her view of the world, shaking it to its very core.
Because Caleb isn't quite what he seems. In fact, he's not entirely human, and he's not the only one.
Together, the duo faces a threat from an ancient race bound to protect humans, but only after protecting their own secrets—secrets they fear Ava may expose. Fighting to survive, Ava soon learns she's not actually normal . . . she's not even just special.
She's a little bit more.
Brought
to you by TeamNerd Reviewer Bridget Strahin
Review: MORE is told in two points of view: Ava and Caleb. Ava, a college freshman, who has the severe case of the nightmares, is having a hard time in physics so she seeks the help of Caleb, a tutor her professor assigns to her. They get along alright at first, Caleb is patient with her and she's accepting of his help. But then things start to get weird. She starts to see Caleb around campus more often then she thinks she should and there's a mysterious dark-haired woman popping up in strange places. She pushes Caleb for answers because she's convinced that he knows what's going on. Then one night, after she's attacked, she's kidnapped and then rescued by Caleb. Caleb tells her that he's a Protector for his people (who are a little more than human) and he's been assigned to watch her and determine if she's a threat because his people think she's a half-breed and he's been told he needs to bring her in for testing. If she is in fact a half-breed, she will be dealt with. Caleb doesn't think she's a threat and together they go on the run for her life and by 'on the run' I mean, a crazy, life altering journey that leaves you with more questions than answers.
So, I had a few issues with this story but the biggest was
Caleb. He's supposed to be a Protector for his people. He's proud to be doing
the job that he is doing (at least that’s what we are led to believe), but then
when it comes time to take Ava in, he saves her from another Protector, tells
her how dangerous his people are, pretty much tells her that she's going to die,
and runs away with her. Then we learn that he has contacts with the rebel group
called the Guardians, and asks for their help to protect Ava. But why? Why
would he care so much about a single half-breed girl? He makes it clear that he
doesn't have feelings for her but we never find out why he actually wants to
help this girl. Then, he says that he doesn’t believe in the way of his people
anymore and agrees with the Guardians that a change is needed.
After a few people
are killed for helping Caleb and Ava, Ava decides that she's done running
because she can't stand the fact that people are dying because of her. Caleb
throws a huge fit, for obvious reasons, he tries to convince her that turning
herself in is the worst idea in the history of ideas but she's determined, so
he sucks it up and takes her to his home. Where, not only Ava's life on the
line but his is too for treason (for running with Ava). So when he returns to
his people with Ava, they are both put in front of the Counsel, who decides
that Ava is to go for testing to see if she is a half-breed and Caleb's
punishment will come at a later time. So this and that happens, we find out a
few secrets but overall, Ava is welcomed with open arms (that’s the impression
I got) which is totally weird because Caleb makes them out to be some big,
strong, super people who chew on baby bunnies for fun. Then Caleb and Ava have
a moment together, but then he messes everything up by saying that
interrelations with half-breeds are punishable by death and he wouldn't dare go
against the law. Umm, WHAT?! HE'S IN CAHOOTS WITH THE REBELS AND GOES AGAINST
HIS PEOPLE TO SAVE AVA BUT HE WONT LET HIMSELF FALL FOR HER?! *bangs head on
wall* Caleb kills me! I was seriously
rooting for "CALVA" (haha) from the very first scene they were
together and then he says something like that?! I almost stopped reading right
there because I suddenly hated Caleb.
Ava was an okay character. I liked her and appreciated that
she was trying to juggle school, work, and a social life, it made her
believable and really easy to relate to. But some of her thoughts and dialogue
didn’t fit the situation she was in which made her a little hard to tolerate at
times. But the biggest win for her was how long it took her to finally believe
Caleb, which in turn made his job a little harder, which made for a much better
read then if she were to have been on board with everything Caleb was saying
from the beginning.
The ending had me at a loss for words, but not in a bad way.
It was in a good way that had me squeeling with delight! I'm not going to give
any spoilers, obviously, but trust me guys, it's a surprise that you won't
expect and sets the second book, Guardians, up perfectly.
In closing, I'd say for
those who are looking for a fast paced, action packed, paranormal story, this
is the book for you. It's a good debut from an author who I anticipate seeing a
lot from in the years to come. 
About the Author: T.M. Franklin started out her career writing
non-fiction in a television newsroom. Graduating with a B.A. in Communications
specializing in broadcast journalism and production, she worked for nine years
as a major market television news producer, and garnered two regional Emmy
Awards, before she resigned to be a full-time mom and part-time freelance
writer. After writing and unsuccessfully querying a novel that she now admits,
“is not that great,” she decided to follow the advice of one of the agents who turned
her down—write some more and get better at it. Her first published novel, MORE,
was born during National Novel Writing month, a challenge to write a novel in
thirty days.
She lives in the Pacific Northwest with her husband,
Mike, is mom to two boys, Justin and Ryan, and has an enormous black dog named
Rocky who’s always lying nearby while she’s writing. Whether he’s soothed by
the clicking of the computer keys or just waiting for someone to rub his belly
is up for debate.
Where to Find the Author
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