Member Reviews

This was was god vampire YA fantasy romance. It’s dual timeline which is great because we get some character building. The story also has a slight mystery to it which is also nice.

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A very different vampire book set on two different timelines. Definitely draws you in from the start and I can't wait to read the next in the series even though it can be read as a stand alone.

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I have mixed feelings about this one. We read about Maddy and her life in England, and we also read about Alexandre and his exploits in France and later Turkey. Both POV were interesting. The book was well-written. However, it isn't until well over the 50% mark that the stories merge. I found myself getting a bit bored and found the book to be unnecessarily long. You know how sometimes the first book in a series is almost entirely exposition for the rest of the series? That's what this was like. It also reads quite young to me. If you're looking for a true young adult paranormal romance, it's a decent one, but know that it is very much YA. There are no sexy bits. This book touts itself as being for fans of Sarah J Maas, but I would disagree.

That said, it was a very interesting story. I didn't find myself wanting to DNF, though there were times I was tapping my foot a bit wanting it to get on with it already. I'm intrigued to see where the series goes from here.

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This a great start to the Marchwood Vampire series. The story follows a brother and sister who inherit a mansion and legacy, as well as the current inhabitants of the home. It is a sweet love story that begins in 1881, flipping between the past and present. I will say that I thought the story seemed familiar, and I realized that this is a reissue of Hidden by the same author. I read that whole series a few years ago. I liked it then, and I liked it now. Great YA vampire story.

Thank you Netgalley, Shalini Boland and Second Sky Publishing for this eARC in exchange for my honest review.

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This is very different to the usual books I read by this author as this is a vampire romance/thriller. The story spans through an ancient dig in Turkey to present day and the story of Maddy and Ben who have been moved around the foster system for years but on Maddys 17th birthday they find out they have inherited a mansion from a relative they know nothing about. As they finally have a place of their own without foster parents controlling them Maddy and Ben finally find some joy in their lives but a discover in the cellar changes their lives in ways they never expected. This is a fast paced read with relatable characters and two fascinating stories interwoven through the years.

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Yes!! Yes!! This is the vampire book I have been logging for ever since I watched Dark Shadows. This is my new obsession. I can't wait for the next one!!
I just reviewed Chosen (Vampires of Marchwood Book 1) by Shalini Boland. #Chosen #NetGalley
[NetGalley URL]

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I loved every moment of this story. Despite the fact nothing seems to really happen until 40% of the way through! That is because a story is being woven and you are becoming totally emersed in this world. Or two worlds! We meed Alexandre and Maddy. Two different people two different times yet their stories and lives will become one and linked forever.. Behind this exquisitely woven tale that easily flits between Paris over a hundred years ago, then Turkey and then to modern England, there lurks real evil and menace. Darkness and foreboding and by the time your realise how much danger both Alex and Maddy are in, it is far too late and the story has you completely hooked. Ancient evil and demons haunt the shadows and fate is about to bring it all out in the most terrifying way. I realised a book can make you jump! I really could not put this down and am very much left wanting more!

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Thank you Netgalley and Second Sky Publishers for my free eCopy to review

I really enjoyed the dual timeline aspect of this novel with how Alexander and his family set out to Turkey for an archaeological dig and ended up becoming vampires and Madison's present day point of view of inheriting a mansion and millions of pounds, but discovering that there are vampires hidden there. I particularly liked how the 2 stories joined up towards the end and how the romance element develops

It was a little slow in places and the ending had a few too many twists to be believable.

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What would you do if you suddenly inherited a mansion worth 61 million pounds and found 5 vampires behind a secret wall in the cellar?

Maddie and her brother Ben are foster children and on Maddie's 17th birthday she is visited by a solicitor who informs her she is now the owner of the Marchwood estate and the recipient of a generous monthly fund, providing she live at the house a minimum of forty weeks of the year.

Alexandre is excited to be headed to Turkey to accompany his parents on a dig but on the trip to Cappadocia the family find more than they bargained for.

Initially told in dual timeperiods (present day 2023 and 1881) we have the POV of both Maddison as she comes to terms with her new life and home and Alex as he and his family ignore warnings from the locals and explore the underground city.

The first half is the build up and as the reader we knew what this was leading to. In the second half there were more twists and the epilogue hints to the events of the next book in the series. A definite YA book, the characters didn't have a lot of depth to them but the book was pleasant enough.

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A story written in two timelines. In 1881 a family travel to Turkey on an Archaeological excavation and find an ancient tomb with unexpected inhabitants.
In present day Madison a seventeen year old foster child and her twelve year old brother inherit a mansion and millions of pounds from a distant relative.
When they move into the mansion they make a surprising discovery.
This is a YA novel with some good characters.
Thank you to NetGalley and Second Sky Publishers for my e-copy in exchange for an honest review.

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I am a little frustrated by this. Chosen was previously published as Hidden in 2011. I was reading and it felt so familiar. Off to goodreads to see I have already read this series. It is a huge pet peeve of mine when books are reissued with new titles and covers. I feel duped. Needless to say I didn't finish reading this title.

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I adore (am obsessed with) vampire novels and there have not been many in the last decade or so that even came close to the excitement of reading Twilight for the first time ages ago.
All these years later, this one finally did. It was fun and exciting from start to finish. The romance was a nice bonus, but the overall story was fun even without it. I will continue on in the series.

Well done.

Also, the new cover is gorgeous and was much needed to keep with the times.

TYSM for letting me be an ARC reader.

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Chosen🌹
By Shalini Boland♥️

Review✍🏻

This was a wild read! I did not expect to enjoy it as much as I did. I love books, shows and even movies with vampires in them. This gives me vampire diaries & twilight vibes! It was also similar to The Inheritance Games, because the FMC inherits a massive house on her 17th birthday. The description in the book was my favorite thing about it. I could picture everything the author described. There is some romance in here too, which only added to the book! Loads of mystery and definitely a YA book you can binge read.

Young misunderstand girl🚺
Foster care system❤️‍🩹
Vampires 🧛🏻‍♂️
Two timelines🕰️
Mystery❓
Creepy old house🏚️
Romance💘

4 stars
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

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Unfortunately, this wasn’t for me. Grateful to the publisher for the ARC, via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

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I do love a good vampire story and this book did not disappoint. It had me completely hooked. I can't wait for book two.

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Vampire fantasy, and love story within a unique wrapping. The author has found an interesting way to introduce us to the main characters. Enjoyable reading for all ages YA and up. Book 1 is a stand alone read, but is good enough for me to be scrambling for the next book in the series when it is published. Thank you to Bookouture and NetGalley for the ARC. The views expressed are all mine, freely given.

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Story very well written, great world building & page turner.


Thank you to the publishers and Netgalley for the ARC.

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It is good to have a new vampire on the block, at least in book form. A good start to a new series, although I do think I may not be in the intended age range for this book, but it was still an enjoyable read.

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well i read this book within 2 days i didn’t want to put it down!
can’t wait to read the next book in the series! if you like vampire diaries you will love this!

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Sixteen year old Madison Greene finds out she has inherited a mansion called Marchwood House. But little does she know that the house holds many secrets... a vampire being one of them. Told across two time periods, you begin to unravel Alexandre's story and how it all began.
This story was not at all what I expected, and I loved the rich backstory that stretched across the 1800s, and the romance was an added bonus. I managed to devour this book in one day, and I am thoroughly looking forward to the next one.
Thank you so much to NetGalley for allowing me access to this wonderful book.
Already posted on goodreads :)

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