Sovereign Hope by Frankie Rose

Blurb from Website:

Everyone has a soul

Some are just worth more than others

Farley Hope was seventeen when her mother disappeared. In the last six months not much has changed, except that her eighteenth birthday came and went and still no sign of Moira. Her life is just as complicated as it always was: since her father died in a car crash before she was even born, she’s officially parentless, and to top it all off she’s still suffering from the hallucinations. Mind-splitting, vivid hallucinations- the kind prone to induce night terrors and leave you whimpering under your covers like a baby.

The last thing on her mind is boys. Farley is on break from St. Judes’ when she meets Daniel. It’s not some casual run in at a party, or even a blind date with friends, though. Daniel is the guy stalking her in his 1970′s Dodge Charger; the guy standing at her  window in the LA lunch hour traffic, determined  on dragging her out of her truck.

The moment Farley lays eyes on Daniel, everything changes. However, regrettably for Farley, her life isn’t set to change for the better. She is drawn into a world that will shake apart everything she thought she ever knew. There are truths out there that she must learn: who her father really was, and what it means to have his blood flowing through her veins; that a person’s soul is their only real currency, and there are people who would do anything to take hers; that loving someone can hurt so much more than hating them; but, most importantly, when your future is predestined, there is little you can do to change it.

Farley Hope is prophesied.

Her coming has been awaited for hundreds of years.

She is destined to end the tyranny of the Soul Reavers.

To do so she must die.

Review:

Sovereign Hope is the debut novel and the first book in Frankie Rose’s Hope Series.  When I read the description of this story, I figured another one of those teenage girls in distress, since it did not look like the lately normal YA dystopian theme.

The action in the book started pretty quickly, and even though at the beginning, you may not understand what is happening..neither does the heroine, you are pulled totally into the story. I was totally surprised, and pleasantly I might add, how Frankie Rose was able to maintain your interest throughout the book.

The story is about Farley Hope, and Rose has made her into a wonderful heroine. Farley is only 18, her world has turned upside down; her mother is missing; no one takes her seriously about her hallucinations, but the worst is yet to come.  Farley has such a great sense of humor, her thoughts and comments throughout the book, even in the worst situations, will make you love her all the more.  But make no mistake, Farley is a capable and tough heroine.  She will face life threatening danger many times, and she will hold firm, and maintain her toughness, despite her wanting to crawl under the covers. 

Farley meets Daniel, a surly and distant young man, whom she immediately finds herself attracted too, but his demeanor always finds a way to push her back.  Daniel saves her life from strange men trying to hurt her, and Farley can get no answers as to what is going on, other then her weird hallucinations.  She only tells her best friend, Tess about them, but no one really believes her. Looking for her mother, she meets Agatha, a friend of Daniel’s, and Farley is pulled into a world she never imagined.  Her life will never be the same, if she survives it. 

Farley is taken to an underground compound to keep her safe, and she learns why she is now hunted from Agatha, as Daniel refuses to tell her anything.  The Reavers are immortals, who take souls of others.  They cannot be killed, and Agatha and Daniel are part of group trying to stop them.  Farley discovers she is part of a prophecy that can destroy the Reavers, hence why she is now the hunted. 

The relationship between Farley and Daniel grows, as he knows about the prophecy and his need to protect her from the dangers, therefore he fights his feelings and is determined to keep his distance from her. Farley has a hard time understanding why Daniel is so belligerent at times with her.  But as each day goes by, they are both feeling the attraction to each other.  It is a slow, and at times frustrating romance, because of the dangers involved.  But it is their romance, that will help them both survive.

This is an intense, action filled, and at times dark story, but Rose does such a wonderful job releasing the tension with so many light and humorous parts.  This is most certainly a split personality of a story, tense/dark and fun/light. Rose has done a wonderful job in her debut novel in creating this world, the addicting story, villains, and her characters are excellent.  I for one cannot wait for the next book.  Well done, Frankie Rose.

Reviewed by Barb

Copy Provided by Author

TRC Note:  Frankie Rose will be visiting The Reading Cafe on July 14th for an interview.  Don’t miss it.