So I was thrilled to see a book review blog recently compare my Young Adult Paranormal Romance DIVINE FALL to Twilight! Reviews are tough to come by these days, with books being published at a phenomenal rate, and this review appeared on Read for Your Future, a site dedicated to promoting reading among teens. The reviewer begins by saying DIVINE FALL "reminded me of Twilight but in a more realistic manner...Author Kathryn Knight has written a book teenage girls everywhere will love." And I love hearing that!
One of the things I did not particularly like about Twilight, from a writing standpoint, was the lack of character development surrounding Bella Swan, the heroine from whose viewpoint the story is told. However, this is a method employed on occasion when authors use deep first person POV (point of view). I can think of a few other wildly successful titles which don't define the main character very well (50 Shades comes to mind). Whether this is intentional or not, it does allow readers to put themselves directly into the character's figurative shoes, which can intensify the connection.
I work very hard in my novels to develop characters fully. I absolutely want readers to connect with the characters and experience their emotions; hopefully they come to care about the characters as much as I do. Jamie Brandt, the heroine of DIVINE FALL, has a lot of issues some teenagers will relate to. But she's also a unique individual with clearly defined characteristics. And this particular reviewer noted that as well, referring to Jamie as "a strong young woman" and commenting that her story has a "positive message".
Yes, Dothan Reed is like Edward in some aspects: he has both a light and dark side. He's seeking revenge, and he's prepared to do anything to achieve his deadly goal. When he discovers Jamie is involved in his plan, he'll have to make a difficult choice. Dothan's not a vampire, but he is a different type of supernatural creature. He's stronger than humans, and he's able to come to Jamie's rescue when she's in trouble. But Jamie does her share, saving Dothan in more than one way. They provide equal support to each other, and make each other better--and happier.
The review ends with a comment about how DIVINE FALL "reads so quickly with the action and the romance", with the reviewer hoping for a future sequel. That made my day. Will I return to Jamie and Dothan's story? I'm not sure yet, but I do love these characters...and I hope you will too, if you give DIVINE FALL a try!
The beautiful cover is below, and all ebook links are here. Also check out the Pinterest board to see the pictures I used for character and setting inspiration here!
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