Will Hill (1)Reseñas

Department 19-the Rising was an action-packed book about vampires trying to take over the world with only the Departments all over the world being the only thing that could stop them. Department 19 is a secret agency in our own world but they are just so secret that we don’t even know that they exist with us as they save us from threats all around the world in the shadows.

For me, however, the book seemed rather lengthy with a few dragged-out scenes, I also wasn’t a big fan of the main antagonist either. The book had all of the antagonists as vampires which I didn’t really like, but it was fine because it is just the characters which doesn't matter that much. Their being vampires did give them a lot of strength and their necessary antagonist edge but I wish they maybe chose something else for the antagonist. Otherwise, though the main idea for the book was really good with the secret government agency that lives in our world but we just don’t know that they are here. It also had a good amount of action throughout the majority of the book and that was a good upside but then it just went straight back to boring stuff for a while making me want the action, even more, when it came.

The fact that there were three main characters was nicer as well because more action could happen. It would switch back and forth from the Department 19 group, to Dracula, and to Frankenstein which in some cases would be nice because now something new was going on. However, sometimes it would be some big action seen, and then it just switched to a different character to follow currently or tell more backstory on. I actually skipped a whole chapter because the scenes when it cut to Frankenstein were kind of boring and I was just getting into a good action part when it cut halfway and when to that so I just got back to what I was reading.

Otherwise, it was a decent book, if you like a lot of bad and forth with action and then nothing while a lot of detail to give you an image in your head with cliffhangers, then this could be an alright read for you and a good way to pass time. However, I probably would not recommend this book the most people that I know because I feel like they could find something better.

3.5 Stars

Well this was surprisingly gory with heaps of bloody deaths!

I actually really liked the concept and enjoyed the story, however, Jamie isn't a particularly likeable character with his tantrum type outbursts. The situation is quite stressful with his mum kidnapped and the vampire blood baths happening in front of him so emotions are absolutely running high. I am interested to see what happens so will eventually continue on to book two but it won't be at the top of my TBR.

Update with CW: child abuse, gun violence, psychological/emotional/sexual abuse, sexism, misogyny, slut shaming, suicide

Well that made for a challenging but gripping read.

When reading about cults the two elements that strike me as the most interesting are the levels of control that leaders have over their communities, and the blind faith and devotion practiced by their followers. This book was a window into how control is exerted and devotion obtained. The threats, lies and deception used to control members in this book was sinister in nature and was aimed at supporting Father John's own narcissistic agenda. Even though, due to the dual timeline, I knew the outcome of the showdown between the police and the Holy Church of the Lord's Legion, I was still filled with a sense of dread whilst reading. The way that the girls were treated made me angry and uncomfortable and I was concerned for their safety throughout the entire novel.

We all search for meaning and purpose. So when the people in the story felt that they had found their 'place in life' under the leadership of this 'messiah-like' being I was overwhelmed with sadness. It must have been quite soul destroying for those whose elation and joy turned to confusion, disillusionment and disappointment as the truth was laid bare. I can't imagine the terror they must have felt at the thought of their loved ones being hurt for their own disobedience or dissenting opinion.

This story unfolded quite slowly but I don't think it would have been quite as impactful had it moved more quickly. We as Readers needed to follow Moonbeam's journey as she slowly began to awaken to the truth of her community and the lies it was built on. We also needed to see the path she followed to get to the point where she could finally reveal what happened during the raid.

An interesting and well written novel.

Wow. This was an excellent read. The world building was fantastic. Seeing everything through Moonbeam's eyes was gripping especially her memories of her time in the cult. This is a book I would recommend to everyone especially those that want to what it is like living in a cult.

Riveting and difficult to put down narrative from the point of view of a cult survivor. I'm not sure if this spoke to me so powerfully because I was a child in Texas when the Branch Davidian massacre took place, or if it's just really great writing, but if you are looking for a page turner with thoughtful psychological details, this book has it all.

Advanced reader's copy provided by Edelweiss.

I just finished it yesterday! It was really good. It's vampire-y but not like sissy vampires. More like cross me and I'll rip your throat out. There's a little Van Helsing, Dracula, and Frankenstein (but they're not major characters)
It was a little all over the place for a bit as far as telling the story goes but all the threads came together nicely so it was all ok haha I'd totally recommend D19 to people!


So what is this book about? It's about this guy named Jamie Carpenter. He grew up knowing that his father was a traitor to the British government along with bullies constantly reminding him. Around his 16th birthday, his mom was kidnapped and a Vampire named Alexandru attacks him! Alexandru is one of the 3 original brothers that Dracula himself turned. How will Jamie ever survive? Frankenstein, THE Frankenstein monster, comes and saves him? Why? Because Frankenstein made a promise to Jamie's dad to always be there for the Carpenter family. The Carpenter family is part of a secret British Government department called Blacklight, Department Nineteen. When Dracula was killed by Van Helsing and those 3 other guys, they formed Department Nineteen to train future Vampire Hunters! Most people who join are selected from elite military people, but when a guy descendent of the founders turns 16, he's asked if he wants to join. Seeing as his mom was kidnapped, of course he says yes.

He goes through a lot of cool vampire training (quite an interesting read just for that sake, if nothing else) and during Jamie's stories there's flashbacks to the original people who killed Dracula.

One thing I don't understand is Larissa and Jamie. I don't understand why Larissa likes him! I mean he's not a bad guy but the relationship seems out of nowhere with no sturdy footing. I liked Frankenstein and the ending regarding him. It was sad but a wakeup call for Jamie.

I also thought that Dracula and Jamie's mom tied in nicely to the book. Having Jamie's mom be turned just as he was finally getting her back was cool and showed thatVampire's don't need a cause. They do things because they CAN.

I must admit this started out rather chaotic and I had a hard time really getting into it. However, as I continued and was able to figure out what was happening and where it was going, I really got into it and ended up very much liking this story. It goes back and forth from after the fire to before the fire and you learn just enough to keep you wanting more and more. Even when you realize what was really going on "before" you still can't look away. I definitely will be recommending this one, it surprised me how much I enjoyed it.

By giving this 2 stars I’m not saying it isn’t good. It’s a very engaging read with a constant feeling of ‘what’s going to happen next?’
I’m just left thinking that there wasn’t much to it, a bit like a fast food burger - immediately satisfying but without long term positive effects.

Moonbeam was a member of the Lord's Legion cult until a fire destroyed the cult compound. She, and the other members, had lived totally controlled by cult leader Father John. As the fire is investigated, facts about the cult, its leader and members, and daily life in the compound are revealed.

Although this book is a little confusing at first, as Moonbeam reveals more and more about the compound and cult before and after the fire, the story becomes more clear. She is a strange and disturbing main character because all she knows is the Lord's Legion. She distrusts anyone who isn't a cult member and displays some strange behaviors. Her strangeness just adds to the suspense and slow reveal of facts, making this book disturbing, emotional and mesmerizing. The author does a great job of depicting the story of a controlling cult and its long-lasting effects on members. The tale is not without hope though....which made it easier for me to read.

When I was a child back in the 80s, there was a cult compound raided by the feds near where I lived. The cult leader murdered a man and a 5-year old boy on a rural farm. The trial and all the mess that followed completely shocked everyone in the area. It was mind-numblingly awful. Even as a child, I remember being so surprised that people would follow such a nasty (and crazy) person, and even more shocked that parents brought their children to this weird rural compound led by a nut in overalls ranting strange racist, pseudo-religious crapola. So, this book really hit home with me and made me see things from the other side. As an adult, I live in a town 1200 miles away from where I grew up.....and a local cult (disguised as a church) is being investigated for fraud, abuse, and other crimes. Again, I am shocked that people actually follow the craziness taught by this cult (they scream at people to release demons from them, require people to give all their possessions to the church, control members' finances, etc) and its leader -- an old woman who is just completely disgusting. How do people like this gain control over so many?? It still boggles my mind. I kept thinking about this local cult the entire time I was reading this book. It really hit home with me. Groups like this are more commonplace than anyone would like to admit. I've personally encountered three such groups in my lifetime and heard about so many more.

Definitely an emotional, hard-hitting book! I'm definitely going to read more by this author!

*I voluntarily read a review copy of this book from Sourcebooks via NetGalley. All opinions expressed are entirely my own.**

This review is posted on both my personal account and the account for Crossroads Public Library.

This book blew me away. I have a (I hesitate to use this word because it seems unsympathetic to the survivors and those who are still living in these situations, but I can’t think of a better word to use, so forgive me) fascination with cults - how they begin, the people who lead them, where those who are left in the aftermath of its destruction go when their shelter, food, and resources disappear. The setting, the cult, and the characters of After the Fire was fiction, but it was inspired by the Waco Siege, a nearly two month stand off between federal agents plus state law enforcements, and a religious group, the Branch Davidians.

After the Fire is told from the perspective of a seventeen year old, Moonbeam, who survives a government raid on her compound. She is a member of the Holy Church of the Lord’s Legion, led by Father John. There are two time frames in the novel: before the raid, and after. The bulk of the “before” chapters are Moonbeam relaying her experiences to her therapist and an FBI agent that has been assigned to her case. I won’t spoil any of the rest of Moonbeam’s story, but I strongly recommend this book.

Good action and mystery, lots of gory gore. Keeps you reading, and for such a hefty book it flies by. My one issue (and I suspect this is just my current mood) was the way women are treated in the story. There are a couple strong teen girl characters, but I'm so sick of books where women need saving. SO SICK OF IT. I doubt most teens will read this and have an issue there, so it's a great book to recommend.

[I WAS SENT A PHYSICAL ARC COPY IN RETURN FOR AN HONEST REVIEW]

This book was one of my most anticipated reads of the year, and I am so thankful to Sourcebooks Fire for approving my request for this book.

After the Fire by Will Hill is a tough cookie to bite. It deals with religion in a way I haven't even seen, heard, or thought about before. After reading this book, I was out of breath. Hill definitely has a way with words, in a way that shocks you confused.

The characters in this book were marvelous, and I mean every word of that. There was fragility in their build-ups and fall-downs. There were emotions that gave shivers to me--the reader. I wouldn't have chosen to change anything different about these characters, as they were amazingly developed and thought out.

However, the plot shocked me. I was surprised by every turned page, by every written word, by every planted period mark. Hill made sure that we couldn't guess anything, and I absolutely loved that. There were rise-ups and fall-downs with this plot, and there weren't any mistakes--not one. Everything flowed nicely together and smoothed out for the finale.

"You tell them nothing. You stay on the True Path, no matter what she says. The Lord is Good."

This quote was one of the most chilling I read from this book. I haven't ever thought about how some religions were back then, and this book brought to light what those times would look like in the modern era. Even after experiencing the real truth of the world, these characters still had trouble adjusting; still had trouble realizing what was right in front of them. And in the end, it cost one of them.

This will not be a book easily forgotten. It has made me question a lot of different things, and I've changed a few of my aspects because of it. If you haven't picked this book up already, I would highly suggest you do it soon.

I rate this book 5/5 stars.

Excellent novel inspired by the Waco cult. YA - but older! Full review on my blog: http://annabookbel.net/book-group-report-july-will-hill-after-the-fire

When the government storms the Lord's Legion compound, only a handful of children survive the deadly fire. Moonbeam, one of the survivors, find herself in a psychiatric facility being questioned by Dr. Hernandez and Agent Carlyle. Moonbeam is scared, overwhelmed, and feeling guilt over the raid and her survival. Slowly, she begins to open up, telling stories of her life before the fire.

This book was hard to put down. I loved that the author tackled the aftermath of the raid and fire. The psychiatry was fascinating. Moonbeams internal struggles felt completely real. It was hard to believe that she wasn't based on a real survivor's account. Highly recommended.

I wasn’t sure that I’d like this book. It wasn’t a subject I was particularly interested in and I had never read anything by the author so I was reluctant to read this. I looked at the chapters and they alternated between before and after. I usually don’t like books that combine future and past. However, the author used this present and past technique to weave this unsettling tale into a fascinating story based on real events. I loved this book. It was beautifully written and was gripping from the beginning until the very end. The emotions of all the characters are exquisitely portrayed. You can feel the love, the hate, the fear, the strength and the weakness of each character and his or her feelings which produces a rich and touching tale. When thinking about cults, religious or otherwise, it is difficult to understand how followers are recruited and retained. This story shows the difficulty in maintaining hold over a group. It shows how evil people can twist and bend every fact to serve their own purpose and control people with fear and bullying tactics. I know this is fiction but it portrays the danger inherently in following false profits in cults and groups such as Scientology. It’s a chilling tale that makes me want to do further research into what happened with the Branch Davidians. This was an interesting read and I thoroughly enjoyed it.. Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for providing an ARC in exchange for a fair and honest review.

Living inside locked gates in the scorching, hot dessert of Texas, Moonbeam escapes the cult that her parents brought her into when she was one year old. The only life she knows is one of servitude to Father John. She handed out pamphlets of the true way to those outside the gates. Some visited their services, but when Father John replaced a more kind man in charge, all except Amos were forbidden to have any outside contact.

Amos ventured into town for food and supplies, but all too soon Amos had to remain in the gates as well. At 17, Moonbeam was in the process of becoming of Father John's wifes. But, before that the tension was building as increasingly the members were pitted against each other, beaten and punished if they did not comply with the rules.

And then, came the bullets and the fire. Only a few survived. Those, including Moonbeam who made it out, were placed in a hospital like setting where they were individually asked questions. We learn the story only through the eyes of Moonbeam and we learn soon in the story that she is guilty -- guilty of something dramatic that causes an overriding terror.

Moonbeam tells her story in snippets of before and after. Inspired by the cult of The Branch Davidian in Waco Texas, who when refused to comply, the United States placed tear gas in the buildings. A fire erupted, killing many. Here is a snipet of information about the siege.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Waco_siege

A riveting story that bothered me as I read it.

Three and 1/2 Stars out of 5.

After the Fire by Will Hill is a riveting story of how one girl survives a deadly cult in the deserts of Texas. Inspired by the events in Waco, Texas with the Branch Davidian religious sect, After the Fire follows the life of Moonbeam, a seventeen year old who has only known life surrounded by her Brothers and Sisters inside the walls of the Lord’s Legion base. Moonbeam spends her days working in the gardens, training, and helping the other Legionnaire’s keep the Base running smoothly.

But then comes the fire.

Now, Moonbeam’s life is a series of Before and Afters. Before the fire, she lived inside the fence. After the fire, she lives in a hospital. Before the fire, she was a promised wife to the Prophet. After the fire, she has to learn what real truth is.
Why did the Prophet change his name? What was inside the mysterious packages that the Prophet received. Why were the Servants of the Serpent after them? Why did they want them dead?

Moonbeam’s harrowing story is told through flashbacks and therapy sessions at the hospital she is sent to after the fire. Brought to the Base when she was only a year old, her parents were trying to find a better and simpler life. What began as a group of people trying to live purely for the Lord, quickly becomes something much darker when a new Prophet joins their ranks. Father John, Prophet of the Lord has declared that the Base must begin to train for the End Times. With Armageddon close, Father John imposes harsh punishments against those that refuse his orders. Training with guns become part of everyone’s daily life. Hand to hand combat is taught to children with severe consequences for anyone who doesn’t train hard enough. Young girls are promised as wives to the Prophet-the only father to future children.
This story is incredibly well told. From the first page I was completely sucked in. The story is raw and emotional, but because it’s told through Moonbeam’s point of view, the author does a wonderful job of not making her pain-or any other character’s-gratuitous. We find out at the very beginning that Moonbeam has a terrible secret-one so big that she can’t let anyone find out what it is. Her constant fear of someone discovering her secret impacts her healing and that of those around her. After the Fire is an incredible look at how easily power can corrupt and affect the lives of innocent people.
An amazing story-I can’t recommend it enough.

Sincere thanks to Netgalley and Sourcebooks Fire for the opportunity to read and review this book. All opinions are my own.

This is a book that I wanted to like. In fact, I was drawn to it because I had started seeing this book every where. Ok, the thing about "cult" books is that the cult leader has a big commanding presence. For me, I didn't really experience that from Father John. Yeah, he was crazy but he did not capture nor keep my attention.

As I was reading, I kept waiting for the story to start. Somehow, it did not really sink in that the story had started with Moonbeam in therapy explaining the events leading up to her escape from the cult. I had trouble really staying in the moment while reading. After getting a third of the way into the story, I did skip ahead to the midway point. From here I started reading again but only got a few chapters done. Finally, I just "passed go" and proceeded to read the last dozen chapters of the story. It was here that I actually felt a connection to Moonbeam and the story and I felt the tide turn some with my feelings towards this book. Sadly, this book did not do anything for me.

I received an ARC of this book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. This did not affect my opinion of the book or my review itself.

There was a fire, a terrible fire with gunshots and people dying all around her. But Moonbeam made it out. Now she has to figure out a life outside of the compound, outside of Father John's control, all while holding two secrets inside her that refuse to let her go.

The opening is so powerful, it had me sucked in right away. Hill then brilliantly uses the trope of Before and After to build up the suspense. Before takes readers back to the events leading up to the fire of the title, while After details the life of Moonbeam after everything she has known is gone.

Moonbeam is a great strong female narrator fighting to get her life back and help her fellow survivors while trying to deal with the two secrets inside her. She is telling her story to two other great characters, a psychologist and an agent, and readers get inside her head and her feelings through the first person narration.

The very end felt a little pat, but I loved it anyway.

This is a well-written, suspenseful look at a cult and how someone tries to rebuild their life when they suddenly find themselves on the outside.

Read this on Netgalley before published. Great take on a cult raid. Told in "before" and "after" chapters .....we know the cult compound gets raided and there is a fire to run from but the "before" chapters set up how it comes to pass. Moonbeam starts to doubt the words of Father John as his rules get stricter and stranger. How can she escape and who is the new member of the group - can he help her or will he betray her to Father John.
Absolutely gripping novel from start to finish by the author of Department 19. Highly recommended.

Not great but fun and a quick, engaging read. If I were to try to describe it to someone who reads a lot in this genre, I'll call it "Monster Hunter International" for the younger crowd. The story line is fairly predictable but it kept my interest and I'll most likely read the rest of the books in the series.

There is a lot of promise offered that goes undelivered in this Alex Rider meets uk tv show Demons novel. Good premise and smartish story but not delivered well.
For my full review see http://sapphireddragon.blogspot.com/2011/06/review-department-19-by-will-hill.ht...

I really liked this book because it had tons of action, fear, suspense, and gore. It was a great horror book. In this book, Jamie is surprised to see his dad home so early. His dad seemed in a hurry and scared. A bit after, a bunch of people in black suits came over and shot him up. 2 years later, Jamie skips school and is almost killed by a vampire girl, but is spared because she is turned a short time ago and still has some sentiment. Jamie then goes home and sees that his mother is kidnapped by the second oldest vampire in the world. Jamie goes to Department 19, which is the department in Britain that kills vampires. Jamie trains for a bit, and on the simulator that the trainees have to take a "vampire killing test". He turns out to be a prodigy. Jamies later goes to the Chemist, who is a vampire that makes drugs made especially for vampires. It is a dead end. Later, Jamie sees the vampire girl who's name is Larissa. Larissa promises to take Jamie to his mother and takes him to the Chemist. After being threatened by Larissa, they go to a village full of pacifist vampires. They get nowhere in their wild goose chase. Later, there is a vampire attack on an island nearby. They go, rescue Jamie's mother, and kill all the vampire there, including the one that kidnapped Jamie's mother. At the end of the book, Dracula is raised by the former oldest and most powerful vampire. The end.

Wow. Extremely well written and thought out. I was dragged into this story, and I didn't want to come out.½

The beginning was terribly slow. About the time I was ready to give up, it redeemed itself and got exciting. It's definitely for someone who likes unromantic vampires and lots of bloody, gory action.