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Turned (Book #1 in the Vampire Journals)
Turned (Book #1 in the Vampire Journals)
Turned (Book #1 in the Vampire Journals)
Ebook161 pages2 hours

Turned (Book #1 in the Vampire Journals)

Rating: 3 out of 5 stars

3/5

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"TURNED is a book to rival TWILIGHT and VAMPIRE DIARIES, and one that will have you wanting to keep reading until the very last page! If you are into adventure, love and vampires this book is the one for you!"
--Vampirebooksite.com

The #1 Bestseller!

TURNED is book #1 in the #1 Bestselling series THE VAMPIRE JOURNALS, which includes eleven books (and counting).

In TURNED (Book #1 of the Vampire Journals), 18 year old Caitlin Paine finds herself uprooted from her nice suburb and forced to attend a dangerous New York City high school when her Mom moves again. The one ray of light in her new surroundings is Jonah, a new classmate who takes an instant liking to her.

But before their romance can blossom, Caitlin suddenly finds herself changing. She is overcome by a superhuman strength, a sensitivity to light, a desire to feed--by feelings she does not understand. She seeks answers to what’s happening to her, and her cravings lead her to the wrong place at the wrong time. Her eyes are opened to a hidden world, right beneath her feet, thriving underground in New York City. She finds herself caught between two dangerous covens, right in the middle of a vampire war.

It is at this moment that Caitlin meets Caleb, a mysterious and powerful vampire who rescues her from the dark forces. He needs her to help lead him to the legendary lost artifact. And she needs him for answers, and for protection. Together, they will need to answer one crucial question: who was her real father?

But Caitlin finds herself caught between two men as something else arises between them: a forbidden love. A love between the races that will risk both of their lives, and will force them to decide whether to risk it all for each other…

"TURNED is an ideal story for young readers. Morgan Rice did a good job spinning an interesting twist on what could have been a typical vampire tale. Refreshing and unique, TURNED has the classic elements found in many Young Adult paranormal stories. Book #1 of the Vampire Journals Series focuses around one girl…one extraordinary girl!...TURNED is easy to read but extremely fast-paced....Recommended for anyone who likes to read soft paranormal romances. Rated PG."
--The Romance Reviews

“TURNED grabbed my attention from the beginning and did not let go….This story is an amazing adventure that is fast paced and action packed from the very beginning. There is not a dull moment to be found. Morgan Rice did an awesome job bringing the reader into the story. She also made it easy to root for Caitlin and want desperately to her succeed in finding her truth….I will be looking forward to the second book in the series.”
--Paranormal Romance Guild
LanguageEnglish
PublisherMorgan Rice
Release dateFeb 15, 2011
ISBN9780982953723
Turned (Book #1 in the Vampire Journals)
Author

Morgan Rice

Morgan Rice is the #1 bestselling and USA Today bestselling author of the epic fantasy series THE SORCERER'S RING, comprising 17 books; of the #1 bestselling series THE VAMPIRE JOURNALS, comprising 11 books (and counting); of the #1 bestselling series THE SURVIVAL TRILOGY, a post-apocalyptic thriller comprising two books (and counting); and of the new epic fantasy series KINGS AND SORCERERS, comprising 3 books (and counting). Morgan's books are available in audio and print editions, and translations are available in over 25 languages.Book #3 in Morgan's new epic fantasy series, THE WEIGHT OF HONOR (KINGS AND SORCERERS--BOOK 3) is now published!TURNED (Book #1 in the Vampire Journals), ARENA ONE (Book #1 of the Survival Trilogy), and A QUEST OF HEROES (Book #1 in the Sorcerer's Ring) are each available as a free download on Amazon.Morgan loves to hear from you, so please feel free to visit www.morganricebooks.com to join the email list, receive a free book, receive free giveaways, download the free app, get the latest exclusive news, connect on Facebook and Twitter, and stay in touch! As always, if any of you are suffering from any hardship, email me at morgan@morganricebooks.com and I will be happy to send you a free book!

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Reviews for Turned (Book #1 in the Vampire Journals)

Rating: 3.1467066586826347 out of 5 stars
3/5

167 ratings20 reviews

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  • Rating: 3 out of 5 stars
    3/5
    I enjoyed the pace of this book, and the story kept me coming back for more, even when I didn't have all the time in the world to read. The author does a good job of fleshing out the lead character and making the reader feel for her. Warning - Spoilers:I have not read the other books in this series, so right now the "jury" is out on how I am going to feel about Morgan Rice's vampire lore. I'm not entirely bothered by the idea of a half-breed, but I have always been bothered by story lines where humans can be turned just by being drained (they could do that in a hospital and it wouldn't turn me into a vampire). In this first book she seemed to imply that is all it takes . . . so right now I'm on the fence. On the other hand I do find the story intriguing and I will pick up book #2.There were several typos and grammatical errors, which bothered me.
  • Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
    5/5
    cant wait for the second book to read .
  • Rating: 3 out of 5 stars
    3/5
    Ack - not a book for me. I am, however, plowing forward with the series because I think it could work for my 8th/9th grade library.
  • Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
    5/5
    Can't press buy on book 2 quick enough!

    This vampire story pulled me in from the start. It definitely has a different approach to turning into a vampire then other stories you read and I'm glad for that. I was so sad when book 1 stopped and it did have first 3 chapters of book 2 in the back that normally I don't read when books do that, but this one i had too...i can't wait to press send on this review so I can go get the next book and continue Caitlins story.
  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    When Caitlyn met Caleb and the feelings between them gr
  • Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
    5/5
    Its amazing.... really mind blowing u don wanna stop reading trust me even flipping the pages will make u feel as though u r wasting time n will tire ur patience .........fantastic
  • Rating: 1 out of 5 stars
    1/5
    There is a certain level of ridiculousness you expect when reading a vampire love story..... But this one felt half assed. Let's throw all the vampire cliches into a short story and give zero effort to make it enjoyable.
  • Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
    5/5
    I loved the book it was very well written and leaves you wanting more , especially for the first book I've ever read from this author I'm very pleased and am looking forward to the others in this series.
  • Rating: 1 out of 5 stars
    1/5
    Glad I read the reviews. Please just draining blood will turn u into a vampire. Sounds so stupid.
  • Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
    5/5
    like
  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    very interesting and catches many others eye
  • Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
    5/5
  • Rating: 1 out of 5 stars
    1/5
    Pitiful writing. No character development, weak storyline, too fast paced.

    3 people found this helpful

  • Rating: 1 out of 5 stars
    1/5
    a really stupid heroine and instalove.. makes for a totally unpalatable combo...

    1 person found this helpful

  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    This was awesome. Couldn't put it down.
  • Rating: 1 out of 5 stars
    1/5
    This book was a let-down. It started out slow, then about half way through I finally started getting into it. I thought, well okay, slow starter but it's picking up now, then the main character did something really stupid and it ruined the whole book for me.Caitlin and her brother don't have a stable home, their mom keeps moving them around from place to place. They end up in New York and Caitlin makes a friend, Jonah. On her way home after school one day, she happens upon some guys beating up another guy. Once she gets a really good look she realizes that it's Jonah they are beating up. She rushes to help him. She feels something change within her. She ends up beating up the three guys that attacked Jonah.To condense this review, Caitlin ends up attacking an opera singer and her mother (which isn't really her mother) and then runs away. She's found and captured by a clan of vampires who want her to answer to the death of the opera singer. They douse her with Holy water as a punishment, only to find out it does nothing to her. When she makes a run for it, she surprised to find out one of the vampires is willing to help her escape.Caleb helps Caitlin get out only to take her to his people (the "good" vampires). He thinks that she is the half-breed messiah they have been waiting for. This is where I get totally turned off with this story. Caitlin has no other interaction with Caleb at this point other than he helps her escape, but she tells him she loves him. This was the most awkward moment in the whole book. This ruins the whole story in my opinion.
  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    This was not a very long book (clocking in at 195 pages) but it really packed in the action. I found myself actually caring what was going to happen next to Caitlin and wondering about her half-breed vampire status. The next book has ties to Salem, Massachusetts and Nathaniel Hawthorne and its about 100 pages longer. Plus, there are two more books after that to read. A very good book, cannot wait to see what happens next! :)
  • Rating: 2 out of 5 stars
    2/5
    Turned is a novella length beginning to Morgan Rice's Vampire Journals series that has a general storyline with promise, but for me, failed to support it's potential in several instances.Caitlin, and her brother Sam, have been dragged around the country by her alcoholic, neglectful mother and now, with her final year of school to finish, the fractured family is living in a seedy area of New York. Caitlin blames her restlessness on this latest move, but she begins to explain odd physical changes and urges which can't be explained by simple anxiety. The unusual pressure builds until Caitlin wakes in a dumpster, her last memory of the classical music performance she was attending with Jonah. She is horrified to discover that she has fed on and killed a performer and having broken vampire law she is now a target of warring clans.Up until this point I thought the storyline worked reasonably well, I was willing to believe Caitlin could be the Chosen, and interested in Rice's myth, however the rest slipped into a absurd case of instant peevish love with Caleb (in less than an hour after meeting him she was pouting that he rescued her out of obligation not true love) and a string of inexplicable but convenient events. Perhaps the collapse of the storyline was due to Rice's rush to finish, but for me the credibility of the story was ruined.The characters are generally lack-lustre. Caitlin's thoughts and actions are immature for an 18 year old girl who has had a difficult upbringing. Rice glossed over Caitlin's reactions to Sam's disappearance, her mother's announcement and death, which might have provided more depth. In general her characterisation was inconsistent, Caitlin's behaviour with Caleb had no justification and some character statements were blatantly contradictory. I quite liked Jonah but didn't learn enough about him to make any real judgement and Caleb didn't seem to deviate from the stereotypical tormented but noble (and buff) vampire.While there were some well described action scenes, in the main I feel the writing lacks sophistication in terms of both style and technique. The flow was broken for me by general inconsistencies, short sentences and there are several copy edit errors in the text which I found difficult to overlook in such a short novel.There are aspects of Turned that are obviously popular with a number of readers, and I think the main premise demonstrates the author has the imagination to develop a creative story but unfortunately the lack of technique and uneven development didn't work for me. Morgan Rice continues the story and has so far released three additional installments which I expect would each demonstrate improvement and growth in writing skill.
  • Rating: 3 out of 5 stars
    3/5
    In just 150 pages this book was appealing, intense and action pact! While reading this book I kept thinking, how is this book going to have a resolution in just so few pages and I was right. There is a semi-ending to the book but still leaves me wanting more.It reminds me a lot like a really good TV series. While reading I kept thinking, “this would be like watching the first episode of an intense season premier.” Just like Caitlin’s thirst, I am craving for more. I really would like know more about the characters, more about the Covens and the war that has now begun between the good and bad vampires.It is obvious that Caitlin is a key in the war between the Covens; but my guess is that Jonah (a human that Caitlin has feelings for) will play a big part in the war as well. Who knows, I’m not very creative so Morgan Rice just might surprise me!
  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    First off, I love this cover. The darkness and fierceness of it is pretty awesome in my opinion. It's what made me decide to go ahead and start reading this book, even though I had prior commitments. Sorry ya'll, but I was drawn to this. =)The title insinuates that someone in the story is going to be turned into a full-fledged vampire. And, someone did, but not the someone I was expecting. That sort of disappointed me, but there's always the sequel(s). =)As for the remainder of the story ... there were parts that were Twilight-esque ... Two boys having feelings for the same girl ... Said girl feeling awkward and unsure of herself and her feelings .... Sound familiar? I figured they would, but I believe it sounds familiar because these are classic elements of many teen/YA novels (like this one is). I think people only compare these types of situations with Twilight because Twilight skyrocketed into a phenomenon so fast.Overall, this book really is an interesting and fast read. I thought it a pretty good beginning to a new series of books. There were quite a few story developments that weren't really completed in this book. I'm sure this was done to draw the reader in and make them want more when the story ends. Well, congratulations Ms. Rice, you have succeeded ... I want to read more.

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Turned (Book #1 in the Vampire Journals) - Morgan Rice

turned

(book #1 in the vampire journals)

morgan rice

About Morgan Rice

Morgan Rice is the #1 bestselling and USA Today bestselling author of the epic fantasy series THE SORCERER’S RING, comprising seventeen books; of the #1 bestselling series THE VAMPIRE JOURNALS, comprising eleven books (and counting); of the #1 bestselling series THE SURVIVAL TRILOGY, a post-apocalyptic thriller comprising two books (and counting); and of the new epic fantasy series KINGS AND SORCERERS, comprising two books (and counting). Morgan’s books are available in audio and print editions, and translations are available in over 25 languages.

Morgan loves to hear from you, so please feel free to visit www.morganricebooks.com to join the email list, receive a free book, receive free giveaways, download the free app, get the latest exclusive news, connect on Facebook and Twitter, and stay in touch!

acclaim for THE VAMPIRE JOURNALS

A book to rival TWILIGHT and VAMPIRE DIARIES, and one that will have you wanting to keep reading until the very last page! If you are into adventure, love and vampires this book is the one for you!

--Vampirebooksite.com {regarding Turned}

Rice does a great job of pulling you into the story from the beginning, utilizing a great descriptive quality that transcends the mere painting of the setting….Nicely written and an extremely fast read.

--Black Lagoon Reviews (regarding Turned)

An ideal story for young readers. Morgan Rice did a good job spinning an interesting twist…Refreshing and unique. The series focuses around one girl…one extraordinary girl!...Easy to read but extremely fast-paced... Rated PG.

--The Romance Reviews (regarding Turned)

Grabbed my attention from the beginning and did not let go….This story is an amazing adventure that is fast paced and action packed from the very beginning. There is not a dull moment to be found.

--Paranormal Romance Guild (regarding Turned)

Jam packed with action, romance, adventure, and suspense. Get your hands on this one and fall in love all over again.

--vampirebooksite.com (regarding Turned)

A great plot, and this especially was the kind of book you will have trouble putting down at night. The ending was a cliffhanger that was so spectacular that you will immediately want to buy the next book, just to see what happens.

--The Dallas Examiner (regarding Loved)

Morgan Rice proves herself again to be an extremely talented storyteller….This would appeal to a wide range of audiences, including younger fans of the vampire/fantasy genre. It ended with an unexpected cliffhanger that leaves you shocked.

--The Romance Reviews (regarding Loved)

Books by Morgan Rice

KINGS AND SORCERERS

RISE OF THE DRAGONS (Book #1)

RISE OF THE VALIANT (Book #2)

THE WEIGHT OF HONOR (Book #3)

A FORGE OF VALOR (Book #4)

THE SORCERER’S RING

A QUEST OF HEROES (Book #1)

A MARCH OF KINGS (Book #2)

A FATE OF DRAGONS (Book #3)

A CRY OF HONOR (Book #4)

A VOW OF GLORY (Book #5)

A CHARGE OF VALOR (Book #6)

A RITE OF SWORDS (Book #7)

A GRANT OF ARMS (Book #8)

A SKY OF SPELLS (Book #9)

A SEA OF SHIELDS (Book #10)

A REIGN OF STEEL (Book #11)

A LAND OF FIRE (Book #12)

A RULE OF QUEENS (Book #13)

AN OATH OF BROTHERS (Book #14)

A DREAM OF MORTALS (Book #15)

A JOUST OF KNIGHTS (Book #16)

THE GIFT OF BATTLE (Book #17)

THE SURVIVAL TRILOGY

ARENA ONE: SLAVERSUNNERS (Book #1)

ARENA TWO (Book #2)

THE VAMPIRE JOURNALS

TURNED (Book #1)

LOVED (Book #2)

BETRAYED (Book #3)

DESTINED (Book #4)

DESIRED (Book #5)

BETROTHED (Book #6)

VOWED (Book #7)

FOUND (Book #8)

RESURRECTED (Book #9)

CRAVED (Book #10)

FATED (Book #11)

Listen to THE VAMPIRE JOURNALS series in audio book format!

Copyright © 2011 by Morgan Rice

All rights reserved. Except as permitted under the U.S. Copyright Act of 1976, no part of this publication may be reproduced, distributed or transmitted in any form or by any means, or stored in a database or retrieval system, without the prior permission of the author.

This ebook is licensed for your personal enjoyment only. This ebook may not be re-sold or given away to other people. If you would like to share this book with another person, please purchase an additional copy for each recipient. If you’re reading this book and did not purchase it, or it was not purchased for your use only, then please return it and purchase your own copy. Thank you for respecting the hard work of this author.

This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, businesses, organizations, places, events, and incidents either are the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictionally. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, is entirely coincidental.

"Is it physical

To walk unbraced and suck up the humors

Of the dank morning? What, is Brutus sick,

And will he steal out of his wholesome bed

To dare the vile contagion of the night?"

--William Shakespeare, Julius Caesar

Table Of Contents

Chapter One

Chapter Two

Chapter Three

Chapter Four

Chapter Five

Chapter Six

Chapter Seven

Chapter Eight

Chapter Nine

Chapter Ten

Chapter Eleven

Chapter Twelve

Chapter Thirteen

Chapter Fourteen

Chapter Fifteen

Chapter Sixteen

Chapter Seventeen

Chapter One

Caitlin Paine always dreaded her first day at a new school. There were the big things, like meeting new friends, the new teachers, learning new hallways. And there were the small things, like getting a new locker, the smell of a new place, the sounds it made. More than anything, she dreaded the stares. She felt that everyone in a new place always stared at her. All she wanted was anonymity. But it never seemed meant to be.

Caitlin couldn’t understand why she was so conspicuous. At five foot five she wasn’t especially tall, and with her brown hair and brown eyes (and normal weight) she felt she was average. Certainly not beautiful, like some of the other girls. At 18, she was a bit older, but not enough to make her stand out.

There was something else. There was something about her that made people look twice. She knew, deep down, that she was different. But she wasn’t exactly sure how.

If there was anything worse than a first day, it was starting in mid-term, after everyone else already had time to bond. Today, this first day, in mid-March, was going to be one of the worst. She could feel it already.

In her wildest imagination, though, she never thought it would be this bad. Nothing she had ever seen—and she had seen a lot—had prepared her for this.

Caitlin stood outside her new school, a vast New York City public school, in the freezing March morning, and wondered, Why me? She was way underdressed, in just a sweater and leggings, and not even remotely prepared for the noisy chaos that greeted her. Hundreds of kids stood there, clamoring, screaming, and shoving each other. It looked like a prison yard.

It was all too loud. These kids laughed too loud, cursed too much, shoved each other too hard. She would have thought it was a massive brawl if she didn’t spot some smiles and mocking laughter. They just had too much energy, and she, exhausted, freezing, sleep-deprived, couldn’t understand where it came from. She closed her eyes and wished it would all go away.

She reached into her pockets and felt something: her ipod. Yes. She put her headphones in her ears and turned it up. She needed to drown it all out.

But nothing came. She looked down and saw the battery was dead. Perfect.

She checked her phone, hoping for some distraction, anything. No new messages.

She looked up. Looking out at the sea of new faces, she felt alone. Not because she was the only white girl—she actually preferred that. Some of her closest friends at other schools had been black, Spanish, Asian, Indian—and some of her meanest frenemies had been white. No, that wasn’t it. She felt alone because it was urban. She stood on concrete. A loud buzzer had rang to admit her into this recreational area, and she had had to pass through large, metal gates. Now she was boxed in—caged in by massive metal gates, topped by barbed-wire. She felt like she’d gone to prison.

Looking up at the massive school, bars and cages on all the windows, didn’t make her feel any better. She always adapted to new schools easily, large and small—but they had all been in suburbia. They had all had grass, trees, sky. Here, there was nothing but city. She felt like she couldn’t breathe. It terrified her.

Another loud buzzer sounded and she shuffled her way, with hundreds of kids, towards the entrance. She was jostled roughly by a large girl, and dropped her journal. She picked it up (messing up her hair), and then looked up to see if the girl would apologize. But she was nowhere to be seen, having already moved on in the swarm. She did hear laughter, but couldn’t tell if it was directed at her.

She clutched her journal, the one thing that grounded her. It had been with her everywhere. She kept notes and drawings in every place she went. It was a roadmap of her childhood.

She finally reached the entrance, and had to squeeze in just to walk through. It was like entering a train at rush hour. She had hoped it would be warm once she got inside, but the open doors behind her kept a stiff breeze blowing down her back, making the cold even worse.

Two large security guards stood at the entrance, flanked by two New York City policemen, in full uniform, guns conspicuously at their side.

KEEP MOVING! commanded one of them.

She couldn’t fathom why two armed policemen would have to guard a high school entrance. Her feeling of dread grew. It got much worse when she looked up and saw that she’d have to pass through a metal detector with airport-style security.

Four more armed policemen stood on either side of the detector, along with two more security guards.

EMPTY YOUR POCKETS! snapped a guard.

Caitlin noticed the other kids filling small plastic containers with items from their pockets. She quickly did the same, inserting her ipod, wallet, keys.

She shuffled through the detector, and the alarm shrieked.

YOU! snapped a guard. Off to the side!

Of course.

All the kids stared as she was made to raise her arms, and the guard ran the handheld scanner up and down her body.

Are you wearing any jewelry?

She felt her wrists, then her neckline, and suddenly remembered. Her cross.

Take it off, snapped the guard.

It was the necklace her grandmother gave her before she passed, a small, silver cross, engraved with a description in Latin which she never had translated. Her

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