Reveal ( Cryptid Tales Book #1 )

I seriously enjoyed Both Reveal and Capture! So glad I was able to join in this blog hop and now share this series with you! This Blog hop is for Capture, But if you are like I was.. you may not have read Reveal yet! 

So First. A review of Book # 1 :) 

Shay Tafford's childhood has been fatherless, filled instead with memories of speaking to those who have passed on. She does this while hiding her unique ability from those living around her. She can't tell her best friend, or her brother, and she definitely can't confide in her psychologist mother for fear of her mom locking her up.That's why it's been comforting to have Jeremy, a seventy year old child ghost, as her confidante. But recently he's been absent, perhaps lost as her father is. When Shay meets Hugh, the boy she's had a crush on for weeks, and finds he can speak to ghosts too she's just starting to find a normalcy in her life. But as Hugh reveals the truth to Shay, about who she really is and about what it is she can do, he erases all chances she had at a normal existence. Turns out talking to ghosts is just scratching the surface of her genetically engineered gifts. Shay learns she may be part of an age old prophecy that could save an entire race of beings. But can she?

Now there is the threat of an attack from a dark force with unlimited power and she must decide if she accepts her fate as a part of the prophecy. Can Shay and Hugh defeat this evil and save the people they love, before they too are lost forever?

 Let's look at the cover first.. can you say Eerie ? Dark and intense, and really gives you a feel for the story. It also matches up with the story really well! Shay's Favorite Color is purple, and her eyes slowly turn yellow/gold throughout the story. It also has a haunting feel to it. We know from the books description that Shay can talk to ghosts! So I feel like the cover Really suits the book. 


So when reading the description of Reveal, I thought " Oh cool! A "Ghost story" " As it only hints at the added supernatural aspect to come. I feel like. readers should maybe be given a little bit more info about what is to come... 

Cryptids: Part Human, part animal. Hugh is part of a particular race that can can shift into a cat, as well as use other special abilities such as hearing or seeing ghosts. Shay soon learns she is part of this "cryptid race" as well, which is what gives her the ability to see and speak with ghosts. Hugh kinda springs this on her.. in a.. not so endearing way lol.. So I was a bit on the fence about how much I really liked him.. then again, I think Shay felt this way as well!

I loved this unique take on shapeshifters ! At first I thought it was just going to be about your average shapeshifters. People who can shift into different animals. Cat's, Dogs, Birds.. ect.. but we soon find out Shay and Hugh's race is just one of many! 

Brina Courtney shares with readers a  vibrant story about a girl coming to terms with who and what she really is. While keeping us on our toes with exciting twists and interesting knowledge about Ghosts and cryptids! 


There were few different sides to this story. One part of the story is based about the Ghosts, One around Cryptids, and one around the scientific aspect of it all. A few times I felt like I was reading 3 different stories at once. But then it pulls itself together and blends into this intense story that I couldn't get enough of. 

 There were very few things that bothered me. Such as feeling like I was reading multiple stories, and the fact that I wanted a little bit more knowledge on scientific aspect of the story. 


I think that this series has been greatly overlooked because it is not backed by some big publishing company. But I see it's awesome potential and I believe others will as well! 

I hope that more people read and share this story and give it the spot light that it deserves!

Rating: 4/5

Now that I have you hooked- hop over to my Review of Capture ( Book #2 ) and enter to win a ebook copy of BOTH Reveal AND Capture ! :D HERE