Impact

The Dean Curse Chronicles - Book 3

Young Adult - General
228 Pages
Reviewed on 08/03/2014
Buy on Amazon

This author participates in the Readers' Favorite Free Book Program, which is open to all readers and is completely free. The author will provide you with a free copy of their book in exchange for an honest review. You and the author will discuss what sites you will post your review to and what kind of copy of the book you would like to receive (eBook, PDF, Word, paperback, etc.). To begin, click the purple email icon to send this author a private email.

This author participates in the Readers' Favorite Book Review Exchange Program, which is open to all authors and is completely free. Simply put, you agree to provide an honest review an author's book in exchange for the author doing the same for you. What sites your reviews are posted on (B&N, Amazon, etc.) and whether you send digital (eBook, PDF, Word, etc.) or hard copies of your books to each other for review is up to you. To begin, click the purple email icon to send this author a private email, and be sure to describe your book or include a link to your Readers' Favorite review page or Amazon page.

This author participates in the Readers' Favorite Book Donation Program, which was created to help nonprofit and charitable organizations (schools, libraries, convalescent homes, soldier donation programs, etc.) by providing them with free books and to help authors garner more exposure for their work. This author is willing to donate free copies of their book in exchange for reviews (if circumstances allow) and the knowledge that their book is being read and enjoyed. To begin, click the purple email icon to send this author a private email. Be sure to tell the author who you are, what organization you are with, how many books you need, how they will be used, and the number of reviews, if any, you would be able to provide.

    Book Review

Reviewed by Brenda Casto for Readers' Favorite

Impact by Steven Whibley is another page turning, edge of your seat adventure in The Dean Curse Chronicles. Dean Curse still isn't comfortable with the gift that allows him to see visions of death twenty-four hours before it occurs. His two best friends, Lisa and Colin, are right by his side though, helping him in whatever way they can. When the trio is finally invited to meet the other members of the Congregatio de Sacrificio, they are accepted by most, but a few members are far from welcoming, questioning whether Dean really has a place in the CS. When Dean and all of the other members experience a vision showing dozens of lives will be lost at the Abbotsford Air Show, it becomes a race against the clock to figure out what is going to happen and how to stop it. It is will take teamwork from the members of the CS if they are going to avert the disaster.

Crisp, vivid writing pulled me right into the scenes of Impact by Steven Whibley. I love the fast paced feel of this series. From the time a vision is revealed the countdown is on and I always feel like I am on the edge of my seat, wondering if they will beat the clock and save a life. Plenty of plot twists kept me glued to the pages, but it's the down to earth feel of the characters that makes for such an enjoyable read. Dean, Lisa and Colin are such a great trio; the author captures a realism with these characters that allows me to feel their emotional upheaval as they try to change the course of fate. Each character is unique. Dean is serious and often feels the burden of the "gift” or “curse," depending on how one looks at it. He is still haunted by a previous case and often blames himself if something goes wrong. Watching him grow and change as he meets others in the society allowed me to see what his character might become in the future. The relationship that seems to be developing with Riley is opening up another facet to his character. Lisa is very down to earth, and Colin is witty and never seems to take anything seriously. Learning more about the society and its members was quite interesting. Since he is the youngest member in the history of the society, I can't help but wonder how Dean is going to shake things up.

Another element to this story is the family dynamics. We see how Dean's parents are there for him and his sister, while odd, cares as well. A truly clean read that is geared toward teens and tweens, but this book will appeal to anyone who enjoys a fast paced read filled with mystery, suspense and an ending that satisfies but also leaves one longing for more!

Natasha Jackson

In the third installment of the Dean Curse Chronicles, Impact, Dean and his best friends, Lisa and Colin, will finally get a chance to meet the group of people who share with Dean the same power of premonition. In all the excitement to meet this elusive society, the gang doesn’t worry too much about missing the annual air show in Abbotsford. Well, at least they don’t mind until the entire group receives the same premonitory vision of death at the air show. The clock is ticking as Dean, his friends, and members of the Congregatio de Sacrifico from around the nation converge to stop the danger if they can and help in the aftermath if they cannot. Steven Whibley has proven himself a master of this genre, providing pulse-pounding excitement at every turn and creating likable mature characters.

What is so fantastic about Impact and the other Dean Curse Chronicles is that Dean, Colin and Lisa are a team, even though it is Dean with the premonitions, with which he still isn’t comfortable. Their friendship is the fabric of every story, every challenge and every danger they face. This time there’s no difference except they suspect that the Abbotsford air show tragedy may be an inside job. Steven Whibley doesn’t hold back on the danger or the tragedy in concession to the age of the characters or the readers and that makes it all the more compelling. It is comforting to know that the author treats Dean, his friends, and the readers with respect and doesn’t dumb down the story. He takes the hard route to the end and it is always unexpected and unexpectedly satisfying.

Bil Howard

Dean Curse is at it again in the third installment of The Dean Curse Chronicles. Steven Whibley’s Impact explodes into action as Dean, Colin and Lisa continue to attempt to figure out exactly what to do with Dean’s gift. Having been give the gift to see when and how someone is going to die after he has touched them, Dean is trying very hard to figure out how to deal with his role in saving people. The support of the CS or Congregatio de Sacrificio (Congregation of Sacrifice) is something that they all are looking forward to in order to be able to not only help explain, but help them deal with the burden of it all. Though well received by many in the CS, there are some who do not approve of their presence and one who seems to be just a little bit too interested in Dean. When a massive vision hits several dozen members of the CS, a major operation is put in order, gathering CS members and leaders from all over the West Coast. Will Dean and the CS be able to prevent the massive loss of life that is being predicted?

Once again, Steven Whibley has been able to draw us into the mind and emotions of a teen who is dealing with a gift that is both extraordinary and heavy to carry. In Impact,”the reader is drawn deeper into the inner struggle as Dean and his friends are trying to learn how to deal with the death of those whom they cannot save. In contrast to that, they begin to see the cold perspective of others who either seem to be immune to the horror or who are more focused on the politics of the CS than with the very personal struggle of death and preventing death. In this emotional, action-packed and triumphant read, you’ll feel the full force of Impact and either become or be drawn deeper into being a fan of Dean Curse. Excellent addition to an already top-notch series.

Maria Beltran

Impact, The Dean Curse Chronicles, Book Three, by Steven Whibley is about three friends - Dean, Colin and Linda. They may look like normal teenagers, but they share a power of premonition that can be considered both a blessing and a curse. They soon discover that there are others like them from other parts of the globe and look forward to meeting some members of a society called the Congregatio de Sacrifico. The meeting is set on the same day when their city hosts the Annual Abbotsford Air Show. What is supposed to be a social meeting turns into a heart-stopping turn of events when they simultaneously get visions of the dead and the injured that their city has never seen before. In the race to stop the bloodshed, they will discover that the impending disaster is being caused by somebody from within their ranks. The air show will start in twenty-four hours and the big question is can Dean Curse and his friends stop the impending carnage?

Impact is the third installment in The Dean Curse Chronicles series. Like the two previous installments, the author does not disappoint his readers. In this fast paced and entertaining story, the main protagonists, even though they have unusual gifts, have strengths and weaknesses that make them all too human. It is a novel that is easy to read and young adults can certainly empathize with Dean Curse and his friends. The plot is quite simple and straightforward and is presented in such a way that is both exciting and coherent. Easy to read and to follow, the author’s writing style is very effective, especially for his target market. This is very comprehensible material that should appeal to young readers as well as to readers of all ages. For those who want an enjoyable read, Impact, Book Three of The Dean Curse Chronicles, should be high on their list of must-read books.

Jack Magnus

Impact is the third book of The Dean Curse Chronicles, a young adult contemporary fantasy series, written by Steven Whibley. Dean and his two pals, Colin and Lisa, are pretty excited by the prospect of finally getting to meet some of the other members of the Congregatio de Sacrificio. Since Dean first received the gift of foreseeing another's imminent demise, the three of them have gotten better and better at deciphering the clues that have enabled them to save lives within the 24-hour window. In the previous books, when they tried to find out if others had the gift, they met Archer, who has since been their contact and guide within the organization. When Archer contacts them this time, he needs their help in averting the death of a Japanese woman who is visiting in the area, and whose death has been seen by another CS member. As they're leaving that scene, Dean has another vision, which is shared by others in the organization, and that vision is catastrophic.

The Dean Curse Chronicles just keeps getting better and better. Impact builds on the two preceding books and goes on from there to become a first-rate coming of age, psychological thriller. Dean, Colin and Lisa have had to grow up quite quickly since Dean was given the gift, and it's been hard at times for them to cope when a rescue just doesn't work. Dean's psychologist father is clueless about the gift but has helped, with the help of their therapist, Dr. Mickelson, to keep them grounded. In Impact, their world, and support network, is enlarged and expanded, and it's grand to watch as they become the newest members of the CS. What I really love about Impact in particular, and The Dean Curse Chronicles in general, is the mix of action and adventure with problem-solving and sleuthing. Impact is fast-paced and exciting and is a worthy successor to the preceding books in the series. Will there be a fourth Chronicle? I certainly hope so.