Order of Seven


Young Adult - Paranormal
248 Pages
Reviewed on 08/03/2016
Buy on Amazon

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Author Biography

BETH TELIHO is a multi award-winning author and artist who lives in Texas with her husband, two adventurous sons, and a veritable menagerie of pets. Restless in the mundane, she writes about the abnormal, paranormal and otherwise fantastical because that’s what quickens her heartbeat. She laughs at inappropriate jokes and prefers spicy food and margaritas to almost anything. One day, she hopes to live in a treehouse with at least seven cats.

    Book Review

Reviewed by Michelle Stanley for Readers' Favorite

Beth Teliho’s Order of Seven is a paranormal mystery for young adults. Devi Bennett is an eighteen-year-old, highly strung girl who yearns to know who her birth parents are. She and her albino brother, Nodin, know they are different from most people and possess special powers. Devi has constant dreams of African tribal ceremonies that she feels are connected to her, and gets energy and visions from a special tree. When Nodin’s friends, Ben and Baron, visit, the four realize how different their powers are and wonder why they are being brought together by an unknown entity. Devi is warned not to stay close to Baron because their combined powers can be harmful, while a stranger attempts to unblock her thoughts.

Order of Seven is a thrilling story that brings together a group of young people who have special paranormal gifts that bond them together. It is very suspenseful, has a continuous flow of engaging banter, especially from Devi who has a sharp tongue, and is an exciting adventure steeped in spirituality with a bit of romance. Beth Teliho writes in a skillful manner, developing a wonderful story that includes a set of diverse characters with distinctive traits. Order of Seven is a bit more creative than a few paranormal stories that I have read and I liked it a lot. It also has a nice ending that suggests there could be another adventure for the group. Young adults will find Beth Teliho’s book interesting and it is highly recommended.

Mandi Castle

Rich in description, this book takes your imagination on a sensual journey allowing you to see, taste, hear, and FEEL the plot. It's hard to believe this is Beth Teliho's FIRST novel. When I came to the line in the introduction: "But there's another reason we want to explore our roots: our paranormal abilities," I was hooked. I sat leaning over my kindle devouring each enticing word from this talented new writer. Normally a book with such detail would become mundane and boring, but the writing drew me in and didn't let me stop until the very last word, and when I read that word, I sighed because I didn't want it to end.

She gave me history, archaeology, fantasy, romance, suspense, and wonder all wrapped in a beautifully told story that spans across Texas, Oklahoma, Peru, and Africa (with sprinkles of other cultures as well). The intense research that must have gone into this novel along with the real and believable characters kept me hungry for more, and the ending...well, no spoilers.

Devi is a strong lead female character who's still strikingly delicate. Sometimes she is angry and hostile but other times, she shows such endearing empathy. I liked her because she is real and natural, and I found myself cheering in her corner more than once. Plus, she has a little feisty in her. Who doesn't love a girl who says what she thinks sometimes?

Then there's Baron, just another book boyfriend to add to my list. Tall, dark, handsome...and not at all in the cliche way. He's kind and warm but bold and sexy, with tattoos and a beard. Hold on while I wipe up my drool. Oh, and he's basically a superhero...no big deal.

Aminata Mara

This was by far one of my favorite books of 2015. I haven't read anything this unique in a LONGGGGGG time. This book is a gem, as a reader it makes me happy that I can tell how much this author put into writing this. A lot of YA fantasy books recycle plots then add sprinkles and change character names. This book is like the lovechild of the amazing race, my highschool anthropology class and one of my grandparents favorite African movies. Beth Teliho didn't cut any corners. The history, culture and amount of detail she put into the backstory for the characters and their powers was beyond refreshing. This is a great debut and I can't wait to read more of her work in the future.

My favorite aspects of this book:

1. The romance in this book was perfect. I'm not going to spoil anything but nothing about Devi and Baron felt rushed, unrealistic or cheesy. The way their powers tied into one another's made the relationship even better.

2. Nodin and Devi's relationship as siblings was adorable. The way they look out for one another and even irk each others nerve's throughout the book was spot on. I could see moments I've had with my big sister in a lot of their interactions so it made everything extremely relatable.

3. The powers in this book are so cool and different. The way dreams and prophecies tie in, the way their powers can enhance someone else's powers, the reason the order of seven exists...... I could go on forever. There are so many unique aspects in this book. The imagery used to describe the powers was so realistic that I had to take a second out of my day to see if I could manipulate energy (I can't)

4. Diversity. My family is African so that was the first thing about this book that drew me in. I was like someone is finally getting into African culture and all of the crazy magic/voodoo/spirits/powers that make African culture and beliefs so different. It doesn't stop there, the Order is made up of members from ALL over the world. There will be a character you relate to in some way or form. Beth also throws in some links to archaeological mysteries that will leave any history fiends doing happy dances. She never misses an opportunity to go above and beyond with a detail and it's great to read along and feel like you're also having a quick learning experience.

5. With some books the dialogue feels like the author thought of every corny thing teenagers wouldn't say and threw it into the convos but Order of Seven is perfect. Theres enough humor and suspense to keep every reader engaged from start to finish. The ending will leave you staring at the page for a day or two waiting for more words to magically appear.

Not only is she a great writer but she is sooooooo nice and laid back. I'm pretty sure I was fangirling in her Twitter mentions like this book was a new Justin Bieber CD when I finished reading and she laughed along with me instead of thinking I was crazy. Anything you can think of this book has probably weaved in flawlessly. Ghosts? You've got it! Animal lover? You've got it! Tree lover? It's in there too! Edge of your seat suspense? Plot twists? Unpredictable plot?
Culture and crazy creativity? It's ALL there, so do yourself a favor and read this book! You won't regret it.

Ignore the Mess

Reminiscent of Hunger Games and Divergent this book feels as if Percy Jackson and a Wrinkle in Time conceived a beautiful love child. This riveting story (That I am going to desperately try and keep from giving any spoilers for, even though I am anxious to discuss it!) from Beth Teliho grabs you and takes you for a wild ride, then gently grasps your heart for a squeeze while leaving you breathless and desiring more. Never a dull moment, this book manages to keep the suspense without seeming contrived and unnatural. The twists are delightfully shocking, and yet seem perfectly logical and fit perfectly in the narrative. Instead of portraying young adults as shallow and irresponsible, the author has created characters that are admirable and, while fallible, are the type of people you want to be friends with. The main character is a cursing and slightly rambunctious college student you will fall in love with. Teliho's timing is impeccable and this impressive first novel is just a mere stepping stone into what promises to be an enchanting series.

MacQueen

I don't even know where to begin with this story. I read a ton of books and have been getting YA exhausted so I hesitated before starting to read this. I had just started four different books and then stopped them because I couldn't focus - not because they weren't good books. So, I decided to give a fifth a try, assuming I'd read a few chapters then my mind would want to be elsewhere. Well, I read a few chapters and then a few more. By the time my brain urged me to stop, it wasn't because I wanted to stop reading, only because it was 2AM and I had to be up in 5 hours with a 2 year old.

So, it's safe to say I loved it. I can actually imagine this story being an ancient tribal legend. The amount of research it must have taken is astounding. I fell in love with Devi and her boys almost immediately. They each have their own attributes that make them great and flaws that make them human.

I've read a lot of books about people with powers, but none quite like this.