Wednesday, October 19, 2011

Eyes to See by Joseph Nassise Review with Giveaway!


Description:
In an urban fantasy that charts daring new territory in the field, Jeremiah Hunt has been broken by a malevolent force that has taken his young daughter and everything else of value in his life: his marriage, his career, his reputation. Desperate to reclaim what he has lost, Hunt finally turns to the supernatural for justice. 
Abandoning all hope for a normal life, he enters the world of ghosts and even more dangerous entities from beyond the grave. Sacrificing his normal sight so that he can see the souls of the dead and the powers that stalk his worst nightmares, Hunt embarks upon a strange new career—a pariah among the living; a scourge among the dead; doomed to walk between the light of day and the deepest darkness beyond night. 
His love for his departed daughter sustains him when all is most hopeless, but Hunt is cursed by something more evil than he can possibly imagine. As he descends into the maelstrom of his terrifying quest, he discovers that even his deepest fears are but prelude to yet darker deeds by a powerful entity from beyond the grave…that will not let him go until it has used him for its own nefarious purposes.
First line in the book:
I gave up my eyes in order to see more clearly. 
 With the cover, blurb and that line, I expect you are thinking this is just a total horror fest with lots of gore. Actually you would be wrong. I mean, there is some horror (but not in a overwhelmingly keep you up at night kind), lots of ghosts, and a little gore, but really it is more about a man's obsession into what happened to his missing daughter. And what he is willing to do to get her back. It is actually at times an emotional read and you do get involved with his search and desperation despite the fact that at times he is a jerk to other people.

Within the main story, the plot shifts back and forth to what happened in his past and his present. The shift is to allow you to gain more insight as to what brought him here to the moment and why he makes his decisions. It is not abrupt as each chapter is labeled then and now. Sometimes the shift was frustrating for me only because I wanted to know more. However, I agree with the decision in the end and was glad that not too much information was provided because it would be overload at times. I also found the way he dealt with his blindness interesting. He was not totally blind as he was gifted with a form of sight in total darkness. He also had a way of sensing things so he could often manage being independent. He also saw ghosts and "others" as well as the gifted. Those that could also do otherworldly things but were human otherwise.

Hm... I don't want to say more as this book is a good puzzle. All information is given to you and you do figure things out before the characters. However, you know they have knowledge you lack and so you aren't sure how the ending will play out. Therefore, I give this ghost mystery 4 stars. I really enjoyed this read. Oh and for those wanting a bit of romance, let me say that you do get a hint of one. It is sweetly done and could continue if this book becomes a series.

Note from the author taken from the comments below:
Just wanted to say thanks for all the kind words and enthusiasm over EYES TO SEE. I enjoyed writing it and I hope fans enjoy reading it. I'd characterize it as dark urban fantasy before I'd say horror, but there are some chilling scenes and, as has been noted, a little bit of romance. (There's a bit more of the later in KING OF THE DEAD, the sequel that's due out next year...)
-Joe
Giveaway!
Tor books has allowed me to giveaway this book to one lucky international winner! Whee! Just fill out the rafflecopter form below! Good luck!
Oh, and PS... there is even a witch in the book for those on team witch! ;)



51 comments:

  1. Damn it's early ... my eyes look pretty much like the ones of that guy on the cover ... where are the matches so my eyelids stay open?

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  2. I'm not sure if I'd give up my eyes to see the souls of the dead but it would be kinda cool to see the dead.

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  3. That cover so rocks. How does one see more clearly without eyes? Clearly I need to read the book to find out :)

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  4. This sounds so creepy. I was reading your review thinking "if only there was romance in it" (I'm a sucker for romance!) and then at the end you said there was some, so I'm sold. Thanks for the giveaway! :)

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  5. That first line (I gave up my eyes in order to see more clearly.) is awesome. That would suck me right in. :)

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  6. Loved your review! I love the cover of this book! Plus, I love puzzles!!

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  7. Wow looks great :O

    Thanks for the giveaway!~ :D

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  8. Ok, the cover of this book is kind of terrifying, and for that reason alone I'd love to read it! Thanks!

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  9. Great review. The cover of the book caught my eye online a while back. I can't wait to check it out.

    ~Kayla
    kcrochet002@gmail.com

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  10. Maelstrom - A wonderful world.

    A scary cover though, don't you think?

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  11. OMG this book sounds so amazing! It hooked me with that first line! I cannot wait to read it! Good job finding it! And thanks so much for the contest! :)

    Ammy Belle
    apereiraorama @ gmail . com
    http://lateintothenight.blogspot.com/

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  12. thanks for the giveaway.
    the cover hooked me in too ^^ i like the guy in it.
    the story sounds interesting and your review makes me curious.

    witchvela at web dot de

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  13. I am going to have to buy this book!

    Seriously the cover rocks, the story sounds amazing, and you loved it :)

    Oh and Team Witch thanks you for the shout out LOL

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  14. I have heard wonderful things about this book and the premise is sooo original! I've had it on my wishlist for a while now and I would love to be able to read it :)

    Thanks for the awesome post and giveaway!

    efender1 AT gmail DOT com

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  15. I've never heard of this before, but I ADORE the cover art! So unique!

    Amanda
    hippiesbeautyandbooksohmy@gmail.com

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  16. "I knew a man by sight,
    A blameless wight,
    Who, for a year or more,
    Had daily passed my door,
    Yet converse none had had with him." ~Henry David Thoreau

    phaedracamille@gmail.com

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  17. Creativity eh? Wanna see be solve a rubiks cube in 30 seconds? 1...2...3...4...5...6..done! Wow - 6 seconds, new personal best! ;-)

    Mel S

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  18. Like! This idea is great!!! Thanks for the giveaway

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  19. Now I love that cover and I REALLY like the sounds of this one too! :) Thank you for the wonderful review.

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  20. Oh I really like the cover, it's really intriguing ! It sounds like a nice mystery. Thanks I'm vey curious about it now !
    Thanks too for the great giveaway !

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  21. This is SERIOUSLY the creepiest cover EVER!!!!!

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  22. I thought I had seen creepy covers but those eyes will haunt me! o_O

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  23. I really really love that cover! urban fantasy is my favorite :)

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  24. This one sounds good. Love the cover too! Thanks for the giveaway!

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  25. I love it when a book is mysterious and require you to puzzle through things. Keeps you on your toes!

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  26. how much wood can a wood chuck chuck if a wood chuck could chuck pick a pack of pickled peppers if peter pipper picked a pack of pickled peppers with a pickled wood chuck chuck =) lol

    GFC Follower: SpadesHighReads

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  27. *ahem* Im sexy and i know it! *cough*.. cant get that song out of my head, sorry

    this book looks awesome! although the steamy stuff coming from his eyes kinda reminds me of hellboys horns for some reason..

    alainala AT hotmail DOT ca

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  28. GAH! That cover and that first line is CHILLING!

    I think I'd be able to understand his jerkyness, especially because he sound so full of despair. And the puzzle of the mystery sounds really interesting.

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  29. The book sounds creepy. Please enter me in contest. Tore923@aol.com

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  30. this sounds fabulous!! Thanks for posting about it.

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  31. It's not a total horror fest with lots of gore? Darn it!

    That first like is quite mysterious and appealing.

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  32. I like books that are a good puzzle and also are about ghost mysteries.
    nicolesender(at)yahoo(dot)com

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  33. I do love a little witch thank you.

    marypres(AT)gmail(DOT)com

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  34. Noting can compare the love of parents to their kids! the story is intriguing...the cover looks creepy....but reading the synopsis at least its related to the story!!! I hope i win this book!!! or Goodluck to all of us who ever wins the book!! ^_^
    nylesor85 at yahoo dot com

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  35. Thank you for the chance to win Eyes To See! :)

    Cherry Mischievous

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  36. Boy, from that blurb I wouldn't have a clue what the book is about. After your review I'm just a little clearer. I like paranormal/UF and mysteries, so it sounds intriguing.

    acm05atjuno.com

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  37. Thanks for clearing up the book for me! With that cover (shivers) and the blurb, I, too, thought it would be more horror. I'm very glad that you gave such a detailed review so I know what to expect. I definitely still want to read it, though:)

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  38. Just wanted to say thanks for all the kind words and enthusiasm over EYES TO SEE. I enjoyed writing it and I hope fans enjoy reading it. I'd characterize it as dark urban fantasy before I'd say horror, but there are some chilling scenes and, as has been noted, a little bit of romance. (There's a bit more of the later in KING OF THE DEAD, the sequel that's due out next year...)

    -Joe

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  39. @Joseph... SWEET! I can't wait to read that one and I'm SO glad the romance continues!!!

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  40. Wow looks great :O

    Thank you for the chance to win Eyes To See! :

    roro at roro is reading

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  41. I'm not sure about this book. While the plot does sound interesting I just can't read book in which bad things happen to kids and the mention of his daughter being taken makes me nervous. I think I'll hold off on this one for now.

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  42. This sounds really interesting. Thanks for the giveaway!

    chibipooh(at)gmail(dot)com

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  43. I really like the sound of this book. On one hand it sounds heartbreaking and on the other exciting, because of the world-building. It's a combination that I wouldn't expect.

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  44. Being a daddy's girl, I'm always interested in reading books or watching movies in which a father goes to great lengths due to his love for his daughter. This sounds like another one I would love to read.

    Thanks for the giveaway:)

    Sarah

    sarah.setar@gmail.com

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  45. The cover looks pretty creepy. I don't know if I'm brave enough to read this:)

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  46. Feel the wrath of an angry father huh? I agree the cover is creepy but just my kind of creepy.
    Pabkins @ Mission to Read

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  47. Wow, sacrificing your own eyesight? That's pretty heavy. I don't know if I could do that!

    Thanks for the giveaway!

    darlenesbooknook at gmail dot com

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  48. This cover has just the right amount of creepiness to draw me to it, without leaving me with nightmares. Lol. It sounds very interesting.

    Sara M
    sara_UFblog [at] yahoo [dot] com

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  49. I love the cover! The book sounds interesting enough for me to add it to my to-read list. The first sentence is what makes me want to read it the most...

    bymyself.g at gmail dot com

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  50. That's an intriguing idea for a book. I can't imagine giving up my eyesight for anything, but then if your child was involved... maybe. Sounds very scary!

    Thank you for the chance to win!
    methom@earthlink.net

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