The Binding

'The Binding' is a simply outstanding read! I found myself on the edge of my seat as I anxiously flipped the page to see what would happen next with Ryan and Eliza. I have no negative comments other than that it ended entirely too quickly.

Looking forward to more,

-Andrea
A Perception of Dreams

My computer ate my comment, so let me just say how much I loved this story. Not only did I keep on reading, but I am going to back this FOREVER. There are no criticisms that I can offer, as the story is just that good for me. The characters were well thought out and the dialogue was good, and you had me flipping through the chapters like a beast to find out what a Binding was.

So please consider me your number one fan. Never has a story on this site caused me such heartache when I came to chapter 21, because I want more.

Cheers.
Marisa
Tower of Paradise

I read the 1st chapter and as soon as i have more time i am coming back to read every last chapter you have available to read..
This story is amazing and i have no doubt it will work its way up and end on the editors desk. It is captivating, full of description and lingering moments that suck you right in.
The story has a refreshing flow with a vivid storyline and fascinating characters. i want to keep reading but my husband is demanding i get off the computer.
great job and i look forward to reading more :)
Amanda

I'm on chapter 9 and I don't know what to say. I absolutely love this story! This story world you've built is phenominal I can almost see it as i read about it. If you post any more chapters let me know if it weren't for the time i'd keep reading right now. The only issue I really had was what Eliza kept calling her "emotions" sounded to me more like unrelenting lust. Eliza is witty and a joy to read about. Can't wait to find out ryan's secrets. :D
J.L.McMahon "Order and Chaos"

What can I say but "wow". Once again as a writer you show a talent in telling a tale with wit and witty comments that bring a smile to my face. I love Eliza's sassy attitude at her situation and yet the realization of what is taking place and how she choses to fight through it with determination and courage.

You created a MC's voice that is strong and lovable and the characters around her only add to the depth of the story.

I love it, will continue to love it and will demand more!

Sam,

I found your book on the lending library. I really like the flow of the prose. Eliza has a little spunk, which I like and she also shows a bit of the fear she is feeling leaving everything she knows.

I like the mystery surrounding Ryan, although I am not always convinced by Eliza being able to figure out he's lying. For example, his first excuse of being a traveller rather than a hunter: why did she think a hunter is a more realistic excuse? Why does she think he's lying? Perhaps she sees it in the way he casts his eys down, or an off note in his voice. I don't really get to see what Eliza is seeing and therefore why she detects he's lying. Same at the end of chapter 3.

I also don't understand why Eliza is so scared to tell him until chapter 3. I would prefer to have her sister's story earlier to better understand why she is where she is. Just a suggestion.

Other than a couple of editing notes, which are more choice than anything else I couldn't come up with anything else to say.

Overall I enjoyed it, it's well structured and the characters are believable (it is just the description around their dialogue that I think could be worked on).

I enjoyed it!

Danielle

Your very good at painting pictures for the reader to view.
I think I read this before but I'm not sure. it sounds familiar.
It appears to develop very well. Your characters and plot are thought out well.
The title is different.
Good job!

Shelby Z./Driving Winds

P.S. Please take a look at my pirate adventure Driving Winds, when you have time.

I found this wonderfully written. I loved the descriptions, the characterization, the narration. I found no fault in any of it. The storyline is great. The sense of mystery in this is enticing. I wish I had more to say, but all I can muster is "wow".

I wish you the best of luck with this.
Jennifer Killby - The Legend of the Travelers: Willow's Journey

An amusing, descriptive and well written book. Your writing style is very impressive, dialogue are realistic with vivid charachters and narrative is at great pace. Highly rated.

Just scan read the 12 chapters (I love fantasy) and this isn't a bad story. It's a bit predictable in the sense we've got a sassy, "strong", argumentative female MC - the lovesick best friend and the awkward yet attractive love interest, but it's got potential!
The curse is interesting. It brings in questions of free will, manipulation and desire, I like.
First person is really hard to pull off - there were far too many paragraphs that start with the word "I" ... "I slouched" "I watched" and so on - this is all the way through but really really obvious in chapter 12.
Also, it's a little ... flabby(?) In places, the imagery could be tightened and more succinct.
The MC has an appealing voice, indeed, the cast are quite well developed and the world building isn't bad at all. At the moment it's a 4 star story - but I really think this could be a 5!

Good luck with it.
DH

Okay... I just wanted to let you know... Originally, I backed The Binding based upon the first few chapters, with the intention of returning to read more... Well, once I got started I couldn't stop! ...And now I feel I must have more... So, more please?! I love your characters, your cities... and think you've done a great job developing the mythology/history behind it all. Overall, wonderful read! Thanks for it!

Heather

OMG!!!! Just finished chapter sixteen and I'm about to pee my pants!

Great writing, by the way.

SW
DEVIL WENT DOWN

I'm in the middle of chapter four and LOVING it! There are several typos, word omissions or substitutions, but none so disctracting to slow down the reading. The pace is excellent and characters engaging. The enigma presented and the whole concept of a binding has me intrigued and flipping pages. I suppose if I had one critique, it would be the relative casualness of the narrative voice. For some reason (and only at certain times) it doesn't jive with the setting/world created. Other than that, the writing is brilliant and quite addictive. ;-)

SW

Crap! I was hoping this would be awful and no competition whatsoever, but looks like I'm having a bad day. Of course, I'm not being chased by hungry bears.

Excellent writing, gripping and as comical as one can be in a dark, scary forest. Well done!

Your pitch is great, the idea of being bound to someone that you desire that then turns out to be a curse has drama written all over it, and I can tell by the comments below that the more the reader gets into this book, the better it becomes.
You create a good flow in your first chapter, lots of drama without dialogue is hard to achieve.
I only have one critisism: you seem to be setting up another world, loosely based on Medieval times, but then Eliza wants to look at a clock. The clock seems out of place.
This is a very enjoyable novel.

I really like your new cover art- much better than the other two.

Besides for the problems you had mentioned in the description, this is a wonderful story. You use words that fit, there's flow in your words, a nice balance between dialogue and description, and youre characters are quite delightful. I wasn't using a fine comb, but your grammar and spelling seemed correct.

This story didn't drag me in quite as quick as I hoped it would after reading the pitch. It was a pretty start, but lacked something vital. That came later and as this is a wip, forgiveable. The concept is a good one.

Loved the way you kept me in her pov by calling a human “it”.

The way you concluded the chapter was very well done. The chase and then those all important words. I just had to click on to read chapter two.

The characters are very likeable and it is a nice easy read. Ideal for the young adult romance genre you've slotted it under.

Review on Chapters 1 through 10 of ‘The Binding’

At this point, I am loving the story and cannot wait to see how Eliza’s curse keeps interfering and causing chaos. It’s a great concept and you display it very well throughout these Chapters. This is going to be sort of a mixed review, I will state things I loved, spots where I tripped while reading and how the Chapter and story was making me feel at that point. Hope this serves as some aid to your work with this story!

***Warning some Spoilers written below***

Chapter One ~
A few sentences caught me. Second Paragraph down “…me up [to] no end.” ((But keep in mind I am in US and you are UK so I do not know how much is different and this stuff could just be me ^_~ ))
“And bogs tended [to] not move around.”
I also want to suggest that possibly making her thoughts Italicized? Or perhaps to help make the “~Damn~ it was a person” be more expressive.
Awesome Chapter, great start.

Chapter Two ~
Love how you put plenty of the characters thoughts into this Chapter and the previous. It really helps connect me to the character at this point.

Chapter Three ~
“…hosting tropical wildlife…” Love it!
Loved how you kept showing how Ryan perceived her Binding influenced behavior. Falling back and placing the Ankle incident really added to this.
“…I had to stop myself [from] snorting…”

Chapter Four ~
Her nervousness about the situation was very clear in this Chapter. Well done!

Chapter Five ~
Love how she is struggling with even her thoughts and more panicked in this Chapter. It follows Chapter Four perfectly in stages of emotion. The button excuse was great!

Chapter Six ~
The scarf was a nice touch! And I love how you lead us in with the Ink and paper and then shy away from the assumption the reader would expect.

Chapter Seven ~
The phrase “Toy taken away and then given back” gave a great visual and tangible feel to the reader on the elbow scene. Great universal reference here!
Spooked horse incident was a nice touch with the Binding still in play at that!
In the bandaging section “Then I placed…” I think this would read more stout if you got rid of “Then” or “I”.
Check how often you used “Once”. For some reason I felt like I was reading that word a lot in this section. ((I have been fighting repetitiveness in my own writing ~ My WordCount program has helped a ton~ High recommend the program!))
“…candlelight it[s] edges…”
Love how subtle the “sweet prince” was added in this.

Chapter Eight ~
I was excited and pleased with the Bounty hunter concept. It was a good way of explaining many aspects already wondered about in the story as well as giving the reader a guarantee for excitement and extreme circumstances to come.

Chapter Nine ~
Love how in this Chapter that Eliza is struggling to have irrelevant thoughts and is clearly struggling with the Binding.

Chapter Ten ~
Love the Tantrum statement after becoming paralyzed~!
The one sleeping bag dilemma still not resolved is awesome. Brought a smile and giggle out of me.
The arrow hitting Eliza and ‘tasting’ was a great, sinister feel~!

STILL READING!

I will post 11 thru 20 once I am finished reading 19 and 20 >,< As long as the Husband and Toddler leave me be to do so!

Wonderful story Sam! Keep up the good work!

Valerie ^_~

Love the new Cover! ~ I will be sending you a review for Chapter 1 thru 10 in a moment... I found the notebook with that I was writing tidbits in finally LOL~!

This is very well written. I've only read two chapters so far, but this is going on my shelf and I will definitely be reading more. I will come back later and leave a proper review. Great job so far.

Kate
Fade

backed- very enthusiastically!! Please post more when you can!

I really enjoyed reading the first couple chapters! The story pulled me in right away
and I can't wait to keep reading. I think you have a very nice story line and I can't
wait to see what will happen next. I gave it a great rating and backed it :)

'The Binding' is a simply outstanding read! I found myself on the edge of my seat as I anxiously flipped the page to see what would happen next with Ryan and Eliza. I have no negative comments other than that it ended entirely too quickly.

Looking forward to more,

-Andrea
A Perception of Dreams

Yay! Another chapter! Can't wait for 24! I am well and truly hooked. I hope you write many, many more stories with such passion. This is so much fun to read!

Amy F. Virgin ~First Taste of Love

Thanks for telling me about chapter 22. another cliff hanger! Augh! Please let me know when 23 is up. Can't wait for more!

I just finished Chapter 1 and am enjoying it immensely! You do a great job of showing her emotions and using sounds and feelings to bring them to the forefront. That said, I would suggest maybe you find a stronger opening? Your first sentence didn't really grab me. Just a suggestion, though. I am enjoying it and cannot wait to read further! Especially liked the cliffhanger!

Wow, Sam!

Chapter 1:
Great initial setup: a concrete setting, glimpses into the MC’s spunky nature, an early hook to want to discover what she is running/hiding from. The action and visuals of the chase scene in the forest are tight. Great page-turning hook at the end of the chapter.

Chapter 2:
Izla’s disconnection from the experience of the inevitable binding works well. Her thoughts & resistance to it feel real, lifelike. You express the stakes very succinctly in just a few beautiful words. Excellent intro to the first sign of the curse with the involuntary touching & especially the “…leather and pine…” line. Love the “…male hellersbird in the mating season…” reference—very fitting to the scene! Great analogy with Ryan “binding” her ankle. Perfect. Once again, a page-turning ending to the chapter.

Chapter 3:
You handle the recurring temptations that the Binding brings like an expert. Each instance shows us Eliza’s involuntary reaction—and her struggle with it—without becoming repetitious. Great story device: using Eliza’s close, personal experience with Fiona’s unintended Binding to further show why Eliza detests the idea.
With the elements of the moon, the Goddess, and the monthly threat of the binding, I see a possible analogy to the fertility cycle? If so, good thinking. If unintentional, good job for letting the unconscious concept play out. ;)

Sam~
Your narrative is taut, your pacing is perfect, your descriptions are spot-on, and you have done an outstanding job of fleshing out Eliza. Honestly, I have no recommendations on how to improve the story through Chapter three. I am posting these initial thoughts for now. I will be back to read more & will add to this comment as I go.

Outstanding job! [Seriously.]

~Lucas
http://www.authonomy.com/books/41102/capritare-the-cycles-begin/

My computer ate my comment, so let me just say how much I loved this story. Not only did I keep on reading, but I am going to back this FOREVER. There are no criticisms that I can offer, as the story is just that good for me. The characters were well thought out and the dialogue was good, and you had me flipping through the chapters like a beast to find out what a Binding was.

So please consider me your number one fan. Never has a story on this site caused me such heartache when I came to chapter 21, because I want more.

Cheers.
Marisa
Tower of Paradise

I just read the first three chapters and this book is fantastic. If I hadn’t had so many books to review, I would have read on and on. You pitch is great, the first chapter is enthralling, and each chapter ends in such a way that it makes it irresistible to go on to the next. This should in my opinion be rated even higher on the charts that it is. A book as good as this deserves to be published. Thanks for the great read. I wish I had something more constructive to say but I just couldn’t find anything wrong!

I read the 1st chapter and as soon as i have more time i am coming back to read every last chapter you have available to read..
This story is amazing and i have no doubt it will work its way up and end on the editors desk. It is captivating, full of description and lingering moments that suck you right in.
The story has a refreshing flow with a vivid storyline and fascinating characters. i want to keep reading but my husband is demanding i get off the computer.
great job and i look forward to reading more :)
Amanda

Ungh. Chapter 21. Poor Ryan! Why can't Eliza just give in already? Seriously, how awful would it be to fall in love with him? I feel bad for Adam but it's obvious she's meant to be with Ryan. Silly, silly girl! Looking forward to the next chapter with baited breath. :)

i only read to chapter three but I loved the mention of the flowers and plants. It reminded me of my own story. I also liked that the one of the main character's is a teenage girl. I was a little confused by the title, but after reading the first chapter I discovered it's more of a romance story it made more sense. You used the five senses very nicely along with your descriptions. Overall a great story.

Good chapter. I like how things are coming together in Chapter 20. Interested to see how Eliza is connected to all this. I'm eager for chapter 21. :D Keep up the amazing writing!

I don't have anything constructive to say, Sam. This is superb, and I think you should publish it. I'm on chapter four and about to continue. Bravo! :)

Great characters, excellent plot and well-written. Backed and highly rated

Loved chapter 19. I'm starting to really like Ryan and getting annoyed with Eliza. I always suspected Adam was in love with Eliza. Too bad he didn't tell her before she got Bound. Looking forward to chapter 20. Keep up the fantastic story telling!

Amy F. Virgin ~First Taste of Love

i really like the storyline, it's unique, and interesting, vivid imagery. and fast-paced. this is exactly the type of novel i kept looking for but never actually find. i hope my eyes will be able to stand the strain i just can't stop reading this!

What an enchanting story.
Your writing flows and is fresh and easy to read.
Your characters stand out as different, yet they fit into the plot very well.
Your main idea is good too, a new slant in the romance section.
I found that I wanted to carry on reading as I got to the end of each chapter, as you left a nice hook to temp the reading into reading more.
A good read. You have my backing. Well done.

Ok, I've finally caught up, and I'm actually glad I had so much to read in one sitting!

Sam, this is a wonderful read - there are a couple of typos, but nothing that won't be picked up in a final edit, so I've not listed them.

The last couple of chapters have reverted back to using the expletive "Goddess" a lot - while it fits in some places, especially with Eliza's frustrations, it still jars me a little - but that could just be me.

I'm intrigued by the Adam thing, I get the impression taht he has feelings for Eliza too, and perhaps even wanted to be the one that she became bound to, but I could be jumping the gun there.

I'm afraid, other than the Goddess thing, I've got no criticisms, so not sure this will count as a crit... :p
Please don't leave me hanging here - when is Chapter 19 going to be up:

Read Chapter 18- Wow, Sam this keeps getting better and better! One possible editorial issue: "He raked my (his?) fingers though my hair..."- if not an editorial issues it just didn't make sense to me. Can't wait for more. Thanks Desi.

Whoo hoo! Definitely can't wait for the next chapter. Didn't actually see this coming. I can sleep well tonight. :) Thanks for chapter 18, Sam. Looking forward to what happens next. :D

Wow, I couldn't stop reading. You have great writing skills. Your words are liquid silver running across the page. it flowed so smoothly! I am giving you 6 stars, and putting you on my watchlist. Great job!

Sincerely,

D. S. Hale
Jessup and the Teleporter

I just finished chapter one and had to comment! Wonderful, if you had any doubts of your 1st person talents, wipe them away! Right from the start, you drew me in! I am definitely adding to my library! I just love your writing style and your character Eliza is my new best friend! A fellow daydreamer and entertaining gal, you have my vote! The "Binding" I cannot wait to find out what that is all about.....

A fellow author,
A.D.

"The Key- #1 of Anna Kippling Series"

Yay! Read chapter 17 and very excited to read more. I hope there's more soon. Love this book!

~A.F. Virgin ~ First Taste of Love

Loved chapter 16- I am glad that I finally got the time to read it. Can't wait for more. Desi.

Just finished the first chapter, and I must say I'm impressed! I'm usually not a fan of first-person, but the way this has been put together has intrigued me! I can't wait to read more. I love Eliza as a character, she seems flawed (in the good way, of course!) and realistic, so she's a very relatable character.

I was a tad confused at first as to the gender of the speaker, so perhaps mention her name a little earlier on, but that may just be personal preference. In all, a very entertaining read!

RK Summers

Oh my GOSH!!!! Chapter 16 left me breathless! I cannot believe this! Wow. Just... Wow!

Dang! Chapter 16. Okay...can't wait to see how Chapter 17 turns out. And if she's not bound to him...then what on earth is going on with her? ~L~ Hooked and eager for more.

Wow, great read! Backed and starred, can't wait to read more.

Coraline

Thanks for continuing to add chapters- like the new cover art too. Desi.

Ahh! More cliffhangers! Can't wait for chapter 16. :)

Hello, Sam! I finally managed to read through the first three chapters and wanted to leave my thoughts. Take or leave them at will.

Ch. 1
“I used to bring a small knife to protect myself, but once I’d seen it was impossible to get attacked here, I now didn’t bother.” – This reads funny to me, kind of stilted. Perhaps, “I used to bring a small knife to protect myself, but once I’d seen it was impossible to be attacked here, I quit bothering.”

“Reducing to crawling…” – should be “Reduced to crawling…”

Ch. 2
“I’d never hugged someone this tight since I was a little girl and wanted my mother’s comfort.” – I don’t feel like “never” is the right word here. If she’d never hugged someone that tightly before, then that’s what you should say. Otherwise, I think “hadn’t” would work well, as in, “I hadn’t hugged someone this tight since I was a little girl…”

“Giddy schoolgirl is not how I like to present myself, believe me.” I loved that bit! :)

Ch. 3
“If my cheeks got any hotter, I could start hosting tropical wildlife.” Funny! :)

“Ryan snatched my arm, drawing me against his torso before I would fall.” – I think “could” makes more sense here than “would.”

“The plot was thickening.” – I’m not sure you really need this line. It doesn’t really add anything to the story; the only purpose I can think of for the line is to illustrate Eliza’s deepening curiosity, but then you do that quite well two paragraphs later.

One thing I wondered about, and maybe you go into it more in later chapters, but Eliza seems to be strongly affected by the Binding almost immediately - wouldn't Ryan be feeling similar effects? Is this something that only one party feels or is it something they would both feel? It seems to me that both of them would be affected by it at the same time - if one is Bound to someone, then that person should feel it, too. If the original purpose of the spell was to ensure that people found their true loves, then wouldn't both people be affected?

I really enjoyed what I've read so far and I can't wait to get back to the rest of it...right after I manage to lose these darn shackles I seem to have stumbled into! :)

Hi Sam,

I finally got a chance to check out your book. Below are my findings. They are, of course, my humblest opinions.
Regarding your short pitch, I’m of the opinion that direct questions to readers is a bit hackneyed in pitches. It would be much more powerful to lead the reader to those questions with active, strong verbs. That might just be me, though.

In your long pitch:

There should be a comma after “For centuries”

Replace the semicolon with “a magic called the Binding…”

Curse shouldn’t be capitalized

Bound shouldn’t be capitalized

There’s a lot of excessive wordiness, such as “on one such night…” On what such night? Why not, “One night,”
Great premise, but I think this pitch could be scrubbed a little better.

Chapter one
In your first line,…”that night”…what night? So far we don’t know the context so this loses a lot of impact when we’re in the dark on what the narrator knows.

This opening paragraph, while great for the voice, isn’t an impactful opening” paragraph. We know nothing, so why do we care about what the moon was like on some random night? It’s too early for this.

“Cheered me up no end” should be to no end

“round my index finger” should be “around”

Great pacing and a great voice. You do a good job of establishing mood in this first chapter. My biggest suggestion is to give the reader some context earlier on, even if it’s a nibble.

If you get the chance, I’d love to hear your thoughts on my story, Deshay of the Woods. Please consider checking it out if you get the chance.

All the best,

Phil
(Deshay of the Woods

Ack! Don't leave me here! I HAVE to know what happens next! Good chapter. Looking forward to chapter 15. I'm completely hooked. I love how Eliza is learning to really take care of herself and Ryan is also turning out to really seem to care about her.