Skip to main content

REVIEW: ORDER OF VESPERS BY ELYSE REYES (DEBUT AUTHOR!)


 As we count down to Halloween and Day of the Dead this week,
The Latina Book Club will bring you some “dark and intriguing” books to stay up late with,   
including this debut novel by Elyse Reyes.   

Happy Reading.  And always, Read Latino!  



Hey Jude
Don’t make it bad
Take a sad song and make it better
….
And anytime you feel the pain, hey Jude, refrain
Don't carry the world upon your shoulders
              “Hey Jude” by The Beatles


This is an exciting and dramatic debut from new author Elyse Reyes.  Her young adult novel – ORDER OF VESPERS – is a coming of age novel about a teen with extraordinary powers who was unable to save her family from destruction. Now she must learn to harness her powers in order to save her world. Who is Jasper really? What is she? Why is she stuck going in circles in an inferno of her own? And why is the mysterious Order so interested in controlling her powers?

ORDER OF VESPERS is well-written with lots of intriguing twists that keep readers guessing and a smart mouth heroine who is as unpredictable and she is appealing. Reyes’ new legion of fans eagerly await book 2!


Book Summary:   Jasper Andrews is in over her head. God and the Devil have disappeared from Earth, leaving humanity without hope. Il Separatio, the Entity of Neutrality, tries to restore peace through the intervention of its children, the Order of Vespers. They are tasked with maintaining the balance between light and dark, ensuring that no faction becomes too powerful. They think Jasper is the key to harnessing the power of Il Separatio, protecting the Vespers and maintaining the balance.

Eighteen-year-old Jasper Andrews finds herself drawn into this superhuman world when a freak explosion exposes her to groups interested in secret abilities. When her family is killed under unbelievable circumstances, Jasper is the only suspect. She flees police custody and heads to New York City to lose herself in the crowds. Jasper wants revenge, but being chased by the police and superhuman bad guys, slows her down. While she’s in hiding Jasper becomes more volatile; she begins manifesting traces of her siblings’ abilities and begins to lose control. The Order of Vespers has decided she’s too dangerous and too important to leave unguarded and capture her. Before she can escape, the killers strike again, this time taking children directly connected to the Order. Jasper is forced to choose between her vendetta and the lives of the Vespers and humanity.


About the Author: Elyse Reyes grew up in the Bronx, NYC, lived in Los Angeles and now resides in south Florida. She has played every role possible in the non-profit world: environmental justice advocate, researcher, special education teacher, recruiter for an MPA program, program director for a lupus organization, and nonprofit consultant. She believes life is about having experiences that will make great stories. Twist her arm hard enough and she'll try just about anything once. As a writer, Elyse is obsessed with pithy dialogue and dry humor. She dabbles in different genres including: new adult, paranormal, urban fantasy, science fiction, bizarre, and non-fiction. Her major influences are diverse. Kevin Smith, Jon Stewart, Chris Hardwick, Jim Butcher, Karen Marie Moning, Christopher Moore, Brent Weeks, and Chuck Wendig are current favorites. Elyse loves chatting with her readers, so once you finish one of her novels, please leave a review, follow her on Twitter and Facebook, and drop her a line. Visit Elyse at http://www.elysereyes.com.


READ LATINO.