Book Review: The Eternal Ones (Kirsten Miller)

What if love refused to die?

Haven Moore can’t control her visions of a past with a boy called Ethan, and a life in New York that ended in fiery tragedy. In our present, she designs beautiful dresses for her classmates with her best friend Beau. Dressmaking keeps her sane, since she lives with her widowed and heartbroken mother in her tyrannical grandmother’s house in Snope City, a tiny town in Tennessee. Then an impossible group of coincidences conspire to force her to flee to New York, to discover who she is, and who she was.

In New York, Haven meets Iain Morrow and is swept into an epic love affair that feels both deeply fated and terribly dangerous. Iain is suspected of murdering a rock star and Haven wonders, could he have murdered her in a past life? She visits the Ouroboros Society and discovers a murky world of reincarnation that stretches across millennia. Haven must discover the secrets hidden in her past lives, and loves¸ before all is lost and the cycle begins again.

This book tested my patience in so many levels. I was constantly swinging between loving it and hating it, and it was not until the end that I realised it was all so very worth it. To say it's an engaging book is an understatement. The Eternal Ones will invoke readers to feel, think and try to guess all sorts of things.

Haven Moore is a protagonist I have not settled my mind about. She is like a swinging pendulum, constantly undecided and going back and forth about trusting, loving and believing. On the one hand, I think she is practical in keeping her walls up and not trusting Iain - the reincarnated Ethan - wholeheartedly until she finds the answers he cannot and will not give her. She is aware of her visions being only snippets and not the full picture of her past - and despite her yearning for him, she reserves her judgment on Iain until she finds those elusive answers. On the other hand, it seems rather stupid of her to trust fully someone else who she cannot recall at all nor is she related to, while not trusting Iain when she knows and feel their love and history. She wasn't a character easy to relate to, no. I could not imagine a toddler having visions from previous lives, let alone visions about a lover. Her reserved attitude and need for answers are believable, but her rationale and actions are sometimes questionable.

I was surprised to not have read much of Iain in this book. There is little characterisation on his part, and often times I found him overshadowed by the wonderful secondary characters - like Beau, Haven's best friend. I really would have liked to know more of Iain and to see more of Ethan in him too. He appears in crucial, defining moments but I felt the need for more romance. What Iain shared with Haven is brief but intense, and their connection well-played. The mystery and secrecy behind their relationship adds flavour to the romance, while the twists and turns that had me gaping is a good bonus.

The concept of reincarnation is fascinatiing to say the least, but The Eternal Ones takes that concept and wields it with mystery, romance and religion to become one bloody good book. I personally love how the characters connect with each other, and how they fit together in the greater scheme of things. It's worth noting that there are major religious undertones in this book. Haven springs from a small, close-knit and religious town in Tennesee and that, and her grandmother's religious fervor portrays a very realistic small town narrow-mindedness which I enjoyed reading. With the other half of the book being set in New York, the contrasts in the atmosphere and environment is well highlighted.

I had a small issue with the narrative. Don't get me wrong, the Eternal Ones is well-written, but I was not sure what the time frame was in the first few pages because the words used seem to indicate a usage in a different time. It took me some time to get used to it but when I did, it was a blessed relief. Although I thought the climax was not a climax at all, I can hardly complain - I really enjoyed this book. It ends in a way that is open and ready for the sequel.

Recommended!

Four stars.

* This book was received for review from UK Book Tours.

The Eternal Ones UK release promo

My internet has been patchy at best as of late, so this post should really have been posted earlier. Now my internet has been resurrected (Oh I do try to make up jokes and puns sometimes...), it's time for a little promo for the UK release of Kristen Miller's The Eternal Ones! I have yet to read this, but I am so very excited!

It was published by Razorbill on 19th August, but to those who have yet to read about it, here's the blurb, trailer and samplers for you. Enjoy!

The Eternal Ones (Kirsten Miller)


What if love refused to die?

Haven Moore can’t control her visions of a past with a boy called Ethan, and a life in New York that ended in fiery tragedy. In our present, she designs beautiful dresses for her classmates with her best friend Beau. Dressmaking keeps her sane, since she lives with her widowed and heartbroken mother in her tyrannical grandmother’s house in Snope City, a tiny town in Tennessee. Then an impossible group of coincidences conspire to force her to flee to New York, to discover who she is, and who she was.

In New York, Haven meets Iain Morrow and is swept into an epic love affair that feels both deeply fated and terribly dangerous. Iain is suspected of murdering a rock star and Haven wonders, could he have murdered her in a past life? She visits the Ouroboros Society and discovers a murky world of reincarnation that stretches across millennia. Haven must discover the secrets hidden in her past lives, and loves¸ before all is lost and the cycle begins again.






The Eternal Ones - Sampler #1

The Eternal Ones - Sampler #2

The Eternal Ones - Sampler #3

Thanks to Jenny @ Wondrous Reads for the all information! :)

Book Review: The Summer I Turned Pretty (Jenny Han)

Some summers are just destined to be pretty

Belly measures her life in summers. Everything good, everything magical happens between the months of June and August. Winters are simply a time to count the weeks until the next summer, a place away from the beach house, away from Susannah, and most importantly, away from Jeremiah and Conrad. They are the boys that Belly has known since her very first summer -- they have been her brother figures, her crushes, and everything in between. But one summer, one wonderful and terrible summer, the more everything changes, the more it all ends up just the way it should have been all along.

I almost regret reading The Summer I Turned Pretty. I found it to be rather distasteful.

I should start with the few strengths of this book. Firstly, I thought it really captures the essence of summer. While reading I could almost feel the warmth of the summer breeze seeping through the pages of the book and the smell of the ocean in Belly's narration. It's also a wonderful book with regards to its portrayal of family life and friendships. The relationship between the Fishers and Belly's family is uplifting to read about. Their closeness is enviable, and although Belly is often bullied by the three older boys - Steven, Conrad and Jeremiah - it is obvious that they all love and care for her.

Realism is also strong factor in The Summer I Turned Pretty. It's not about a perfect summer, but is about its many imperfections and how one grows in facing it. Hence it's not a light-hearted book per se, it's also about the heavy problems that life throws at you, summer or not. Towards the end of the book, Belly begins to understand this and hence mature, and it becomes clear how the book chronicles different people's way of coping.

Unfortunately, developments appear to occur only towards the end. The first three-quarters of the book is a pain to read. Belly is the type of person that I don't mind meeting but I certainly would not want to hang out with. She's immature, whiny, possessive and self-centered. The narrative is told in her perspective and is a criss-cross of the present and the past. While the flashbacks serve to elaborate on present events, I found that Belly hardly matured. She is constantly obsessing about being a grown up (while not acting like it), and this becomes a constant drone that has irritated me. I also felt that a lot of her attention were drawn to inconsequential matters, which was a waste of time. I could not get the point up until three quarters of the book. Shame.

The secondary characters were not all bad, of course. I like Susannah and Jeremiah, whom I thought were perfectly drawn. However, I felt Conrad needed more development. Belly is always constantly mentioning changes in his attitude, but he's such a vague character I thought his reactions were anything but abnormal. Which is another reason why I never really connected with the book.

Finally, I had issues with Belly's relationship with her mother and Cam. Belly is borderline ignoring her mother - she loves Sussanah so much, but her affection for her mother is so limited it is almost inexistent. To make it worse, she hardly appreciates her mother's efforts - no thank yous or I'm sorrys - which annoyed me to no end. Meanwhile, Cam is just like a passing breeze that shows how Belly is completely insensitive, which is no excuse for anyone to be, summer fling or not. His presence is misleading because here I was thinking there were only two boys for Belly, when there was actually three. It's a little over my limit, especially if the aforementioned two are siblings.

I'm not a fan of this book, I'm afraid. Sorry.

Two stars.

Book Review: Taken by Storm (Angela Morrison)

Leesie Hunt has many rules: No kissing. No sex. No dating outside the Mormon faith.

When Michael Walden--a deep-sea diver who lost his parents in a violent hurricane--arrives in town, Leesie sees someone who needs her. They fall for one another, even though his dreams are tied to the depths of the ocean and hers to salvation above.

Will their intense chemistry be too strong to resist?

Leesie and Michael must make the hardest choice of their lives: whether to follow their beliefs or their hearts.

Angela Morrison's debut novel is a stunning piece of work. Michael and Leesie's story is in itself, moving - but Angela delivers this through a superb writing that is both poetic and honest. It's hard to tear myself away from this book. It's so beautiful.

Taken by Storm will introduce into a romance that will take your breath away; heartbreakingly sad yet honest in every turn, Michael and Leesie's story will challenge, question and provoke readers. The author's impeccable writing style will touch your emotions and will make you ask for more, despite the ache it might bring. Angela perfects the pang of yearning, the heat of passion and the gut-wrenching feel of loss. In short, perfectly constructed phrases, her writing hits the target and stays there.

Michael and Leesie are equal in strength of character. Michael is broken, aching, mournful - his words are coated with grief and loss. His passion for diving, and later for Leesie, is described so accurately. Leesie's ability to heal Michael and guide his lost soul back to his body brings them together. I marvel at Michael's humanity in this novel - the author's ability to paint his emotions accurately does not smother his humanity, but reiterates it. His flaws - particularly his detachment and tunnel vision - made me dislike him at many points in the novel. Even Leesie's indecisiveness at times made me frown. However, their growth is also strongly noted in the novel. They undergo a transformation only they can bring to each other. Michael and Leesie introduce each other to a different outlook in life. 

With an ending that is devastating, moving, poignant and satisfying, Taken by Storm is a novel about loving, yearning, moving forward and remembering. It's about friendship, companionship, passion and love - ultimately, it's about Michael and Leesie. I will remember it as such.

Five Stars.

P.S. I just realised that the title is perfect.

P. P.S. The sequel, Unbroken Connection, will be released next month in E-book format (hoorah!) You can find out more and read the prologue on Angela's website HERE.

Book Review: Just Listen (Sarah Dessen)

When Annabel, the youngest of three beautiful sisters, has a bitter falling out with her best friend—the popular and exciting Sophie—she suddenly finds herself isolated and friendless. but then she meets Owen—a loner, passionate about music and his weekly radio show, and always determined to tell the truth. And when they develop a friendship, Annabel is not only introduced to new music but is encouraged to listen to her own inner voice. with Owen's help, can Annabel find the courage to speak out about what exactly happened the night her friendship with Sophie came to a screeching halt?

Annabel's story is a very moving tale of a young girl whose life begins to fall apart. I believe there are two kinds of people in the world - those who face their problems, and those who turn away from them. Annabel is of the latter, and not only does she turn away from her troubles, she runs away from them and hides, alone, behind a non-chalant facade. But she undergoes a slow transition, where she begins to realise what might be best for her - this is what makes the book a good read. That slow, painful journey towards growth.

Early on it was obvious that Annabel is a character broken and chased by her past. She is generally a decent character; however towards the ending I felt slightly irritated with her decisions. In retrospect I believe her actions may represent the distance someone such as Annabel would take in the circumstances. However I felt that I would have wanted to understand her more as oppose to watch her isolate herself; I did not find all her reflections well expressed and well conveyed.

Sarah Dessen compensates with the characterisation of Owen Armstrong however - I felt that he is a well painted character with a distinct quality and admirable traits. It was easy to be comfortable with and relate to his character. As far as male protagonists are concerned, Owen is probably one of those with the cutest traits. His passion for music is very swoony! I also vastly enjoyed the secondary characters, especially Annabel's sister Whitney, who I think is easily the most realistic character in the book. Each plays a significant, sometimes pivotal role in the plot - and together they become a part of a very real, very possible set of circumstances.

The romance in this novel is well based, one-of-a-kind, and honestly cute. Even if it is not the most prominent theme of the novel, it has a pivotal role. I found myself giggling and certainly very contented with the many interactions between Annabel and Owen. They are completely opposite and have everything in common. I really did adore them.

This novel has many elements to it - so many different levels of reflective I can write a list and still can't include everything. The repurcussions of silence, the power of honesty, love, friendship and camaraderie...there's an element of crime, vulnerability, trust, loyalty. There's the bond of sisterhood, of music, of control, of letting go...and so much more. It is however, not overwhelming, only more intricate. It is with regret that I found the subtleties to subtle. It is noticeably present in the book, but it is not remarkable or memorable.

Slightly predictable, Just Listen is a good novel with even better characters.

Three stars.

Book Review: Beautiful Creatures (Kami Garcia & Margaret Stohl)

In Ethan Wate’s hometown there lies the darkest of secrets . . . There is a girl. Slowly, she pulled the hood from her head. Green eyes, black hair. Lena Duchannes. There is a curse. On the Sixteenth Moon, the Sixteenth Year, the Book will take what it’s been promised. And no one can stop it. In the end, there is a grave. Lena and Ethan become bound together by a deep, powerful love. But Lena is cursed and on her sixteenth birthday, her fate will be decided. Ethan never even saw it coming...

From the very beginning I knew that the thickness of the book meant that it could be either one, too draggy, or two, intricately woven.In the end it was a bit of both. I was not too keen - the first few chapters seemed to be paced really slow, almost like the life in Gatlin. Monotonous, boring, someplace which you only have to get out and not come in. Understandly it underscores the plot, and is an introduction to the whole setting. Unfortunately I would have much preffered narrator Ethan to have narrated so much more faster. Despite me feeling like there was too much of unimportant things included, I read every word and didn't skip.

Speaking of unimportant things, I thought the fact that half the book seemed to be about Ethan moaning about his town and the civil war was a waste, though not completely. For someone like me who has the most basic albeit repetitive concept about the American Civil War, it was an okay lesson. Sort of. Boring as hell, so I can't blame Ethan for despising it. Though I have always wondered if some towns really still do that those kinds of things (ie, re-enactments) or if it was just one of the many stereotypes.

Moving on, I believe the characters were believable. Well, as believable as a spell caster like Lena could be, that is. Reading from Ethan's POV was refreshing and original. Compared to mostly heroine naratted texts, I could distinguish the lack of focus on certain feminine things on Ethan's perspective. He wasn't exactly to-die-for gorgeous, or I-can-take-a-fire-breathing-dragon brave, and at times I could not understand what he was thinking, but he's made average and so normal that I just loved him anyway. I think Ethan was a good blend in terms of characterisation.  

Lena - well, I don't really understand her stance mostly, but I think that's what the book might have wanted to convey. She's different, but unique. She's pretty much worried, paranoid, afraid - surely if anyone was in her shoes, with all the burden she has, they prolly would come across exactly like Lena. Like Ethan, it's these flaws that make her loveable as a character. I fell for her, especially in the end.

The other annoying characters were ... well, annoying. Others, like Amma and Marian, I absolutely adoooore! And how cute was Boo Radley? :D 

I love how the book wasn't exactly only about romance. Nor was it specifically mystery, fantasy or anything else - everything is so intricately woven that it's just so well-blended. The dialogue used wasn't too mushy as one would expect from a romance book, but all the same it comes across as powerful. It's easy to get lost in the mystery of the plot and forget that it is actually romance that propels Ethan and Lena towards the ultimate ending - which by the way, never guessed and never would have even if I tried. Brownie points for that! Overall, it's such a worthy read. 

If ever the long-winded narration of inconsequential matters deter you, I suggest skimming, maybe, but it's a hard game as I found some of those narration appeared to be useful at some later part. But, I definitely don't think you should put the book down because the end was really really captivating. It speeds through and leaves you breathless and you're never really sure how it ends. It's just the way a book should be. The resolution wasn't too brief, and leaves open-ended questions and nurtures your interest, though it doesn't leave you hanging painfully (which I hate). The book itself can stand alone, and it's very worthy of that too. Can't wait for the sequel!

Four stars.