Review: Taking Back Forever by Karen Amanda Hooper

Title: Taking Back Forever (The Kindrily #2)
Author: Karen Amanda Hooper
Publication:  May 31st 2013 by Starry Sky Publishing
Genre: YA Paranormal
Source: Provided by the kind publisher..
Gooreads

*Recommended for ages 15 and older due to mature content.* 

Forever is worth the fight.

Maryah erased all memory of her past lives, but she couldn’t erase her soul mate Nathan, or his undying love. Now, Maryah and Nathan have a second chance at a future together, but first Maryah must remember the person she used to be and embrace her supernatural gifts—more than one kindrily member’s life depends on it.

Maryah’s power is Harmony’s best hope of finding her kidnapped soul mate, Gregory. But Harmony isn’t big on asking anyone for help, and she’s tired of waiting, so she’s taking matters into her own hands. Heaven help anyone who stands in her way.

-- My Rating --

4/5 Oscars: Really liked it...

-- My Thoughts --

     I read the first book in the series just by pure luck. And I liked it a lot. It left me anxious to read the second book, so when I had the chance to read this, I jumped at it. And it was not disappointing at all
No spoilers included...
     Maryah erased a lifetime ago. But she and her soul mate, Nathan, were able to find each other again. Everyone is in need of something from her. Can she fulfill all their expectations? Now, Maryah has to master her abilities to help her kindrily survive, once and for all.
The things I liked:
1- The cover. What I love most about the covers in this series is that they are so exceptionally crafted that they are directly related to what happens in the book. I loved both of them.
2- The characters. Maryah develops a lot throughout this book. She turns from this insecure little girl into a mature, hard-core woman. You can feel the needs and the desires of each character in the book which makes you connect with them on many different levels
3- The POVs. Karen A. Hooper did the POVs in this book a little differently. The first book was a first-person account by Maryah, which made me connect to her a lot and fall in love with her all together. But this book had two POVs, one of Maryah and one of Harmony. I never really liked Harmony before, but in this book, I connected with her and I grew to like her a lot.
4- The plot. It was fast moving most of the time.
5- The romance. I will give an A+ for the romance. The interactions between Maryah and Nathan were snarky, funny, romantic and oh-so-steamy. I didn't know Karen Amanda Hooper was such a fabulous writer of romantic scenes. But oh, she is, and they got my insides all tingly.
What I didn't like:
1- The only character development that I really noticed was that of Maryah. She developed a lot throughout the book. But the other characters were lacking in the development field. I never really noticed any of them change at all. But it wasn't such a big issue.
2- The plot. In the middle of the book, I felt like the book slowed down. Actually, it dragged a little at times. But this issue was passable, too. Some times, I felt like nothing of importance actually happened in this book at all. It was all a main focus on Maryah and her issues. Nothing really MAJOR actually happened.


I am not a huge fan of cliffhangers, so I appreciated it that Karen A. Hooper wrote a little not at the end. It's like "If you don't want a cliffhanger, don't continue any more. If you want a different end with a cliffhanger, then continue" I didn't really want to continue but I couldn't stop myself. So, I read the end with the cliffhanger and it has me REELING and SO ANXIOUS to read the third book. I WANT to know what happens right about NOW.

Review: Grasping at Eternity by Karen Amanda Hooper

Name of book: Grasping at Eternity (The Kindrily #1)
Author: Karen Amanda Hooper
Publication: May 25th 2012 by Starry Sky Publishing
Genre: YA Paranormal Fantasy
Source: Borrowed
Goodreads

Leave it to Maryah Woodsen to break the one rule that will screw up eternity: Never erase your memories. 

Before entering this life, Maryah did the unthinkable—she erased. Now, at seventeen years old, she’s clueless that her new adoptive family has known her for centuries, that they are perpetually reincarnated souls, and that they have supernatural abilities. Oh, and she's supposed to love (not despise) Nathan, the green-eyed daredevil who saved her life.

Nathan is convinced his family’s plan to spark Maryah's memory is hopeless, but his love for her is undying. After spending (and remembering) so many lifetimes together, being around an empty version of his soulmate is heart shattering. He hates acting like a stalker, but has no choice because the evil outcast who murdered Maryah in their last lifetime is still after her. 

While Maryah’s hunter inches closer, she and Nathan make assumptions and hide secrets that rip them further apart. Maryah has to believe in the magic within her, Nathan must have faith in the power of their love, and both need to grasp onto the truth before they lose each other forever—and discover just how lonely eternity can be. 

X-MEN meets MY NAME IS MEMORY in Karen Amanda Hooper’s latest young adult release.

-- My Rating --

4.5 / 5 Oscars: Loved it...

-- My Thoughts --

     Ok, so I read the anthology, Furthermore (my review here) and one of the stories really caught my eye. It was somewhat of a prequel to this novel, so I had to get my hands on the novel, of course. 

      Maryah is just a normal seventeen-year-old girl. But when tragedy strikes, and she is sent to live with a godmother she never knew about, her life becomes as far from normal as possible. Strangely, this huge family are more familiar with her than she knows. And one of the boys, Nathaniel, is the guy from her dreams, literally...

     This book is pure unique. I have ever read anything about kindrily-ies, but they are very fascinating. The family Maryah lives with are souls that are able to retain memories from their past lives when they are given new bodies. The little twists and turns in this book left me breathless, but the tension, and the build-up felt really good and thought-out. GRASPING AT ETERNITY was one hell of a romantic ride!

     The characters are superb. Each one of them are unique, Nathaniel, Maryan, Mickey, Fate, Harmony, River... Every single one of them stuck with me and their uniqueness is unforgettable. The end wrapped things up nicely but left room for new developments. I am not overly obsessed but I am definitely interested to read the second book, TAKING BACK FOREVER...

Review: Furthermore: An Anthology

Name of book: Furthermore (An Anthology)
Author(s): Amber Garr, David Estes, Karen Amanda Hooper, Leigh Michael, Rebekah Campbell, Stephanie Judice
Publication: December 11th 2012
Genre: YA Paranormal and Dystopia
Source: Provided by the kind authors...

A first date, a lottery, treachery and deceit. Sometimes fate has other plans. Sometimes there’s more to tell.

In Furthermore: An Anthology, eighteen original stories take you on a journey through worlds here and beyond. From the depths of the earth to the embrace of the sea, your favorite series continue. Prequels, alternative views, and new scenes give readers a chance to experience more than originally told. 

Including stories from Rebekah Campbell, Amber Garr, David Estes, Leigh Michael, Karen Amanda Hooper, Stephanie Judice, and Mayandree Michael. And most importantly, in honor of those who lost the battle and those who continue to fight, all proceeds from this anthology will be donated to cancer research and support.

SURPRISE VISITOR -Emily has never been a fan of surprises but Eric has something up his sleeve to change her mind. (The Darkness Through The Light Series)

GETTING TO KNOW THE HEAVIES - The two Sullivan bodyguards are still human beings underneath it all. And everyone has a weakness. (The Darkness Through The Light Series)

PEOPLE CHANGE - When Eric asks his dad a question about his mother, it’s time to go back to where it all began and then went so badly wrong. (The Darkness Through The Light Series)

COLD FEET - Kain witnesses Eviana’s deceit on their wedding day and is forced to deal with the consequences of her behavior. (The Syrenka Series)

RIFT - Daniel encourages the group to make a detour to the Grand Canyon, as the distance between the friends begins to rival the great ravine. (The Syrenka Series)

DISCOVERY - Leila’s first encounter with her psychic mentor is nothing short of memorable. (The Leila Marx Novels)

HUMAN RESOURCES – Blake finds a new job while Mac finds a friend who reminds him of home. (The Leila Marx Novels)

THE RUNAWAY- TAWNI’S STORY - After learning of her parents’ treachery, Tawni leaves home seeking to make amends for their transgressions. (The Dwellers Saga)

THE LIFE LOTTERY- A STORY FROM YEAR ZERO - With the survival of the human race on the brink, there’s only one way to decide who will be saved in the underground caves: The Lottery. (The Dwellers Saga)

FATE: Experience Annabelle’s struggle to fulfill the ABA Prophecy in a new light through the parting words of Adrian, Aurelia, Blake, and Lady Katherine. (Annabelle’s Story)

THE SOUND OF LOVE - Glimpse into one of Nathaniel’s previous lives and see how his soul mate reacts when tragedy strikes. (The Kindrily Series)

MUIRNE’S MELODY--To escape her master’s vile desires, Muirne flees into the snow-swept night, finding a green-eyed stranger and a mystical destiny. (Saga of the Setti Series)

JEREMY’S HEART: Calm, cool, and complete scoundrel, Jeremy realizes the loss he’s suffered means nothing compared to true love. (Saga of the Setti Series)

FALL FROM GRACE: Warped by centuries of darkness, the creature Sveigja plots to capture Clara as his queen. (Saga of the Setti Series)

-- My Rating --

-- My Thoughts --

     This is the first time I read an anthology. I have found them intriguing, just never came across them as much as novels. But from now on, I will always be on the look out. These six authors provided me with samples of their different flavored cakes, and I am definitely ordering the whole collection!

     I cannot review all the stories together. What stuck with me the most was David Estes' The Life Lottery and Stephanie Judice's Jeremy's Heart. So, I will rate them and review them independently:

Surprise Visitor by Rebekah Campbell: Four Stars. This one was cute and romantic, loved the clumsiness of the main character and her sweet boyfriend. Cute and fluffy.

Getting To Know The Heavies by Rebekah Campbell: Three Stars. Didn't really get what the two bodyguards do. Except that they do some dirty work for their employer. Loved the interactions between them, though.

People Change by Rebekah Campbell: Three and Half Stars. This was a sad, but a very realistic story of love. And it teaches a great lesson, people do change, you cannot expect them to stay the same over time.

The Runaway (Tawni's Story) by David Estes: Four Stars. Loved the writing style of the author. This definitely had me intrigued to read The Moon Dwellers, which I have a digital review copy of. Tawni is an interesting character in a horrible dystopian world. Loved her strength and courage.

The Life Lottery (A Story from Year Zero) by David Estes: Five Stars. My favorite read of the whole anthology. It's such a cruel, cruel world and David Estes' writing is plain and real. I just loved this, and the end was damn spectacular.

Cold Feet by Amber Garr: Three Stars. I loved Kain. Sweet and caring. But Evianna and what she does to him, not so much. This does nothing to explain the series, so I didn't see the point of it, except feeling Kain's pain.

Rift by Amber Garr: Three and Half Stars. This one was rushed a little, but I appreciated the group of characters. Eviana is more like-able, but I still cannot help but think about what she did in Cold Feet. Kain is adorable as ever. I think that I will start this series sometime.

Discovery by Amber Garr: Four Stars. The main character, Leila is a very resourceful but lovely young woman. Loved Amber's writing style in this story the most. Supernatural abilities, and supernatural murders? I AM IN!

Human Resources by Amber Garr: Three Stars. Didn't really understand the effectiveness of this story. But Mac is funny, and the way he used his abilities to entertain was fun to read about.

The Sound of Love by Karen Amanda Hooper: Four Stars. The title of this story firs perfectly, and the two characters are so believable and lovely. Nathaniel and Mary are so funny and they are like, soul mates. I cannot wait to read the book.

Muirne's Melody by Stephanie Judice: Four Stars. I loved being able to read Muirne's story, definitely needed some background clear-up on that. But I loved it, and loved Muirne's character.

Jeremy's Heart by Stephanie Judice: Five Stars. Ahhh "swoon" Jeremy. I am in love with the dark, sarcastic, metal-lover guy. He is pure awesome and I loved reading from his POV. This story was so cute and Stephanie Judice nailed her secondary characters.

Fall From Grace by Stephanie Judice: Four Stars. I liked this, definitely needed some clearing up on Sveigja's motivations. And he was an interesting character to read about.

Fate by Leigh Michael: Four Stars. This story is told in four different POVs. And I loved all four of them. Specially Blake and Lady Katherine. This story definitely intrigued me to read this series, and I might do that soon. Love mermaids and water spirits!

     So, now you know a little on every story, and you know that this anthology is absolutely amazing! I cannot wait to read more by the authors, all of them. You go pick this up!