Review: Taking Back Forever by Karen Amanda Hooper

WARNING: THIS IS BOOK TWO IN A SERIES

Synopsis: *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.

Publisher: Starry Sky Publishing

Page Count: 365 pages

Edition: Kindle (provided by publisher via NetGalley)

Rating: 4/5 stars

Review: 

This book was so good. Taking Back Forever was a fast paced, action packed, sit on the edge of your seat kind of book. It gripped me from the beginning and wouldn't let me go. I literally stayed up until almost two in the morning trying to finish it. I'm still recovering :D. 

The plot of this book is unique to begin with. I have never seen reincarnation done like this. But it still doesn't compare to my favorite reincarnation series, The Eternal Ones. Although I will say that this one is giving it a run for it's money. The characters-essentially all reincarnated souls-were so life like and real. They all had their own personalities. Harmony was not my favorite character though. But she grew on me after a while. Maryah was sweet. But the whole book she was either agonizing over how she lost her memories or agonizing over how Nathaniel wouldn't have sex with her. It got really old after a while. I can understand wanting to have sex. But Maryah just wouldn't give up on it. That was really what made me not give this book a five out of five. That and Harmony. 

I was just going along in this book when suddenly we get to the 70 percent mark. Then BAM! A totally unexpected action scene comes up! I couldn't put the book down after that. When I got to that part I started rocking back and forth in my bed. I was squealing and gasping for the rest of the book. Gregory, you big jerk you. I just want to punch you then hug you. 

For anyone planning on reading this book-first of all, do it!-I would take the author's advice and not read the bonus chapters at the end. Hooper asked the readers not to give anything away so I won't. But I will say if you don't like cliffhangers, do not read the bonus chapters. But I am so glad I did though. It has me eagerly awaiting FIGHTING FOR INFINITY. Just when I thought things would be good for these characters and Maryah.....Nope! Nothing more. 

Please pick up this series. It is fastly becoming one of my favorite reincarnation series. I would recommend this to anybody who likes reincarnation and is looking for a new twist on it. 

Review: Weather Witch by Shannon Delany

Synopsis: In a vastly different and darker Philadelphia of 1844, steam power has been repressed, war threatens from deep, dark waters, and one young lady of high social standing is expecting a surprise at her seventeenth birthday party–but certainly not the one she gets!

Jordan Astraea, who has lived out all of her life in Philadelphia’s most exclusive neighborhood, is preparing to celebrate her birthday with friends, family and all the extravagance they might muster. The young man who is most often her dashing companion, Rowen Burchette, has told her a surprise awaits her and her best friend, Catrina Hollindale, wouldn’t miss this night for all the world!

But storm clouds are gathering and threatening to do far more than dampen her party plans because someone in the Astraea household has committed the greatest of social sins by Harboring a Weather Witch.

Publisher: St. Martin's Griffen

Page Count: 323 pages

Edition: Kindle (provided by the publisher via NetGalley)

Rating: 2/5 stars 

Review: 

Weather Witch is an enthralling beginning to a new series. The concept is unique and fresh. The writing is  captivating from page one. Weather Witch will grab you from the beginning and keep you interested until the end. 

With that said, I think it's fair to say that I wasn't a huge fan of this book. All of the things I said above were true. I just don't think this book was for me. You know those kinds of books that you think will be amazing based on the first chapter alone? That's what I thought about Weather Witch. The concept and writing was so captivating in the first chapter and prologue. But then the rest of this story kind of went down hill. 

This book is told from multiple perspectives. I can't remember all of them right now, but I know that there were a lot of perspectives. The story would jump perspectives so much. Right when you were getting settled into one person's head, the story would go to another perspective. A few times you would be in a character's head and it would suddenly switch to someone around that character. After a few paragraphs it would switch back. I don't know if this was just an editing mistake or the way it was formatted on my Kindle or if that's how the story really is. But be warned, if you do not like jumping perspectives, I would not recommend this to you. 

The characters were...interesting. They weren't all totally bad. Like I said above, the story switched perspectives too much. I didn't get used to anyone at all during the story. Chloe was my favorite character because when she wanted something done she would get it done. Chloe was one of Jordan's-who wasn't really a main character at all-servants. It's too bad what happens to her.

Also, while the story is very interesting, there was no world building at all. Here you have this whole world full of Weather Witches and Making and airships but you have no idea why everyone do the things they do. Everyone in this society is afraid of Weather Witches. Why? I don't know. There are airships that suddenly show up during the mid-1800s. Why? I don't know. Are you seeing a growing trend here?

Weather Witch is not a bad book by any means. This would be a great book for anyone easing themselves into the Young Adult genre. I just think that there are better books out there.