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sgreen2307's review against another edition
5.0
Didn't think I would like it...but I loved it! New name, new town, new life. Nastasya has done it too often to count. And there's no end in sight. Nothing ever really ends...when you're immortal.
Nastaysa is the ultimate party girl,but one night one of her immortal friends does something terrible and unthinkable...and she walks away. After that night shes disgusted with her life and terrified. She goes to a safe haven for wayward immortals. There she meets "the Viking god," the gorgeous Reyn. She wants him, but theres something uncomfortably familiar about him that makes her wary to stay away from him. But she can't.
She knows that this place is the key to saving her, but also her possible destruction.
I loved Nastasya! She is a strong, no-nonsense type of girl. She won't take crap from anyone and I love that about her...but she also has a vulnerable painfilled side that is just as likeable.
All around great book! Not loaded with mushy romance. The only romance in here has pain and darkness with it which I loved. Can't wait for the next one!
Nastaysa is the ultimate party girl,but one night one of her immortal friends does something terrible and unthinkable...and she walks away. After that night shes disgusted with her life and terrified. She goes to a safe haven for wayward immortals. There she meets "the Viking god," the gorgeous Reyn. She wants him, but theres something uncomfortably familiar about him that makes her wary to stay away from him. But she can't.
She knows that this place is the key to saving her, but also her possible destruction.
I loved Nastasya! She is a strong, no-nonsense type of girl. She won't take crap from anyone and I love that about her...but she also has a vulnerable painfilled side that is just as likeable.
All around great book! Not loaded with mushy romance. The only romance in here has pain and darkness with it which I loved. Can't wait for the next one!
annettebooksofhopeanddreams's review against another edition
2.0
Dit is zo'n boek dat ik zelf nooit gekocht had, maar dat bij mijn moeder in de kast stond en dat ik er toch maar heb uitgepakt. Laten we zeggen dat het niet helemaal mijn ding was. Of beter gezegd, laten we zeggen dat het mijn ding helemaal niet was.
Het eerste wat opvalt aan het boek is de schrijfstijl. Het boek is vlot geschreven, in bijna spreektaal. Het wordt van commentaar voorzien door Natas zelf, al dan niet tussen haakjes. Haar eigen negatieve zelfbeeld sijpelt overduidelijk tussen de woorden door, maar wij zien weinig daden die dit beeld van haar rechtvaardigen. Wellicht hadden we hiervoor toch meer moeten zien van haar oude leven, van de persoon die ze zelf dacht te zijn.
Het verhaal blijft verder erg op de oppervlakte. Het is weinig origineel, de karakters zijn niet echt uitgediept of uitgewerkt en ook het verhaal zelf kent weinig echte diepgang of betekenis. De zogenaamde slechterik op het einde is erg slapjes en ook nog weinig verrassend. Wellicht had ik dit boek als tiener nog wel enigszins kunnen waarderen, maar nu eigenlijk niet echt meer.
Ik voelde tijdens het lezen vooral een bepaald soort onverschilligheid. Ja, het boek las lekker en snel weg, maar het deed me echt helemaal niks. Ik voelde letterlijk helemaal niks tijdens het lezen en heb het boek eigenlijk vooral uitgelezen om het uit te lezen.
Ach ja, we zijn weer een ervaring rijker en ik hoef in elk geval de andere delen in deze serie niet te bemachtigen en gezien de hoeveelheid incomplete series die ik momenteel heb, is dat toch wel een groot voordeel.
Het eerste wat opvalt aan het boek is de schrijfstijl. Het boek is vlot geschreven, in bijna spreektaal. Het wordt van commentaar voorzien door Natas zelf, al dan niet tussen haakjes. Haar eigen negatieve zelfbeeld sijpelt overduidelijk tussen de woorden door, maar wij zien weinig daden die dit beeld van haar rechtvaardigen. Wellicht hadden we hiervoor toch meer moeten zien van haar oude leven, van de persoon die ze zelf dacht te zijn.
Het verhaal blijft verder erg op de oppervlakte. Het is weinig origineel, de karakters zijn niet echt uitgediept of uitgewerkt en ook het verhaal zelf kent weinig echte diepgang of betekenis. De zogenaamde slechterik op het einde is erg slapjes en ook nog weinig verrassend. Wellicht had ik dit boek als tiener nog wel enigszins kunnen waarderen, maar nu eigenlijk niet echt meer.
Ik voelde tijdens het lezen vooral een bepaald soort onverschilligheid. Ja, het boek las lekker en snel weg, maar het deed me echt helemaal niks. Ik voelde letterlijk helemaal niks tijdens het lezen en heb het boek eigenlijk vooral uitgelezen om het uit te lezen.
Ach ja, we zijn weer een ervaring rijker en ik hoef in elk geval de andere delen in deze serie niet te bemachtigen en gezien de hoeveelheid incomplete series die ik momenteel heb, is dat toch wel een groot voordeel.
halynah's review against another edition
5.0
Beautifully written, original and intriguing book. Highly recommended.
roseawall's review against another edition
1.0
Not sure how I managed to finish reading this. There were places were the plot was glaringly obvious in regards of which characters already knew each other and what certain items meant. The whole thing wasn’t written very well and some lines could have been cut out completely for better flow.
stephxsu's review against another edition
3.0
Is it weird that I’m wavering whether to give this book 3 or 5 stars, and not something in between? (4-star books are my babies and not given out lightly. *hugs*) IMMORTAL BELOVED really did something for me. I lament the repetition in paranormal literature nowadays, but while immortality is not news, the careful way in which Cate Tiernan layered this story is something to take note of.
Tiernan incorporates flashbacks into the narrative in a way that doesn’t feel forced. At first we think we know what the smart-mouthed Nastasya is about: oh, just another poor little tortured soul of an immortal being who’s lost sight of her humanity until she meets the right person, or people. But the more time I spent with Nastasya, the more compelling I found her. Yes, she’s fallen into some despicable times and habits, but her flashbacks reveal her behavior to be a perfectly justifiable defense mechanism against some horrible memories. The flashbacks serve not only to illuminate her character, but also to add a sliver of suspense and investment with every page we read, so that while in the foreground nothing truly remarkable happens—Nastasya runs around a farm for reformed immortals and struggles to adjust to their ways—we can’t help but be sucked in.
Nastasya reminds me of some of my favorite paranormal/urban fantasy female characters: strong, a wiseass, independent enough not to obsess over Reyn, despite his sullen bad-boy hotness. She’s attractive because she refuses to play the “docile, hurt female” role expected of her, and so I can see why Reyn is attracted to her (thank God for the absence of inexplicable paranormal romantic attraction!).
IMMORTAL BELOVED is admittedly slow, especially if you feel like flashbacks are a cop-out from true plot. However, the characters have convinced me of their interestingness, and Nastasya has secured my empathy and respect, so I will be really interested to see where Cate Tiernan takes us next. IMMORTAL BELOVED just might remind us paranormal lit cynics (yes, that’s me) that good writing and strong, well-developed characters can still take us all the way.
Tiernan incorporates flashbacks into the narrative in a way that doesn’t feel forced. At first we think we know what the smart-mouthed Nastasya is about: oh, just another poor little tortured soul of an immortal being who’s lost sight of her humanity until she meets the right person, or people. But the more time I spent with Nastasya, the more compelling I found her. Yes, she’s fallen into some despicable times and habits, but her flashbacks reveal her behavior to be a perfectly justifiable defense mechanism against some horrible memories. The flashbacks serve not only to illuminate her character, but also to add a sliver of suspense and investment with every page we read, so that while in the foreground nothing truly remarkable happens—Nastasya runs around a farm for reformed immortals and struggles to adjust to their ways—we can’t help but be sucked in.
Nastasya reminds me of some of my favorite paranormal/urban fantasy female characters: strong, a wiseass, independent enough not to obsess over Reyn, despite his sullen bad-boy hotness. She’s attractive because she refuses to play the “docile, hurt female” role expected of her, and so I can see why Reyn is attracted to her (thank God for the absence of inexplicable paranormal romantic attraction!).
IMMORTAL BELOVED is admittedly slow, especially if you feel like flashbacks are a cop-out from true plot. However, the characters have convinced me of their interestingness, and Nastasya has secured my empathy and respect, so I will be really interested to see where Cate Tiernan takes us next. IMMORTAL BELOVED just might remind us paranormal lit cynics (yes, that’s me) that good writing and strong, well-developed characters can still take us all the way.
jessicajessica101's review against another edition
5.0
Un livre dont je garde un très bon souvenirs. J'avais eu un gros coup de coeur pour celui ci il y a plusieurs années, aussi bien à ma première lecture qu'à la seconde, j'ai tout simplement adoré l'histoire, les personnages. Je me souviens encore de ce qui se passe dedans ce qui est assez rare après tout ce temps.
tweety's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
funny
hopeful
inspiring
lighthearted
mysterious
reflective
relaxing
sad
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
While this book didn’t quite explain everything, I absolutely loved this book. Call me weird, but I found this book to be rather cozy. Just reading about an immortal going through life just like everyone else. I don’t know, I loved it and my girl Nastasya. Will definitely be continuing in the series, definitely recommend.
mireyadiaz's review against another edition
dark
emotional
reflective
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
laflormorada's review against another edition
3.0
Nastasya seems like your average teenage party girl. She has it all... money, cool friends, and plenty of free time to do whatever she wants. And Nasty, as she's called by her friends, really does have all the time in the world because she's actually four hundred and fifty-nine years old, a.k.a. an Immortal.
But time becomes meaningless when you've lived for so long, doing all of the same things. Nastasya can't really remember a time when she was truly happy. When her best friend Innocencio does something horrific, she must make an abrupt change. Nastasya is suddenly filled with a sense of dread toward her so called friends, and the only place she can run to is in the middle of nowhere... a sortof rehab for immortals. It's there that she begins to think that maybe the dark magic inside her actually can be overcome. But when she starts having flashbacks about the incredibly handsome but guarded Reyn, she realizes that things might not be as simple as they seem.
This is the first book in the Immortal trilogy and I couldn't put it down. The action starts off slow, but once things get rolling, you become sucked into Nastasya's world. It's easy to identify with what life would be like if you did indeed live forever and slowly felt your feelings growing numb. If you have a taste for magic and a little romance, you will love this book! I can't wait for book two!
becaboo24's review against another edition
5.0
Immortal beloved was different, new, exciting, creatively beautiful, and unlike any (love) storyline I'm used to. It was really good! I loved it. :)