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thefox22's review
5.0
*I received a copy of this book from NetGalley and Starry Sky Publishing in exchange for an honest review.
After really enjoying, Grasping at Eternity, I was so excited to be approved for this one. Taking Back Forever exceeded my expectations, and it was so much better than the first book. And after that cliffhanger ending, I know I'm gonna go crazy not knowing what happens next.
*Possible spoilers. But lots of them if you haven't read Grasping at Eternity. You've been warned.
This book starts off right where the first one ended. Maryah remembers Nathan, but as to her kindrily family, her memories are still blank. Everyone is trying their hardest to help her, especially Nathan.
Taking Back Forever is told in the perspectives of both Maryah, and Harmony, which I loved. After her less than stellar attitude toward Maryah in the first book, she's probably not on everybody's favorite character list. But she's got her reasons. And as you read her thoughts, you start to understand this woman, who sees and talks to ghosts, and who dresses up like a Goth. I found myself liking reading the book through her eyes more than I did through Maryah's. And I understand why the book was told in their views instead of the other Kindrily members. For this book is about Maryah's determination to astral travel again and Harmony's devotion to finding her soul mate, Gregory.
In the ending of Grasping at Eternity, Nathan has a secret, one that could hurt a lot of people. In the beginning of Taking Back Forever, when Harmony asks for Maryah's help in locating Gregory using her astral traveling, that secret comes to light. Gregory isn't just lost to them; he's one of the Nefariouns. He's also the one who killed Maryah's parents and Mikey. It makes Harmony more determined than ever to find her soul mate. Her love for him will never waver, and she will fight to bring him back home. Her determination pushes her, making her desperate. In her desperation, she goes to an unlikely source for help. Some of the choices she makes hurts members of her Kindrily. But they never turn their backs on one of their own.
I love this Kindrily family! It would have been so easy for all of these characters to get lost in the shuffle. It would have been too easy for readers to get confused, because even though there's two main characters, all of the other Kindrily members play key roles in the development of the whole story. That's fifteen characters in total! Well, you can exclude Mikey since he's a baby, but that's still fourteen other characters who are part of this wonderful Kindrily.
So I'm giving the author a big thank you for creating a family tree and putting it in the book. It helped to keep them all separate, and remember who the soul mates are and what powers they each have.
I can't even decide who are my favorites, though Nathan kind of takes the cake. <3 Seriously, he's like the perfect guy. I know, I know. There's no such thing as perfect, even for book boyfriends. But he had me swooning in almost every single scene of his. Maryah is very lucky, indeed.
The only grievance I had with this book was Maryah's character. Sometimes she frustrated me so much I just wanted to scream! I already said that I enjoyed Harmony's POV much more than I enjoyed Maryah's. Some of her reactions to certain situations left me wanting to strangle her. Quite a few of them were just ridiculous.
Maybe this isn't fair of me, but seriously, this girl can be extremely stupid and very naive sometimes. Maybe it's also because her character is much weaker than the woman they've all known throughout the lifetimes. As she grows in her character development, the old Mary is starting to come back. And Maryah is slowly gaining more confidence in herself, and she's more determined than ever to get her memories back.
Oh, and when Harmony and Gregory were reunited, it was just so beautiful! And hilarious! I just know I'm going to love these two as a couple. :)
Now they are one big happy family, except for the part where Gregory has a lot of making up to do with several of the Kindrily members. Dedrick corrupted his mind, but he hurt so many people he loved, especially Harmony and Maryah.
The plot itself was fantastic! I just love this idea of the Kindrily, old souls, and supernatural powers. It's so creative and original. But it did almost seem too easy that Gregory was reunited with them. The fight was very short and two people ended up seriously hurt.
The book is really all about Maryah trying to astral travel again so they can find Gregory. And once they find him, she ended up still looking for Dedrick without her conscious knowing. Why is that? While the Kindrily try to figure it out, they are still glad for a reprieve from the Nefariouns and to have Gregory back. But he knows things. And when secrets come to light about what really happened on the beach at Amber and Dylan's wedding last life, it's too much for them to think Dedrick will stop coming after them. For not only do they have Edgar, someone with a supernatural power that the evil Element wants, but they have Maryah. Because with her erased memories, they won't know what he wants with her. And until then, none of them are safe.
And that cliffhanger ending! OH MY GOD. The author even warned me! She gave an alternate ending, a cliffhanger ending, for the readers who wanted it. I must love torturing myself, because that was one evil cliffhanger! So many feels!
I really want the next book. Like, right now. Taking Back Forever raised the bar high, and after that ending, it's gonna be a loooooong wait.
I don't even know when Fighting for Infinity will be out. UGH.
Full review at: http://skizzles22hu.blogspot.com/2013/06/review-of-taking-back-forever.html
After really enjoying, Grasping at Eternity, I was so excited to be approved for this one. Taking Back Forever exceeded my expectations, and it was so much better than the first book. And after that cliffhanger ending, I know I'm gonna go crazy not knowing what happens next.
*Possible spoilers. But lots of them if you haven't read Grasping at Eternity. You've been warned.
This book starts off right where the first one ended. Maryah remembers Nathan, but as to her kindrily family, her memories are still blank. Everyone is trying their hardest to help her, especially Nathan.
Taking Back Forever is told in the perspectives of both Maryah, and Harmony, which I loved. After her less than stellar attitude toward Maryah in the first book, she's probably not on everybody's favorite character list. But she's got her reasons. And as you read her thoughts, you start to understand this woman, who sees and talks to ghosts, and who dresses up like a Goth. I found myself liking reading the book through her eyes more than I did through Maryah's. And I understand why the book was told in their views instead of the other Kindrily members. For this book is about Maryah's determination to astral travel again and Harmony's devotion to finding her soul mate, Gregory.
In the ending of Grasping at Eternity, Nathan has a secret, one that could hurt a lot of people. In the beginning of Taking Back Forever, when Harmony asks for Maryah's help in locating Gregory using her astral traveling, that secret comes to light. Gregory isn't just lost to them; he's one of the Nefariouns. He's also the one who killed Maryah's parents and Mikey. It makes Harmony more determined than ever to find her soul mate. Her love for him will never waver, and she will fight to bring him back home. Her determination pushes her, making her desperate. In her desperation, she goes to an unlikely source for help. Some of the choices she makes hurts members of her Kindrily. But they never turn their backs on one of their own.
I love this Kindrily family! It would have been so easy for all of these characters to get lost in the shuffle. It would have been too easy for readers to get confused, because even though there's two main characters, all of the other Kindrily members play key roles in the development of the whole story. That's fifteen characters in total! Well, you can exclude Mikey since he's a baby, but that's still fourteen other characters who are part of this wonderful Kindrily.
So I'm giving the author a big thank you for creating a family tree and putting it in the book. It helped to keep them all separate, and remember who the soul mates are and what powers they each have.
I can't even decide who are my favorites, though Nathan kind of takes the cake. <3 Seriously, he's like the perfect guy. I know, I know. There's no such thing as perfect, even for book boyfriends. But he had me swooning in almost every single scene of his. Maryah is very lucky, indeed.
The only grievance I had with this book was Maryah's character. Sometimes she frustrated me so much I just wanted to scream! I already said that I enjoyed Harmony's POV much more than I enjoyed Maryah's. Some of her reactions to certain situations left me wanting to strangle her. Quite a few of them were just ridiculous.
Maybe this isn't fair of me, but seriously, this girl can be extremely stupid and very naive sometimes. Maybe it's also because her character is much weaker than the woman they've all known throughout the lifetimes. As she grows in her character development, the old Mary is starting to come back. And Maryah is slowly gaining more confidence in herself, and she's more determined than ever to get her memories back.
Oh, and when Harmony and Gregory were reunited, it was just so beautiful! And hilarious! I just know I'm going to love these two as a couple. :)
Now they are one big happy family, except for the part where Gregory has a lot of making up to do with several of the Kindrily members. Dedrick corrupted his mind, but he hurt so many people he loved, especially Harmony and Maryah.
The plot itself was fantastic! I just love this idea of the Kindrily, old souls, and supernatural powers. It's so creative and original. But it did almost seem too easy that Gregory was reunited with them. The fight was very short and two people ended up seriously hurt.
The book is really all about Maryah trying to astral travel again so they can find Gregory. And once they find him, she ended up still looking for Dedrick without her conscious knowing. Why is that? While the Kindrily try to figure it out, they are still glad for a reprieve from the Nefariouns and to have Gregory back. But he knows things. And when secrets come to light about what really happened on the beach at Amber and Dylan's wedding last life, it's too much for them to think Dedrick will stop coming after them. For not only do they have Edgar, someone with a supernatural power that the evil Element wants, but they have Maryah. Because with her erased memories, they won't know what he wants with her. And until then, none of them are safe.
And that cliffhanger ending! OH MY GOD. The author even warned me! She gave an alternate ending, a cliffhanger ending, for the readers who wanted it. I must love torturing myself, because that was one evil cliffhanger! So many feels!
I really want the next book. Like, right now. Taking Back Forever raised the bar high, and after that ending, it's gonna be a loooooong wait.
I don't even know when Fighting for Infinity will be out. UGH.
Full review at: http://skizzles22hu.blogspot.com/2013/06/review-of-taking-back-forever.html
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