Book Review: Taking Back Forever by Karen Amanda Hooper

Title: Taking Back Forever
Author: Karen Amanda Hooper
Publisher: Starry Sky Publishing
Publication Date: May 31, 2013
Edition: ebook/print
Source: Publisher via Netgalley


*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.

A_TiffyFit's Review
So, a few days ago, you got to read me gushing about book one in this series, Grasping at Eternity. Are you ready for more gushing?

Harmony is still looking for her soul mate, Gregory. She's ready to toss aside high school graduation and hunt him down. Maryah is still looking for the key to unlock her memories. She knows they're there, she just needs to find out how to access them.

I want you to read this book. I want you to start with GRASPING AT ETERNITY. You must. If you don't, you can't really jump into this book and understand all the little nuances. And because I want you to read it, I need to say something about the end that is not an end. Another "NOT THE END" disclaimer, but this time as I finished reading, there is a note from the author. She didn't want to leave it as a cliffhanger but there is more to say. So she gives you a choice...do you read on or do you wait for the third book, FIGHTING FOR INFINITY?

At the moment I'm writing this, I haven't read on yet. I didn't want to write a review colored by something and the author asks that we not spoil it for others. So I haven't read it yet. She says these chapters/cliffhanger will be the beginning of book three. SO YOU HAVE AN OPTION. Okay. *blows out a breath*

I love the romanticism in this series and this book demonstrates it further. The kindrily and the family they also have that are not elements. The blossoming relationships between people. The depth of love they have for one another. Magic and changes to that magic. Just wonderful. I like watching Maryah develop and find more and more of herself and see her fitting into the mesh more and more easily.

TAKING BACK FOREVER releases on May 31 (TWO DAYS. You can get it in TWO DAYS). I do not have a purchase link for it, but that goodreads button above will take you to goodreads and I'm sure the links will be there for release day. But what are you waiting for? Start with Grasping for Eternity. I mean it...you really need to read that one first. Normally, I'd tell you you can spring board into a series as most series rehash EVERYTHING in the first third of the book. This series does NOT.

Another for my re-readable, and now I'm eagerly awaiting the release of FIGHTING FOR INFINITY.

***Edited to add: I just finished the extra chapters. I need book 3 now. You need book 1 and 2 now, and then we can all chant together for book 3. :)

***Edited to add: Check back in a few days! I'm part of the blitz for this book and will be giving away a SET of ebooks: GRASPING FOR ETERNITY and TAKING BACK FOREVER!!!! <3 

Book Review: Grasping at Eternity by Karen Amanda Hooper

Synopsis:
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


(I'm being lazy...review copied from goodreads instead of creating my usual kind of post! :P )
Grasping at Eternity by Karen Amanda Hooper
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Riveting. Absolutely, 100% riveting. This is an insta-favorite for me, a re-readable, a book I'm going to peddle to all of my friends who are romantic, believers in soulmates, in re-incarnation, in connections, in magic, in love, in family...no, kindrily. If this weren't fiction, I would be nodding my head and saying, "oh so THAT is why my best friend felt familiar to me the first time I met her" or "Oh so that's why I feel that "clink" of connection with him." Who am I kidding? I'm saying that anyway.

This is AMAZING. Beautiful. Rich. Heartbreaking. Oh, how my heart hurt for Nathaniel. I wanted to smack Maryah for erasing. But wait...did she truly?

At the opening scene, I was sure I was going to dislike her. She's moping in a boathouse about how her father thinks she's inadequate. And I thought perhaps it was going to be a magical power family because of the word gift, etc. I forgot that humans have gifts, too: noble-minded, passionate, musically inclined, artistic, academic, sympathetic, capacity to love, etc. And then suddenly...holy crap. Ms Hooper...that was a helluva way to start your book. I pitied Maryah instantly, my heart aching, and I had no idea it was in for more twists.

This is book one and the final words in the novel are: NOT THE END. Oh, thank the earth! I need to read more. I need to see if Argos is who I think he is. I need to see what the hell Dedrick is doing to the kindrily and what he hopes to obtain from that. I need to know that Maryah will come into her full self again.

If you like romantic notions, if you believe in soul mates, if you like a little bit of human magic with a bump up of power (teleportation, talking to animals, freezing time, super strength, astral projection), if you like the idea that those you love will have a life with you again (aunts, uncles, brothers, sisters, etc), you need to read this.

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