Grasping at Eternity (Kindrily #1)
Author: Karen Amanda Hooper
Release Date: 25th May 2012
Genre: Young Adult Fantasy
Source: ARC via Netgalley
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.
Buy the Book: Amazon
Karen Amanda Hooper
~TANGLED TIDES & DANGEROUS DEPTHS
~THE KINDRILY series
~VIRTUAL ARCANA series.I was born and bred in Baltimore, frolicked and froze in Colorado for a couple of years, and I’m currently sunning and splashing around Florida with my spoiled rescue dog. I’m addicted to coffee, chocolate and complicated happily-ever-afters.
There aren’t enough hours in the day to keep up with my Goodreads shelves and lists, but I do occasionally try to add a book if I remember. Feel free to friend me. I love meeting other book lovers and seeing what people are reading!
“I guess every story can’t be rainbows and happy endings…”
Do you believe in reincarnations…?
I think I do. Well, I really had a good start! All is well-equipped with not so much information that really piqued my interest but as I dive more and deeper into reading, I understood what the Elements really are.
Grasping at Eternity was an unexpected book I never imagined I will love to bits. The writer’s impeccable writing skills and eloquent words that seem to envelope and sum up the whole package just made it impossibly near perfect. I have to profoundly critique the book to the very core of it but just couldn’t find the right words to uniquely describe it. I am so much speechless (when I finished reading the book!). She had me tied to my bed every night and kept me grasping for the story. Grasping at eternity indeed!
“Every soul is a story shelved away in an infinite library in the sky…”
I was fascinated by the author’s imagination of a kindrily. I never encountered the word before and so I began looking it over my dictionary, only to find myself disappointed because the word wasn’t listed. Sooner, I discovered and took notice—while reading and eating endless raisin-covered chocolates—how close kindrily is to kin. Also, the continuous use of kindrily in place of family is one I noted while reading the book. And after that, I knew what it meant.
Now back to my fascination…
I was in awe. Endless of it. I couldn’t praise more the whole piece because not only was it good, but it will leave you hanging and hungry for more. The story will easily register in your mind. I found it difficult to avoid and I have to talk with the author about some things even though I haven’t finished reading it yet.
The mere mention of the cross-paths of My Name is Memory and X-Men, well, sort of distracted me. I haven’t read My Name is Memory yet and I have my eyes over it even before. Now, I just don’t think I need to read it. I don’t know.
Moving on…
I am constantly gaping with so much amazeballs when I reached the end of the book. Don’t get me wrong here, I love the characters. I love that they are a big family and that they are so much in support of one another. Well, the cruel part for me is that, I get confused a lot, especially with characters. Not that I am purposefully hitting on this one, don’t get me wrong, but this is just sort of one of my weaknesses. Many is weak and myriad is a hell for me. Luckily, I wasn’t so much lost with this one. Just the part where Nathaniel found Dedrick and his cohorts in some boat did I have my head spinning round. I have to re-read the part to understand it.
The plot was very twisted and unexpected. I never expected it would turn out that way. I always expected something’s dark about this part since we know how magical and cunning the story is, and it just sort of paved the way with mysteries, darkness, magic, and witchcraft, all bundled and made a very twisted and enticing story. Also, she put in some action-packed scenes that I’m very fond of but it somehow disappointed me because the scenes were limitedly described. Something lacks something but in the end it has been covered up by the ending.
“I was put on this earth to love you. I know no other kind of existence but to live and breathe for your well-being. It’s who I am, and who I will always be.”
Nathaniel is the perfect character for a broken soul that has been left by his soul mate. His actions made the readers feel how he wanted and loved Maryah. Having lived and experience every cycle of life with her by his side definitely hurt when she chose to erase. Now, I am very mystified by Maryah’s reason behind choosing to erase. He pleases me with his all overly protective manner that really pisses other women. I like it though, but a little bad boy-ish stalker type would do him well. He’s all head over heels in love—a very womanly attitude, as I see it.
Though, Nathaniel’s the perfect lover boy in this story, Carson so much piqued my interest. I kept on wondering when will he meet his soul mate, who is it gonna be, why wasn’t he paired up, and why on earth is this current cycle in a big tangled situation. Of all the characters, I liked how Carson acted, his warm expressions, different ways of expressing his feelings, how he’s always so welcoming and there for Maryah though he doesn’t have any interest with her, and his love for his brother Nathan.
Maryah on the other hand, is the perfect innocent girl who likes to play nonchalance when something really seems off. Her astral traveling amazed me so much, I want to try it. The character within her is scared to know the truth but her strength showed more, that she really wanted to hear the truth. She appeals me in a way that cuts between good and bad, so it perfectly suits me, and pleasingly, catches me off guard. I wanted to put myself in her shoes and see how the sudden truth will weigh and if it will make me run away like what she tried to do. Oh, plus her sudden addiction to peacock feathers was really cute. What piqued me though, was with how she defined the eyes of it that doesn’t lie. It was really interesting but just quite sad because she doesn’t remember anything but the mere mentions of “quotations” that she kept on saying in her past lives.
The other characters, I must say, we’re really unbelievable. They were not forthcoming. For such a big family like theirs, I was very surprised and pleased with what superpowers they have. They were worth knowing. They may be fictional but they sure feel realistic!
About the cover. What can I say? Peacock feathers. Rose petals. Clock. Girl. Sand. Well, the sand was supposed to be red but anyway, it could be the beach or somewhere. Gods, I just love the cover. It’s very dramatic and climactic in every way. The girl’s ardent position indicates of longing yet her facial expressions says innocence and nonchalance at the same time. It’s very Maryah. Her blank expression really just spices up the whole cover that it sent unimaginable terrors and unfathomable history of her past lives.
Karen Amanda Hooper had me on very first words of this magical and dark novel about true love that knows no bounds, a family that never ceases to care, and powers that just seem so impossible it’s so real. I’ve never been more fond in any other book until this one. It totally swept me of my feet (Carson, swept me of my feet and I expect more of him on the next!). Reading this is an honor. No doubt, readers will surely love this through the impeccable skills the author has worked.
“A time of consequence for every action we take is inevitable, yet we don’t give it much thought because it seems so far away in the present moment.”
When Books Defy Gravity 