Author: Ramona Wray
Publication: CreateSpace (January 29, 2011)
Description: Like most girls at Rosemound High School, seventeen-year-old Lily Crane is acutely aware of Ryder Kingscott. Hands down the cutest guy in school, Ryder is cool, mysterious, and utterly untouchable…especially for Lily. For when she touches someone, Lily instantly learns all about their lives. And while such a skill might seem nifty, in truth it is wrecking Lily’s life. So she is shocked when Ryder asks her out — and even more shocked to discover he has a rival. Lucian Bell is the gorgeous new kid who can’t take his eyes off of Lily. Being pursued by two hotties should make a girl happy, but Lily is skeptical. The boys act as if they've met before, hating each other with a passion that could only be rooted in a dark, dangerous past. A past full of terrible secrets. The kind of secrets that could get a girl killed.
My Thoughts: This was a complex paranormal romance with the love triangle that seems to be common to the genre. I love Lily's voice. She seems like a very well-grounded 17-year-old despite a number of problems. She is not able to touch anyone with reading them, feeling their pain, and passing out. She is also able to do spells and make healing candles for her mother's occult store. She has one really good friend - J - who is also on the far side of normal. She has a good relationship with her parents.
Boy number 1 is Ryder. He is the hot guy at school who goes his own way and does his own thing. Lily describes him as "James Dean with better hair." One day he decides that it is time to approach Lily. They have been watching each other for a year. Lily is reluctant at first. She wonders "why now?" and "what about the no-touching thing?" She soon learns that she can touch him and they become the latest hot couple at school. She falls head-over-heels in love and he returns her feelings.
Boy number 2 is Lucian Bell. He is a new arrival at school who also takes one look at Lily and begins courting her. He shows up wherever she is and is constantly trying to convince her to be with him. For me, he had something of a creepy vibe that it takes Lily a while to see. He is also able to touch her. But, when he does, she sees visions of their past.
The story begins with a hex. A boy who is engaged to a girl falls in love with her sister. The sister loves back but is filled with guilt. The girl catching them together and curses them to never be together. Lucian shows Lily her past lives and tries to convince her that they belong together and Ryder is the halfling angel called by curse to kill her.
This was an interesting story. I liked the emotional intensity. Lily has to decide who she should believe. The story is filled with twists and turns. I think that this one will appeal to fans of Twilight and others of the current crop of YA paranormal romances. Recommended for the romance lover!
Favorite Quote:
And the bottom line was that I trusted Ryder. Even in the middle of whatever was happening, of the unknown, I trusted him enough not to care where he took me. Timbuktu even, was alright with me, as long as we were together. Call it instinct, call it early onset dementia, but being with him felt a lot like belonging. I'd never experienced anything like it before. Heck, I'd never been able to touch someone else and not have my brains liquefy inside my skull before. How could I not trust him?I received this book from the author for review. It is available at Amazon in paperback and Kindle formats.
The cover looks so tween-ish! I'm glad I read your review! lol.
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