farhanac's review against another edition
5.0
How much I enjoyed the book: 10/10
How well I think it was written: 9/10
The fantasy genre has become a host to an increasingly large number of novels with tired clichés, predictable characters and recycled plots. Yet, Rebecca Hamilton separates The Forever Girl from the rest: she thrusts the characters, their emotions and the world they live in firmly into an everlasting fragment of your heart.
The story begins and ends with Sophia, who (to my absolute pleasure) is not only strong and independent but also perfectly imperfect. Sophia has clear flaws, such as her insecure nature, allowing the average reader to relate to her.
I love the fact that Sophia doesn't mindlessly follow the instructions of others and isn't quick to trust strangers. It's something I've never understood with other writers - what kind of impression does blind faith in a stranger make on children/teenagers in this day and age? There have been too many real life horror stories circulating and too many impressionable people in the world for writers to continue to allow their characters to have this mentality. It's great that Sophia is also an educated adult - she went to University, got her degree and is of the appropriate age to make her own decisions. Another aspect I love about Sophia is that she didn't completely abandon her previous lifestyle for her new life. Instead, both she and Charles try to embrace the best of both by inviting Sophia's non-elemental friend (forgot her name) to visit. I can't tell you how much I despise teens that just run away from their lives to seek something new and dangerous and forget everything and everyone they've left!
On the other hand of the spectrum - at no point did I feel fully invested in Charles' life as a single character without Sophia around. It's a shame because I always love to imagine what the male protagonist was like before he met the love of his life but the lack of attention and detail about his family prevented me from connecting with him as a character. In fact, I'm hoping for some more competition in Sophia's love life - a threat to the canon pair always helps the couple get that much closer! Speaking of which - the chapter on Ivory's memories held me captivated beyond any other. Not only was my mind blown by the sudden twist (that I wouldn't have expected even if it was dancing around in a Hello Kitty costume, playing music using a giant lollypop stick, with a line of bunnies following behind it) the very emotions Hamilton described had me needing to pause my reading after the chapter just to calm my mind and get my breathing back to normalcy.
I can't even begin to tell you how desperately to see more of the supernatural world by the time I had finished reading. It both upset me and had me itching for more that we'd only been given a taste of the awesome. Most of the loose ends are tied in a neat bow but the lack of the supernatural world, plus a couple of other question marks prevent The Forever Girl from passing as a standalone book. Otherwise if you're a reader unlike me - who doesn't jump into the book and it's world and then suffer from the dreaded Book Hangover - you could read it alone and feel quite satisfied with the ending.
How well I think it was written: 9/10
The fantasy genre has become a host to an increasingly large number of novels with tired clichés, predictable characters and recycled plots. Yet, Rebecca Hamilton separates The Forever Girl from the rest: she thrusts the characters, their emotions and the world they live in firmly into an everlasting fragment of your heart.
The story begins and ends with Sophia, who (to my absolute pleasure) is not only strong and independent but also perfectly imperfect. Sophia has clear flaws, such as her insecure nature, allowing the average reader to relate to her.
I love the fact that Sophia doesn't mindlessly follow the instructions of others and isn't quick to trust strangers. It's something I've never understood with other writers - what kind of impression does blind faith in a stranger make on children/teenagers in this day and age? There have been too many real life horror stories circulating and too many impressionable people in the world for writers to continue to allow their characters to have this mentality. It's great that Sophia is also an educated adult - she went to University, got her degree and is of the appropriate age to make her own decisions. Another aspect I love about Sophia is that she didn't completely abandon her previous lifestyle for her new life. Instead, both she and Charles try to embrace the best of both by inviting Sophia's non-elemental friend (forgot her name) to visit. I can't tell you how much I despise teens that just run away from their lives to seek something new and dangerous and forget everything and everyone they've left!
On the other hand of the spectrum - at no point did I feel fully invested in Charles' life as a single character without Sophia around. It's a shame because I always love to imagine what the male protagonist was like before he met the love of his life but the lack of attention and detail about his family prevented me from connecting with him as a character. In fact, I'm hoping for some more competition in Sophia's love life - a threat to the canon pair always helps the couple get that much closer! Speaking of which - the chapter on Ivory's memories held me captivated beyond any other. Not only was my mind blown by the sudden twist (that I wouldn't have expected even if it was dancing around in a Hello Kitty costume, playing music using a giant lollypop stick, with a line of bunnies following behind it) the very emotions Hamilton described had me needing to pause my reading after the chapter just to calm my mind and get my breathing back to normalcy.
I can't even begin to tell you how desperately to see more of the supernatural world by the time I had finished reading. It both upset me and had me itching for more that we'd only been given a taste of the awesome. Most of the loose ends are tied in a neat bow but the lack of the supernatural world, plus a couple of other question marks prevent The Forever Girl from passing as a standalone book. Otherwise if you're a reader unlike me - who doesn't jump into the book and it's world and then suffer from the dreaded Book Hangover - you could read it alone and feel quite satisfied with the ending.
lolaida's review against another edition
3.0
I'm just gonna leave it at a "It was okay."
The characters' histories were arguably weak. Nobody really stood out to me as especially important even at the end. I didn't feel bad at the few deaths there were. The main character's past was kind of glossed over. We have little to no information on her mother who is spoken about many times throughout the book and her father seems to just have lived a pretty tragic life.
Onto the plot. What plot? Sophia is magical. She is a magical "forever girl". Whoa. And like many heroines she meets this guy and is immediately like "bruh, I got the bun. You got the hot dog if you know what I mean". No, but seriously. This is exactly how she is. There is no explanation for her immediate love of this guy except he's really hot. That's it. He wasn't even that nice when she first met him. I mean I like him. It's just that he was pretty bland at the beginning and I was just hoping that there would be some explanation for her ridiculous almost impossible attraction to him. I found myself praying he was a succubus. But nah. Just another supernatural creature. And with that, I suppose he became the plot somehow. To be honest, if this were written from his point of view, I feel it probably would have been more entertaining.
Anywho, I have decided against reading the second book just because I'm not intrigued enough to read it. I feel like this book ended on a somewhat good note. It has reached the "just good enough to not put down" but definitely not a favorite. The fact I got through it in three days (with other things going on in my life of course) does prove that it did have it's moments. Not only did it have it's moments but the writing style of Hamilton is superb in my opinion - kept me engrossed. Had she been working with a different plot and different characters, I'm sure she would have been an author to look out for on goodreads. But for now, I'm feeling that this book was simply "okay".
The characters' histories were arguably weak. Nobody really stood out to me as especially important even at the end. I didn't feel bad at the few deaths there were. The main character's past was kind of glossed over. We have little to no information on her mother who is spoken about many times throughout the book and her father seems to just have lived a pretty tragic life.
Onto the plot. What plot? Sophia is magical. She is a magical "forever girl". Whoa. And like many heroines she meets this guy and is immediately like "bruh, I got the bun. You got the hot dog if you know what I mean". No, but seriously. This is exactly how she is. There is no explanation for her immediate love of this guy except he's really hot. That's it. He wasn't even that nice when she first met him. I mean I like him. It's just that he was pretty bland at the beginning and I was just hoping that there would be some explanation for her ridiculous almost impossible attraction to him. I found myself praying he was a succubus. But nah. Just another supernatural creature. And with that, I suppose he became the plot somehow. To be honest, if this were written from his point of view, I feel it probably would have been more entertaining.
Anywho, I have decided against reading the second book just because I'm not intrigued enough to read it. I feel like this book ended on a somewhat good note. It has reached the "just good enough to not put down" but definitely not a favorite. The fact I got through it in three days (with other things going on in my life of course) does prove that it did have it's moments. Not only did it have it's moments but the writing style of Hamilton is superb in my opinion - kept me engrossed. Had she been working with a different plot and different characters, I'm sure she would have been an author to look out for on goodreads. But for now, I'm feeling that this book was simply "okay".
urbanaudreye's review against another edition
5.0
I love that the word aglet was used in this story. It's certainly not really in the common vernacular these days for anyone not in the shoe industry.
This is definitely a new spin on the sci-fi/fantasy/paranormal fiction that I'm accustomed to and I love it! I have not read anything quite like it before. Yes, some of these cards have been shown before, but never with this spin.
*I received this book for free in exchange for an honest review.
This is definitely a new spin on the sci-fi/fantasy/paranormal fiction that I'm accustomed to and I love it! I have not read anything quite like it before. Yes, some of these cards have been shown before, but never with this spin.
*I received this book for free in exchange for an honest review.
janetted's review against another edition
4.0
This book wasn’t what I expected. The Forever Girl was so much more than I imagined it would be - action, adventure, history & romance all rolled into one smoothly delivered story. Like many readers I’m a guesser, always trying to figure out where things are going before they get there. With a title like The Forever Girl I expected immortality to be involved somehow. Is it? Well yes, but not the way you think.
In the beginning Sophia seems like a typical girl just trying to fit in and avoid the unwanted attention of her neighbors. This is hard because she’s hiding something. Actually several somethings, some of which she’s not even aware herself. These secrets are what hooked me from the start and kept me exploring with Sophia as she learned and unraveled her story. Rebecca Hamilton does a fantastic job of building the mystery and suspense surrounding her past and present. The historical information and the way it’s tied into the story are fantastic! I don’t want to give too much away, but if you like books surrounding the Salem Witch Trials, check this one out. ;)
All the characters in this book are not what they seem at one time or another, so it kept me guessing. One of my favorites is Charles. Again, don’t want to ruin anything so I won’t tell you too much, but I love how Hamilton introduces him as a dark, mysterious character then challenges Sophia to build a relationship of any kind with him in her uncertain world. To tell the truth I had trust issues for a LONG time where Charles was concerned, always waiting for him to turn from appealing man of mystery to bringer of evil. You’ll have to read for yourself to see which he truly is. Maybe a little of both?
The Forever Girl is what I’d term New Adult fiction. It’s definitely not adult paranormal romance, but I’d hesitate to classify it as YA. The characters are older; Sophia is past college age and living on her own. While her parents are involved and part of the story, she’s no longer answering to them the way younger teens would be. Sexual content is amped up; there are some intimate scenes between characters (one more explicit sex scene I can think of right off). This point alone makes it more suitable for mature readers. I’m excited about this sub genre, and I think The Forever Girl is a great addition to its ranks. Really looking forward to reading the rest of this series!!
In the beginning Sophia seems like a typical girl just trying to fit in and avoid the unwanted attention of her neighbors. This is hard because she’s hiding something. Actually several somethings, some of which she’s not even aware herself. These secrets are what hooked me from the start and kept me exploring with Sophia as she learned and unraveled her story. Rebecca Hamilton does a fantastic job of building the mystery and suspense surrounding her past and present. The historical information and the way it’s tied into the story are fantastic! I don’t want to give too much away, but if you like books surrounding the Salem Witch Trials, check this one out. ;)
All the characters in this book are not what they seem at one time or another, so it kept me guessing. One of my favorites is Charles. Again, don’t want to ruin anything so I won’t tell you too much, but I love how Hamilton introduces him as a dark, mysterious character then challenges Sophia to build a relationship of any kind with him in her uncertain world. To tell the truth I had trust issues for a LONG time where Charles was concerned, always waiting for him to turn from appealing man of mystery to bringer of evil. You’ll have to read for yourself to see which he truly is. Maybe a little of both?
The Forever Girl is what I’d term New Adult fiction. It’s definitely not adult paranormal romance, but I’d hesitate to classify it as YA. The characters are older; Sophia is past college age and living on her own. While her parents are involved and part of the story, she’s no longer answering to them the way younger teens would be. Sexual content is amped up; there are some intimate scenes between characters (one more explicit sex scene I can think of right off). This point alone makes it more suitable for mature readers. I’m excited about this sub genre, and I think The Forever Girl is a great addition to its ranks. Really looking forward to reading the rest of this series!!
katje's review against another edition
4.0
A refreshing take on the vampire mythos, with a main character who grows and changes throughout the story. The romance is hot and the action moves well. Great read.
shai3d's review against another edition
4.0
I really had to sit and ponder about how to rate this book. Or perhaps more correctly what I felt when I finished it. There were a lot of points to consider, mostly good one.
Ms. Hamilton does have a gift with characters and dialogue. I could so totally relate with Sophia and her insecurities. And Charles is almost too good to be true so I would have taken as long as Sophia did to trust him. Oh and don't get me started about her mother. What a piece of work.
I loved almost all of the book. I did find a couple content errors but they were small ones that didn't really pull me out of the story. What I didn't like was the ending. It felt as though it was just tacked on so that what was a really good single book could be stretched out into a series. And I am still not sure what I think about that.
This book is worth reading. Just be prepared for that sudden right turn.
I recommend this book to lovers of horror and paranormal romance. I rate it a 3.5.
**I received this book at no charge from the author in exchange for an honest review.
Ms. Hamilton does have a gift with characters and dialogue. I could so totally relate with Sophia and her insecurities. And Charles is almost too good to be true so I would have taken as long as Sophia did to trust him. Oh and don't get me started about her mother. What a piece of work.
I loved almost all of the book. I did find a couple content errors but they were small ones that didn't really pull me out of the story. What I didn't like was the ending. It felt as though it was just tacked on so that what was a really good single book could be stretched out into a series. And I am still not sure what I think about that.
This book is worth reading. Just be prepared for that sudden right turn.
I recommend this book to lovers of horror and paranormal romance. I rate it a 3.5.
**I received this book at no charge from the author in exchange for an honest review.
izzy_happyfornow's review against another edition
2.0
I really wanted to love this book. The blurb sounded amazing. I just couldn't get into it. By the end I was left kind of intrigued about what will happen in book 2 but I don't plan to pick it up.
brittdoreads's review against another edition
3.0
Alright so I didn't love this book and I didn't hate this book. I thought it was just ok. I thought some parts were lovely. The mythology was cool. I just felt like some of the important information was hurriedly rushed through and never explained very well. I also felt like Sophia goes from knowing nothing about herself and magic and telepathy and then all of the sudden she's a pro. (I realize this is discussed in the book, I just think it's not very plausible to have someone become that strong and proficient at something that she's practiced for a day.)
Something else that bothered me was the romance, at least at the beginning. Charles acts so bipolar towards Sophia; one minute he's dancing with her and the next he's shoving her away. He gets over that rather quickly though. And then we don't get to see them fall in love really. They are just there all the sudden.
All that said, I would still probably read a sequel.
Something else that bothered me was the romance, at least at the beginning. Charles acts so bipolar towards Sophia; one minute he's dancing with her and the next he's shoving her away. He gets over that rather quickly though. And then we don't get to see them fall in love really. They are just there all the sudden.
All that said, I would still probably read a sequel.
authorashleyyoung's review against another edition
5.0
The night I received The Forever Girl, and into the following evening, I read the entire book. Even during class (which was bad of me, but it was too good for me to put down.) When I did put it down, I couldn't help but want to finish reading because I wanted to know what was going to happen next.
The author definitely knows how to draw a reader in, suck them into the dimension of the book. I absolutely loved it!
The Forever Girl has an amazing plot and amazing characters. Sophie is my favourite and someone I think I can relate to, in part. An outcast of society kinda, HAHA! And Charles.... yah, Charles *squees!!!!*... that's all I'll say, LOL. And I loved, LOVED how she had everything paranormal: Vampires, Werewolves, Wiccans, scary things. My favourite things to read about!!!
I suggest giving this gem a read, and sit back and enjoy the journey in The Forever Girl!!
The author definitely knows how to draw a reader in, suck them into the dimension of the book. I absolutely loved it!
The Forever Girl has an amazing plot and amazing characters. Sophie is my favourite and someone I think I can relate to, in part. An outcast of society kinda, HAHA! And Charles.... yah, Charles *squees!!!!*... that's all I'll say, LOL. And I loved, LOVED how she had everything paranormal: Vampires, Werewolves, Wiccans, scary things. My favourite things to read about!!!
I suggest giving this gem a read, and sit back and enjoy the journey in The Forever Girl!!