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Emblem of Eternity #1
Eternal Starling
A love so strong, even eternity can't separate them. Evie Starling has lived a relatively uneventful life hanging out with friends, gossiping about boys, and driving her 1966 Mustang.
All of that changes when she moves to Gunnison, Colorado, to start college and meets two mysterious men. For centuries, Alex Night and Emil Stone have yearned for Evie, but they each have their own reasons for wanting to be with her. When both men claim to be her soul mate and tell her about an unbelievable past, Evie learns that she's not the person she thought she was. Soon, Evie finds herself in the middle of an age-old battle between the Amaranthine Society the soul protectors, and the Daevos Resistance the soul destroyers. With a past she doesn't understand, and a future rife with danger, Evie has to decide who she can trust. But Alex and Emil aren't the only ones who want Evie, and her soul is about to become the rope in an eternal tug-of-war.
All of that changes when she moves to Gunnison, Colorado, to start college and meets two mysterious men. For centuries, Alex Night and Emil Stone have yearned for Evie, but they each have their own reasons for wanting to be with her. When both men claim to be her soul mate and tell her about an unbelievable past, Evie learns that she's not the person she thought she was. Soon, Evie finds herself in the middle of an age-old battle between the Amaranthine Society the soul protectors, and the Daevos Resistance the soul destroyers. With a past she doesn't understand, and a future rife with danger, Evie has to decide who she can trust. But Alex and Emil aren't the only ones who want Evie, and her soul is about to become the rope in an eternal tug-of-war.
320 pages, Hardcover
First published December 2, 2011
About the author
Angela Corbett
31 books335 followersAs a child, Angela Corbett’s most prized possession was a set of read-along books. She used to follow along with the narrator and dream of when she would be able to read by herself. Her childhood reading habit led her to consider her future career. However, after consulting with her parents, she realized she had already exceeded hobbit height and since fairies and dragonslayers were tricky jobs to get, she decided she wanted to create worlds of her own.
Angela is a USA Today Bestselling author, and a graduate of Westminster College where she double majored in communication and sociology and minored in business. She has worked as a journalist, freelance writer, and director of communications and marketing. She lives in Utah with her extremely supportive husband and their dog, S'more. She loves classic cars, traveling, puppies, and can be bribed with The People's Coffee mochas.
She’s the author of Young Adult, New Adult, and Adult fiction—with lots of kissing. She writes under two names: Angela Corbett, and Destiny Ford.
Angela is a USA Today Bestselling author, and a graduate of Westminster College where she double majored in communication and sociology and minored in business. She has worked as a journalist, freelance writer, and director of communications and marketing. She lives in Utah with her extremely supportive husband and their dog, S'more. She loves classic cars, traveling, puppies, and can be bribed with The People's Coffee mochas.
She’s the author of Young Adult, New Adult, and Adult fiction—with lots of kissing. She writes under two names: Angela Corbett, and Destiny Ford.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 203 reviews
May 12, 2012
And I thought I had enough of stupid love triangles where supposedly perfect, hot guys went after some girl with nothing, no brain, no conscience but only some lousy talent that the overly-optimistic guys con themselves into believing that it's worth fighting tooth-and-nail over for. Sigh. What happened to the heroic portrayal of women in literature nowadays?
Typical story, typical triangle, typical fighting, typical eenie-meenie-whoever-should-I-choose dilemma. Though I wonder what in the world gave this girl the authority, or at the very least, the impression she had the competence to even have two guys licking her heels? I mean, I can't blame the two guys that had to sandwich a brainless piece of bimbo-bacon between themselves which makes me wonder why exactly started to read this book in the first place.
Do not get me wrong, the writing style of the author is engaging, it almost had me hooked if not for the unbearable plot. My only problem was, the FEMALE PROTAGONIST!!!!! I was almost embarrassed when I found out I had the same XX chromosomes as Evie.
Quote from candidate for Evie's soulmate number one: "Why do you have to be so damn stubborn and independent?"
Funny, those were the LEAST of my problems I had with her. In fact, I found quite the opposite that had me fuming about her.
Stubborn? She sways easily between both lovers, Alex and Emil, thinking that she belongs to one when she shares a quite moment with one then as simply as that,abandons ship when the other guy enters the picture. She leads both guys on and lures them in like some serial dater, though she gets mad when she suspects ( I KNOW RIGHT! Merely SUSPECTS) that she comes "second place" in one of the guy's ( I won't say who, to protect identities and their personal safety) life.
Independent? I wish. Oh sure, she's in danger, she know that, but guess what's more important than her safety? Her love-life, her relationship status on her facebook page (not literally but, you know,)that she goes ding dong loosely from one guy to another that in the end BOTH guys have to clear up her mess behind her.
Yeah sure she's grateful (sarcastic remark here). The way she treats and talks to both guys, especially Alex, i just think that both guys don't deserve it. But then they asked for it, so something's not right in their heads either.
I don't know what Evie looks for in guys. Actually I DO know ("...smoking hot and kissed me." - Evie), but I just can't believe that's why she goes out with men. No wonder her previous relationships have ended in catastrophes. I mean, who can trust a guy all alone in the woods (shouldn't alarm bells or the self-defence lessons be ringing in one's brain by then) or someone who pounces on you on the first day of school (shouldn't one be claiming back one's personal space and dignity?) Boy, does she need counselling about self-respect.
I just need to know what makes Evie worth waiting 250 years for by both guys. Yeah, there was some special power somewhere, but by the time I reached it, i was to pissed off by the story to even pay attention at all.
If you like geometry in your love stories, you may like to give this book a go. I'm just a bit tired of all the whining.
Typical story, typical triangle, typical fighting, typical eenie-meenie-whoever-should-I-choose dilemma. Though I wonder what in the world gave this girl the authority, or at the very least, the impression she had the competence to even have two guys licking her heels? I mean, I can't blame the two guys that had to sandwich a brainless piece of bimbo-bacon between themselves which makes me wonder why exactly started to read this book in the first place.
Do not get me wrong, the writing style of the author is engaging, it almost had me hooked if not for the unbearable plot. My only problem was, the FEMALE PROTAGONIST!!!!! I was almost embarrassed when I found out I had the same XX chromosomes as Evie.
Quote from candidate for Evie's soulmate number one: "Why do you have to be so damn stubborn and independent?"
Funny, those were the LEAST of my problems I had with her. In fact, I found quite the opposite that had me fuming about her.
Stubborn? She sways easily between both lovers, Alex and Emil, thinking that she belongs to one when she shares a quite moment with one then as simply as that,abandons ship when the other guy enters the picture. She leads both guys on and lures them in like some serial dater, though she gets mad when she suspects ( I KNOW RIGHT! Merely SUSPECTS) that she comes "second place" in one of the guy's ( I won't say who, to protect identities and their personal safety) life.
Independent? I wish. Oh sure, she's in danger, she know that, but guess what's more important than her safety? Her love-life, her relationship status on her facebook page (not literally but, you know,)that she goes ding dong loosely from one guy to another that in the end BOTH guys have to clear up her mess behind her.
Yeah sure she's grateful (sarcastic remark here). The way she treats and talks to both guys, especially Alex, i just think that both guys don't deserve it. But then they asked for it, so something's not right in their heads either.
I don't know what Evie looks for in guys. Actually I DO know ("...smoking hot and kissed me." - Evie), but I just can't believe that's why she goes out with men. No wonder her previous relationships have ended in catastrophes. I mean, who can trust a guy all alone in the woods (shouldn't alarm bells or the self-defence lessons be ringing in one's brain by then) or someone who pounces on you on the first day of school (shouldn't one be claiming back one's personal space and dignity?) Boy, does she need counselling about self-respect.
I just need to know what makes Evie worth waiting 250 years for by both guys. Yeah, there was some special power somewhere, but by the time I reached it, i was to pissed off by the story to even pay attention at all.
If you like geometry in your love stories, you may like to give this book a go. I'm just a bit tired of all the whining.
September 23, 2011
I'll admit, it's a little strange to rate my own book. I had a fabulous time writing Eternal Starling, and I love the book and characters so much! I wanted to write an eternal love story, and when the idea for Eternal Starling came to me, I couldn't get it on paper fast enough. The Emblem of Eternity trilogy is filled with love, danger, betrayal, and some really cool cars. :) I hope you'll enjoy the first part of Evie's journey as much as I enjoyed writing it!
November 14, 2011
Eternal Starling was a very romantic book. Swoon. It is the first in the Emblem of Eternity series. It's wonderful to love the first of a series because you know there are more coming. I'm a sucker for soulmate books. I read a lot of them. This one was my favorite by far. Angela Corbett did a wonderful job in creating her own mythology in the soulmate genre.
By the end of the first chapter I was hooked. Evie was a great heroine who used her brains and asked the right questions. And she didn't just follow orders blindly. Alex and Emil were both so unique. I was drawn to both of the guys, but I am rooting for Emil. I seem to be cursed with the unfortunate habit of rooting for the underdog in any love triangle, but I am still Team Emil. Who's with me? I melted at the way he introduced himself to Evie. :) This is Angela Corbett's debut novel and she knocked it out of the park. I love her writing style and the way she paced the book. I am so excited to read the next book in this series and find out who Evie's true soulmate is!
By the end of the first chapter I was hooked. Evie was a great heroine who used her brains and asked the right questions. And she didn't just follow orders blindly. Alex and Emil were both so unique. I was drawn to both of the guys, but I am rooting for Emil. I seem to be cursed with the unfortunate habit of rooting for the underdog in any love triangle, but I am still Team Emil. Who's with me? I melted at the way he introduced himself to Evie. :) This is Angela Corbett's debut novel and she knocked it out of the park. I love her writing style and the way she paced the book. I am so excited to read the next book in this series and find out who Evie's true soulmate is!
August 31, 2017
Alegerile nu au fost și nu vor fi niciodată ușoare, atunci când fericirea și, mai ales, dragostea, încă au ceva de spus în privința asta. Chiar și în ciuda eternității.
Recenzia: https://bookysme.wordpress.com/2017/0...
Recenzia: https://bookysme.wordpress.com/2017/0...
March 24, 2021
3.75 stars.
This book started off great! I was hooked.. then i was like -_- the hell is going on here? Basically the majority of this story was listening to Evie try decide who to choose between Alex and Emil. (I'll get to them two shortly) So yeah, we were constantly warned that Evie's in "danger" and needs to be protected... Evie was not put in one bit of danger till the "climax chapter" and the end and even then that was kinda meh. All we got was a smile and some eyes... terrifying right? Yes about as terrifying as butterflies and bunny slippers. Any-whoo, there was NO action, no real drama just teenage bitching and pining. Which got old real fast let me tell you.
So the characters. Lets start with Evangeline.
At the start i thought yeahh she's gonna be great not your typical girl. She has a Mustang! *swoooon!*
this opinion lasted about 25% in? I don't know it didn't last long anyway! All she seemed to do was sway between the guys and proclaim her "independence". I constantly felt like throwing my kindle at the wall I couldn't believe how selfish and idiotic she became! There were some SERIOUSLY awquard moments on her part. She acts like it's perfectly alright for her to be stringing along two guys. Mentioning only once that it "wasn't fair". I'm not a very big fan of love triangles, ill admit some i do love but sorry to say this wasn't one of them!
It seemed to me she had her mind made up all along, so why not just get it all over with and be with Alex, insted of strining Emil along, i found it kinda paulful and cringey at times.
Okay so Alex.. he's charming, protective, handsome sounds good right? He's also a control freak, doesn't really show his emotions, he's obsessive, pushy. (Dont get me wrong i love me some Alpha male, but he was not for me at all!) So these two guys are both in love with Evie claiming to be her soul mates.Each guy is hostile towards the other which is to be expected right? But Alex is like a child competing to be teachers pet. My jaw hit the floor when i read this...
I'm sorry, are you five you douchebag!?
So Alex is Evie's protector, he has this ring where he can watch Evie's every move spying on her life. Alex tells Evie whats going on giving her the 411 on the two battling societies and the deal on soul mates. Evie takes it all on the chin (good for her right!) But i'm sorry if anybody nevermind my ex who's constantly giving me mixed signals, wont give me a straight answer told me he had a magic ring where he could spy on me i'd be seriously pissed. (maybe thats just me being a private person? I don't know) But Evie didn't bat an eyelid!
Emil was the highlight of ths book for me, i really enjoyed his page time. I do so like a bad boy. Even as thoguh it was extremelly infuriating that Evie didn't really give the poor guy a chace, i have hope for the next book if i ever read it. Even when Evie was with him she was drooling over Alex or thinking about him, and i could be seen at work on my breaks about to put my head through the office window.
I like some action, something epic to happen in stories from fight scenes to an epic love , unfortunately this book had neither for me with nothing inbetween so it fell to Emil to hold this book up for me if it wasn't for him with the lack of danger and constant self involved obsessing on Evies part i may have thrown my Kindle to the dogs. I can't remember the last time i was so infuriated by a book.
The idea of the societies and soul mates was great! Just totally lacking through 90% of the story, it just felt like the whole book was building up to something completely epic happening, but the 'epic event' wasnt all that epic at all.
Not to be completely negative though I realllly enjoyed Angels's writing style. It was so easy and enjoyable, if it hadn't of been i may not have stuck through the story. I might stick with this series, just to see how it all pans out.
This book started off great! I was hooked.. then i was like -_- the hell is going on here? Basically the majority of this story was listening to Evie try decide who to choose between Alex and Emil. (I'll get to them two shortly) So yeah, we were constantly warned that Evie's in "danger" and needs to be protected... Evie was not put in one bit of danger till the "climax chapter" and the end and even then that was kinda meh. All we got was a smile and some eyes... terrifying right? Yes about as terrifying as butterflies and bunny slippers. Any-whoo, there was NO action, no real drama just teenage bitching and pining. Which got old real fast let me tell you.
So the characters. Lets start with Evangeline.
At the start i thought yeahh she's gonna be great not your typical girl. She has a Mustang! *swoooon!*
this opinion lasted about 25% in? I don't know it didn't last long anyway! All she seemed to do was sway between the guys and proclaim her "independence". I constantly felt like throwing my kindle at the wall I couldn't believe how selfish and idiotic she became! There were some SERIOUSLY awquard moments on her part. She acts like it's perfectly alright for her to be stringing along two guys. Mentioning only once that it "wasn't fair". I'm not a very big fan of love triangles, ill admit some i do love but sorry to say this wasn't one of them!
I knew it wouldn't be long before Emil would throw a punch, and it wouldn't take much longer than that for Alex to knock Emil down.
It seemed to me she had her mind made up all along, so why not just get it all over with and be with Alex, insted of strining Emil along, i found it kinda paulful and cringey at times.
Okay so Alex.. he's charming, protective, handsome sounds good right? He's also a control freak, doesn't really show his emotions, he's obsessive, pushy. (Dont get me wrong i love me some Alpha male, but he was not for me at all!) So these two guys are both in love with Evie claiming to be her soul mates.Each guy is hostile towards the other which is to be expected right? But Alex is like a child competing to be teachers pet. My jaw hit the floor when i read this...
Alex was quiet for a minute. I noticed a smile playing on his lips. "Regardless i don't think they liked Emil nearly as much as me."
I'm sorry, are you five you douchebag!?
So Alex is Evie's protector, he has this ring where he can watch Evie's every move spying on her life. Alex tells Evie whats going on giving her the 411 on the two battling societies and the deal on soul mates. Evie takes it all on the chin (good for her right!) But i'm sorry if anybody nevermind my ex who's constantly giving me mixed signals, wont give me a straight answer told me he had a magic ring where he could spy on me i'd be seriously pissed. (maybe thats just me being a private person? I don't know) But Evie didn't bat an eyelid!
Emil was the highlight of ths book for me, i really enjoyed his page time. I do so like a bad boy. Even as thoguh it was extremelly infuriating that Evie didn't really give the poor guy a chace, i have hope for the next book if i ever read it. Even when Evie was with him she was drooling over Alex or thinking about him, and i could be seen at work on my breaks about to put my head through the office window.
I like some action, something epic to happen in stories from fight scenes to an epic love , unfortunately this book had neither for me with nothing inbetween so it fell to Emil to hold this book up for me if it wasn't for him with the lack of danger and constant self involved obsessing on Evies part i may have thrown my Kindle to the dogs. I can't remember the last time i was so infuriated by a book.
The idea of the societies and soul mates was great! Just totally lacking through 90% of the story, it just felt like the whole book was building up to something completely epic happening, but the 'epic event' wasnt all that epic at all.
Not to be completely negative though I realllly enjoyed Angels's writing style. It was so easy and enjoyable, if it hadn't of been i may not have stuck through the story. I might stick with this series, just to see how it all pans out.
November 8, 2011
I loved that this book had so much to do with fighting for the soul. I love that there is great back round history to all three characters and that there is so much for the reader to take in.
One thing that grabbed me about the story are the characters. I loved that the main characters Evie is out of the loop about things. She may have a past, but she doesn't remember. Ms. Corbett did a great job on giving the pieces to the reader little by little. I like that not all information was dumped on the reader, but paced perfectly.
Now, I admit, I love the love triangle. Masochist, I know. What I really like about it, is the fact that it is one messy ball of drama. It's not overly done drama either, but just enough to keep me on my toes about the two hotties, Emil and Alex. Both characters had an extreme passion for Evie. Both of their history for hers are beautiful to see but only one stood out for me. (FYI: I'm Team Alex!)
If you want a book with a secret society and two hotties fighting for the one they love, read this book. Right from the start, the reader is captured in this world of lost loves and fighting against darkness. A brilliant and wonderful debut, Eternal Starling is the beginning of a great series to come!
One thing that grabbed me about the story are the characters. I loved that the main characters Evie is out of the loop about things. She may have a past, but she doesn't remember. Ms. Corbett did a great job on giving the pieces to the reader little by little. I like that not all information was dumped on the reader, but paced perfectly.
Now, I admit, I love the love triangle. Masochist, I know. What I really like about it, is the fact that it is one messy ball of drama. It's not overly done drama either, but just enough to keep me on my toes about the two hotties, Emil and Alex. Both characters had an extreme passion for Evie. Both of their history for hers are beautiful to see but only one stood out for me. (FYI: I'm Team Alex!)
If you want a book with a secret society and two hotties fighting for the one they love, read this book. Right from the start, the reader is captured in this world of lost loves and fighting against darkness. A brilliant and wonderful debut, Eternal Starling is the beginning of a great series to come!
July 20, 2012
Eternal Starling has been high on my list to read ever since its release way back in December, and finally 6 months later, I’ve read it and guess what, I loved it!
This story follows Evie, who has just moved to Colorado where she is about to start college. But when she meets two men; Alex and Emil, who both claim to be her soul mate, her life is suddenly turned upside down and starts becoming dangerous - fast. Evie soon learns that her soul has been reincarnated several times over the last century and both Alex and Emil, play a key role in her past lives. But with both men reluctant to share details with her, and both men whom hate each other, Evie doesn’t know who to trust. But she needs to figure it out soon, because Alex and Emil aren’t the only ones after her soul......
Awwww Alex and Emil! I need to speak about these characters first because I can’t contain my excitement over these two. Wow, just wow. If you ever thought love triangles were hard, wait until you read this book. Author Angela Corbett does not make it easy on us readers because she throws in two absolutely outstanding and HOT men into this story. First we meet Alex and it’s hard to not like him. Even though it’s clear he’s hiding Evie's past, he’s very protective of her and you can see how much he cares for her. But then we get Emil, sigh……and his entrance in to the book is just…..wow! His presence is very strong and he’s determined to get what he wants. He’s kind of the bad guy in the story but deep down, he’s not. I’m totally Team Emil and if Evie’s past lives are anything to go by, I’m hoping she picks Emil. Don’t get me wrong, I do like Alex, but I think he’s a little too quick to judge and bad mouth Emil and for that, I want Emil to get the girl.
The story itself is beautifully written with enough scenes to make you weak at the knees. There’s also danger around every corner, giving you enough excitement and action to make this story very thrilling, and then of course, there’s the flashbacks, which give you the right amount of knowledge into Evie’s past lives – which I loved. The concept of “Soul Mates” wasn't something new to me, as I have read books similar before but I enjoyed how Angela put her own twists on it. I’m a huge fan of destiny and forever so Eternal Starling hit the right spots for me. I cannot wait to read more from this author because so far, I’m a fan and plus I’m dying to find out who Evie really belongs with.
This story follows Evie, who has just moved to Colorado where she is about to start college. But when she meets two men; Alex and Emil, who both claim to be her soul mate, her life is suddenly turned upside down and starts becoming dangerous - fast. Evie soon learns that her soul has been reincarnated several times over the last century and both Alex and Emil, play a key role in her past lives. But with both men reluctant to share details with her, and both men whom hate each other, Evie doesn’t know who to trust. But she needs to figure it out soon, because Alex and Emil aren’t the only ones after her soul......
Awwww Alex and Emil! I need to speak about these characters first because I can’t contain my excitement over these two. Wow, just wow. If you ever thought love triangles were hard, wait until you read this book. Author Angela Corbett does not make it easy on us readers because she throws in two absolutely outstanding and HOT men into this story. First we meet Alex and it’s hard to not like him. Even though it’s clear he’s hiding Evie's past, he’s very protective of her and you can see how much he cares for her. But then we get Emil, sigh……and his entrance in to the book is just…..wow! His presence is very strong and he’s determined to get what he wants. He’s kind of the bad guy in the story but deep down, he’s not. I’m totally Team Emil and if Evie’s past lives are anything to go by, I’m hoping she picks Emil. Don’t get me wrong, I do like Alex, but I think he’s a little too quick to judge and bad mouth Emil and for that, I want Emil to get the girl.
The story itself is beautifully written with enough scenes to make you weak at the knees. There’s also danger around every corner, giving you enough excitement and action to make this story very thrilling, and then of course, there’s the flashbacks, which give you the right amount of knowledge into Evie’s past lives – which I loved. The concept of “Soul Mates” wasn't something new to me, as I have read books similar before but I enjoyed how Angela put her own twists on it. I’m a huge fan of destiny and forever so Eternal Starling hit the right spots for me. I cannot wait to read more from this author because so far, I’m a fan and plus I’m dying to find out who Evie really belongs with.
January 1, 2012
Let me preface this by saying that 9 times out of 10 I absolutely loathe love triangles and I knew going in that this book pretty much embodied the epitome of one; But some of the reviews suggested it might be worth it so I gave it a shot.
It wasn't bad, I give the author props for the Mines of Moria reference and some pretty witty banter. And I gave Emil & Evie's first "hello" 2 hearty thumbs up. But sadly I wound up disliking Evie through most of the book and it only got worse as the story progressed. It was like she was supposed to be this tough badass I could admire, but instead she came off as flighty and self pitying as she repeatedly told herself how tough and badass she was. At least she had cool taste in cars. And men.
Another thing that irks me is I don't like it when characters go from 0 to I-can't-live-without-you in under 2 pages with little explanation. I understand it's story related, but it literally felt like entire chapters were missing, and I was left going huh? What just happened? And while I also realize this is fiction, there were several scenes that had me shaking my head thinking no way in hell would that happen even if the story WAS true. I mean let's be honest, Evie's reactions to most of Alex and Emil's revelations were more mind boggling than the revelations themselves.
So, 1 star for witty dialogue, 1 star for 2 hot guys and an original story. My math is somewhat flawed, but there it is.
It wasn't bad, I give the author props for the Mines of Moria reference and some pretty witty banter. And I gave Emil & Evie's first "hello" 2 hearty thumbs up. But sadly I wound up disliking Evie through most of the book and it only got worse as the story progressed. It was like she was supposed to be this tough badass I could admire, but instead she came off as flighty and self pitying as she repeatedly told herself how tough and badass she was. At least she had cool taste in cars. And men.
Another thing that irks me is I don't like it when characters go from 0 to I-can't-live-without-you in under 2 pages with little explanation. I understand it's story related, but it literally felt like entire chapters were missing, and I was left going huh? What just happened? And while I also realize this is fiction, there were several scenes that had me shaking my head thinking no way in hell would that happen even if the story WAS true. I mean let's be honest, Evie's reactions to most of Alex and Emil's revelations were more mind boggling than the revelations themselves.
So, 1 star for witty dialogue, 1 star for 2 hot guys and an original story. My math is somewhat flawed, but there it is.
January 27, 2012
Okay, in reality I am giving this 3.5 stars (or if you follow my review blog...3.5 Bards), but I figured I'd round it up for Goodreads.
Something that I need to state: this book is a romance, young adult romance, but a romance novel none the less. This is not a bad thing, but the synopsis is a little misleading because while there are paranormal elements, the majority of this first installment in the Emblem of Eternity series is focused on setting up the major romantic relationships.
In fact, even the paranormal aspect of the novel directly reflects the central romantic triangle that is set up within the first few chapters. Let me explain. The paranormal element here is a myth that "the world was created by Goddesses and their soulmates. The Goddesses were all powerful, and with their mates, they performed a ritual that created two souls--perfect matches for each other in every sense. These souls were called devine complements...The souls spend their lives looking for their other half" (pg 119). So, in Eternal Starling, the romance does not take away from the main narrative question: who is Evie's soulmate? Sure there are some other aspects to her "soul" status, but I imagine that those will become more prevalent in the sequels than in this first novel.
I honestly really enjoyed Evie's voice and narration at the beginning of the novel, but there was one or two places where she inadvertently refers to herself in the third person (leading me to believe that maybe this novel was originally written in third person point of view and then changed to first). Evie is snarky, stubborn, and a girl of average body weight. All of these things equal a heroine/romantic lead that I can get behind.
It is unavoidable to discuss this book without mentioning the two love interests in Evie's life. First, Alex Night. He is unbelievably attractive (but what male lead isn't in a young adult novel?), intelligent, and has just enough attitude to counter Evie when needed. To be honest, I liked him a lot more than I liked the other lead, but I think that is intentional by the author. I do find it odd how he handles his situation with Evie, especially if there was a solution to it the entire time, but I guess I understand it. Second: Emil Stone. Emil, like Alex, is super hot, mysteriously forward, and very loyal. All things that Evie loves. Toward the end his character is redeemed a bit, but I find that I still preferred Alex.
Why did I give this book only 3.5 stars? To be honest, I really just think that there are a lot of things left unsaid and that could have been fleshed out. I think that Evie's fate should have been discussed a lot sooner than it was. I liked this book, I did, but I think that there is some improvements to be made to the narrative and the plot line. The storyline was fascinating, and the romance was done pretty well. I will be following Evie's story, and I encourage readers who are fond of romance to pick this book up and give it a chance.
Just don't be fooled into thinking that this is a paranormally focused novel. It isn't. The story is revolved around love. The next installments may alter this balance, but for now, I would describe this novel as Young Adult romance rather than Young Adult paranormal.
Something that I need to state: this book is a romance, young adult romance, but a romance novel none the less. This is not a bad thing, but the synopsis is a little misleading because while there are paranormal elements, the majority of this first installment in the Emblem of Eternity series is focused on setting up the major romantic relationships.
In fact, even the paranormal aspect of the novel directly reflects the central romantic triangle that is set up within the first few chapters. Let me explain. The paranormal element here is a myth that "the world was created by Goddesses and their soulmates. The Goddesses were all powerful, and with their mates, they performed a ritual that created two souls--perfect matches for each other in every sense. These souls were called devine complements...The souls spend their lives looking for their other half" (pg 119). So, in Eternal Starling, the romance does not take away from the main narrative question: who is Evie's soulmate? Sure there are some other aspects to her "soul" status, but I imagine that those will become more prevalent in the sequels than in this first novel.
I honestly really enjoyed Evie's voice and narration at the beginning of the novel, but there was one or two places where she inadvertently refers to herself in the third person (leading me to believe that maybe this novel was originally written in third person point of view and then changed to first). Evie is snarky, stubborn, and a girl of average body weight. All of these things equal a heroine/romantic lead that I can get behind.
It is unavoidable to discuss this book without mentioning the two love interests in Evie's life. First, Alex Night. He is unbelievably attractive (but what male lead isn't in a young adult novel?), intelligent, and has just enough attitude to counter Evie when needed. To be honest, I liked him a lot more than I liked the other lead, but I think that is intentional by the author. I do find it odd how he handles his situation with Evie, especially if there was a solution to it the entire time, but I guess I understand it. Second: Emil Stone. Emil, like Alex, is super hot, mysteriously forward, and very loyal. All things that Evie loves. Toward the end his character is redeemed a bit, but I find that I still preferred Alex.
Why did I give this book only 3.5 stars? To be honest, I really just think that there are a lot of things left unsaid and that could have been fleshed out. I think that Evie's fate should have been discussed a lot sooner than it was. I liked this book, I did, but I think that there is some improvements to be made to the narrative and the plot line. The storyline was fascinating, and the romance was done pretty well. I will be following Evie's story, and I encourage readers who are fond of romance to pick this book up and give it a chance.
Just don't be fooled into thinking that this is a paranormally focused novel. It isn't. The story is revolved around love. The next installments may alter this balance, but for now, I would describe this novel as Young Adult romance rather than Young Adult paranormal.
April 11, 2017
Ce anume am apreciat la volumul de față? Aura de mister în care sunt învăluite personajele, ideea de suflete pereche și mitologia la care face referire autoarea, personalitatea protagonistei, povestea de dragoste și , nu în ultimul rând, discuțiile atât de spumoase dintre protagoniști.
Un element interesant în carte este triunghiul amoros care se formează între Evie Starling, Alex Night și Emil Stone. Nu sunt o fană a acestui gen de poveste de dragoste, dar de data asta, am înțeles perfect de ce Evie se simte atât de derutată din cauza celor doi tineri care susțin că sunt sufletul ei pereche și vor să-i demonstreze cât de mult o iubesc. Mă întreb ce alegere o să facă până la urmă: Alex - băiatul bun și arogant, sigur pe el, care îi oferă cele mai frumoase momente romantic - sau Emil, băiatul cel rău și sarcastic, care îi spune direct ce simte?
Atunci când a fost vorba de un triunghi amoros, întotdeauna am fost partinitioare, mi-am ales ușor preferatul, dar acum sunt și eu derutată, nu mă pot decide cine e rău și cine e bun, cine se preface sau cine o manipulează pe Evie. Ba mai mult, sunt suspicioasă în privința ambilor tineri.
Alex este prea perfect - frumos, romantic, protector, atent la dorințele fetei, dar trece prea repede peste niște etape. Înțeleg că este ceva frustrant pentru el, că o știe foarte bine, că o dorește de secole, că e sufletul lui pereche, dar oare Evie e pregătită ? O cam sperie pentru că știe foarte multe lucruri despre trecutul ei, de parcă ar fi fost acolo. Se grăbește, dar în același timp, spune că nu e momentul potrivit pentru o apropiere intimă. E posomorât dacă ea nu-și exprimă prea curând sentimentele pentru el și îmi dă impresia că e puțin cam posesiv. Chiar așa e în realitate sau vrea să-i arate doar ceea ce vrea Evie să vadă?
Nici Emil nu pierde timpul. Se comportă altfel decât Alex, dar are același mod de-a o cuceri pe Evie. Nici el nu vrea să grăbească lucrurile, dar și-o revendică ca iubită din prima clipă. Și m-a nedumerit reacția lui atunci când a zărit-o pentru prima dată – s-a îndreptat spre ea și a sărutat-o în fața tuturor celor din facultate. Am fost suspicioasă și în privința lui, chiar dacă am remarcat că el nu-i trezește niciun sentiment negativ, fiind atent, grijuliu și pare că vrea cu adevărat să o facă fericită. Dar Evie îl consideră candidatul ideal pentru o relație care să o ajute să-și revină dintr-o alta. Era perfect pentru planul ei de-al uita pe Alex. Și nu pot fi de acord cu ea. Înțeleg că a fost rănită și că treaba asta i se pare o idee bună, dar sunt mari șanse ca ea să fie rănită din nou.
Recenzia completă o puteți citi aici:
http://literaturapetocuri.ro/nemurito...
Un element interesant în carte este triunghiul amoros care se formează între Evie Starling, Alex Night și Emil Stone. Nu sunt o fană a acestui gen de poveste de dragoste, dar de data asta, am înțeles perfect de ce Evie se simte atât de derutată din cauza celor doi tineri care susțin că sunt sufletul ei pereche și vor să-i demonstreze cât de mult o iubesc. Mă întreb ce alegere o să facă până la urmă: Alex - băiatul bun și arogant, sigur pe el, care îi oferă cele mai frumoase momente romantic - sau Emil, băiatul cel rău și sarcastic, care îi spune direct ce simte?
Atunci când a fost vorba de un triunghi amoros, întotdeauna am fost partinitioare, mi-am ales ușor preferatul, dar acum sunt și eu derutată, nu mă pot decide cine e rău și cine e bun, cine se preface sau cine o manipulează pe Evie. Ba mai mult, sunt suspicioasă în privința ambilor tineri.
Alex este prea perfect - frumos, romantic, protector, atent la dorințele fetei, dar trece prea repede peste niște etape. Înțeleg că este ceva frustrant pentru el, că o știe foarte bine, că o dorește de secole, că e sufletul lui pereche, dar oare Evie e pregătită ? O cam sperie pentru că știe foarte multe lucruri despre trecutul ei, de parcă ar fi fost acolo. Se grăbește, dar în același timp, spune că nu e momentul potrivit pentru o apropiere intimă. E posomorât dacă ea nu-și exprimă prea curând sentimentele pentru el și îmi dă impresia că e puțin cam posesiv. Chiar așa e în realitate sau vrea să-i arate doar ceea ce vrea Evie să vadă?
Nici Emil nu pierde timpul. Se comportă altfel decât Alex, dar are același mod de-a o cuceri pe Evie. Nici el nu vrea să grăbească lucrurile, dar și-o revendică ca iubită din prima clipă. Și m-a nedumerit reacția lui atunci când a zărit-o pentru prima dată – s-a îndreptat spre ea și a sărutat-o în fața tuturor celor din facultate. Am fost suspicioasă și în privința lui, chiar dacă am remarcat că el nu-i trezește niciun sentiment negativ, fiind atent, grijuliu și pare că vrea cu adevărat să o facă fericită. Dar Evie îl consideră candidatul ideal pentru o relație care să o ajute să-și revină dintr-o alta. Era perfect pentru planul ei de-al uita pe Alex. Și nu pot fi de acord cu ea. Înțeleg că a fost rănită și că treaba asta i se pare o idee bună, dar sunt mari șanse ca ea să fie rănită din nou.
Recenzia completă o puteți citi aici:
http://literaturapetocuri.ro/nemurito...
July 10, 2012
Eternal Starling left me feeling very mixed, because while it grew on me and I plan on reading the sequel, I have real issues with this book. First of all, I do like love triangles, so the whole Alex, Emil, Evie thing I had no problem with and actually liked, especially because I honestly don’t know whom Evie should end up with. However, I kept thinking that, perhaps, Evie should end up with neither and there in lies my problem. While the characters grew on me in the latter half of the book, initially I really didn’t understand why the relationships were so strong. While both guys profess their undying love, and Evie states that she feels a connection, I don’t believe that the author demonstrates through actions that the emotional bonds are strong. In the beginning, Evie seems to have a pretty luke warm, lets-hang-out relationship with the two guys. Not only is intense passion and love not in the picture, but also I didn’t get the feeling that Evie liked Emil or Alex all that much as people and vice versa. I wish that the author had shown that Evie had intense emotional bonds and that there was a real relationship worth having between her and one or the other of the guys, but that was never really demonstrated. So, instead, I took Corbett’s word that Evie is torn and that Emil and Alex are both her soul mates.
Another problem I had with this book I will only discuss in the vaguest way to avoid spoilers, but involves authors creating problems and then finding copped out solutions for them, which kind of seem like, perhaps, they didn’t know how to logistically solve something so they just made up random solutions and then don’t explain them to the readers…
Also, sometimes Evie’s responses to things were just off. It’s like she unrealistically reacted to things for the sole purpose of creating drama and progressing the story forward. Illogical, emotional and avoiding thinking about problems were consistent character traits, and who wants them in a heroine?
So, to conclude the harshness of my review, in many ways this book read a little amateurish and elicited some eye rolls and really? However, that being said, I read it in a day, and found it intensely readable. I will pick up the next one, which hopefully reveals a bit more of the overall mystery and a bit more authorial experience. This book does have a neat mythology, and a few intriguing relationships and a whole lot of potential. I will have my fingers crossed that the author will hit her stride in her next attempt.
Another problem I had with this book I will only discuss in the vaguest way to avoid spoilers, but involves authors creating problems and then finding copped out solutions for them, which kind of seem like, perhaps, they didn’t know how to logistically solve something so they just made up random solutions and then don’t explain them to the readers…
Also, sometimes Evie’s responses to things were just off. It’s like she unrealistically reacted to things for the sole purpose of creating drama and progressing the story forward. Illogical, emotional and avoiding thinking about problems were consistent character traits, and who wants them in a heroine?
So, to conclude the harshness of my review, in many ways this book read a little amateurish and elicited some eye rolls and really? However, that being said, I read it in a day, and found it intensely readable. I will pick up the next one, which hopefully reveals a bit more of the overall mystery and a bit more authorial experience. This book does have a neat mythology, and a few intriguing relationships and a whole lot of potential. I will have my fingers crossed that the author will hit her stride in her next attempt.
December 6, 2011
Evie has never had much luck in relationships. In fact, they all go pretty horribly. But when she gets lost while hitchhiking she meets Alex, and is drawn to him immediately. Sometimes sweet, sometimes irritating, Evie never knows what to expect from Alex, especially when he suddenly claims that she’s in danger, and it’s because of him. Disappearing as quick as he entered into her life, Evie moves on and meets Emil. What she expects to be just a rebound relationship turns out to be much more than that, for Emil is just as involved in the situation going on around her as Alex was. Neither man makes a relationship as easy as Evie would like, and an age-old battle is going on around her. Alex claims to be Evie’s soul mate and that Emil is only out to hurt her, Evie can’t help but trust and care for him just as much.
I loved Eternal Starling — after I picked it up on Kindle last night I just couldn’t put it down. Evie is headstrong and fierce, utterly determined not to let her life be walked all over by the men who enter into it. Much of the book is about Evie and her relationships with Alex and then Emil, and I constantly found a tug of war occurring in my heart over who I liked better. Alex is passionate, utterly determined to keep Evie safe, even if it means hurting her in the process. Emil is charming and mysterious, however Alex claims he is dangerous and is only out to hurt Evie. Though I often found myself as frustrating as Evie was with the situation, I loved that about the book.
The larger plot of the series slowly opens up over the course of Eternal Starling, and I am eager to know more of the story, and of the powers at play. I found Eternal Starling to be funny and romantic, even if at times I wanted to shake the characters for being so difficult. Evie is just the kind of strong female lead that I’d been looking for lately, and it is a love triangle that is done right, with the ‘winner’ never being obvious.
I loved Eternal Starling — after I picked it up on Kindle last night I just couldn’t put it down. Evie is headstrong and fierce, utterly determined not to let her life be walked all over by the men who enter into it. Much of the book is about Evie and her relationships with Alex and then Emil, and I constantly found a tug of war occurring in my heart over who I liked better. Alex is passionate, utterly determined to keep Evie safe, even if it means hurting her in the process. Emil is charming and mysterious, however Alex claims he is dangerous and is only out to hurt Evie. Though I often found myself as frustrating as Evie was with the situation, I loved that about the book.
The larger plot of the series slowly opens up over the course of Eternal Starling, and I am eager to know more of the story, and of the powers at play. I found Eternal Starling to be funny and romantic, even if at times I wanted to shake the characters for being so difficult. Evie is just the kind of strong female lead that I’d been looking for lately, and it is a love triangle that is done right, with the ‘winner’ never being obvious.
December 12, 2011
It's very rare to read a book with a love triangle that doesn't have an obvious person to root for. Alex it witty and sarcastic, and Emil is bold and confident. They both make claims for Evie's love, and they've both made huge sacrifices that make them "worthy" of her. So which one should she pick? Nail biting nail biting nail biting. I have to say, Emil makes one heck of an entrance. I'm finding myself rooting for the dark horse, so to speak. It's not that I love a bad boy. It's more like what Anne Shirley says. "I like a boy who could be wicked, but wouldn't." Emil could be very very bad if he wanted to be, and he's in a position where he's expected to be, but he's really trying to rise above that. I can't help but root for the guy. Especially since, in my opinion, his claim to Evie is stronger than the one made by Alex. I don't want to spell out why, but it's there in the book, and if you've read it, you know. There's a lot to be said for Emil's claim to Evie, and even though Alex makes a passionate speech full of devotion, it doesn't overrule the fact that... well... I guess you'll have to read it for yourself.
This book starts off like a regular, non-paranormal romance but it changes along the way. As Evie learns more, we learn more. It's a tricky balance, and sometimes it can be frustrating because I just want to know all of the answers NOW. By the end of the book, though, the characters are in a very satisfying place, emotionally, and I'm happy with how things are going. It's difficult to set up a whole world with an entire mythology without doing an info dump, and Angels manages to set her world up beautifully. I'm giving this book four stars because I truly believe that the next book will be even better, and I want to save that fifth star for the sequel. No pressure. ;) I can't wait to see what happens in the sequel now that the world and the characters have been established. I think it's going to be amazing and awesome and I can't wait to delve back into it.
This book starts off like a regular, non-paranormal romance but it changes along the way. As Evie learns more, we learn more. It's a tricky balance, and sometimes it can be frustrating because I just want to know all of the answers NOW. By the end of the book, though, the characters are in a very satisfying place, emotionally, and I'm happy with how things are going. It's difficult to set up a whole world with an entire mythology without doing an info dump, and Angels manages to set her world up beautifully. I'm giving this book four stars because I truly believe that the next book will be even better, and I want to save that fifth star for the sequel. No pressure. ;) I can't wait to see what happens in the sequel now that the world and the characters have been established. I think it's going to be amazing and awesome and I can't wait to delve back into it.
January 4, 2014
LOVED IT! I loved the banter, I loved the switching between sarcasm and sincerity, I loved the dynamics between characters, and most of all I loved the kissing! How could you go wrong with two perfectish, gorgeous guys claiming to be your soulmates, both fighting over you and protecting you from evil forces? Totally and ridiculously improbable, right? Yep, I still loved it.
This book was on my to-read shelf forever until I broke down and bought it because I couldn't get a library version. I am so glad that I finally did. Excellent way to start my new year. I just ordered the second book that came out in November! Hehehe
This book was on my to-read shelf forever until I broke down and bought it because I couldn't get a library version. I am so glad that I finally did. Excellent way to start my new year. I just ordered the second book that came out in November! Hehehe
August 21, 2017
gorgeous book
April 7, 2017
Original and full review on Reading Addict.
January 3, 2012
So, if I had written this, and knew people reading it would review it, I hope they would tell me the strong points of the story and the not so strong points. So here it goes. I'll start with the strong points. This is a very fun, love triangle, paranormal romance, (give me a little mysterious romance, and I'm in). In the last two thirds of the book the writing is very good, with the thoughts and emotions of characters flowing naturually from point A to point B. There is some fabulous conflict that needs to be resolved, and is resolved with fun page turning suspense. And then some other conflicts that just won't be resolved as long as there is a love triangle, which adds to the fun of the story. Obviously with a paranormal romance, having a love story involving people that have special immortal powers, isn't original. And even though the theme of having soul mates crossing centuries to find each other also is something I have read before, I really enjoyed the uniqe mythology in this story that allowed the creation of the Aramathine society and the Daevos Resistance groups, and different identities of souls. Very fun!
Now onto the not so strong point (at least for me.) Even though the writing was good (grammar, sentence structure, descriptions, etc.), I felt like the first 1/3 of the book was rushed and choppy. I felt like the emotions of the characters were spotty, and confusing, and unbelievable. I didn't admire Evie. She drove me crazy with her feminist wraunchiness. I wanted to shout, "Let chivalry be!" Who cares if a guy opens your door? Who cares if they buy food for you on a date? If your so self assured and confident, then allowing someone to do those things for you shouldn't detract from your "I am woman, hear me roar" status. I love to compete with my husband, and it's fun to know that I can take care of myself, but I think it can be unflattering in women when they can't accept help. I guess I just wanted to like her more, and I wanted to know what Alex and Emil were seeing in her, because I didn't see any characteristics to admire, besides her friendship with Jasmine, and the good relationship she had with her parents. She seemed pretty tempermental most of time. Granted, she has reasons, but I thought it was too much. Needless to say I was not emotionally connected to her, and because I just couldn't relate to her, how she felt about either boy was not believable at the beginning. Also, because things moved so fast and I felt things were left out, the guys and their feelings weren't believable. However, by the end of the book, I liked Evie much more. She seems to come into her own a little bit at the end.
So onto some more stong points. By the end of the book, the characters and emotions related were believable and fun. The story ends really strong with hopes for a great sequel.
Obviously some of my problems with the story have to do with my own personal feelings, while the other things have to do with how a story flows. I would have given this book 4 stars if the beginning flowed better. However, if you like paranormal romance/suspenseful love triangle/good vs. evil books, you'd enjoy this book.
Now onto the not so strong point (at least for me.) Even though the writing was good (grammar, sentence structure, descriptions, etc.), I felt like the first 1/3 of the book was rushed and choppy. I felt like the emotions of the characters were spotty, and confusing, and unbelievable. I didn't admire Evie. She drove me crazy with her feminist wraunchiness. I wanted to shout, "Let chivalry be!" Who cares if a guy opens your door? Who cares if they buy food for you on a date? If your so self assured and confident, then allowing someone to do those things for you shouldn't detract from your "I am woman, hear me roar" status. I love to compete with my husband, and it's fun to know that I can take care of myself, but I think it can be unflattering in women when they can't accept help. I guess I just wanted to like her more, and I wanted to know what Alex and Emil were seeing in her, because I didn't see any characteristics to admire, besides her friendship with Jasmine, and the good relationship she had with her parents. She seemed pretty tempermental most of time. Granted, she has reasons, but I thought it was too much. Needless to say I was not emotionally connected to her, and because I just couldn't relate to her, how she felt about either boy was not believable at the beginning. Also, because things moved so fast and I felt things were left out, the guys and their feelings weren't believable. However, by the end of the book, I liked Evie much more. She seems to come into her own a little bit at the end.
So onto some more stong points. By the end of the book, the characters and emotions related were believable and fun. The story ends really strong with hopes for a great sequel.
Obviously some of my problems with the story have to do with my own personal feelings, while the other things have to do with how a story flows. I would have given this book 4 stars if the beginning flowed better. However, if you like paranormal romance/suspenseful love triangle/good vs. evil books, you'd enjoy this book.
January 13, 2012
When I first heard about this book, I was drawn to it because of the cover and the synopsis. Although I did have some issues with this book, there are still several aspects that made it enjoyable overall.
Evie is not your typical girl; she loves hiking, camping, and even helped her father rebuild her '66 Mustang. But other than that, she never suspected that anything was different about her. When she moves to Gunnison, Colorado to attend college with her lifelong best friend, Jasmine, things begin to change. First she meets Alex, who helps her out of a sticky situation and with whom she feels an immediate connection. Yet Alex also seems to bring some baggage with him, and Evie can't shake the feeling that there is more than he is telling her. Then Evie meets Emil, and she cannot deny a connection with him either. As secrets begin to be revealed, Evie struggles to determine who she can believe and, if she accepts their story, what that means for her life. The danger and secrets of this new life are quite a lot for Evil to handle, and on top of that, she still must figure out - who is her true soulmate?
I really wanted to love this book. The premise, though perhaps not the most original, offered the possibility for a great story. But the execution fell somewhat short for me. Like Evie, I found myself frustrated during most of this book; the reader knows that there is more to the story than Alex and Emil are letting on, and I wanted answers right along with Evie. While I wanted to let myself fall for either Alex or Emil, I felt that they were both too enigmatic for that to happen. There were times when I thought that some details given were unnecessary, and other times when I was longing for more information.
All of that being said, I do think that this trilogy has a lot of possibility. With much of the world-building out of the way, the second book in the trilogy can focus more on action and stronger interactions between the characters. There are, of course, things that I did like about this book. It was a fast read, and I did enjoy some scenes. I liked Evie's character and her voice; not every girl wants to go hiking or four-wheeling, and her enjoyment of nature made for some interesting scenes to read. The love that Alex and Emil had for Evie was obvious; there were romantic dates and both guys had their swoon-worthy moments. Though love triangles can sometimes bother me, because this one was set up from the beginning and because there is a reason for it, I think it works here. Finally, there is the reincarnation aspect of this book; I find this idea really intriguing and am hoping to see even more of this in the future books.
I will be curious to see how this story progresses. If you are a fan of having two swoon-worthy guys in one book, age-old battles between good and evil, and books that explore eternal love, then you will want to read Eternal Starling.
Evie is not your typical girl; she loves hiking, camping, and even helped her father rebuild her '66 Mustang. But other than that, she never suspected that anything was different about her. When she moves to Gunnison, Colorado to attend college with her lifelong best friend, Jasmine, things begin to change. First she meets Alex, who helps her out of a sticky situation and with whom she feels an immediate connection. Yet Alex also seems to bring some baggage with him, and Evie can't shake the feeling that there is more than he is telling her. Then Evie meets Emil, and she cannot deny a connection with him either. As secrets begin to be revealed, Evie struggles to determine who she can believe and, if she accepts their story, what that means for her life. The danger and secrets of this new life are quite a lot for Evil to handle, and on top of that, she still must figure out - who is her true soulmate?
I really wanted to love this book. The premise, though perhaps not the most original, offered the possibility for a great story. But the execution fell somewhat short for me. Like Evie, I found myself frustrated during most of this book; the reader knows that there is more to the story than Alex and Emil are letting on, and I wanted answers right along with Evie. While I wanted to let myself fall for either Alex or Emil, I felt that they were both too enigmatic for that to happen. There were times when I thought that some details given were unnecessary, and other times when I was longing for more information.
All of that being said, I do think that this trilogy has a lot of possibility. With much of the world-building out of the way, the second book in the trilogy can focus more on action and stronger interactions between the characters. There are, of course, things that I did like about this book. It was a fast read, and I did enjoy some scenes. I liked Evie's character and her voice; not every girl wants to go hiking or four-wheeling, and her enjoyment of nature made for some interesting scenes to read. The love that Alex and Emil had for Evie was obvious; there were romantic dates and both guys had their swoon-worthy moments. Though love triangles can sometimes bother me, because this one was set up from the beginning and because there is a reason for it, I think it works here. Finally, there is the reincarnation aspect of this book; I find this idea really intriguing and am hoping to see even more of this in the future books.
I will be curious to see how this story progresses. If you are a fan of having two swoon-worthy guys in one book, age-old battles between good and evil, and books that explore eternal love, then you will want to read Eternal Starling.
January 3, 2012
2.5 stars
If you can't stand love triangles then this book isn't for you.. it's just a giant love triangle with reincarnation and good guys Vs bad guys thrown into the mix.
Evie meets Alex Night on her summer holidays before she starts her freshman year in college. Alex of course is rich, tall, handsome, intelligent and secretive. Alex and Evie date for a few weeks, when Evie notices strange men hanging around Alex becomes very protective of Evie. Understandably Evie wants answers, Alex just expects her to obey him and be fine with him taking over her life.. Evie is annoyed with Alex's non-answers and Alex decides to dump Evie for her own good but not before telling her that he is her soulmate.
Hearbroken Evie starts her first day in college and meets Emil Stone, who is also rich, tall, handsome, intelligent and secretive. Evie and Emil begin to date and things are going well until Alex comes back and warns Evie that Emil is dangerous. Evie of course ignores him and becomes closer to Emil much to Alex's annoyance.
Evie realises that Alex and Emil know one another and questions why they despise one another. Both Alex and Emil are clearly in love with her but Evie has no idea because she's a bit of an idiot.
Evie has flashes of past lives when she touches Alex or Emil and she soon finds out she is reincarnated and that she knew both Alex and Emil in one of her past lives. Both claim to be her soulmate - but Evie can't decide because she's greedy, she's also inconsiderate, uninteresting and selfish. Alex and Emil are no better.. Alex is controlling, condescending and annoying.. Emil is smarmy, oily and good at lying. I do prefer Alex as he seems more genuine.
There's not much that happens for the first 3/4 of the book just Evie moaning about the two guys in her life.. the last quarter there's a bit of action and some answers.. but we also find out that Evie is even more special than we originally thought.. ugh.
If you can't stand love triangles then this book isn't for you.. it's just a giant love triangle with reincarnation and good guys Vs bad guys thrown into the mix.
Evie meets Alex Night on her summer holidays before she starts her freshman year in college. Alex of course is rich, tall, handsome, intelligent and secretive. Alex and Evie date for a few weeks, when Evie notices strange men hanging around Alex becomes very protective of Evie. Understandably Evie wants answers, Alex just expects her to obey him and be fine with him taking over her life.. Evie is annoyed with Alex's non-answers and Alex decides to dump Evie for her own good but not before telling her that he is her soulmate.
Hearbroken Evie starts her first day in college and meets Emil Stone, who is also rich, tall, handsome, intelligent and secretive. Evie and Emil begin to date and things are going well until Alex comes back and warns Evie that Emil is dangerous. Evie of course ignores him and becomes closer to Emil much to Alex's annoyance.
Evie realises that Alex and Emil know one another and questions why they despise one another. Both Alex and Emil are clearly in love with her but Evie has no idea because she's a bit of an idiot.
Evie has flashes of past lives when she touches Alex or Emil and she soon finds out she is reincarnated and that she knew both Alex and Emil in one of her past lives. Both claim to be her soulmate - but Evie can't decide because she's greedy, she's also inconsiderate, uninteresting and selfish. Alex and Emil are no better.. Alex is controlling, condescending and annoying.. Emil is smarmy, oily and good at lying. I do prefer Alex as he seems more genuine.
There's not much that happens for the first 3/4 of the book just Evie moaning about the two guys in her life.. the last quarter there's a bit of action and some answers.. but we also find out that Evie is even more special than we originally thought.. ugh.
July 2, 2013
Team Emil ♥
I loved this story! Could not get enough of it and can't wait to have it in hard copy form! Evie is very witty and will keep you laughing throughout with her inner commentary. I felt very connected to Evie and loved to feel what she goes through as she learns about who she really is. I don't envy Evie her struggles, but I could help take a man off her hands ;)
I loved this story! Could not get enough of it and can't wait to have it in hard copy form! Evie is very witty and will keep you laughing throughout with her inner commentary. I felt very connected to Evie and loved to feel what she goes through as she learns about who she really is. I don't envy Evie her struggles, but I could help take a man off her hands ;)
September 21, 2021
2.5⭐
Nu e cea mai slabă carte existentă, dar categoric nu e cea mai bună!
Vreau totuși să citesc și volumul 2 cândva.
Nu e cea mai slabă carte existentă, dar categoric nu e cea mai bună!
Vreau totuși să citesc și volumul 2 cândva.
December 10, 2011
4.5 stars
This book had me with a timeless love story, soul mates, a well written love triangle, intriguing character history, a butt kicking heroine who can totally hold her own, and 1966 GT Ford Mustang (no joke, I'm a sucker for classic Mustangs). Mix all this together and throw in some history, swoon worthy guys, well developed twists, a bit of action and a conspiracy and you've got one fabulously written debut.
I adored Evie! She's a girl who holds her own, she doesn't put up with drama, she's totally level headed, has a love for the outdoors, a good relationship with her parents, and she's a college freshman who's completely independent. She's a character I'd love to hang out with. I really liked that her parent's play a role in her life. They're there for her when she needs them and they want to make sure she's safe and have her best interest at heart, even though she's off at college. I loved the family camping trip! Things get a little, okay really "hot" when Alex Night and Emil Stone are introduced to the story. Let me just say, these two guys are anything but predictable.
I loved the entire idea of soul mates and the history that unravels with that (keeping this spoiler free), but it took me a bit to get past the instant love connection. It was obvious to me there was something more about the feelings both Alex and Emil shared for Evie. Though the instant love bothered me and it's nomrally one of my biggest pet peeves and normally it will turn me off of reading a YA book, there was something about Angela's writing that kept me invested in this story, and I'm so glad I kept reading! Angela carefully builds everything up and then unravels it, allowing the reader to soak up everything as Evie does. Everything I questioned ended up making sense.
Angela's writing style is addicting, intriguing and flawless. Like Evie, I got a bit impatient with both Emil and Alex, even though I was totally drawn to them and wanted to know more about them. I wanted them to hurry up and reveal their big secrets. Kudos to Angela for revealing her plot twists and entwining those with the secrets Emil and Alex have. I was totally caught off guard with a huge twist that happens towards the end. I can honestly say that Angela's attention to detail is crucial in this story. Once you read the book, you'll know what I'm talking about.
Eternal Starling is a fabulous read. I thoroughly enjoyed it and now that I know more of the history with the characters, I'm anxiously awaiting the sequel. This is such a well written love story that I'm just as torn as Evie is, though Emil may end up stealing my heart by the time this trilogy is over. I highly recommend picking it up! It's a great clean cut book that both YA readers and those looking for a good cross over will enjoy!
This book had me with a timeless love story, soul mates, a well written love triangle, intriguing character history, a butt kicking heroine who can totally hold her own, and 1966 GT Ford Mustang (no joke, I'm a sucker for classic Mustangs). Mix all this together and throw in some history, swoon worthy guys, well developed twists, a bit of action and a conspiracy and you've got one fabulously written debut.
I adored Evie! She's a girl who holds her own, she doesn't put up with drama, she's totally level headed, has a love for the outdoors, a good relationship with her parents, and she's a college freshman who's completely independent. She's a character I'd love to hang out with. I really liked that her parent's play a role in her life. They're there for her when she needs them and they want to make sure she's safe and have her best interest at heart, even though she's off at college. I loved the family camping trip! Things get a little, okay really "hot" when Alex Night and Emil Stone are introduced to the story. Let me just say, these two guys are anything but predictable.
I loved the entire idea of soul mates and the history that unravels with that (keeping this spoiler free), but it took me a bit to get past the instant love connection. It was obvious to me there was something more about the feelings both Alex and Emil shared for Evie. Though the instant love bothered me and it's nomrally one of my biggest pet peeves and normally it will turn me off of reading a YA book, there was something about Angela's writing that kept me invested in this story, and I'm so glad I kept reading! Angela carefully builds everything up and then unravels it, allowing the reader to soak up everything as Evie does. Everything I questioned ended up making sense.
Angela's writing style is addicting, intriguing and flawless. Like Evie, I got a bit impatient with both Emil and Alex, even though I was totally drawn to them and wanted to know more about them. I wanted them to hurry up and reveal their big secrets. Kudos to Angela for revealing her plot twists and entwining those with the secrets Emil and Alex have. I was totally caught off guard with a huge twist that happens towards the end. I can honestly say that Angela's attention to detail is crucial in this story. Once you read the book, you'll know what I'm talking about.
Eternal Starling is a fabulous read. I thoroughly enjoyed it and now that I know more of the history with the characters, I'm anxiously awaiting the sequel. This is such a well written love story that I'm just as torn as Evie is, though Emil may end up stealing my heart by the time this trilogy is over. I highly recommend picking it up! It's a great clean cut book that both YA readers and those looking for a good cross over will enjoy!
August 25, 2016
I'm really disappointed in this book for a few reasons. For starters, I think it had SO MUCH potential! I love the concept but it was just lacking so much. Like hello, HOW does Evie have two soul mates?! I assume the author is going to explain that in the next two books but she didn't really even give me enough to want to read the next one.
I didn't feel like there was enough relationship development between Evie and the guys. She went from zero to madly in love with them in like three pages. I don't think that just telling us that the guys are her soul mates is enough. She can't stand Alex during most of the encounters that we see between them yet when he leaves her she is completely heartbroken and it takes her months to even begin to recover. As a reader that felt very out of left field. Sometimes I feel like authors forget that we're not in their head, we don't know the characters like they do. So they need to take the time to really allow us to get to know them and explain to us their feelings.
I'm so sick and tired of love triangles. Especially ones like this where I can't possibly choose between the two men. It's going to break my heart no matter who she chooses.
Evie is one of the most obnoxious characters I've ever had to endure. I get that she's supposed to be this independent, strong willed girl but I just thought she was kind of an idiot. Alex will tell her how dangerous and manipulative Emil is and she will get really scared and worried. Then in five minutes she will decide that she's an independent woman who doesn't need to be told what to do and she doesn't feel like he's dangerous. So she decides to ignore Alex completely. I just want to shake her and be like HELLO DID YOU NOT HEAR THE PART ABOUT HIM BEING A MASTER MANIPULATOR!?
Also all the four wheeling, Yamaha, Honda, Mustang talk was completely lost on me. *Yawn*
I gave it a three because I really loved the entire goddess, soul mate, protector, tracker concept. That kept me intrigued enough to finish the book and possibly even read the next one.
I didn't feel like there was enough relationship development between Evie and the guys. She went from zero to madly in love with them in like three pages. I don't think that just telling us that the guys are her soul mates is enough. She can't stand Alex during most of the encounters that we see between them yet when he leaves her she is completely heartbroken and it takes her months to even begin to recover. As a reader that felt very out of left field. Sometimes I feel like authors forget that we're not in their head, we don't know the characters like they do. So they need to take the time to really allow us to get to know them and explain to us their feelings.
I'm so sick and tired of love triangles. Especially ones like this where I can't possibly choose between the two men. It's going to break my heart no matter who she chooses.
Evie is one of the most obnoxious characters I've ever had to endure. I get that she's supposed to be this independent, strong willed girl but I just thought she was kind of an idiot. Alex will tell her how dangerous and manipulative Emil is and she will get really scared and worried. Then in five minutes she will decide that she's an independent woman who doesn't need to be told what to do and she doesn't feel like he's dangerous. So she decides to ignore Alex completely. I just want to shake her and be like HELLO DID YOU NOT HEAR THE PART ABOUT HIM BEING A MASTER MANIPULATOR!?
Also all the four wheeling, Yamaha, Honda, Mustang talk was completely lost on me. *Yawn*
I gave it a three because I really loved the entire goddess, soul mate, protector, tracker concept. That kept me intrigued enough to finish the book and possibly even read the next one.
June 8, 2014
This book is definitely for people who liked Twilight, although I would say that on the whole Eternal Starling is head and shoulders above Twilight in terms of writing and character development. At the core of the book is a pretty amazing love triangle which manages to pull you in with its intensity but doesn’t mentally exhaust you with a bunch of meaningless drama and hand wringing. The focus of the story surrounds Evie, Alex, and Emil. Evie is a wonderful character, so full of life and determination. She has a great sense of humor that plays well off Alex because he’s pretty straight laced. I like the fact that Evie isn’t passive-aggressive in her relationship with Alex or Emil; she’s strong and independent, which I think is a good example for any young women who reads this book. Alex and Emil, her two romantic interests, are a study in opposites. Alex is an honest soul with a boy next door charm. His earnestness about his love for Evie is one of his best traits. Emil….oh Emil…he has this dark and sultry sensuality that will leave you fanning you face. Emil is very much the bad boy that all girls secretly dream about. What I find really strange is that Alex and Emil are so evenly balanced in terms of characters traits (they really seem like different sides of the same coin) that I still don’t know which one I want Evie to end up with!!! Once Evie meets Alex and Emil she’s swept up in a game of Goddesses, soul mates, and centuries old secret societies. There is a ton of really clever suspense in this book that will leave you biting your nails. The action is fast paced and engaging and the writing is intelligent and well thought out. I recommend this book to anyone looking for an action packed love triangle!
December 1, 2014
I got this free on the Nook. I knew it would be a book difficult to put down after the first page! It's a unique story about a girl who moves to Gunnison, CO after graduating high school to attend Western State college. There she discovers a lot about herself, not to mention a couple of hot guys claiming to be her soul mate trying to get her attention. It's every teenage girls dream right?! What I appreciated about this YA book was the fact that the main character already graduated from high school. I get a little weirded out sometimes when the main character is 16, still in high school, and is in this deep love relationship. It's in most YA books, but this was a nice change. The main character is actually an adult. It made more sense to me. My only criticism would be that the execution of the plot took a long time to get to, and felt a little awkward to me. It felt as if the author didn't exactly know how to execute certain major revelations to Evie (the main character). This wasn't a problem for me until the last half of the book. It was moving along nicely for me until then. I still really enjoyed it, and I'm looking forward to the next one to see what happens in this love triangle, which I still am not a fan of, especially when both characters seem to be pretty awesome.
July 1, 2015
I finally read a book with a good love triangle. I was waiting for one. Emil and Alex both love Evie and they both are Evie's soulmates. However, Evie is a tracker who constantly reincarnates and Alex has been assigned as her protecter which means he can't have a relationship with her. Emil wants to have a relationship with her but, he is part of a clan which is hunting Evie to join them. Evie trusts her instincts and even though Alex warns her that Emil is dangerous she doesn't think he will hurt her. In the end she is proven right and Emil and Alex decide to work together to protect her from people out to capture and hurt her. She is going to have to make a choice between the two of them and leave one of them alone. I have nothing bad to say about both of them. I am on Team Emil though because I think he never lied to her from the start. Alex went on giving vague answers and still demanding things from her which I did not like. Emil respected her independence and still protected her. He was there for her right till the end.
I cannot wait to read the next book and see who she chooses because that will change how the story goes. Those guys both made strong cases and they are both smoking hot! I pity her for having to make that choice. I would think its impossible.
I cannot wait to read the next book and see who she chooses because that will change how the story goes. Those guys both made strong cases and they are both smoking hot! I pity her for having to make that choice. I would think its impossible.
March 29, 2012
wow there have been mixed reviews about this one but i love it!!!!! i love both Emil and Alex!!!! you could say that they're my dream guys. honeslty. they're so good! plus i also like Evie! she has a bad ass character and I like that about her! She's not the super clingy and weak type!
what to expect from this book:
if you wanna read a love triangle that's heavy on bickering, confronting and arguing then this is for you. Also, if you want a light read that is cheesy but has a reason for being cheesy then this is for you. if i remember correctly i found myself laughing in this book.
However, if you dont like cheesy stuff then i suggest you dont read this. but once again im saying that there's a reason why they're cheesy. these 3 characters have history and i think thats good enough of a reason.
i love this book because its new. yes the story can still be cliche but what i mean about it being new is that its not about angels or vampires or werewolves buy about soul protectors and soul destroyers. i like the storyline, concept and the characters. plus there's a steaming love triangle involved and i'm a sucker for love triangles! :)
cant wait for the next book!
what to expect from this book:
if you wanna read a love triangle that's heavy on bickering, confronting and arguing then this is for you. Also, if you want a light read that is cheesy but has a reason for being cheesy then this is for you. if i remember correctly i found myself laughing in this book.
However, if you dont like cheesy stuff then i suggest you dont read this. but once again im saying that there's a reason why they're cheesy. these 3 characters have history and i think thats good enough of a reason.
i love this book because its new. yes the story can still be cliche but what i mean about it being new is that its not about angels or vampires or werewolves buy about soul protectors and soul destroyers. i like the storyline, concept and the characters. plus there's a steaming love triangle involved and i'm a sucker for love triangles! :)
cant wait for the next book!
April 4, 2012
This month BNC was amazing.
Evie is a young lady who right after breaking up with the jerk of her ex boyfriend and on a hike in the woods meets hunky Alex with whom she imediatly feels chemistry although she also finds him annoying sometimes. And then later on she meets Emil both of them are handsome, charming, romantic and protective.
Although Alex is a true gentelman (he even opens Evie's door for her) although she doesn't think much of it because she's very independant and gets annoyed with him sometimes because she believes she can look after herself, and boy can she!! But Alex got loads of bonus points for his first date he totally won me over :)
Emil on the other hand is the bad boy, the one who is acostumed to get what he wants when he wants it.
And both of them say that their Evie's soul mates. I wish I had at least one of them.
I can't wait to read the next book!!
I give it 5 stars.
Evie is a young lady who right after breaking up with the jerk of her ex boyfriend and on a hike in the woods meets hunky Alex with whom she imediatly feels chemistry although she also finds him annoying sometimes. And then later on she meets Emil both of them are handsome, charming, romantic and protective.
Although Alex is a true gentelman (he even opens Evie's door for her) although she doesn't think much of it because she's very independant and gets annoyed with him sometimes because she believes she can look after herself, and boy can she!! But Alex got loads of bonus points for his first date he totally won me over :)
Emil on the other hand is the bad boy, the one who is acostumed to get what he wants when he wants it.
And both of them say that their Evie's soul mates. I wish I had at least one of them.
I can't wait to read the next book!!
I give it 5 stars.
September 19, 2012
I really wanted to like this book mostly because I really like the author. It started out interestingly and I thought Evangeline (Evie) was going to be a character I could connect with. However, sometimes she acted more like an 18 year old high schooler than college student. And the love triangle...I usually don't have a problem with them, but this one irritated me. I felt like it killed the momentum of the story.
Overall, there were things that I liked about the book that showed a great potential for the story, but the info dumps and the slowness that was created by the love triangle really brought the book down. Hopefully the next book will be sleeker and the love triangle will be easier to handle. I'll probably check it out, but it won't be that high on my TBR list.
Overall, there were things that I liked about the book that showed a great potential for the story, but the info dumps and the slowness that was created by the love triangle really brought the book down. Hopefully the next book will be sleeker and the love triangle will be easier to handle. I'll probably check it out, but it won't be that high on my TBR list.
April 15, 2013
Mmmmm como empezar. Ok el libro es Genial es cierto y me encanto el concepto de las almas gemelas sin embargo el trio de este libro casi hace que me ahogue en una picina, relmente me saco canas verdes el libro tenia a Alex y Emil, pero si tuviera que decidir por ella me quedo con Alex, Emil simplemente no me cuadra algo con el. En Fin me gusto el libro, asi que quiero saber que pasa en el segundo. :D
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