Book Review: Transcendence by C.J. Omololu

Reading Level: Young Adult
Publication Date: June 2012
Publisher: Bloomsbury / Walker
Pages: 336
Series: 1st in a series
Acquisition: NetGalley

Summary:

When a visit to the Tower of London triggers an overwhelmingly real vision of a beheading that occurred centuries before, Cole Ryan fears she is losing her mind. A mysterious boy, Griffon Hall, comes to her aid, but the intensity of their immediate connection seems to open the floodgate of memories even wider.

As their feelings grow, Griffon reveals their common bond as members of the Akhet—an elite group of people who can remember past lives and use their collected wisdom for the good of the world. But not all Akhet are altruistic, and a rogue is after Cole to avenge their shared past. Now in extreme danger, Cole must piece together clues from many lifetimes. What she finds could ruin her chance at a future with Griffon, but risking his love may be the only way to save them both.

Full of danger, romance, and intrigue, Transcendence breathes new life into a perpetually fascinating question: What would you do with another life to live? (from Goodreads)

My thoughts:
Mystery where there is none, an instant love connection and a cast of characters that I never felt a connection with, unfortunately, Transcendence wasn't for me. The romance is what really did me in. At times it felt creepy, at times it felt really fake and I just couldn't bring myself to care much what happened to Cole and Griffon in the end.

Also, I had a hard time liking Griffon at all as a character and especially as a boyfriend. There was one scene where he was borderline abusive and Cole still can't help but feel draw to his hotness and beautiful curly hair. Cole was hard to respect as a female character after that.

The paranormal aspect of this story was pretty cool but all in all it didn't feel like it amounted to anything. Cole was a little too imperfect Griffon a little too perfect. The settings were a little too far fetched and at the same time, a little too just right.

All in all it seemed a little too typical for me. Girl meets boy but boy likes and or ignores girl for her own good. Girl has no self esteem but finds self worth in the arms of boy who makes everything both horrible and perfect with his supernatural explanations for everything that has ever happened and will ever happen to girl.

Final verdict:
Again? Transcendence wasn't for me. It's the first in series but I don't think I'll continuing with it. I really can't see what more of the story there is to tell, or rather, I'm not invested in finding out more.

This is my second book by C.J. Omololu and while I won't be continuing with this series, I wouldn't hesitate to pick up another book of hers. The story she told in Transcendence didn't move me but her storytelling was spot on. The writing was good and the characters were true to their nature.

I would still recommend this book to fans of past life stories and / or fans of paranormal romance with more romance then freaky happenings. This one falls in the 'not for me but maybe for you' category.

Overall Rating:

3 / 5 Stars

Author's website / Goodreads / IndieBound