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Abithica
She's found the love of a lifetime, but there's a catch: the body she inhabits belongs to another. How much change can one soul endure? It would help if she knew what she was or even how such a thing was possible. The one thing she does know is that God has a sense of humor where she's concerned. Why else would He continue to place her in one host body after another without warning or a clear memory of previous switches? Abithica's responsibility is to repair her host's lives while they take a back seat. To ensure her survival and protection, she vows never to get attached, but this latest switch is different from the start. Abithica breaks all her own rules, and is left with a choice. What will happen if she refuses to leave her host's body? Will love be her downfall or her salvation?
252 pages, Paperback
First published April 14, 2011
5 people are currently reading
1322 people want to read
About the author
Susan Goldsmith
4 books107 followersAfter receiving a journalism degree, Susan was an Undercover Private Investigator, worked as an outside Sales Rep for Dun & Bradstreet, and then spent five years in pharmaceutical sales. Today, she is living her dream with her high school sweetheart and their two daughters in The-Middle-of-Nowhere, Arizona, where she spends her days unleashing her rampant imagination and documenting all the crazy places it takes her.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 54 reviews
September 21, 2011
For the record, I am only a little bit guilty about not liking this. Why? Well, I mean, it was a First Reads win for me, and it's an indie novel. Whereas a book from a major publisher won't be affected by a one-star review - will barely take a dip in the average rating - this one will suffer more significantly. And the author seems like a very nice person.
That being said, I can't make myself finish the book and I can't bear to be nice about it. Sorry, Susan Goldsmith. You may want to pretend the review ends here.
***
Let's start with the good, the thing that made me interested in the book: the concept. There is such potential for ambiguity in this idea! I was attracted to the potential of a being who doesn't know who or what she really is, who has no control over her life at all, trying to make her way erratically through the world in which she had no absolutes to lean on except for her own basic nature.
What a pity to discover that Abithica has absolutes after all, and she's just too clueless to notice them.
If I described to you a supernatural being who was compelled to help humans, who believed without doubt or irony in a higher power, and to whom children and animals were innately attracted, what would you think of?
An angel?
And you'd probably be right. (I didn't read far enough to confirm absolutely - maybe there's a twist and Abithica turns out to be something else, but I doubt it.)
The fact that she has never worked this out, not in however many hosts she's inhabited - that, in addition, she seems not to have any interest in her own origins and never tries to figure out what she might be - was somewhat annoying all on its own. It was so blindingly obvious I wanted to shout at her.
And, um, speaking of blinding.
The preachiness.
Oh, dear God (ironically), the preachiness.
Abithica is judging, judging, judging her host from almost the minute she finds herself in a new body.
"What was that hanging from my lower lip, some sort of ring? Yuck! That would have to go as soon as I had a little privacy, but I didn't dare mention it."
"There really wasn't much I liked about Sydney, and she probably didn't like much about me. She'd no more change her ways than a leopard could change its spods, and then where would Faith be?"
"Then there was the smeared black eyeliner, way too heavy. I looked somewhat like a raccoon, but not for long."
"I imagined the kind of men she'd attract if only she could throw away the lip rings and other Goth decorations. No chance of her meeting anyone decent until then."
"Sydney would never have understood such a thing [nonverbal communication between a loving couple], so it had to be me."
"Sydney was in there, no doubt gloating, but none of this was going to bring about any change in her. Still the same vicious, deadly tramp who'd been about to rob Faith and..."
And there's more.
Now, it's pretty clear that Sydney had made some stupid life choices, but the kind of unilateral condemnation Abithica heaps on her is not the kind of thing anyone deserves. Abithica comes off the worse for it - not only did she take over some girl's body, she has the nerve to criticize her personality and the way she dresses! And at no point is she given much ground to judge Sydney this way. There are brief allusions to Sydney trying to assert herself over Abithica - understandable, given that it is her mind and body in question - but at no point do we see the possibly interesting internal dynamic between host and parasite. Most of Abithica's judgements of Sydney seem to come from her appearance, at least as far as is clear to the reader.
The preaching goes straight on into pure religion. One reviewer pointed out that this book seems to have a very Catholic bent, and while I don't know much about religion in general, that seems to be the case. It's not overwhelming, at least not in the first hundred pages or so (which is as far as I got) but it did make me uncomfortable.
Speaking of making me uncomfortable, let's talk love interest.
He started out fine, as a nice guy who loves his troubled sister deeply and whose interest in Abithica seems to be mostly that his sister opens up around her. Except that it turns out he was attracted to her as soon as he saw her, to the point of dragging his poor little sis along following her through the mall. Which is a)inconsistent with the behavior of kids around Abithica as described and b) a tad bit creepy. And then he becomes eerily perfect. "I want to know you, want to know everything about you: your favorite food, the books you read, the one thing you want more than anything else in the world. Your dreams." Really? Really? REALLY? Gag me. This is not a man who met a girl just twice. This is infatuation, verging stalking. Oh, and Sydney's mother is aiding and abetting this dude. Nuh-uh. Not okay.
That wasn't the breaking point, though.
The breaking point was when he and Abithica/Sydney were hiking and she was talking to him about her life problems and he got a hard-on. Which she became 'acutely aware' of when he hugged her.
NO JUST NO. Sympathy hug = good. Boner hug = bad, awkward, gross. Boner hug on the first date when all your interactions before have had to do with the guy's little sister = DISGUSTING TO THE NTH DEGREE.
And I put the book aside right then and there.
There is also a subplot with a gang called the 'Legnas' (lovely, an anagram of 'angels', how clever of them) who seem to be run by demons. Within the first hundred pages, though, it serves no real purpose except to be 'edgy' by showing a character whose internal narration is like a dictionary of freaky euphemisms for 'penis'. For example:
Mostly I just didn't care. I can put up with squick if I have other reasons to care, but here that was the furthest thing from the case. So... sorry, I'm done.
That being said, I can't make myself finish the book and I can't bear to be nice about it. Sorry, Susan Goldsmith. You may want to pretend the review ends here.
***
Let's start with the good, the thing that made me interested in the book: the concept. There is such potential for ambiguity in this idea! I was attracted to the potential of a being who doesn't know who or what she really is, who has no control over her life at all, trying to make her way erratically through the world in which she had no absolutes to lean on except for her own basic nature.
What a pity to discover that Abithica has absolutes after all, and she's just too clueless to notice them.
If I described to you a supernatural being who was compelled to help humans, who believed without doubt or irony in a higher power, and to whom children and animals were innately attracted, what would you think of?
An angel?
And you'd probably be right. (I didn't read far enough to confirm absolutely - maybe there's a twist and Abithica turns out to be something else, but I doubt it.)
The fact that she has never worked this out, not in however many hosts she's inhabited - that, in addition, she seems not to have any interest in her own origins and never tries to figure out what she might be - was somewhat annoying all on its own. It was so blindingly obvious I wanted to shout at her.
And, um, speaking of blinding.
The preachiness.
Oh, dear God (ironically), the preachiness.
Abithica is judging, judging, judging her host from almost the minute she finds herself in a new body.
"What was that hanging from my lower lip, some sort of ring? Yuck! That would have to go as soon as I had a little privacy, but I didn't dare mention it."
"There really wasn't much I liked about Sydney, and she probably didn't like much about me. She'd no more change her ways than a leopard could change its spods, and then where would Faith be?"
"Then there was the smeared black eyeliner, way too heavy. I looked somewhat like a raccoon, but not for long."
"I imagined the kind of men she'd attract if only she could throw away the lip rings and other Goth decorations. No chance of her meeting anyone decent until then."
"Sydney would never have understood such a thing [nonverbal communication between a loving couple], so it had to be me."
"Sydney was in there, no doubt gloating, but none of this was going to bring about any change in her. Still the same vicious, deadly tramp who'd been about to rob Faith and..."
And there's more.
Now, it's pretty clear that Sydney had made some stupid life choices, but the kind of unilateral condemnation Abithica heaps on her is not the kind of thing anyone deserves. Abithica comes off the worse for it - not only did she take over some girl's body, she has the nerve to criticize her personality and the way she dresses! And at no point is she given much ground to judge Sydney this way. There are brief allusions to Sydney trying to assert herself over Abithica - understandable, given that it is her mind and body in question - but at no point do we see the possibly interesting internal dynamic between host and parasite. Most of Abithica's judgements of Sydney seem to come from her appearance, at least as far as is clear to the reader.
The preaching goes straight on into pure religion. One reviewer pointed out that this book seems to have a very Catholic bent, and while I don't know much about religion in general, that seems to be the case. It's not overwhelming, at least not in the first hundred pages or so (which is as far as I got) but it did make me uncomfortable.
Speaking of making me uncomfortable, let's talk love interest.
He started out fine, as a nice guy who loves his troubled sister deeply and whose interest in Abithica seems to be mostly that his sister opens up around her. Except that it turns out he was attracted to her as soon as he saw her, to the point of dragging his poor little sis along following her through the mall. Which is a)inconsistent with the behavior of kids around Abithica as described and b) a tad bit creepy. And then he becomes eerily perfect. "I want to know you, want to know everything about you: your favorite food, the books you read, the one thing you want more than anything else in the world. Your dreams." Really? Really? REALLY? Gag me. This is not a man who met a girl just twice. This is infatuation, verging stalking. Oh, and Sydney's mother is aiding and abetting this dude. Nuh-uh. Not okay.
That wasn't the breaking point, though.
The breaking point was when he and Abithica/Sydney were hiking and she was talking to him about her life problems and he got a hard-on. Which she became 'acutely aware' of when he hugged her.
NO JUST NO. Sympathy hug = good. Boner hug = bad, awkward, gross. Boner hug on the first date when all your interactions before have had to do with the guy's little sister = DISGUSTING TO THE NTH DEGREE.
And I put the book aside right then and there.
There is also a subplot with a gang called the 'Legnas' (lovely, an anagram of 'angels', how clever of them) who seem to be run by demons. Within the first hundred pages, though, it serves no real purpose except to be 'edgy' by showing a character whose internal narration is like a dictionary of freaky euphemisms for 'penis'. For example:
Mostly I just didn't care. I can put up with squick if I have other reasons to care, but here that was the furthest thing from the case. So... sorry, I'm done.
March 30, 2011
This book just blew me off my feet! I have always said before a good book makes you feel the adventure. And I felt the adventure in this book. Abithica has no recollection of who she is when she switches. She just does and from there she must find the pieces. She has a set a rules to follow that not only protect who she is but protect her heart. Until one day, the rules are broken...
Abithica, I loved her. I admire her strength but what I admired most of all her selflessness in what she had to do. No matter who life's she changed when it was time to go she went. Then when she fell in love I felt her heart break in two. She knew she only had a matter a time and she cherish it.
What I like most about this book was the plot and the redemption. The plot and the writing was good. I got to see into the characters mind clearly and feel their every emotions. Ms. Goldsmith did a wonderful job making the plot the enjoyable that I fell right into it. The plot was easy to follow and easy to read.
The love interest is good. Very good. Even though it happen fast, and I will admit that I don't like fast relationships. But there was something different with this one. It was so simple. They were meant to be. They fit together all along, so who was I to judge that? I felt both of them fight for each other. Really fight. They argued. They argued for their hearts and for the love they shared. I love that Abithica was humble to let go, to recognize that if he is really hers then he will come back.
In the end, the redemption touched me.To see that her wish is granted was beautiful. I loved that Abithica got to have wanted she wanted all along. And then some. I loved how it showed in her eyes. Simply touching and good happy ending!
Abithica, I loved her. I admire her strength but what I admired most of all her selflessness in what she had to do. No matter who life's she changed when it was time to go she went. Then when she fell in love I felt her heart break in two. She knew she only had a matter a time and she cherish it.
What I like most about this book was the plot and the redemption. The plot and the writing was good. I got to see into the characters mind clearly and feel their every emotions. Ms. Goldsmith did a wonderful job making the plot the enjoyable that I fell right into it. The plot was easy to follow and easy to read.
The love interest is good. Very good. Even though it happen fast, and I will admit that I don't like fast relationships. But there was something different with this one. It was so simple. They were meant to be. They fit together all along, so who was I to judge that? I felt both of them fight for each other. Really fight. They argued. They argued for their hearts and for the love they shared. I love that Abithica was humble to let go, to recognize that if he is really hers then he will come back.
In the end, the redemption touched me.To see that her wish is granted was beautiful. I loved that Abithica got to have wanted she wanted all along. And then some. I loved how it showed in her eyes. Simply touching and good happy ending!
February 24, 2011
The first part of this book is shrouded in mystery. We quickly learn that Abithica is an unwilling body-snatcher of sorts. When you hear a term such as this one you immediately think evil but that couldn't be further from the truth in this case. Susan Goldsmith does an amazing job of portraying the main character's thoughts and feelings in this novel. On top of trying to figure out what Abithica is I got so emotionally involved in her story that I was really rooting for everything to work out for her. This character's life is one of such pain and suffering that regardless of what she turned out to be I wanted her to find peace and be happy.
We first meet Abithica during a body exchange. She finds herself in the midst of taking over a new host which is a pretty scary experience in itself. Not only is she catapulted into an unknown identify but initially she only has control of her mind until the transformation is complete. In this particular exchange she's in a restaurant having lunch with her host's mother when all of a sudden her new body face plants into its meal. It takes several minutes before Abithica gains full control of her new temporary body. Talk about embarrassing! Being in a busy restaurant surrounded by patrons with your face in your lunch unable to move. She never knows when she's going to change bodies. One moment she's living one life and has one identity and the next she's experiencing a completely different reality.
Abithica has no idea who or what she is. She doesn't even know her own name until later in the book. Her lot in life is very sad. She just wants to belong, to be loved, to have friends, and to have an identity of her own. Just when she starts feeling like she belongs, Abithica gets ripped from her host's body and thrown into another one only to have to start all over again. Something that I found particularly interesting about this story was the fact that children and animals can sense her. They look at her host's body and know that someone else is home. It's a long held belief that animals and children are more attuned to things that are beyond the grasp of normal adults. They're more receptive and connected to their surroundings. Or so the story goes as they say. I loved that Susan incorporated this into the storyline.
There's also a side story that runs parallel to Abithica's. It's a sort of cult that preys on the more vulnerable members of society and makes them dependent through drug addiction, money, etc. The leaders give off an otherworldly feel but we don't know much about them. What we do know is that Abithica's last two hosts are members of this cult. Is there a connection? The main character's story comes full circle but the cult's does not. I expected that a few dots would be connected to leave the reader eager for a second installment but in this area the book fell short. The cult storyline was left hanging with no hints or cliff hangers to get you excited for book 2. It just abruptly ended leaving me to wonder if it is relevant to the plot or just thrown in as filler.
This book was a fascinating read overall. It explored the struggle that many of us face day-to-day: trying to find a place where we belong. Experiencing this story through Abithica's point of view was heartbreaking. Susan Goldsmith does an excellent job of putting the reader in the main character's shoes. I felt so sad for her and I was frustrated that she seemed destined for a life of torment. Abithica is an engaging and emotional read but there are a few holes in the storyline. Considering this is Susan's debut novel I think she did a fantastic job and that this book's shortcomings will be lessons learned for the upcoming sequel which I look forward to reading.
http://rabid-reads.blogspot.com/2011/...
We first meet Abithica during a body exchange. She finds herself in the midst of taking over a new host which is a pretty scary experience in itself. Not only is she catapulted into an unknown identify but initially she only has control of her mind until the transformation is complete. In this particular exchange she's in a restaurant having lunch with her host's mother when all of a sudden her new body face plants into its meal. It takes several minutes before Abithica gains full control of her new temporary body. Talk about embarrassing! Being in a busy restaurant surrounded by patrons with your face in your lunch unable to move. She never knows when she's going to change bodies. One moment she's living one life and has one identity and the next she's experiencing a completely different reality.
Abithica has no idea who or what she is. She doesn't even know her own name until later in the book. Her lot in life is very sad. She just wants to belong, to be loved, to have friends, and to have an identity of her own. Just when she starts feeling like she belongs, Abithica gets ripped from her host's body and thrown into another one only to have to start all over again. Something that I found particularly interesting about this story was the fact that children and animals can sense her. They look at her host's body and know that someone else is home. It's a long held belief that animals and children are more attuned to things that are beyond the grasp of normal adults. They're more receptive and connected to their surroundings. Or so the story goes as they say. I loved that Susan incorporated this into the storyline.
There's also a side story that runs parallel to Abithica's. It's a sort of cult that preys on the more vulnerable members of society and makes them dependent through drug addiction, money, etc. The leaders give off an otherworldly feel but we don't know much about them. What we do know is that Abithica's last two hosts are members of this cult. Is there a connection? The main character's story comes full circle but the cult's does not. I expected that a few dots would be connected to leave the reader eager for a second installment but in this area the book fell short. The cult storyline was left hanging with no hints or cliff hangers to get you excited for book 2. It just abruptly ended leaving me to wonder if it is relevant to the plot or just thrown in as filler.
This book was a fascinating read overall. It explored the struggle that many of us face day-to-day: trying to find a place where we belong. Experiencing this story through Abithica's point of view was heartbreaking. Susan Goldsmith does an excellent job of putting the reader in the main character's shoes. I felt so sad for her and I was frustrated that she seemed destined for a life of torment. Abithica is an engaging and emotional read but there are a few holes in the storyline. Considering this is Susan's debut novel I think she did a fantastic job and that this book's shortcomings will be lessons learned for the upcoming sequel which I look forward to reading.
http://rabid-reads.blogspot.com/2011/...
March 9, 2011
What if you were some kind of disembodied spirit, moving from host to host, living life through other people's bodies, but never having a life of your own? What if you didn't know what you truly are, let alone who you are? Could you find happiness or love?
A minute ago, she was Claire, who just fell back in love with her husband, Tom, but before she left, she broke her number one rule – she got attached. Now she's Sydney, a troubled young woman who got involved with a dangerous gang that won't let her leave – at least, not alive. Sydney's spirit is so broken that she takes a backseat to her body's new spirit inhabitant, offering no help or even information.
Alone in a strange body, cast adrift with only her own wits and insecurities, a nameless spirit once again breaks all her own rules. She falls in love, knowing that any second, and without warning, she may end up in another body – either part of God's plan or some cruel joke. She's pretty sure she's there to help Sydney, but why oh why can't she have a little something for herself?
Abithica's selflessness and hopeless longing stole my heart. She took me on an emotional journey through hope, despair, horror, and love.
The fantasy elements strengthened and intensified the love story, creating a magical blending of genres. I highly recommend this book to lovers of fantasy and romance.
A minute ago, she was Claire, who just fell back in love with her husband, Tom, but before she left, she broke her number one rule – she got attached. Now she's Sydney, a troubled young woman who got involved with a dangerous gang that won't let her leave – at least, not alive. Sydney's spirit is so broken that she takes a backseat to her body's new spirit inhabitant, offering no help or even information.
Alone in a strange body, cast adrift with only her own wits and insecurities, a nameless spirit once again breaks all her own rules. She falls in love, knowing that any second, and without warning, she may end up in another body – either part of God's plan or some cruel joke. She's pretty sure she's there to help Sydney, but why oh why can't she have a little something for herself?
Abithica's selflessness and hopeless longing stole my heart. She took me on an emotional journey through hope, despair, horror, and love.
The fantasy elements strengthened and intensified the love story, creating a magical blending of genres. I highly recommend this book to lovers of fantasy and romance.
April 10, 2011
UPDATED!
A five star winner!
For Abithica, love may prove to be either her downfall or her salvation.
Susan Goldsmith's debut novel, ABITHICA, is beautifully written and the characters are so real, they kept talking to me in my head even after I finished the book. If you like a unique twist on angels and paranormal romance, pick up ABITHICA this summer. It is one of the best paranormal romances I've read and Susan Goldsmith introduced twists and turns in the plot I never saw coming.
It was one of the few books I've read this year that I couldn't put down - it was that good. Here's hoping Ms. Goldsmith is working on the sequel!
I think I'm going to start a fan club....
A five star winner!
For Abithica, love may prove to be either her downfall or her salvation.
Susan Goldsmith's debut novel, ABITHICA, is beautifully written and the characters are so real, they kept talking to me in my head even after I finished the book. If you like a unique twist on angels and paranormal romance, pick up ABITHICA this summer. It is one of the best paranormal romances I've read and Susan Goldsmith introduced twists and turns in the plot I never saw coming.
It was one of the few books I've read this year that I couldn't put down - it was that good. Here's hoping Ms. Goldsmith is working on the sequel!
I think I'm going to start a fan club....
April 15, 2011
AHH What a great story! I REALLY REALLY Am happy I got the chance to read this book! This is totally something new to me –
Sydney is a total rebel – maybe 17 years old, she left her mom for drugs, sex and as much fun as she could get –
A couple years later – Faith (Sydney’s mom) fell in love, She contacted Sydney and asked her to join her at a restaurant to talk and try to work things out.
All of a sudden, Sydney was shoved in the back of her mind and we meet the NEW Sydney – A Parasite – An Angel – who knows what she is, but
All she knows is that she is now taking over Sydney’s body – she doesn’t know anything about Sydney’s Past, and she doesn’t know why she’s there to “help” Sydney
But she does know that once things start going good – she is going to get Yanked out of Sydney’s body and thrown into another “broken” body and she’ll have to start all over again.
Never getting attached, loved, or anything that can and would anchor her down…
Until she got to know Faith – and liked her. She went home with Faith (Sydney’s mom) and tried to be the daughter Faith had always wanted (in Sydney’s Body) . Faith agreed not to ask questions about
Sydney’s past (since she didn’t know Sydney’s past) and they could get to know each other all over again.
SO Faith brings Sydney to The Mall (where she works in Shoes – because Faith can tell a LOT about a person based on their shoes alone )
Walking towards Dillards Shoe Department, Sydney was stopped by a few children who were drawn to her. One little girl latched on to her leg and refused to let go.
That’s when Lane Riley walked up to Sydney to help pry his little sister off her leg… their eyes met … BOOM – there it is folks! One of the greatest things that could ever happy to her – err umm Sidney – or Abithica as we find out towards the end (ok I don’t think that’s a spoiler….)
Abithica is confused – she wants what Sydney has – she wants the look Lane gave her to be for HER and not Sydney – she is having trouble understanding what she is, and where she and Sydney are different.
She can feel Sydney in there, and knows she is not happy – But Abithica is… she is finally able to experience things she knows are against the rules, but she is determined to have a little joy in her life while she is there.
Shea (Lane’s little sister) believes she is an Angel – and she know without a doubt in her little 6 year old mind that Abithica/Sydney is there for her sake as her guardian Angel.
Father Gabe is a Priest that helps with Shea at the Catholic School she attends , and when he meets Sydney – he remembers her plea for help a few years ago, and he notices right off that she is different.
Between Father Gabe and Shea – they discover the truth …
And THAT’S as far as I’m going to go into this story – it is really a WONDERFUL Story – I got goose bumps in so many different places – This book isn’t a spiritual book (heavy on the Religion) but it does have a few places in there that really get you thinking.
If you believe there are Angels out there – or guardian Angels waiting to help you, if you believe that little children are innocent enough to spot an Angel in a crowded Circus even though you are wearing a different body – And even if you Don’t believe in Angels , but believe in Romance, and Love that is so strong – nothing , even switching from another body to another can stop you from getting to the one you’re supposed to be with – FATE, FAITH, and LOVE –
THIS book was SO GREAT in my eyes – I know it’s defiantly worth MORE then 5 stars
A REALLY CUTE Quote from Shea on how to pronounce Abithica’s Name
“Bitha-ca? Hmmm… She had said it better that time. Bithaca.
Yep, she was getting better at it, all right. Bithaca! It was one of those words
that was hard to say at first, like super-cala-fraja-lipstick-ex-pee-ala-doe-shus, but
if you said it enough times it started to come out just right. Bithaca! “
Then Lane a little later …
“He laughed. “That was very good, Shae. Now can you say A-bithica Brave
Britches real fast, three times in a row?”
She shook her head. “But I can say super-cala-fraja-lipstick-ex-p-ala-doeshus
really fast. Wanna hear me?””
I’m not too sure about the pet name “Brave Britches” that he gave her, but it works
Sydney is a total rebel – maybe 17 years old, she left her mom for drugs, sex and as much fun as she could get –
A couple years later – Faith (Sydney’s mom) fell in love, She contacted Sydney and asked her to join her at a restaurant to talk and try to work things out.
All of a sudden, Sydney was shoved in the back of her mind and we meet the NEW Sydney – A Parasite – An Angel – who knows what she is, but
All she knows is that she is now taking over Sydney’s body – she doesn’t know anything about Sydney’s Past, and she doesn’t know why she’s there to “help” Sydney
But she does know that once things start going good – she is going to get Yanked out of Sydney’s body and thrown into another “broken” body and she’ll have to start all over again.
Never getting attached, loved, or anything that can and would anchor her down…
Until she got to know Faith – and liked her. She went home with Faith (Sydney’s mom) and tried to be the daughter Faith had always wanted (in Sydney’s Body) . Faith agreed not to ask questions about
Sydney’s past (since she didn’t know Sydney’s past) and they could get to know each other all over again.
SO Faith brings Sydney to The Mall (where she works in Shoes – because Faith can tell a LOT about a person based on their shoes alone )
Walking towards Dillards Shoe Department, Sydney was stopped by a few children who were drawn to her. One little girl latched on to her leg and refused to let go.
That’s when Lane Riley walked up to Sydney to help pry his little sister off her leg… their eyes met … BOOM – there it is folks! One of the greatest things that could ever happy to her – err umm Sidney – or Abithica as we find out towards the end (ok I don’t think that’s a spoiler….)
Abithica is confused – she wants what Sydney has – she wants the look Lane gave her to be for HER and not Sydney – she is having trouble understanding what she is, and where she and Sydney are different.
She can feel Sydney in there, and knows she is not happy – But Abithica is… she is finally able to experience things she knows are against the rules, but she is determined to have a little joy in her life while she is there.
Shea (Lane’s little sister) believes she is an Angel – and she know without a doubt in her little 6 year old mind that Abithica/Sydney is there for her sake as her guardian Angel.
Father Gabe is a Priest that helps with Shea at the Catholic School she attends , and when he meets Sydney – he remembers her plea for help a few years ago, and he notices right off that she is different.
Between Father Gabe and Shea – they discover the truth …
And THAT’S as far as I’m going to go into this story – it is really a WONDERFUL Story – I got goose bumps in so many different places – This book isn’t a spiritual book (heavy on the Religion) but it does have a few places in there that really get you thinking.
If you believe there are Angels out there – or guardian Angels waiting to help you, if you believe that little children are innocent enough to spot an Angel in a crowded Circus even though you are wearing a different body – And even if you Don’t believe in Angels , but believe in Romance, and Love that is so strong – nothing , even switching from another body to another can stop you from getting to the one you’re supposed to be with – FATE, FAITH, and LOVE –
THIS book was SO GREAT in my eyes – I know it’s defiantly worth MORE then 5 stars
A REALLY CUTE Quote from Shea on how to pronounce Abithica’s Name
“Bitha-ca? Hmmm… She had said it better that time. Bithaca.
Yep, she was getting better at it, all right. Bithaca! It was one of those words
that was hard to say at first, like super-cala-fraja-lipstick-ex-pee-ala-doe-shus, but
if you said it enough times it started to come out just right. Bithaca! “
Then Lane a little later …
“He laughed. “That was very good, Shae. Now can you say A-bithica Brave
Britches real fast, three times in a row?”
She shook her head. “But I can say super-cala-fraja-lipstick-ex-p-ala-doeshus
really fast. Wanna hear me?””
I’m not too sure about the pet name “Brave Britches” that he gave her, but it works
July 8, 2011
Review originally posted at: http://supernaturalsnark.blogspot.com...
MY THOUGHTS
Imaginative and intriguing, Abithica plucks us from our own lives and deposits us in the life of an entity that defies definition for majority of the book, and like Abithica (we learn her real name toward the end of the story) we find ourselves disoriented but undeniably curious as to what will unfold in the new life we've temporarily commandeered. Abithica's ignorance eases the frustration of our own, and we feel as closely aligned with her as is possible for people on either side of the fictional divide, yearning to discover her purpose in this latest mission as though it were ours as well. The reality of our world easily falls away once we start reading, the sights, sounds, and emotions of Abithica and Sydney's world smoothly replacing them, enveloping us in a tale awash with possibilities, enigmas, and individuals who hold our undivided attention.
Abithica springs to life instantly, her sense of humor about the unfortunate timing of her latest body assignment bringing a smile to our faces as she approaches her unusual existence with an infectious good attitude. Though we laugh initially, we quickly sober as details of Abithica's (not Sydney's) life are revealed, illuminating a suffocating loneliness as she acts as a catalyst for positive change in others but can claim nothing of those lives as her own. She goes through each day knowing a clock is counting down her time with Sydney, but she has no idea how many numbers are left before everything of this mission is but a memory that, with time and new hosts, will eventually fade altogether. Though we acutely feel her longing to belong, she never mopes or wraps herself in a dramatic shroud of self-pity, having only brief understandable outbursts to wish things were different before accepting her role in Sydney's life again and moving forward.
Watching her form a connection with Lane and his sister Shae is both heartwarming and heartbreaking, her moments of happiness with him often overshadowed by her uncertainty as to what Lane is responding to–body or soul–and the incessant ticking of an invisible clock. We desperately hope Abithica will have a moment of clarity and find a solution where all will be well and she can have her proverbial cake and eat it too, but as much as we want it, we also secretly crave the tension that accompanies the possibility that things will not go our way. Though their relationship does move at hyper-speed, our overwhelming desire to see Abithica grab a piece of life and keep it for her own acts as a balm to sooth our averse reaction to their instant love.
One slight drawback to this story is the secondary plotline with the Legnas gang, a group of apparent demons seeking to hurt and destroy lives instead of heal and fix as Abithica does. Their scenes are disturbing and dark to Abithica's light, and while they have a terrifying allure that keeps our eyes glued to the pages however much we might want to look away, this first book fails to provide us any link between them and Abithica herself. Knowing there is a second book that is going to more clearly illustrate the correlation between our sides of good and evil is helpful, but both Abithica's struggles to help Sydney and her affection for Lane against her better judgment are interesting enough that we wouldn't mind staying with her the entire time. Overall though this is a beautifully told urban fantasy story, and I certainly look forward to more from Ms. Goldsmith.
Rating: 4/5
MY THOUGHTS
Imaginative and intriguing, Abithica plucks us from our own lives and deposits us in the life of an entity that defies definition for majority of the book, and like Abithica (we learn her real name toward the end of the story) we find ourselves disoriented but undeniably curious as to what will unfold in the new life we've temporarily commandeered. Abithica's ignorance eases the frustration of our own, and we feel as closely aligned with her as is possible for people on either side of the fictional divide, yearning to discover her purpose in this latest mission as though it were ours as well. The reality of our world easily falls away once we start reading, the sights, sounds, and emotions of Abithica and Sydney's world smoothly replacing them, enveloping us in a tale awash with possibilities, enigmas, and individuals who hold our undivided attention.
Abithica springs to life instantly, her sense of humor about the unfortunate timing of her latest body assignment bringing a smile to our faces as she approaches her unusual existence with an infectious good attitude. Though we laugh initially, we quickly sober as details of Abithica's (not Sydney's) life are revealed, illuminating a suffocating loneliness as she acts as a catalyst for positive change in others but can claim nothing of those lives as her own. She goes through each day knowing a clock is counting down her time with Sydney, but she has no idea how many numbers are left before everything of this mission is but a memory that, with time and new hosts, will eventually fade altogether. Though we acutely feel her longing to belong, she never mopes or wraps herself in a dramatic shroud of self-pity, having only brief understandable outbursts to wish things were different before accepting her role in Sydney's life again and moving forward.
Watching her form a connection with Lane and his sister Shae is both heartwarming and heartbreaking, her moments of happiness with him often overshadowed by her uncertainty as to what Lane is responding to–body or soul–and the incessant ticking of an invisible clock. We desperately hope Abithica will have a moment of clarity and find a solution where all will be well and she can have her proverbial cake and eat it too, but as much as we want it, we also secretly crave the tension that accompanies the possibility that things will not go our way. Though their relationship does move at hyper-speed, our overwhelming desire to see Abithica grab a piece of life and keep it for her own acts as a balm to sooth our averse reaction to their instant love.
One slight drawback to this story is the secondary plotline with the Legnas gang, a group of apparent demons seeking to hurt and destroy lives instead of heal and fix as Abithica does. Their scenes are disturbing and dark to Abithica's light, and while they have a terrifying allure that keeps our eyes glued to the pages however much we might want to look away, this first book fails to provide us any link between them and Abithica herself. Knowing there is a second book that is going to more clearly illustrate the correlation between our sides of good and evil is helpful, but both Abithica's struggles to help Sydney and her affection for Lane against her better judgment are interesting enough that we wouldn't mind staying with her the entire time. Overall though this is a beautifully told urban fantasy story, and I certainly look forward to more from Ms. Goldsmith.
Rating: 4/5
May 30, 2011
more reviews here
Abithica was such a good book, even though it took me forever to read (only because I had so many to read) it was such a great story, I loved the plot.
When I first started reading I was so very confused, I had no idea what was going on, then I got into the book.
We don’t know exactly what Abithica is till the very end of the book but throughout the book we learn that she changes bodies, she doesn’t know who she is all she just knows is that she switches bodies randomly and for no reason at all.
I can tell the author has a sense of humor; she introduced the Sydney character with her head in her fish platter while she was at a restaurant with her mom.
While Abithica is in Sydney’s body she tries to figure out what she has to do. Unfortunately she didn’t plan on falling in love. My favorite character in Abithica has to be Lane, he sounded very handsome and he had to care for his sister, which he would do anything for. Not only is he a strong compassionate person, he is head over heels in love with “Abithica”.
I found the pattern in the book that when she inhabited the two characters in the book both had that tattoo from the secret “paranormal gang” that fed on souls, that switched to that POV every once awhile in the book. I don’t know if she ever switched to bodies with that tattoo before, but I felt like she was supposed to help the people in that gang, trying to get there life straight.
I did wonder why only little kids could sense that she was an angel and none of the adults. I am thinking it’s because there younger and they still believe in that kind of stuff. But I thought it was cute how all the little kids would try to follow her around, and they would ask her about heaven or ask if she could relay a message to one of their family members in heaven. And then all the parents and grownups would think there kids were using their wild imagination and they would look at Abithica like she was a crazy nut.
Just a few things that I didn’t like about the main character, the fact that she refused to believe that she was an angel, the signs were clearly there. She really put herself down and thought she was a nobody. I really don’t like when people take pity on themselves, and I also don’t like a perfect character, so I guess it’s one or the other right?
I feel like there wasn’t a lot of information about the gang that Sydney and Sarah were involved in. I’m thankful it did switch POV every once and awhile but I would have liked to read about some more in depth details about it.
I really hope there’s more than just one book. I would be very disappointed if there wasn’t.
Abithica was such a good book, even though it took me forever to read (only because I had so many to read) it was such a great story, I loved the plot.
When I first started reading I was so very confused, I had no idea what was going on, then I got into the book.
We don’t know exactly what Abithica is till the very end of the book but throughout the book we learn that she changes bodies, she doesn’t know who she is all she just knows is that she switches bodies randomly and for no reason at all.
I can tell the author has a sense of humor; she introduced the Sydney character with her head in her fish platter while she was at a restaurant with her mom.
While Abithica is in Sydney’s body she tries to figure out what she has to do. Unfortunately she didn’t plan on falling in love. My favorite character in Abithica has to be Lane, he sounded very handsome and he had to care for his sister, which he would do anything for. Not only is he a strong compassionate person, he is head over heels in love with “Abithica”.
I found the pattern in the book that when she inhabited the two characters in the book both had that tattoo from the secret “paranormal gang” that fed on souls, that switched to that POV every once awhile in the book. I don’t know if she ever switched to bodies with that tattoo before, but I felt like she was supposed to help the people in that gang, trying to get there life straight.
I did wonder why only little kids could sense that she was an angel and none of the adults. I am thinking it’s because there younger and they still believe in that kind of stuff. But I thought it was cute how all the little kids would try to follow her around, and they would ask her about heaven or ask if she could relay a message to one of their family members in heaven. And then all the parents and grownups would think there kids were using their wild imagination and they would look at Abithica like she was a crazy nut.
Just a few things that I didn’t like about the main character, the fact that she refused to believe that she was an angel, the signs were clearly there. She really put herself down and thought she was a nobody. I really don’t like when people take pity on themselves, and I also don’t like a perfect character, so I guess it’s one or the other right?
I feel like there wasn’t a lot of information about the gang that Sydney and Sarah were involved in. I’m thankful it did switch POV every once and awhile but I would have liked to read about some more in depth details about it.
I really hope there’s more than just one book. I would be very disappointed if there wasn’t.
May 11, 2011
I thought the first couple chapters of this book were really interesting. We don't know who Abithica is at first. She has no control over when she changes bodies. She also has no bodily control right after she changes. So, when she ends up in the newest body, she winds up face first in plate full of mackerel with no way to move until she regains control. To make it a little funnier, she's with a women who believe she's doing this on purpose to cause a scene. It was a great way to introduce you to the characters.
As the story progresses we learn that Abithica has no idea who or what she truly is. Everytime she changes bodies, her mission is to help the correct their life. It's often with very little clues as to what needs to happen. Her current body seems to have some serious issues with her mother and is deeply mixed up with a troubling gang. Abithica learns she must heal the relationship with her mother. Along the way she meets Lane who has a sister who witnessed her mother's death and now refuses to speak. She latches on to Abithica and believes her to be an angel. As Abithica becomes closer to Lane, she realizes she's broken one of her cardinal rules. She's fallen in love and can't bear the idea of letting Sydney have control back.
There's a darker part going on during this story. We get a little bit of a look inside the gang that Sydney was a part of. It's violent and scary, and the people running it don't seem human either. When they kidnap a girl and leave her for drugged and nearly dead in the street, something extraordinary happens. The story is more intricately woven than you could possible realize.
Ultimately, I felt this story was about love. Abithica constantly felt that they everyone loved Syndey, not realizing how much SHE had an effect on them. When the others learn the truth, they feel like they would recognize her anywhere. It was about the idea of souls connecting and not a physical connections.
There were a few things that bothered me. At times, it felt like Abithica had a revelation about something and refused to share it with us. I would wonder what was going on and a few pages later would understand. Also, I wanted to know more about that gang. I'm hoping this will be the first in a series or I will be seriously disappointed.
May 30, 2011
The Gist
Abithica doesn't know what she is. She only knows that she gets thrown into other peoples bodies and takes control of them for a while. Their life is in her control. Then she is suddenly gone from their life and has taken over another person. The only word she can use to describe herself is parasite. When she is thrown into the life of Sydney Turner she bites off more than she can chew. She is now suddenly involved with an evil cult that she has not even heard about before. Then to top of all of her new problems there is Lane and his love for her and being a parasite to Abithica has one rule and one rule only DON'T fall in love.
What We Think
Reviewed by ShoreWhisperer
This book was intense from the beginning. There was alot of confusion, mostly because Abithica didn't know where she was or who she was. Everything was hazy until the third or fourth chapter when answers started coming. That was one of my complaints. I can understand the importance of not knowing what or who Abithica is really but sometimes that.....
To Read the Rest of the Review Please Click the link below:
http://realteenreview.blogspot.com/20...
Abithica doesn't know what she is. She only knows that she gets thrown into other peoples bodies and takes control of them for a while. Their life is in her control. Then she is suddenly gone from their life and has taken over another person. The only word she can use to describe herself is parasite. When she is thrown into the life of Sydney Turner she bites off more than she can chew. She is now suddenly involved with an evil cult that she has not even heard about before. Then to top of all of her new problems there is Lane and his love for her and being a parasite to Abithica has one rule and one rule only DON'T fall in love.
What We Think
Reviewed by ShoreWhisperer
This book was intense from the beginning. There was alot of confusion, mostly because Abithica didn't know where she was or who she was. Everything was hazy until the third or fourth chapter when answers started coming. That was one of my complaints. I can understand the importance of not knowing what or who Abithica is really but sometimes that.....
To Read the Rest of the Review Please Click the link below:
http://realteenreview.blogspot.com/20...
June 28, 2011
Abithica is a YA paranormal romance.
"Claire" is passionately kissing her husband when she feels herself being sucked out of the body and lands with her face in a plate of mashed potatoes. Reconnecting with her new body, we've come to realize that this "entity" just jumped bodies and reading her first jumbled thoughts, she is now Sydney.
Its the eyes and ears that gain focus first, the rest of the body is often left like a puppet waiting for someone to grab a hold and control the strings. After realizing her new "assignment" is helping this Sydney and her mother patch things up, we soon learn that Sydney is a very distraught and emotionally wrecked person. With piercings, tattoos, brandings and cult worshipping, Sydney can be felt raging inside, trying to gain control of her body.
The "parasite", as she likes to call herself, breaks her number one rule, do not get involved. She finds herself caring for these people whose lives she has come into. From Sydney's mother, Faith, the eccentric, shoe-philosophizing divorcee to Lane, the new man in Sydney's life. He makes her soul soar with love and joy and she becomes scared when she realizes its coming time for her to jump to another host body. However, this time she doesn't want to leave, she has always served her mission well, jumping and changing lives and for once, she'd like a chance to love and feel loved.
Shae is Lane's little sister and after witnessing their mother's brutal murder, she refuses to speak until she meets Sydney, who she believes is an angel. Trying to distance herself from Lane and Shae, Sydney fails and must come to terms with her feelings and those of the people around her. Lane is relentless in his pursuit, for he feels the same about her as she does him, and he vows that no matter what, he would be able to find her anywhere.
After being coerced into seeing a psychiatrist, she knows this will be the moment when she jumps and sure enough, she jumps to another host body. Upon the way, she learns many things about herself and those she has loved. Will her prayers be answered and she can finally face the love she so desires or will she be destined to jump from host body through all time, bringing other people happiness without ever be rewarded with her own? And to top it all off, there are a group of evil people called the Legnas, with an agenda all of their own, tying the two into one another without the other knowing who or what the game afoot is all about.
I truly enjoyed this book, it had great characters, excellent flow and a plot with a great ending. The love story was excellent, even though I found Lane to be rather pushy and controlling, I still enjoyed how it he was written! I loved how the build up in mystery was displayed, even though you suspected the truth before reading it, you are still intrigued with the outcome.
This book is a real page turner if you enjoy paranormal romances, I found myself flying through the pages so that I could see if all turns out well for everyone involved. I laughed and I cried reading the story of these remarkable characters. You cannot help but rooting for them in the end, hoping all works out and the roller coaster of disappointment and elation was excellent before the final outcome is observed.
The only thing I found disappointing was the Legnas. They were dispersed throughout the book in sparse excerpts which worked for the overall story, however, there was no ending follow through, I ended up wondering if they were there for filler or if they had an actual purpose in the story. A little tidying up of that situation would have been great, seeing as the passages concerning them were written with such mystery and intrigue. The ending doesn't give any indication that there will be another book and without such, the Legnas come across as being an unnecessary plot twist. Which brings me to another back story character, Max, we have him sneaking around Sydney, I expected an outcome between the two, but after the one panic attack that gets Sydney in motion, we don't hear from him again!
I would recommend reading this even though two of the sub-plots are left hanging, the rest of the book is an excellent read that I am sure you will enjoy!
"Claire" is passionately kissing her husband when she feels herself being sucked out of the body and lands with her face in a plate of mashed potatoes. Reconnecting with her new body, we've come to realize that this "entity" just jumped bodies and reading her first jumbled thoughts, she is now Sydney.
Its the eyes and ears that gain focus first, the rest of the body is often left like a puppet waiting for someone to grab a hold and control the strings. After realizing her new "assignment" is helping this Sydney and her mother patch things up, we soon learn that Sydney is a very distraught and emotionally wrecked person. With piercings, tattoos, brandings and cult worshipping, Sydney can be felt raging inside, trying to gain control of her body.
The "parasite", as she likes to call herself, breaks her number one rule, do not get involved. She finds herself caring for these people whose lives she has come into. From Sydney's mother, Faith, the eccentric, shoe-philosophizing divorcee to Lane, the new man in Sydney's life. He makes her soul soar with love and joy and she becomes scared when she realizes its coming time for her to jump to another host body. However, this time she doesn't want to leave, she has always served her mission well, jumping and changing lives and for once, she'd like a chance to love and feel loved.
Shae is Lane's little sister and after witnessing their mother's brutal murder, she refuses to speak until she meets Sydney, who she believes is an angel. Trying to distance herself from Lane and Shae, Sydney fails and must come to terms with her feelings and those of the people around her. Lane is relentless in his pursuit, for he feels the same about her as she does him, and he vows that no matter what, he would be able to find her anywhere.
After being coerced into seeing a psychiatrist, she knows this will be the moment when she jumps and sure enough, she jumps to another host body. Upon the way, she learns many things about herself and those she has loved. Will her prayers be answered and she can finally face the love she so desires or will she be destined to jump from host body through all time, bringing other people happiness without ever be rewarded with her own? And to top it all off, there are a group of evil people called the Legnas, with an agenda all of their own, tying the two into one another without the other knowing who or what the game afoot is all about.
I truly enjoyed this book, it had great characters, excellent flow and a plot with a great ending. The love story was excellent, even though I found Lane to be rather pushy and controlling, I still enjoyed how it he was written! I loved how the build up in mystery was displayed, even though you suspected the truth before reading it, you are still intrigued with the outcome.
This book is a real page turner if you enjoy paranormal romances, I found myself flying through the pages so that I could see if all turns out well for everyone involved. I laughed and I cried reading the story of these remarkable characters. You cannot help but rooting for them in the end, hoping all works out and the roller coaster of disappointment and elation was excellent before the final outcome is observed.
The only thing I found disappointing was the Legnas. They were dispersed throughout the book in sparse excerpts which worked for the overall story, however, there was no ending follow through, I ended up wondering if they were there for filler or if they had an actual purpose in the story. A little tidying up of that situation would have been great, seeing as the passages concerning them were written with such mystery and intrigue. The ending doesn't give any indication that there will be another book and without such, the Legnas come across as being an unnecessary plot twist. Which brings me to another back story character, Max, we have him sneaking around Sydney, I expected an outcome between the two, but after the one panic attack that gets Sydney in motion, we don't hear from him again!
I would recommend reading this even though two of the sub-plots are left hanging, the rest of the book is an excellent read that I am sure you will enjoy!
June 21, 2011
To me, the storyline was relatively new as I haven't really read a book along the "soul switching" persuasion to date but it did remind me a bit of something when I was reading....and that something was The Host by Stephenie Meyer. Now grant it, I've never read that book in full, just merely the beginning chapter or two when it first came out as my curiosity got the better of me. It's not a dead ringer for it, but the way the switch occurs and the similar pushing aside of the original spirit still dwelling within were setting off a moment or two of deja vu; not enough to inhibit, but enough to give pause. It's funny what the brain remembers sometimes. Anywho, speaking of memories....when she switches bodies or "hosts", she can't remember a thing from her previous switches nor usually from her current "connection" leaving her with amnesia of sorts. As she struggles to piece the pictures together, she ends up uncovering what was broken in their lives and how it might be mended despite the fact that she views herself as a parasite. Whether or not she is one is beside the point, but her actions are tainted by those thoughts so she's ever so careful not to form attachments to those she is working within....or at least until now (but who could blame her? Lane sounds like a dream!) adding a new complication to the matters at hand.
But that's not the only interesting aspect about the book, especially if you're asking my opinion and let's face it, you are or you wouldn't be here, right? (hehe) As Abithica (as Sydney) goes about the town, she receives some rather strange reactions from the area children AND wildlife. It seems that she is something of a wonder to behold as far as the kiddos are concerned and the wildlife, well let's just say calling her 'Snow White' wouldn't be far off the track if one had a mind to open up that can of worms. Another key point....the letter that Sydney, I mean Abithica, writes to Shae (Lane's little sister whom he is caring for at this time). The mystery it held was unexpected and the final reveal was more than anticipated; certainly helped explain a lot by book's end.
Lastly, but certainly not least, we have the character connections. The author did a great job telling the story but a fabulous job on bringing the characters to life. Faith's (Shayne's Mother) with her theory on what your footwear says about you, let's call it "the Secret...Shoe-point-oh". Little Shae and all her wide eyed innocence despite everything that has happened in her young life. Lane the dream boat dejour who happens to be most decent and family oriented even in light of his families past tragedies. Need I go on? Seriously, the whole cast is one to look out for as they make their appearances known.
Now along with all that is good must fall a little bad sometimes, but I promise not to keep you too long. First is a general warning regarding the appropriate reading age group. My own recomendation would be mid-to-late teens through adults due to a few bits of content here and there; nothing too startling, but better to be safe than sorry. Secondly, there is a bit of the storyline that just sort of disappears by book's end. It deals with some folks from "past-Syndney's" life as well as a warning from the Leganas group. The Legnas group is bad news from the start, and the creep factor around them is well deserved but while we learn a bit about them, their location, and connections, we lose the final outcome leaving the second hand storyline untethered to a resolution (or at least one that you have to guess at if your curiosity requires it. As the book was drawing to a close, I was hoping against hope for a happy ending; though I wasn't certain it was possible. Did it happen? Well, let's just say that SOMETIMES wishes do come true....in the stories we read and in regards to the books we give a chance to shine.
But that's not the only interesting aspect about the book, especially if you're asking my opinion and let's face it, you are or you wouldn't be here, right? (hehe) As Abithica (as Sydney) goes about the town, she receives some rather strange reactions from the area children AND wildlife. It seems that she is something of a wonder to behold as far as the kiddos are concerned and the wildlife, well let's just say calling her 'Snow White' wouldn't be far off the track if one had a mind to open up that can of worms. Another key point....the letter that Sydney, I mean Abithica, writes to Shae (Lane's little sister whom he is caring for at this time). The mystery it held was unexpected and the final reveal was more than anticipated; certainly helped explain a lot by book's end.
Lastly, but certainly not least, we have the character connections. The author did a great job telling the story but a fabulous job on bringing the characters to life. Faith's (Shayne's Mother) with her theory on what your footwear says about you, let's call it "the Secret...Shoe-point-oh". Little Shae and all her wide eyed innocence despite everything that has happened in her young life. Lane the dream boat dejour who happens to be most decent and family oriented even in light of his families past tragedies. Need I go on? Seriously, the whole cast is one to look out for as they make their appearances known.
Now along with all that is good must fall a little bad sometimes, but I promise not to keep you too long. First is a general warning regarding the appropriate reading age group. My own recomendation would be mid-to-late teens through adults due to a few bits of content here and there; nothing too startling, but better to be safe than sorry. Secondly, there is a bit of the storyline that just sort of disappears by book's end. It deals with some folks from "past-Syndney's" life as well as a warning from the Leganas group. The Legnas group is bad news from the start, and the creep factor around them is well deserved but while we learn a bit about them, their location, and connections, we lose the final outcome leaving the second hand storyline untethered to a resolution (or at least one that you have to guess at if your curiosity requires it. As the book was drawing to a close, I was hoping against hope for a happy ending; though I wasn't certain it was possible. Did it happen? Well, let's just say that SOMETIMES wishes do come true....in the stories we read and in regards to the books we give a chance to shine.
May 31, 2011
Abithica is the story of a spirit/being/whatever you want to call her for right now(not giving anything away) who is thrust into people’s bodies taking over their lives. She stays with her host until she has completed whatever needed to be done. She sees her predicament as a punishment from God. She sees herself as a parasite or demon.
The book opens in Arizona with Sydney collapsing into her food at a restaurant because the spirit being mentioned (in the previous paragraph) has just entered her body. As Sydney, the spirit starts trying to improve her life starting with Sydney’s damaged relationship with her mother, Faith. At first “new” Sydney is having a hard time because the real Sydney is being resistant. During a trip to Faith’s work (at the mall), Sydney meets Lane and his much younger sister, Shae. It’s love at first sight for “new” Sydney and Lane. However, “new” Sydney is very resistant because she doesn’t want to hurt him when she leaves Sydney’s body. Also, she is scared of falling too hard because she knows it will all be ripped from her. Besides the romance, there is also an element of danger from the gang that Sydney belongs to, the Legnas. They are a dangerous gang that brands their members and like to kill, a lot.
Abithica takes the reader on a journey with the protagonist as she discovers who and what she is. She discovers her real name at the end. Poor girl. Every time she forced into a new body she forgets most of what happened before. However, the one thing she does know is that she wants to fall in love and stay that way. That is her greatest wish/dream. This is impossible, though. To prevent herself from getting hurt she decided that she would never get attached. Of course Lane changed that.
Lane is just * gush * amazing! He knows there’s something different about Sydney as soon as he meets her (I’m talking about “new” Sydney). No matter how many times she pushes him away he comes back even stronger and more cling-y (in a good way). He loves her so much. The most beautiful aspect of their love is the fact that he loves who the “new” Sydney is-meaning he loves the spirit inhabiting Sydney. (Yes, I know, it sounds confusing on paper, but it really isn’t).
The novel contains many other great characters. Among them are Shae, Lane’s adorable little sister; Faith, Sydney’s shoe obsessed mother; the ever helpful Father Gabe; and Marge, a saint-like doctor.
When I started Abithica, I was enjoying it. But about half-way through, OMG! I was hooked. There were moments where I was screaming at my computer screen (ebook), yelling at the characters. Then there were moments where I was on the verge of tears. The protagonist’s voice easy to read. I felt a connection with her-there were moments where I could completely relate to her. Mrs. Goldsmith did an awesome job with the writing. Even when she wrote through Shae’s POV, it was readable at the same time as sounding like a little girl.
Now, even though I really really liked this book, there were a few things that just didn’t click with me. I didn’t like reading the Legnas parts of the book-but I think this is just a matter of personal taste. I never like reading the antagonist’s POV in any book. Also, Lane annoyed me in the beginning. He was talking about marriage very VERY early on in their relationship- they had only gone out a few times together. But, of course, I was able to come to terms with it, and even accept it later on in the book.
Overall, I would definitely recommend this book to all who love a good romance. Yes, it is Christian Lit., but it’s not overwhelming (which is good). Also, I seriously read the last 50 pages four times-it was just too fantastic to not reread! I can’t wait until the sequel.
The book opens in Arizona with Sydney collapsing into her food at a restaurant because the spirit being mentioned (in the previous paragraph) has just entered her body. As Sydney, the spirit starts trying to improve her life starting with Sydney’s damaged relationship with her mother, Faith. At first “new” Sydney is having a hard time because the real Sydney is being resistant. During a trip to Faith’s work (at the mall), Sydney meets Lane and his much younger sister, Shae. It’s love at first sight for “new” Sydney and Lane. However, “new” Sydney is very resistant because she doesn’t want to hurt him when she leaves Sydney’s body. Also, she is scared of falling too hard because she knows it will all be ripped from her. Besides the romance, there is also an element of danger from the gang that Sydney belongs to, the Legnas. They are a dangerous gang that brands their members and like to kill, a lot.
Abithica takes the reader on a journey with the protagonist as she discovers who and what she is. She discovers her real name at the end. Poor girl. Every time she forced into a new body she forgets most of what happened before. However, the one thing she does know is that she wants to fall in love and stay that way. That is her greatest wish/dream. This is impossible, though. To prevent herself from getting hurt she decided that she would never get attached. Of course Lane changed that.
Lane is just * gush * amazing! He knows there’s something different about Sydney as soon as he meets her (I’m talking about “new” Sydney). No matter how many times she pushes him away he comes back even stronger and more cling-y (in a good way). He loves her so much. The most beautiful aspect of their love is the fact that he loves who the “new” Sydney is-meaning he loves the spirit inhabiting Sydney. (Yes, I know, it sounds confusing on paper, but it really isn’t).
The novel contains many other great characters. Among them are Shae, Lane’s adorable little sister; Faith, Sydney’s shoe obsessed mother; the ever helpful Father Gabe; and Marge, a saint-like doctor.
When I started Abithica, I was enjoying it. But about half-way through, OMG! I was hooked. There were moments where I was screaming at my computer screen (ebook), yelling at the characters. Then there were moments where I was on the verge of tears. The protagonist’s voice easy to read. I felt a connection with her-there were moments where I could completely relate to her. Mrs. Goldsmith did an awesome job with the writing. Even when she wrote through Shae’s POV, it was readable at the same time as sounding like a little girl.
Now, even though I really really liked this book, there were a few things that just didn’t click with me. I didn’t like reading the Legnas parts of the book-but I think this is just a matter of personal taste. I never like reading the antagonist’s POV in any book. Also, Lane annoyed me in the beginning. He was talking about marriage very VERY early on in their relationship- they had only gone out a few times together. But, of course, I was able to come to terms with it, and even accept it later on in the book.
Overall, I would definitely recommend this book to all who love a good romance. Yes, it is Christian Lit., but it’s not overwhelming (which is good). Also, I seriously read the last 50 pages four times-it was just too fantastic to not reread! I can’t wait until the sequel.
June 1, 2015
Abithica jumps from host to host, doing what she can to sort out their life during her visit before being pulled to her next host. Her memories fade from jump to jump so she has no idea how long she has been living like this or how she ended up with a 'life' like this. It all changes with her latest assignment when she can't help but get more involved than she would like.
So this is an interesting premise. And having just read and loved Mercy I was very excited about getting something similar - a soul trying to fit into a life she knows nothing about without letting her presence be known; people to be helped and a mystery to be solved. But considering that Abithica is supposed to have been doing this for a while she seems to have zero survival abilities. She just claims amnesia as to why she can't remember anything which seems quite impractical and would likely result in a lot of hospital time. On top of this, the person she is helping is the person she is inhabiting. But you can't change a person's life for them - they've got to change themselves and being a passenger to someone else living your life doesn't seem like the best way for this to be achieved.
On top of this I had some issues with characters. They didn't have individual voices - all of them sounded the same, which is something considering that one of the primary characters is a six-year-old girl. While some had 'quirks' none were actually particularly individual. The author certainly seemed to try to make them stand out, but they stood out for one very particular reason rather than being rounded as a character. Then there's Lane. We all know and love the issues with insta-love so I'm not going to go into it, but know that it's all there and more. Their relationship was based on absolutely nothing. Literally. They'd probably said about 12 words to each other that weren't about his little, selective mute half-sister when he declared his undying love.
There was an attempt at mystery, but I don't really know where it was going. There was too much left open for it to feel like anything was achieved or resolved or that it served any kind of purpose. My original assumption was that it was being left open for a sequel, but this book was published 4 years ago and I can find no indication that there is a second book, or a even a plan for a second book which makes the whole thing even more frustrating/ridiculous.
I think this could have been something, but Goldsmith has not pulled it off.
So this is an interesting premise. And having just read and loved Mercy I was very excited about getting something similar - a soul trying to fit into a life she knows nothing about without letting her presence be known; people to be helped and a mystery to be solved. But considering that Abithica is supposed to have been doing this for a while she seems to have zero survival abilities. She just claims amnesia as to why she can't remember anything which seems quite impractical and would likely result in a lot of hospital time. On top of this, the person she is helping is the person she is inhabiting. But you can't change a person's life for them - they've got to change themselves and being a passenger to someone else living your life doesn't seem like the best way for this to be achieved.
On top of this I had some issues with characters. They didn't have individual voices - all of them sounded the same, which is something considering that one of the primary characters is a six-year-old girl. While some had 'quirks' none were actually particularly individual. The author certainly seemed to try to make them stand out, but they stood out for one very particular reason rather than being rounded as a character. Then there's Lane. We all know and love the issues with insta-love so I'm not going to go into it, but know that it's all there and more. Their relationship was based on absolutely nothing. Literally. They'd probably said about 12 words to each other that weren't about his little, selective mute half-sister when he declared his undying love.
There was an attempt at mystery, but I don't really know where it was going. There was too much left open for it to feel like anything was achieved or resolved or that it served any kind of purpose. My original assumption was that it was being left open for a sequel, but this book was published 4 years ago and I can find no indication that there is a second book, or a even a plan for a second book which makes the whole thing even more frustrating/ridiculous.
I think this could have been something, but Goldsmith has not pulled it off.
July 9, 2011
Abithica is far from what I expected, being a more adult than young adult. The main character, a body-jumping someone who winds up in teenager, and almost adult Sydney’s body, looks at herself as a parasite. Her mind is one of self-hatred and rules. If she follows her rules, then she doesn’t get hurt, she doesn’t get attached, and maybe her parasitic time in a body will leave the host a little better than when before she jumped in.
Of course, nothing ever goes according to plan and rules really are made to be broken, so this now-Sydney does open up, does get attached, and even falls in love. At times, the dialogue can be a little ooey-gooey, but Lane, the love interest, really is kind of swoony. Maybe a little pushy, but very much a man’s man and a sweetheart. His adoration for his younger and traumatized sister Shae shows exactly what kind of man he is. And he’s a man who loves completely; whether that love is directed at his sister or the now-Sydney, Lane’s love is enduring.
Sydney (now-Sydney as I like to call her) is one heck of a character. She’s torn between hating herself and wanting happiness. She’s as human as you or me, but not, at the same time. Her internal monologues drive the book. The secondary characters are all entertaining as well. Lane and Shae are wonderful and I have a soft spot for Sydney’s mother Faith. Her theory about the shoes people wear is beyond funny.
The majority of the book takes place around now-Sydney, but there are parts with a group call the Legnas. As much as I liked seeing this deeper, darker group that the old Sydney is somehow affiliated with, the rift between them and the now-Sydney is so great that it almost makes Abithica feel like two different stories. By the end, the two stories roll into one, but for a while there, the connection seemed miniscule.
Abithica is a tale of redemption and acceptance and love. While many are calling it young adult novel, it reads as adult. Now-Sydney’s voice is very much that of an adult and her thoughts, emotions, and actions are those of an adult. The overall premise of the book is interesting and even thought-provoking. It makes you think about people and life and how we’re more than just skin, bones, and brains. It’s nearly impossible to put down because now-Sydney’s voice begs you to continue, for her sake and her own. I was perfectly content with the ending, but wouldn’t mind seeing where things could go from there, expanding upon the revelations that arise from Abithica’s close.
Of course, nothing ever goes according to plan and rules really are made to be broken, so this now-Sydney does open up, does get attached, and even falls in love. At times, the dialogue can be a little ooey-gooey, but Lane, the love interest, really is kind of swoony. Maybe a little pushy, but very much a man’s man and a sweetheart. His adoration for his younger and traumatized sister Shae shows exactly what kind of man he is. And he’s a man who loves completely; whether that love is directed at his sister or the now-Sydney, Lane’s love is enduring.
Sydney (now-Sydney as I like to call her) is one heck of a character. She’s torn between hating herself and wanting happiness. She’s as human as you or me, but not, at the same time. Her internal monologues drive the book. The secondary characters are all entertaining as well. Lane and Shae are wonderful and I have a soft spot for Sydney’s mother Faith. Her theory about the shoes people wear is beyond funny.
The majority of the book takes place around now-Sydney, but there are parts with a group call the Legnas. As much as I liked seeing this deeper, darker group that the old Sydney is somehow affiliated with, the rift between them and the now-Sydney is so great that it almost makes Abithica feel like two different stories. By the end, the two stories roll into one, but for a while there, the connection seemed miniscule.
Abithica is a tale of redemption and acceptance and love. While many are calling it young adult novel, it reads as adult. Now-Sydney’s voice is very much that of an adult and her thoughts, emotions, and actions are those of an adult. The overall premise of the book is interesting and even thought-provoking. It makes you think about people and life and how we’re more than just skin, bones, and brains. It’s nearly impossible to put down because now-Sydney’s voice begs you to continue, for her sake and her own. I was perfectly content with the ending, but wouldn’t mind seeing where things could go from there, expanding upon the revelations that arise from Abithica’s close.
June 15, 2011
“If you wake up at a different time, in a different place, could you wake up as a different person?”
- Chuck Palahniuk
Abithica regains consciousness with the smell and taste of mackerel in her mouth - literally. without any warning or preamble, she has been switched again to another body. as she takes in her new surroundings and tries to learn about her new host Sydney Turner, Abithica never expected to fall in love with Lane Riley much less with the people around her. if only she could stay forever but she could not.
i was genuinely surprised by this fast-paced read. like Abithica, i was so involved in finding out who she really was and what her purpose was all about. i just could not put the book down!
this novel had the feel of a good mystery with endearing characters like Faith, Sydney's mother. if there is such a thing as a shoe psychologist, she would qualify as one. there is also the six-year old enigmatic Shae who seems to know more about Abithica's true identity if only she would choose to talk more. then we have Lane, Shae's uncle, who falls for Abithica. i find his professions of love quite cheesy but i guess when one is in love, he is allowed to be one.
there is also a sinister cult headed by shadowy figures who are involved in drugs, money and other dubious activities. Sydney appears to have a link with the group but this was not clearly defined. towards the end of the novel, a lot of questions were left unanswered regarding this strange brotherhood. this may point out to a sequel but somehow the thread was loosely connected and left me hanging.
nevertheless, i really loved Susan Goldsmith's writing debut. it is a unique and refreshing take on body possession. i have never met a character like Abithica before and i look forward to finding out how things go for her and the other players in the next book.
Disclosure of Material Connection: i received an eARC from the author herself. i did not receive any payment in exchange for this review nor was i obligated to write a positive one. all opinions expressed here are entirely my own and may not necessarily agree with those of the author, the book's publisher and publicist or the readers of this review. this disclosure is in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission's 16 CFR, Part 255, Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.
- Chuck Palahniuk
Abithica regains consciousness with the smell and taste of mackerel in her mouth - literally. without any warning or preamble, she has been switched again to another body. as she takes in her new surroundings and tries to learn about her new host Sydney Turner, Abithica never expected to fall in love with Lane Riley much less with the people around her. if only she could stay forever but she could not.
i was genuinely surprised by this fast-paced read. like Abithica, i was so involved in finding out who she really was and what her purpose was all about. i just could not put the book down!
this novel had the feel of a good mystery with endearing characters like Faith, Sydney's mother. if there is such a thing as a shoe psychologist, she would qualify as one. there is also the six-year old enigmatic Shae who seems to know more about Abithica's true identity if only she would choose to talk more. then we have Lane, Shae's uncle, who falls for Abithica. i find his professions of love quite cheesy but i guess when one is in love, he is allowed to be one.
there is also a sinister cult headed by shadowy figures who are involved in drugs, money and other dubious activities. Sydney appears to have a link with the group but this was not clearly defined. towards the end of the novel, a lot of questions were left unanswered regarding this strange brotherhood. this may point out to a sequel but somehow the thread was loosely connected and left me hanging.
nevertheless, i really loved Susan Goldsmith's writing debut. it is a unique and refreshing take on body possession. i have never met a character like Abithica before and i look forward to finding out how things go for her and the other players in the next book.
Disclosure of Material Connection: i received an eARC from the author herself. i did not receive any payment in exchange for this review nor was i obligated to write a positive one. all opinions expressed here are entirely my own and may not necessarily agree with those of the author, the book's publisher and publicist or the readers of this review. this disclosure is in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission's 16 CFR, Part 255, Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.
August 18, 2011
When I first heard about Abithica, I knew I had to read it. It sounded promising, and I have to admit, the pretty cover had a lot to do with my decision as well. In the end, Abithica turned out to be something completely different from what I had been expecting, but in the best way possible of course.
First, I just loved the character of Abithica. From the first page, I became completely immersed in her story. She was fearless, brave, and extremely compassionate as well as giving. What I adored most about her character, though, was seeing how she changed people's lives over the course of the novel with her help, actions, and words. From Lane, her love interest, to Sydney, the person whose body she inhabits, to Faith, Sydeny's mother, to Shae, Lane's sister, each one of them faced some sort of positive change because of her presence.
As mentioned above, the premise of this novel was something that originally intrigued me about this novel. I mean, the idea of a person inhabiting another's body long enough to help them and get somewhat attached then be ripped away? It sounded unique, and unique was exactly what it ended up being. It was always interesting to learn more about Abithica's past and what her purpose was. In addition, I enjoyed the addition of Sydney's past troubles and what they now meant for everyone. It always cased extreme twists and turns that fully caught my attention, and with the addition of another POV (this time from someone involved in a gang), I was even more eager to see how everything would come together in the end.
The only aspect of this novel I wasn't completely thrilled about was the huge focus on faith. It became a bit much after a while, especially when it was used to explain every odd occurrence that happened in the character's lives. However, at the same time, it wasn't exactly pushed in my face, so it didn't really affect my feelings toward the story that much.
Completely unique and intricate, Abithica has ended up becoming one of my new favorite reads, and given that nearly heart stopping conclusion, I'm really intrigued to see what's next for Abithica!
Grade: A
First, I just loved the character of Abithica. From the first page, I became completely immersed in her story. She was fearless, brave, and extremely compassionate as well as giving. What I adored most about her character, though, was seeing how she changed people's lives over the course of the novel with her help, actions, and words. From Lane, her love interest, to Sydney, the person whose body she inhabits, to Faith, Sydeny's mother, to Shae, Lane's sister, each one of them faced some sort of positive change because of her presence.
As mentioned above, the premise of this novel was something that originally intrigued me about this novel. I mean, the idea of a person inhabiting another's body long enough to help them and get somewhat attached then be ripped away? It sounded unique, and unique was exactly what it ended up being. It was always interesting to learn more about Abithica's past and what her purpose was. In addition, I enjoyed the addition of Sydney's past troubles and what they now meant for everyone. It always cased extreme twists and turns that fully caught my attention, and with the addition of another POV (this time from someone involved in a gang), I was even more eager to see how everything would come together in the end.
The only aspect of this novel I wasn't completely thrilled about was the huge focus on faith. It became a bit much after a while, especially when it was used to explain every odd occurrence that happened in the character's lives. However, at the same time, it wasn't exactly pushed in my face, so it didn't really affect my feelings toward the story that much.
Completely unique and intricate, Abithica has ended up becoming one of my new favorite reads, and given that nearly heart stopping conclusion, I'm really intrigued to see what's next for Abithica!
Grade: A
April 25, 2011
Thanks to the author for contacting me and allowing me to have a review copy of this one, I am very happy to have had a chance to read it and enjoy a unique tale and some rather interesting characters as well!
Abithica the debut novel from author Susan Goldsmith is a fantastical look into what if.
What if tomorrow you woke up in someone else's body leaving your family, friends and the life you were living behind? What if your purpose in life was to inhabit body after body, year after year to be in the driver's seat until you were no longer needed once the person's life was back on track?
I enjoyed every minute of reading Abithica, every strange twist and turn that it took was fresh and new. The final culmination that the two intertwined plot lines lead up to was an emotional and absolutely wonderful surprise and it was very interesting to take the journey with Abithica to say the least...
This book has a new spin on Angel's that is true but it is so much more than that too... It is a book about the power of one making a difference in the lives of many, about love and acceptance, a story that will uplift you and make you smile and make you very happy with how it turns out for everyone in the end.... If you are looking for a read that has mysticism, humor, quirky characters, romance, action, mystery and fascinating twists of fantasy than this is the read for you... Not only will you be as glad as I am that you gave it a shot but the messages in the book will stick with you for awhile too!
Abithica the debut novel from author Susan Goldsmith is a fantastical look into what if.
What if tomorrow you woke up in someone else's body leaving your family, friends and the life you were living behind? What if your purpose in life was to inhabit body after body, year after year to be in the driver's seat until you were no longer needed once the person's life was back on track?
I enjoyed every minute of reading Abithica, every strange twist and turn that it took was fresh and new. The final culmination that the two intertwined plot lines lead up to was an emotional and absolutely wonderful surprise and it was very interesting to take the journey with Abithica to say the least...
This book has a new spin on Angel's that is true but it is so much more than that too... It is a book about the power of one making a difference in the lives of many, about love and acceptance, a story that will uplift you and make you smile and make you very happy with how it turns out for everyone in the end.... If you are looking for a read that has mysticism, humor, quirky characters, romance, action, mystery and fascinating twists of fantasy than this is the read for you... Not only will you be as glad as I am that you gave it a shot but the messages in the book will stick with you for awhile too!
May 18, 2011
This book for sure get you in from the very first chapter! It has action and romance and it's different. With a
really nice surprise at the end!
For starters to talk about the book in general...i liked the writing. It was simple in a way that you could read
and read without being bored or tired. The story is also placed in our world, and you see ordinary things
around and as a result you get more into it. From situations, places or people, the world feels close to you.
Even the parts of it, you probably haven't see in your life (gangs and stuff).
The story in general is original. It might at some point, use a concept seen before (no worries..no world
destruction or a prophecy) but it's used in a totally new way and i loved it.
The characters, even the mean ones, are all so well created you just can't dislike them. You are into "i want
to know more of why they are like that" than "oh what a bitch!". They all have their history, and it's nice to get
to know it more from the conversations with the other chars than just a simple re-telling into a paragraph at
some point. In every chapter, you learn one more little thing.
There were two things i didn't enjoy much. Firstly, was non-Sydney/Abithica parts. I wasn't really interested
in them. I would prefer if the whole thing was from Sydney's POV only. And secondly, as i said at the start it
has a surprise at the end. Unfortunately, cause of some small hints i managed to see it. Once again, i would
prefer no hints for a more excited discovery on what's going on at the end.
Conclusion it's a different and light read. Small book too. It would be nice for a travel or a fast-read at the
beach. You get the point XD
really nice surprise at the end!
For starters to talk about the book in general...i liked the writing. It was simple in a way that you could read
and read without being bored or tired. The story is also placed in our world, and you see ordinary things
around and as a result you get more into it. From situations, places or people, the world feels close to you.
Even the parts of it, you probably haven't see in your life (gangs and stuff).
The story in general is original. It might at some point, use a concept seen before (no worries..no world
destruction or a prophecy) but it's used in a totally new way and i loved it.
The characters, even the mean ones, are all so well created you just can't dislike them. You are into "i want
to know more of why they are like that" than "oh what a bitch!". They all have their history, and it's nice to get
to know it more from the conversations with the other chars than just a simple re-telling into a paragraph at
some point. In every chapter, you learn one more little thing.
There were two things i didn't enjoy much. Firstly, was non-Sydney/Abithica parts. I wasn't really interested
in them. I would prefer if the whole thing was from Sydney's POV only. And secondly, as i said at the start it
has a surprise at the end. Unfortunately, cause of some small hints i managed to see it. Once again, i would
prefer no hints for a more excited discovery on what's going on at the end.
Conclusion it's a different and light read. Small book too. It would be nice for a travel or a fast-read at the
beach. You get the point XD
June 22, 2011
Imagine never knowing where you will wake-up each day or how long you’ll be there, but you know that you’re there to serve a purpose, if you can just figure out what the purpose is to be. And, once your purpose is served, you’ll awaken somewhere else to begin the process all over again. Did I mention that where you land is always in someone else’s body because you have no corporeal form (which reminded me of The Host by Stephenie Meyer, which is not a bad thing at all)? Well, that is exactly what the main character of this novel by Susan Goldsmith does, and once the main character makes her oh-so-graceful entrance (LOL!) at the beginning of Abithica, the reader becomes entranced and finds it difficult to put the book down.
Goldsmith has crafted an enjoyable paranormal novel for adults. The reader is drawn in and begins to cheer for the main character and her desires to do the right thing for all concerned, except herself. You’ll pull for her when she begins to bond with people involved with the person whose body she has inhabited; you’ll pull for her when she begins to fall in love, and you’ll pull for her when she comes to terms with what she truly is. But can there be a happily-ever-after ending with a character who has a difficult time forming attachments with others since she knows she won’t be around long? You’ll just have to read Abithica to find the answer to that question.
There are pieces of the book where I had questions as to the importance to the plot, but those questions weren’t big enough to bog the storyline down as a whole. Maybe there will be more stories to come from Ms. Goldsmith about this cast of characters, because they were delightful with which to spend time.
Goldsmith has crafted an enjoyable paranormal novel for adults. The reader is drawn in and begins to cheer for the main character and her desires to do the right thing for all concerned, except herself. You’ll pull for her when she begins to bond with people involved with the person whose body she has inhabited; you’ll pull for her when she begins to fall in love, and you’ll pull for her when she comes to terms with what she truly is. But can there be a happily-ever-after ending with a character who has a difficult time forming attachments with others since she knows she won’t be around long? You’ll just have to read Abithica to find the answer to that question.
There are pieces of the book where I had questions as to the importance to the plot, but those questions weren’t big enough to bog the storyline down as a whole. Maybe there will be more stories to come from Ms. Goldsmith about this cast of characters, because they were delightful with which to spend time.
February 24, 2012
"Abithica" by Susan Goldsmith is first person narrator confused (part Christian) miracle angel overwhelmingly obsessed on hormonal overdrive for male hunk (part soft porn). Small children, such as Shae 6, traumatized by seeing her mom killed in front of her two years before, recognize her heavenly origin. Non-corporeal villains with slavering demonic appetites, terrorize and dominate, but no chases, or climax (except human coupling).
Face-first in a fish dinner, our amnesiac heroine wakes in the body of Sydney, estranged teen Goth criminal mid-fight with mother Faith, footwear specialist who advises shoe-types to fix troubles; her daughter could feel more secure if she snugly tied her shoes. Although her last job ended successfully, in the body of Claire, reunited with her husband, Sydney often looks back regretfully to the lost passion, and falls hard (he's hard) for Shae's handsome older brother Lane, who proposes within days. Chapters intersperse with the evil Legnas cult, led by supernatural Samyaza, raising crime rates across US. This book feels like part of a series, since the evil is not conquered, not even a bit in abeyance
Spoilers:
though Abithica settles in vacated Jane Doe, brain-dead after the villains drug and take the former body and soul. Father Gabrel, Angela, Faith (small hints?), everyone believes her note in ancient script supports proof of her special status, and (of course?) ability to become human just by declaring her intention. Presumably ever-lasting love and an engagement ring is a satisfactory end. I prefer the wise man who advises a young maiden looking for unconditional permanent love to get a dog.
Face-first in a fish dinner, our amnesiac heroine wakes in the body of Sydney, estranged teen Goth criminal mid-fight with mother Faith, footwear specialist who advises shoe-types to fix troubles; her daughter could feel more secure if she snugly tied her shoes. Although her last job ended successfully, in the body of Claire, reunited with her husband, Sydney often looks back regretfully to the lost passion, and falls hard (he's hard) for Shae's handsome older brother Lane, who proposes within days. Chapters intersperse with the evil Legnas cult, led by supernatural Samyaza, raising crime rates across US. This book feels like part of a series, since the evil is not conquered, not even a bit in abeyance
Spoilers:
though Abithica settles in vacated Jane Doe, brain-dead after the villains drug and take the former body and soul. Father Gabrel, Angela, Faith (small hints?), everyone believes her note in ancient script supports proof of her special status, and (of course?) ability to become human just by declaring her intention. Presumably ever-lasting love and an engagement ring is a satisfactory end. I prefer the wise man who advises a young maiden looking for unconditional permanent love to get a dog.
July 29, 2011
4.5 stars
Abithica is an unusual combination of love story and dark, sinister mystery and I'm thrilled to say it's a totally mesmerising and unique tale.
The reader is at first as disoriented as the main character, floundering in her mackerel and mashed potato; from the first tentative, awkward moments with no clue as to what's going on, to slowly revealed enlightenment ... I loved that sense of disjointed confusion.
I don't want to give too much away about Abithica herself as that discovery is half the delicious anticipation in the read but Abithica describes herself as a parasite, possibly a demon, but she's really not sure. I loved Abithica and her internal struggles, her strength and selflessness, her vulnerability & despair. I was swept away by the hopeful essence in the love story and Lane is a thoroughly likeable and dependable hero. The 'shoe philosophy' was an intriguing sideline and Lane's sister, Shae is just adorable.
The dark subplot revolves around the Legnas cult, the glimpses into their dark practices are scary indeed but there are a lot of unanswered questions surrounding these 'horrors'. Goldsmith's descriptions are chilling and graphic and the entities had me quivering in my shoes. The author ties complex plot threads together to create a spell-binding blend of paranormal, mystery, romance, horror and suspense.
This is one debut novel I wholeheartedly recommend.
Susan is working on a sequel to Abithica which will answer questions about the Legnas & Abithica's connection to them ... ooh can't wait!
Abithica is an unusual combination of love story and dark, sinister mystery and I'm thrilled to say it's a totally mesmerising and unique tale.
The reader is at first as disoriented as the main character, floundering in her mackerel and mashed potato; from the first tentative, awkward moments with no clue as to what's going on, to slowly revealed enlightenment ... I loved that sense of disjointed confusion.
I don't want to give too much away about Abithica herself as that discovery is half the delicious anticipation in the read but Abithica describes herself as a parasite, possibly a demon, but she's really not sure. I loved Abithica and her internal struggles, her strength and selflessness, her vulnerability & despair. I was swept away by the hopeful essence in the love story and Lane is a thoroughly likeable and dependable hero. The 'shoe philosophy' was an intriguing sideline and Lane's sister, Shae is just adorable.
The dark subplot revolves around the Legnas cult, the glimpses into their dark practices are scary indeed but there are a lot of unanswered questions surrounding these 'horrors'. Goldsmith's descriptions are chilling and graphic and the entities had me quivering in my shoes. The author ties complex plot threads together to create a spell-binding blend of paranormal, mystery, romance, horror and suspense.
This is one debut novel I wholeheartedly recommend.
Susan is working on a sequel to Abithica which will answer questions about the Legnas & Abithica's connection to them ... ooh can't wait!
September 16, 2011
Imagine finding yourself in one host body after another, not even knowing what you are, much less who you are. Is she some sort of parasite that lives in others’ bodies and feeds off of their lives, their loves, their hurts? This is the dilemma facing our heroine in Susan Goldsmith’s debut novel Abithica.
Ms. Goldsmith’s story begins with our character finding herself in a woman named Sydney’s body. What is her purpose for being there? What does God have in mind for her? In her previous host, she helped patch up a man and his wife’s relationship. Boy, could he kiss. You see, one of the problems our girl encounters in these bodies is feeling the emotions her host body feels yet knowing the kiss or whatever is not meant for her. What is she supposed to do for her present host, Sydney, who seems to be at odds with her mother and also is on the run from something or someone? Sound intriguing? You bet. I predict you’ll not be able to put the book down as you follow the character who has no identity of her own, just the name that is her host body. You’ll be pulled along with her as she feels the joy and sadness of a man she could love but who loves the body she’s in. She also seems to attract children. Can they see something in her that adults cannot see.
Yes, I’m asking a lot of questions because our heroine has a lot of questions. I think you’ll enjoy discovering the answers along with her. The author has written a winner. I’m looking forward to more stories from Ms. Goldsmith.
Ms. Goldsmith’s story begins with our character finding herself in a woman named Sydney’s body. What is her purpose for being there? What does God have in mind for her? In her previous host, she helped patch up a man and his wife’s relationship. Boy, could he kiss. You see, one of the problems our girl encounters in these bodies is feeling the emotions her host body feels yet knowing the kiss or whatever is not meant for her. What is she supposed to do for her present host, Sydney, who seems to be at odds with her mother and also is on the run from something or someone? Sound intriguing? You bet. I predict you’ll not be able to put the book down as you follow the character who has no identity of her own, just the name that is her host body. You’ll be pulled along with her as she feels the joy and sadness of a man she could love but who loves the body she’s in. She also seems to attract children. Can they see something in her that adults cannot see.
Yes, I’m asking a lot of questions because our heroine has a lot of questions. I think you’ll enjoy discovering the answers along with her. The author has written a winner. I’m looking forward to more stories from Ms. Goldsmith.
June 30, 2015
A NIGHT OWL REVIEWS BOOK REVIEW
What if you were given the chance of a lifetime, the opportunity to find the one person you love, but there is a catch: you are not the person you claim to be. Abithica by Susan Goldsmith starts with Abithica replacing the soul of Sydney Turner yet, she has no idea what is going on and can’t remember anything. Confused about who she is with, who she is, and why she is in Sydney’s body. Abithica has just ventured into a situation of amazing proportions. With mysterious disappearances and killings happening in the city by the Legnas, a cult group, much is to be learned. Abithica has to figure out who they are and what Sydney's involvement was with the group.
Susan Goldsmith’s debut novel is charming. The love and chemistry between Abithica and Lane Riley is beautiful. Shea, Lane’s younger step-sister, is adorable. The originality of this book is undeniable and readers won’t be disappointed. Unfortunately, since the book starts in such a confusing place it makes it hard to follow along until there are questions answered but once that happens everything picks up pace. Susan Goldsmith’s writing is easy to follow and captivating. The synopsis suggests that this novel is like The Host by Stephanie Meyer but it is so much more than that and completely different.
View Review at Night Owl Reviews
What if you were given the chance of a lifetime, the opportunity to find the one person you love, but there is a catch: you are not the person you claim to be. Abithica by Susan Goldsmith starts with Abithica replacing the soul of Sydney Turner yet, she has no idea what is going on and can’t remember anything. Confused about who she is with, who she is, and why she is in Sydney’s body. Abithica has just ventured into a situation of amazing proportions. With mysterious disappearances and killings happening in the city by the Legnas, a cult group, much is to be learned. Abithica has to figure out who they are and what Sydney's involvement was with the group.
Susan Goldsmith’s debut novel is charming. The love and chemistry between Abithica and Lane Riley is beautiful. Shea, Lane’s younger step-sister, is adorable. The originality of this book is undeniable and readers won’t be disappointed. Unfortunately, since the book starts in such a confusing place it makes it hard to follow along until there are questions answered but once that happens everything picks up pace. Susan Goldsmith’s writing is easy to follow and captivating. The synopsis suggests that this novel is like The Host by Stephanie Meyer but it is so much more than that and completely different.
View Review at Night Owl Reviews
June 24, 2011
I bought this e-book for a whopping $3.25 after seeing all the 5 star reviews. I'm stunned that all these people loved this book so much. It was barely just ok. Not that great of a story. Uninteresting and unlikable characters. Lots of plot holes. Also, pretty boring. If I'd have borrowed it I wouldn't have finished it. Since I shelled out cash for it, I persevered.
A big issue I take with this book is that it should have been listed as a Christian read. Specifically a Catholic read. I'm cool with paranormal books mentioning a god or a higher realm of some sort. With a vague reference to god, one can try to read their own belief system into an otherworldly story. This one flat out claims that Catholicism has all the answers to this book's mysteries. I would not have read this book if I knew it was going to be so religious.
Did I mention plot holes? A whole section of the story just drops off with no further explanation. Maybe there's supposed to be a sequel? I don't know. I guess one can look for a future sequel in their local Christian bookstore, but I won't be forking out another $3.25 for it.
A big issue I take with this book is that it should have been listed as a Christian read. Specifically a Catholic read. I'm cool with paranormal books mentioning a god or a higher realm of some sort. With a vague reference to god, one can try to read their own belief system into an otherworldly story. This one flat out claims that Catholicism has all the answers to this book's mysteries. I would not have read this book if I knew it was going to be so religious.
Did I mention plot holes? A whole section of the story just drops off with no further explanation. Maybe there's supposed to be a sequel? I don't know. I guess one can look for a future sequel in their local Christian bookstore, but I won't be forking out another $3.25 for it.
March 16, 2011
This book had my interest in just a few pages. Abithica feels like she is parasite taking host in other peoples bodies and transfered to another without any warning or information but when living the life of Sydney she starts breaking all her rules of not getting involved everything gets complicated. The relationship between Abithica and the new family she encounters was just so well covered and developed it made me keep reading more and more to find out who she really was. There was another story going along as well a much darker side but at the end it felt like it was not completed and left me with questions. Overall this book had me guessing all the way to the end what was going to happen and it did not disappoint me. I truly enjoyed reading it.
review link: http://www.onceuponatwilight.com/2011...
review link: http://www.onceuponatwilight.com/2011...
April 14, 2011
ABITHICA held my attention with it's contradictions. Despite having a light, playful tone the concepts and situations driving this book are both complex and dark. The main character's completely disorienting and frightening reality is leavened with silly banter, shoe philosophy, and a few Sleeping Beauty "dance with the animals" moments. Despite the existential issues and gang violence, I found myself warmed by the overall hopeful tone. While the characters themselves were a bit too shallow to really sweep me away, Goldsmith has balanced the mysteries and answers in the plot well enough that I hope for a second installment.
Full review at All Things Urban Fantasy.
Full review at All Things Urban Fantasy.
April 26, 2011
I'm really surprised at all the 4 and 5 star reviews.
The idea behind the book, of a soul wandering from body to body, is certainly intriguing, but the execution is lacking.
The writing is not terrible, but definitely on the bad end of okay.
Tries to play on the reader's emotions with the main character and her love interest falling in love in all of 2 days, and spending the rest of the book talking about how much they love each other blahblahblah. Too much talk. Not enough actions where the characters show how they feel instead of just talking about it endlessly.
But again, the central plot idea is good enough that I slogged my way through. Plus, it was only $3.50 for my kindle. Not the worst $3.50 I've ever spent.
The idea behind the book, of a soul wandering from body to body, is certainly intriguing, but the execution is lacking.
The writing is not terrible, but definitely on the bad end of okay.
Tries to play on the reader's emotions with the main character and her love interest falling in love in all of 2 days, and spending the rest of the book talking about how much they love each other blahblahblah. Too much talk. Not enough actions where the characters show how they feel instead of just talking about it endlessly.
But again, the central plot idea is good enough that I slogged my way through. Plus, it was only $3.50 for my kindle. Not the worst $3.50 I've ever spent.
August 15, 2011
Good light young adult book that I would recommend to fans of Stephanie Meyer's Host. Sydney was funny and likable. The voice of both her and her mother, Faith, were believable and I felt sympathy for them. Faith's shoe fetish was cute. Sydney's, actually other Sydney I guess I don't know what to call her in this review, want for love having witnessed but never felt it was sweet and I'm sure will connect with young teens. The biggest complaint I have about this book is the chapters that do not feature Sydney lose focus.
September 15, 2011
I find that when I read a book or watch a movie, I will always take it with me for days, even weeks after I finish it. It is not so much about obsessing over the book, but more, reflecting on it, and comparing experiences.
This novel was honestly haunting. You question how strong the human mind and heart really is. How fragile our relationships really are and how important they really are.
This novel was honestly haunting. You question how strong the human mind and heart really is. How fragile our relationships really are and how important they really are.
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