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The Mentalist Series #1
Aversion
For Gemma Green’s first time, things should have been straightforward. Find your subject, hold their gaze and push a thought into their head to save them from future disaster – Aversion complete. A pretty simple process given that the subject was to have no recollection of the experience. But Russ Tanner doesn’t seem to want to forget. In fact the more she tries to avoid him, the more he pushes to get to know her. Gemma knows she has a problem but is she facing the side effects of a failed Aversion or has the school’s tennis champ really fallen for her?
YA Paranormal Romance novella
YA Paranormal Romance novella
133 pages, Kindle Edition
First published December 1, 2012
16 people are currently reading
777 people want to read
About the author
Kenechi Udogu
24 books97 followersKenechi lives in London, UK and writes contemporary and fantasy/paranormal/sci-fi/horror fiction. She also hates the cold and hopes to one day figure out how to hibernate in winter.
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April 28, 2017
Análise requisitada pela autora.
Gemma Green é uma rapariga de 15 anos, cujo aspecto físico é difícil de imaginar, uma vez que tão pouca descrição existe sobre este, assim como do seu pai.
Gemma, ao contrário dos outros adolescentes da sua idade, é uma Averter. O que é um Averter? Um Averter é uma pessoa que possui a capacidade de sentir um desastre iminente na vida de alguém à sua volta. Fica ele então encarregue de evitar que este desastre ocorra, recorrendo à capacidade mental de evitar que a pessoa vá em frente com um plano ou atitude e assim conseguir fazer com que ela escape ilesa, sã e salva, e sem a percepção de ter sofrido uma manipulação telepática.
Um dia, na escola onde estuda, sente um choque que lhe percorre o corpo, ao aperceber-se que Russ, seu colega de turma, irá ter um acidente mortal se ela não o evitar. Com o apoio do pai, Gemma leva a cabo a aversão, a sua primeira de sempre, sobre a mente de Russ, e consegue. Porém, algo correu mal e Russ sente uma forte atracção que o impele a aproximar-se de Gemma, embora ela o evite a todo custo por viver na penumbra de forma a esconder a sua identidade e estranheza.
Após este erro do destino, Gemma e Russ acabam por inevitavelmente sentirem-se atraídos um pelo outro, mas este é o início dos seus problemas.
A premissa do enredo é interessante, embora já haja disto em grande número, não minto. A ideia de manipular a mente de outrem já é uma ideia que nos entretém há séculos (senão milénios) e sentimo-nos compelidos a brincar com ela.
O livros é simples, curto, e facilmente se lê num dia ou dois. O grande problema deste livro é… todo o resto.
A introdução começa quase de forma condescendente. Após Gemma se apresentar ao leitor, ela procede a descrever o seu poder especial e a dizer, “eu sei, parece mentira, mas não é, é verdade”. O que seria algo escusável de ser escrito, uma vez que estou a ler um livro sobre o paranormal urbano e é um grande motivo pelo qual eu o estou a ler.
Além disso, ao longo da história existem coisas que não encaixam, ou detalhes que parecem peças de um puzzle forçadas sobre as outras de forma a que nos obrigue a engolir as falhas no enredo e os erros de concordância na história. Existe até mesmo um erro tão grande que esperei até ao fim do livro para compreender se aquilo tinha um motivo de ser que me pudesse ter escapado. Não tinha.
O romance entre Gemma e Russ é forçado, embora isso dependa mais da minha predilecção por slow-burning romances. Tudo acontece muito rápido e eu creio que mesmo numa história com uma premissa tão simples, a autora quis apressar o enredo e ficaram muitos detalhes importantes por referir, que tornam o mundo e espaço ricos e interessantes.
A própria Gemma é uma personagem vagamente irritante para mim: bonita mas sem se aperceber, simples e sem desejos e determinação na vida. A típica heroína de uma distopia ou romance paranormal que, com toda a sinceridade, se tornou enjoativa. A sua ideia de se achar especial (ainda que de forma humilde, humildade essa imposta ao leitor e com um sabor completamente erróneo) cai por terra quando não pensa sequer que se ela existe em toda a sua peculiaridade, talvez também outros existam igualmente, afinal, nada neste Universo é único.
E para concluir a colecção de todos os problemas que o enredo tem, agrego mais o facto de o pai de Gemma viver toda a sua vida sobre uma dedução sem o mínimo fundamento que cria todos os problemas que caem sobre os ombros da sua filha. Claro que a história e o seu pivô teriam de aparecer de algum lado, mas a autora não se esforçou muito para pensar neste ponto.
Foi uma leitura rápida que na verdade foi atrasada pelo facto de me sentir pouco interessada logo à primeira página. Condescendência não cai bem a nenhum autor. Porém, achei uma leitura minimamente interessante para adolescentes ou pessoas que procuram um passatempo fugaz.
- Análise no meu blog. -
Gemma Green é uma rapariga de 15 anos, cujo aspecto físico é difícil de imaginar, uma vez que tão pouca descrição existe sobre este, assim como do seu pai.
Gemma, ao contrário dos outros adolescentes da sua idade, é uma Averter. O que é um Averter? Um Averter é uma pessoa que possui a capacidade de sentir um desastre iminente na vida de alguém à sua volta. Fica ele então encarregue de evitar que este desastre ocorra, recorrendo à capacidade mental de evitar que a pessoa vá em frente com um plano ou atitude e assim conseguir fazer com que ela escape ilesa, sã e salva, e sem a percepção de ter sofrido uma manipulação telepática.
Um dia, na escola onde estuda, sente um choque que lhe percorre o corpo, ao aperceber-se que Russ, seu colega de turma, irá ter um acidente mortal se ela não o evitar. Com o apoio do pai, Gemma leva a cabo a aversão, a sua primeira de sempre, sobre a mente de Russ, e consegue. Porém, algo correu mal e Russ sente uma forte atracção que o impele a aproximar-se de Gemma, embora ela o evite a todo custo por viver na penumbra de forma a esconder a sua identidade e estranheza.
Após este erro do destino, Gemma e Russ acabam por inevitavelmente sentirem-se atraídos um pelo outro, mas este é o início dos seus problemas.
A premissa do enredo é interessante, embora já haja disto em grande número, não minto. A ideia de manipular a mente de outrem já é uma ideia que nos entretém há séculos (senão milénios) e sentimo-nos compelidos a brincar com ela.
O livros é simples, curto, e facilmente se lê num dia ou dois. O grande problema deste livro é… todo o resto.
A introdução começa quase de forma condescendente. Após Gemma se apresentar ao leitor, ela procede a descrever o seu poder especial e a dizer, “eu sei, parece mentira, mas não é, é verdade”. O que seria algo escusável de ser escrito, uma vez que estou a ler um livro sobre o paranormal urbano e é um grande motivo pelo qual eu o estou a ler.
Além disso, ao longo da história existem coisas que não encaixam, ou detalhes que parecem peças de um puzzle forçadas sobre as outras de forma a que nos obrigue a engolir as falhas no enredo e os erros de concordância na história. Existe até mesmo um erro tão grande que esperei até ao fim do livro para compreender se aquilo tinha um motivo de ser que me pudesse ter escapado. Não tinha.
O romance entre Gemma e Russ é forçado, embora isso dependa mais da minha predilecção por slow-burning romances. Tudo acontece muito rápido e eu creio que mesmo numa história com uma premissa tão simples, a autora quis apressar o enredo e ficaram muitos detalhes importantes por referir, que tornam o mundo e espaço ricos e interessantes.
A própria Gemma é uma personagem vagamente irritante para mim: bonita mas sem se aperceber, simples e sem desejos e determinação na vida. A típica heroína de uma distopia ou romance paranormal que, com toda a sinceridade, se tornou enjoativa. A sua ideia de se achar especial (ainda que de forma humilde, humildade essa imposta ao leitor e com um sabor completamente erróneo) cai por terra quando não pensa sequer que se ela existe em toda a sua peculiaridade, talvez também outros existam igualmente, afinal, nada neste Universo é único.
E para concluir a colecção de todos os problemas que o enredo tem, agrego mais o facto de o pai de Gemma viver toda a sua vida sobre uma dedução sem o mínimo fundamento que cria todos os problemas que caem sobre os ombros da sua filha. Claro que a história e o seu pivô teriam de aparecer de algum lado, mas a autora não se esforçou muito para pensar neste ponto.
Foi uma leitura rápida que na verdade foi atrasada pelo facto de me sentir pouco interessada logo à primeira página. Condescendência não cai bem a nenhum autor. Porém, achei uma leitura minimamente interessante para adolescentes ou pessoas que procuram um passatempo fugaz.
- Análise no meu blog. -
January 18, 2013
****FINAL RATING: 4.15 STARS****
CATCHALL
I absolutely adored this book. It was a very interesting and fun read. There's a touch of the mysterious and definitely some forbidden love. The characters were memorable, and there were some darker overtones that made everything a more serious. It's also set in a beautiful world with unknown rules. Overall, it's a lightish read that I fell right into and loved.
THE HERO
GEMMA
Gemma is a smart and entertaining heroine. She doesn't walk unknowingly into danger by making stupid decisions. However, she does put other people's safety before her own, and how can I not admire that? She takes ricks, but she isn't an idiot about it. She also gets very nervous and scared when she's afraid that she's messed up beyond fixing. And then she doesn't give up, just tries to do her best to fix it.
THE LOVE INTEREST
RUSS
Russ is sweet but he also wants to know exactly what's going on. He's too smart to buy Gemma's story and he knows there's something bigger at work. He confronts her about it, but in the process he gets mixed up in everything. He immediately gets protective of her, not wanting to force her to face whatever she's up against on her own. At the same time, he isn't pushy. He lets her make her own decisions.
THE PLOT
Aversion was definitely a unique read. A lot of books about the paranormal seem to be similar sometimes, but this one was refreshing.
In Gemma's world, an averter is someone who "influences" a chosen target to set them on a certain path in life. They can force people not to do something, and the opposite is also true. The target doesn't remember afterward, but things go awry for Gemma and Russ.
When she tries to make him change his path, he does. But afterward, he can't seem to leave her alone. He remembers something, and he won't stop until he finds out what happened. Gemma tries her best to avoid him, but she can't deny that she is drawn to him as well.
Together, they try to figure out what this connection is. Gemma tries to figure out what went wrong and how to fix it without having to tell her father. Sometimes I wished she would just go to him and tell him, but I also understand why she didn't.
Aversion was a lot of fun, but it wasn't all light. I loved that there's a lot of mystery entwined throughout the novel, and that we're never sure of the twists the book is going to take next.
THE ROMANCE
The romance here was light and sweet. At first, it isn't clear if there's some sort of supernatural connection at work or not, and Gemma is convinced that it's all superficial. But Russ really seems to like her, and neither of them can seem to stay away from each other. And when they let things happen, it's in a fun and yet serious way. When they decide their own feelings, they take control. But not everything, as it turns out, is up to them.
THE WRITING
I've read one other book by Kenechi, and I can happily say that her writing has been much improved. Her first person voice is detailed and innocent, but not annoying. We get most of the picture without too much being revealed to us, and the wording is awesome. I love that we get a good perspective, and it keeps us from ever getting to know too much. We can still make conclusions and notice some things Gemma doesn't, but it makes her very relatable.
THE ENDING
I liked that there's obviously more to come, and that the story isn't completely over. There's a dramatic climax, but there's also not a cliffhanger ending. Despite this, as soon as I finished I was already looking forward to what happens next. Gemma's story is enormously entertaining and it ended on the perfect note, with a bit of heartbreak but a sliver of hope.
WRAPUP
Aversion was a sweet and fun read but although it was fairly light it wasn't all games. It was lovely and original as well. I'll definitely be continuing this series, and I have a lot of respect for this author. I'd definitely recommend it to fans of paranormal romance and those of you who are looking for something unique in the sea of similar YA.
FINE.
Find more of my reviews on Sparkles and Lightning!
CATCHALL
I absolutely adored this book. It was a very interesting and fun read. There's a touch of the mysterious and definitely some forbidden love. The characters were memorable, and there were some darker overtones that made everything a more serious. It's also set in a beautiful world with unknown rules. Overall, it's a lightish read that I fell right into and loved.
THE HERO
GEMMA
Gemma is a smart and entertaining heroine. She doesn't walk unknowingly into danger by making stupid decisions. However, she does put other people's safety before her own, and how can I not admire that? She takes ricks, but she isn't an idiot about it. She also gets very nervous and scared when she's afraid that she's messed up beyond fixing. And then she doesn't give up, just tries to do her best to fix it.
THE LOVE INTEREST
RUSS
Russ is sweet but he also wants to know exactly what's going on. He's too smart to buy Gemma's story and he knows there's something bigger at work. He confronts her about it, but in the process he gets mixed up in everything. He immediately gets protective of her, not wanting to force her to face whatever she's up against on her own. At the same time, he isn't pushy. He lets her make her own decisions.
THE PLOT
Aversion was definitely a unique read. A lot of books about the paranormal seem to be similar sometimes, but this one was refreshing.
In Gemma's world, an averter is someone who "influences" a chosen target to set them on a certain path in life. They can force people not to do something, and the opposite is also true. The target doesn't remember afterward, but things go awry for Gemma and Russ.
When she tries to make him change his path, he does. But afterward, he can't seem to leave her alone. He remembers something, and he won't stop until he finds out what happened. Gemma tries her best to avoid him, but she can't deny that she is drawn to him as well.
Together, they try to figure out what this connection is. Gemma tries to figure out what went wrong and how to fix it without having to tell her father. Sometimes I wished she would just go to him and tell him, but I also understand why she didn't.
Aversion was a lot of fun, but it wasn't all light. I loved that there's a lot of mystery entwined throughout the novel, and that we're never sure of the twists the book is going to take next.
THE ROMANCE
The romance here was light and sweet. At first, it isn't clear if there's some sort of supernatural connection at work or not, and Gemma is convinced that it's all superficial. But Russ really seems to like her, and neither of them can seem to stay away from each other. And when they let things happen, it's in a fun and yet serious way. When they decide their own feelings, they take control. But not everything, as it turns out, is up to them.
THE WRITING
I've read one other book by Kenechi, and I can happily say that her writing has been much improved. Her first person voice is detailed and innocent, but not annoying. We get most of the picture without too much being revealed to us, and the wording is awesome. I love that we get a good perspective, and it keeps us from ever getting to know too much. We can still make conclusions and notice some things Gemma doesn't, but it makes her very relatable.
THE ENDING
I liked that there's obviously more to come, and that the story isn't completely over. There's a dramatic climax, but there's also not a cliffhanger ending. Despite this, as soon as I finished I was already looking forward to what happens next. Gemma's story is enormously entertaining and it ended on the perfect note, with a bit of heartbreak but a sliver of hope.
WRAPUP
Aversion was a sweet and fun read but although it was fairly light it wasn't all games. It was lovely and original as well. I'll definitely be continuing this series, and I have a lot of respect for this author. I'd definitely recommend it to fans of paranormal romance and those of you who are looking for something unique in the sea of similar YA.
FINE.
Find more of my reviews on Sparkles and Lightning!
September 19, 2024
*This novel was given to me by the author in exchange for an honest review*
FULL REVIEW
The Characters
• Gemma – at first I really disliked her and it was hard for me not to be annoyed by her, because she’s so “I’m a loner” type of character and not in the best way, which kinda pissed me off in the beginning, but then I got used to it and she improved throughout the book. So yeah, she’s a very decent character with strong characteristics and well thought out storyline.
• Russ – probably my favourite character in this novel! I loved everything about him, he was so cute and so sweet and… ugh, girls you really wanna get to know this character, might as well be your next bookish crush!
• Gemma’s father – even though I understand his logic, I still didn’t like the fact that he lied to Gemma throughout her life. It’s not something a parent should do. Kinda selfish character didn’t like him as much, but still, understand where his choices come from.
• Antagonist – I do not even remember the name of the antagonist (shame on me), I blame my bad memory! The antagonist himself was quite interesting and I liked how the story unraveled with him.
The Plot
• Pacing – it was quick and easy to read, so can’t say anything bad about that.
• Twists – I must say, due to the originality of the story the twists were unexpected and remarkably well thought through.
• Relationship line – I loved how the relationship unraveled between Gemma and Russ, it's so sweet and so lovable, well done Kenechi Udogu!
What I Liked
• I loved how loyal Russ is, it is so refreshing to see a character with so much faith in another character, it is so good, you feel the sweetness in the story.
• The mystery behind EVERYTHING – I love how the story unfolds and when we get an answer to a mystery, a whole new set of questions appear, and that comes forth like a domino effect.
• The plot overall – I love how original this was, so new and fresh, like a watermelon on a hot summer day.
What I Disliked
• Gemma at the start – quite annoying, but that’s just me.
• The side characters – that’s simply because they are unmemorable, I don’t even remember most of the side characters, but that doesn’t really take away from the story overall.
I am giving this novel 4.5 stars, I will definitely continue on with the series and will let you guys know what I think of it when I finish the whole series. Until then - read the book, I would recommend it to everyone, but I'm not sure that it's a read for absolutely everyone. If you like urban fantasy/paranormal, if you like VERY sweet romance, or if you like characters that grow and learn and all that - then it's a definite YES, read it please.
FULL REVIEW
Was he really asking me to go to his house and meet his mother? What teenage boy in his right mind did that?
The Characters
• Gemma – at first I really disliked her and it was hard for me not to be annoyed by her, because she’s so “I’m a loner” type of character and not in the best way, which kinda pissed me off in the beginning, but then I got used to it and she improved throughout the book. So yeah, she’s a very decent character with strong characteristics and well thought out storyline.
• Russ – probably my favourite character in this novel! I loved everything about him, he was so cute and so sweet and… ugh, girls you really wanna get to know this character, might as well be your next bookish crush!
• Gemma’s father – even though I understand his logic, I still didn’t like the fact that he lied to Gemma throughout her life. It’s not something a parent should do. Kinda selfish character didn’t like him as much, but still, understand where his choices come from.
• Antagonist – I do not even remember the name of the antagonist (shame on me), I blame my bad memory! The antagonist himself was quite interesting and I liked how the story unraveled with him.
The Plot
• Pacing – it was quick and easy to read, so can’t say anything bad about that.
• Twists – I must say, due to the originality of the story the twists were unexpected and remarkably well thought through.
• Relationship line – I loved how the relationship unraveled between Gemma and Russ, it's so sweet and so lovable, well done Kenechi Udogu!
What I Liked
• I loved how loyal Russ is, it is so refreshing to see a character with so much faith in another character, it is so good, you feel the sweetness in the story.
• The mystery behind EVERYTHING – I love how the story unfolds and when we get an answer to a mystery, a whole new set of questions appear, and that comes forth like a domino effect.
• The plot overall – I love how original this was, so new and fresh, like a watermelon on a hot summer day.
What I Disliked
• Gemma at the start – quite annoying, but that’s just me.
• The side characters – that’s simply because they are unmemorable, I don’t even remember most of the side characters, but that doesn’t really take away from the story overall.
I am giving this novel 4.5 stars, I will definitely continue on with the series and will let you guys know what I think of it when I finish the whole series. Until then - read the book, I would recommend it to everyone, but I'm not sure that it's a read for absolutely everyone. If you like urban fantasy/paranormal, if you like VERY sweet romance, or if you like characters that grow and learn and all that - then it's a definite YES, read it please.
March 21, 2013
Wow!! I was most impressed with the concept and creativity in this novella!!! It's a quick read but still has some meat to it. Imagine if you had the power to (and it was your duty), to stop other people from making massively bad decisions that would ruin their lives. Would you do it? That's the concept behind the Averters. It's a pretty cool idea right? If so, you should check out this book!
I took a couple of stars off as some of the dialogue and her thoughts were a little juvenile for me, they felt more like 13 year olds at times, but at least it was sweet and innocent, which I like. There was also quite a bit of telling which slowed down my pace a little. But overall, a quick, fun, and pleasant read!
I took a couple of stars off as some of the dialogue and her thoughts were a little juvenile for me, they felt more like 13 year olds at times, but at least it was sweet and innocent, which I like. There was also quite a bit of telling which slowed down my pace a little. But overall, a quick, fun, and pleasant read!
June 12, 2017
I enjoyed the story, and I liked the characters.
Gemma is funny and sweet. Though she's trying very hard to understand she can't be a normal teenager it's clear that she really wants to do the normal things the other girls at her school get to do.
Russ' personality is a bit less clear. He's understandably a bit confused about the strange things happening to him, but he's very supportive of Gemma. We don't see much of him beyond this, but I got the impression he's confident, athletic, and generally quite nice.
Gemma's dad was a bit rubbish though, and very bad at hiding! He's left Gemma almost clueless about her history and her Aversion abilities.
The way the story was told was a bit like a stream of consciousness from Gemma. It read more like a diary entry than a story, and it left me feeling a bit disconnected from everything. It's like Gemma got home and was telling someone about what had happened to her.
Gemma does an awful lot of thinking too. Someone says something, and she thinks about it so much that sometimes it was nearly a page before we get the response. It made events feel disjointed and just added to the disconnection I felt.
Because of the way the story is told at first I thought that I wasn't going to enjoy it. But I found that I kept going back to it, and I got hooked on the story. I'm looking forward to reading the next book in the series, I hope it explains a bit more about the other Averters and how their community works.
I received a free copy from the author in return for an honest review.
Gemma is funny and sweet. Though she's trying very hard to understand she can't be a normal teenager it's clear that she really wants to do the normal things the other girls at her school get to do.
Russ' personality is a bit less clear. He's understandably a bit confused about the strange things happening to him, but he's very supportive of Gemma. We don't see much of him beyond this, but I got the impression he's confident, athletic, and generally quite nice.
Gemma's dad was a bit rubbish though, and very bad at hiding! He's left Gemma almost clueless about her history and her Aversion abilities.
The way the story was told was a bit like a stream of consciousness from Gemma. It read more like a diary entry than a story, and it left me feeling a bit disconnected from everything. It's like Gemma got home and was telling someone about what had happened to her.
Gemma does an awful lot of thinking too. Someone says something, and she thinks about it so much that sometimes it was nearly a page before we get the response. It made events feel disjointed and just added to the disconnection I felt.
Because of the way the story is told at first I thought that I wasn't going to enjoy it. But I found that I kept going back to it, and I got hooked on the story. I'm looking forward to reading the next book in the series, I hope it explains a bit more about the other Averters and how their community works.
I received a free copy from the author in return for an honest review.
September 13, 2016
I received a free ebook copy from the author through We <3 Ya!
I chose the German version of this book to review, just because it had been a while that I read something in German. And I'm really glad I did. It truly sparked my love again for this language, even though I use it on a daily basis at work.
Great translation btw, so thumbs up for the translator.
But also great job for the author. This was a really amazing story and I loved getting to know the characters. My main issue with Gemma was that she should communicate more with her dad. But hey, that's my remark in a lot of stories. And I know that in the real world, people also have problems communicating. So, it's believable, but it did bug me a bit.
I'll be checking out the sequels to this story, just to get more information on these thought-bending people.
I chose the German version of this book to review, just because it had been a while that I read something in German. And I'm really glad I did. It truly sparked my love again for this language, even though I use it on a daily basis at work.
Great translation btw, so thumbs up for the translator.
But also great job for the author. This was a really amazing story and I loved getting to know the characters. My main issue with Gemma was that she should communicate more with her dad. But hey, that's my remark in a lot of stories. And I know that in the real world, people also have problems communicating. So, it's believable, but it did bug me a bit.
I'll be checking out the sequels to this story, just to get more information on these thought-bending people.
June 21, 2018
I got a copy of this for a fair and honest review. There is so much I want to say about Gemma and her lifestyle and what her life has been like. I know this is only the first book in the series, but I feel real connection to her. Her moments with Russ and her father. Learning about Gemma and her skills and the adventure of her life in and out of school. There were times that my heart was in my throat as I was not sure what was going to happen to her. I loved the description and details of things. I still wondering about the Orbs and the colors it changed. I am ready to read book 2 and see how Gemma's story continues. You should grab this book and experience it for yourself.
February 15, 2018
Original review
This book was provided by the author in exchange for an honest review. Thank you Kenechi Udogu!
Aversion tells the story of Gemma Green who is one of the only female Averters – someone who can put a thought into someone’s mind in order to change their future. Gemma has the task of stopping Russ from going to a party by car because otherwise he’ll kill his friend. Everything went okay until she also put the thought of quitting smoking in his mind… The next day Russ talks to Gemma for the first time, so something must’ve gone wrong, right?
I really like the Averters and Progressive Empaths and their abilities. Gemma always thought she was the only female Averter, but there are actually more female Averters like her and they are called Progressive Empaths. The Progressive Empaths have more abilities than Averters. You also have Sentient Twins in this story. A Sentient Twin is a person you are drawn to, someone you will always find no matter where you are.
I love the world of Aversion because it's so unique and interesting. The thought of being a guardian angel by controlling someone's mind is so original!
I have read this book once in 2013 and I devoured and loved it again in 2018. Aversion is definitely something interesting and unique! Make sure to check out next week’s review because I will review the sequel, Sentient, as well!
This book was provided by the author in exchange for an honest review. Thank you Kenechi Udogu!
Aversion tells the story of Gemma Green who is one of the only female Averters – someone who can put a thought into someone’s mind in order to change their future. Gemma has the task of stopping Russ from going to a party by car because otherwise he’ll kill his friend. Everything went okay until she also put the thought of quitting smoking in his mind… The next day Russ talks to Gemma for the first time, so something must’ve gone wrong, right?
I really like the Averters and Progressive Empaths and their abilities. Gemma always thought she was the only female Averter, but there are actually more female Averters like her and they are called Progressive Empaths. The Progressive Empaths have more abilities than Averters. You also have Sentient Twins in this story. A Sentient Twin is a person you are drawn to, someone you will always find no matter where you are.
I love the world of Aversion because it's so unique and interesting. The thought of being a guardian angel by controlling someone's mind is so original!
I have read this book once in 2013 and I devoured and loved it again in 2018. Aversion is definitely something interesting and unique! Make sure to check out next week’s review because I will review the sequel, Sentient, as well!
January 7, 2013
A touch of The Adjustment Bureau, an interesting paranormal power. To change someones path back to a better one.
May 14, 2017
With elements of suspense, romance, and coming-of-age, this was a fresh and original read.
Gemma Green is an Averter, tasked with ensuring people's poor decisions are averted through a method of pushing thoughts into their heads, with the Averter immediately forgotten. When Gemma performs her first Aversion, on highschool tennis star Russ Tanner, she is shocked to find that he keeps seeking her out. Has the Aversion gone terribly wrong? Or is Russ genuinely falling for her?
A wonderful plot with large doses of originality, this was a fun young adult romance. The protagonist was well-rounded and the plot had a number of suspenseful twists, with some adventure thrown in for good measure. And all this worked, and worked well. Unfortunately, this book could have done with a good edit - there was too much unnatural dialogue, large chunks of descriptions, and the feeling of being unpolished. This was a shame, as it let down an immensely enjoyable plot and otherwise good book.
*Thank you to the author for my free review copy via #RBRT.
Gemma Green is an Averter, tasked with ensuring people's poor decisions are averted through a method of pushing thoughts into their heads, with the Averter immediately forgotten. When Gemma performs her first Aversion, on highschool tennis star Russ Tanner, she is shocked to find that he keeps seeking her out. Has the Aversion gone terribly wrong? Or is Russ genuinely falling for her?
A wonderful plot with large doses of originality, this was a fun young adult romance. The protagonist was well-rounded and the plot had a number of suspenseful twists, with some adventure thrown in for good measure. And all this worked, and worked well. Unfortunately, this book could have done with a good edit - there was too much unnatural dialogue, large chunks of descriptions, and the feeling of being unpolished. This was a shame, as it let down an immensely enjoyable plot and otherwise good book.
*Thank you to the author for my free review copy via #RBRT.
April 30, 2018
It’s done. I have officially finished reading the Mentalist series by Kenechi Udogu.
In case you haven’t heard about it already, the Mentalist series is a trilogy plus one short novella. Each book is on the short side and even with four books in the series, they are rather easy to finish. But even with the allure of being a short series, was it worth the read?
Gemma Green is an averter. No, scratch that. She is a Progressive Empath. An averter is capable of altering people’s minds to prevent them from committing self-endangering acts. Gemma is capable of so much more. In a world of male averters, Gemma struggles to understand her powers. But as her path crosses with others like herself, she must learn to control these new abilities. And if she hopes to protect those she loves, she’ll need to do it quickly.
Full review at: http://sevendaysaweek.co/the-mentalis...
In case you haven’t heard about it already, the Mentalist series is a trilogy plus one short novella. Each book is on the short side and even with four books in the series, they are rather easy to finish. But even with the allure of being a short series, was it worth the read?
Gemma Green is an averter. No, scratch that. She is a Progressive Empath. An averter is capable of altering people’s minds to prevent them from committing self-endangering acts. Gemma is capable of so much more. In a world of male averters, Gemma struggles to understand her powers. But as her path crosses with others like herself, she must learn to control these new abilities. And if she hopes to protect those she loves, she’ll need to do it quickly.
Full review at: http://sevendaysaweek.co/the-mentalis...
February 19, 2013
Disclosure-I did receive a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. If I could give this ten or twenty stars, I certainly would. They just won't let me. I loved this book, though I usually don't read novellas (too short). I went into this not expecting much, but I was sucked in from page one and read the whole thing in a very short time simply because I couldn't put it away.
Gemma Green is a 15 year old girl who has a special ability. She has the ability to detect someone else's upcoming life altering mistakes and avert those mistakes. This ability is to be used in benevolence only, never for her own benefit or for any other alterior motive. Averters are all supposed to be boys (as far as Gemma knows, she is some kind of freaky exception) and are separated from their mothers at birth. Gemma has always accepted the absence of her mother and lives with her father, with whom she has a very strong and stable relationship. Not every 15 year old is full of parent hating angst.
Gemma finally receives her first Assignment-a boy named Russ, her age, at her school, is going to drive drunk and...well, you can imagine why it might be desirable to avert the outcome of that. But there is a catch with Russ (who is a catch himself). He's supposed to forget his experience with Gemma and go on with his life. Instead he has vague stirrings of what happened and forms a strong attachment to Gemma, who can't seem to avoid him. Their relationship is more mature than I would normally expect of two 15 year old kids, but I think most readers would agree that they are a special pair and it might not be so surprising after all.
As events unfold, secrets that were unknown to Gemma come to light, not only about her parents and her past, but also about her, Russ, and the significance of their strange bond.
I thought the writing, form and POV were all perfect. Literally, I mean that. The story is told in first person and I love Gemma's British voice (I can't help myself, I love 'reading' British and this was particularly well done). The market is currently flooded with YA paranormal books where (usually) a girl has some power or other, and some of these books seem almost interchangeable to me, but this one isn't like that at all. I think this one is completely new and unique, along with being well done. I haven't been so excited about a book in such a long time-and I read lots of them. At the risk of gushing all over and staining the page, I have to say, love, love, love, and I intend to get more work by Kenechi Udogu. I especially can't wait for the next book in this series.
Gemma Green is a 15 year old girl who has a special ability. She has the ability to detect someone else's upcoming life altering mistakes and avert those mistakes. This ability is to be used in benevolence only, never for her own benefit or for any other alterior motive. Averters are all supposed to be boys (as far as Gemma knows, she is some kind of freaky exception) and are separated from their mothers at birth. Gemma has always accepted the absence of her mother and lives with her father, with whom she has a very strong and stable relationship. Not every 15 year old is full of parent hating angst.
Gemma finally receives her first Assignment-a boy named Russ, her age, at her school, is going to drive drunk and...well, you can imagine why it might be desirable to avert the outcome of that. But there is a catch with Russ (who is a catch himself). He's supposed to forget his experience with Gemma and go on with his life. Instead he has vague stirrings of what happened and forms a strong attachment to Gemma, who can't seem to avoid him. Their relationship is more mature than I would normally expect of two 15 year old kids, but I think most readers would agree that they are a special pair and it might not be so surprising after all.
As events unfold, secrets that were unknown to Gemma come to light, not only about her parents and her past, but also about her, Russ, and the significance of their strange bond.
I thought the writing, form and POV were all perfect. Literally, I mean that. The story is told in first person and I love Gemma's British voice (I can't help myself, I love 'reading' British and this was particularly well done). The market is currently flooded with YA paranormal books where (usually) a girl has some power or other, and some of these books seem almost interchangeable to me, but this one isn't like that at all. I think this one is completely new and unique, along with being well done. I haven't been so excited about a book in such a long time-and I read lots of them. At the risk of gushing all over and staining the page, I have to say, love, love, love, and I intend to get more work by Kenechi Udogu. I especially can't wait for the next book in this series.
July 28, 2016
Este libro me fue proporcionado por la misma traductora española, a manos de la autora. Es por esto por lo que se me ha pedido que mi opinión sea sincera.
En cuanto a la historia he de decir que es muy imaginativa, no había leído nada parecido. Su trama te atrapa desde el principio y además la historia de los personajes o los nombres que la autora les ha puesto a los de su especie, es algo que me ha encantado.
Ese es uno de los primeros puntos que te hace enamorarte del libro, muestra la gran capacidad de escritura que tiene la autora. Además el libro en si no es muy extenso, por lo que toda la acción está comprimida en 133 páginas, haciendo de el libro, una lectura muy interesante.
Es ese tipo de libros que puedes leer en cualquier momento, no se hace para nada pesada la lectura y al ser cortito es muy fácil de terminar. Su vocabulario no es para nada simplón, pero tampoco algo extravagante, por lo que hace que la lectura sea perfecta.
Los personajes son perfectos para la trama, puesto que al ser pocos los que llevan a cabo la historia, hace que no te marees con personajes secundarios y te centres en los que realmente importan. Su personaje principal Gemma Green, es una chica simple, sin expectativas de futuro y muy insegura en algunos ámbitos, pero para nada desagradan sus acciones y tampoco hace que la odies, como normalmente hacen los personajes femeninos.
Luego tenemos a Russ Tanner, el cual a pesar de no tener intervenciones muy largas, hace que te enamores de él, por lo menos eso me ha pasado. Es un personaje sincero, directo y decidido y sobretodo siempre muestra sus sentimientos.
En cuanto a los demás personajes aunque no son principales, tampoco podemos considerarlos secundarios, puesto que son muy importantes en cuanto a los acontecimientos que acontecen.
El libro en sí es perfecto para desconectar en cualquier momento del día y cuando leas el final para nada te quedarás con mal gusto de boca. Es un buen final y además te deja con muchas ganas de leer el segundo libro y todos los que vengan por delante.
Invito a todo lector/a que lea el libro, puesto que debido a su corta extensión, su trama tan interesante, su vocabulario y sus personajes, hacen que el entretenimiento esté asegurado.
Mi mas sincera enhorabuena a la escritora, por haber hecho una historia así.
En cuanto a la historia he de decir que es muy imaginativa, no había leído nada parecido. Su trama te atrapa desde el principio y además la historia de los personajes o los nombres que la autora les ha puesto a los de su especie, es algo que me ha encantado.
Ese es uno de los primeros puntos que te hace enamorarte del libro, muestra la gran capacidad de escritura que tiene la autora. Además el libro en si no es muy extenso, por lo que toda la acción está comprimida en 133 páginas, haciendo de el libro, una lectura muy interesante.
Es ese tipo de libros que puedes leer en cualquier momento, no se hace para nada pesada la lectura y al ser cortito es muy fácil de terminar. Su vocabulario no es para nada simplón, pero tampoco algo extravagante, por lo que hace que la lectura sea perfecta.
Los personajes son perfectos para la trama, puesto que al ser pocos los que llevan a cabo la historia, hace que no te marees con personajes secundarios y te centres en los que realmente importan. Su personaje principal Gemma Green, es una chica simple, sin expectativas de futuro y muy insegura en algunos ámbitos, pero para nada desagradan sus acciones y tampoco hace que la odies, como normalmente hacen los personajes femeninos.
Luego tenemos a Russ Tanner, el cual a pesar de no tener intervenciones muy largas, hace que te enamores de él, por lo menos eso me ha pasado. Es un personaje sincero, directo y decidido y sobretodo siempre muestra sus sentimientos.
En cuanto a los demás personajes aunque no son principales, tampoco podemos considerarlos secundarios, puesto que son muy importantes en cuanto a los acontecimientos que acontecen.
El libro en sí es perfecto para desconectar en cualquier momento del día y cuando leas el final para nada te quedarás con mal gusto de boca. Es un buen final y además te deja con muchas ganas de leer el segundo libro y todos los que vengan por delante.
Invito a todo lector/a que lea el libro, puesto que debido a su corta extensión, su trama tan interesante, su vocabulario y sus personajes, hacen que el entretenimiento esté asegurado.
Mi mas sincera enhorabuena a la escritora, por haber hecho una historia así.
February 8, 2013
Aversion, Book One in The Mentalist Series by Kenechi Udogu is a novella following the first Aversion performed by Gemma Green and how it goes oh so wrong. Fifteen-year-old Gemma is the only female Averter in a long history of Averters, an anomaly. Nonetheless, she has been taught from a very young age the responsibilities, honor and rules of Aversion. Averters use their minds to deter others (without the person realizing it) from decisions that will keep them from their life path.
When Gemma gets her first "jolt" from Russ Tanner, she is confident and a little nervous. But this is what she is born to do. Everything seems to have gone well with Russ--disaster averted. That is until Russ approaches her at school the next day. She has never talked to him before and has kept a low profile at school, but now she can't shake Russ. He doesn't remember the Aversion, but for some reason he feels drawn to her. What else can go wrong?
Gemma is a down-to-earth character that tries her best to live up to her legacy. But being a teenaged girl just gets in the way of duty sometimes. The reader goes with Gemma on her journey to becoming a full-fledged Averter (and not just a trainee) and her journey into the world of the average teen. She is believable, if a bit too analytical. The story is Gemma's first person account, so she's already been through the adventure that she's relating to the reader. The only thing that bothered me was that because it's already happened, she inadvertently reveals minor plot points.
Description is minimal and other character development is scarce. We get to know a little about Russ and Gemma's father, but we're not yet sure what is true about either one of them. After all, we're dealing with Aversion. But there is still more to uncover.
I liked this first installment in The Mentalist Series and recommend it for a quick read. I look forward to the next installment.
I was provided with a copy for an honest review.
Read more reviews by Cherese Vines at www.cheresevinescharmingwords.wordpre...
When Gemma gets her first "jolt" from Russ Tanner, she is confident and a little nervous. But this is what she is born to do. Everything seems to have gone well with Russ--disaster averted. That is until Russ approaches her at school the next day. She has never talked to him before and has kept a low profile at school, but now she can't shake Russ. He doesn't remember the Aversion, but for some reason he feels drawn to her. What else can go wrong?
Gemma is a down-to-earth character that tries her best to live up to her legacy. But being a teenaged girl just gets in the way of duty sometimes. The reader goes with Gemma on her journey to becoming a full-fledged Averter (and not just a trainee) and her journey into the world of the average teen. She is believable, if a bit too analytical. The story is Gemma's first person account, so she's already been through the adventure that she's relating to the reader. The only thing that bothered me was that because it's already happened, she inadvertently reveals minor plot points.
Description is minimal and other character development is scarce. We get to know a little about Russ and Gemma's father, but we're not yet sure what is true about either one of them. After all, we're dealing with Aversion. But there is still more to uncover.
I liked this first installment in The Mentalist Series and recommend it for a quick read. I look forward to the next installment.
I was provided with a copy for an honest review.
Read more reviews by Cherese Vines at www.cheresevinescharmingwords.wordpre...
December 16, 2012
After reading the Beta version and the final one, I honestly can say that Aversion is an AMAZING paranormal story and the beginning of a great series.
Gemma is not like any other teenager. She is a fifteen-year-old girl with a tiny secret, she is an averter. If you are asking what that means is very simple, they try to alter people minds and change their choices when their facing some danger. (If you want a better explanation just read the book).
Things gets messy in her life when Russ, her first assignment, suddenly starts talking to her and keeps insisting in being her friend. And to make things worse, he is so freaking cute that Gemma can't help to like him.
Gemma is one of those sweet girls, trying to go unnoticed, accepting a fate that comes with a lot of rules. However, when she discovers secrets from the past and all her loves ones are in danger, a tough, brave woman comes to surface.
Russ is the perfect match for Gemma, not only is a tennis player (which in my language means cute body), he is so careless about what people think, funny and seems to take even the weirdest things with an strange calm. Some minor changes from the beta version make him even more loveable.
A fast pass book, with a lot of action, tears, a few breathtaking moments and some good twists. And my favorite part… The cherry on the cake… The end… What a good way to leave us waiting for book 2. An ending that broke my heart a little but also leave me with a big smile. It is a 50/50 situation (if you read the book you know what I mean).
The paranormal base in this book is pretty original with different kinds of people and different abilities. There some explanations left for the next book which is great because I think the series has a lot of potential to be GREAT.
(I received an ecopy from the author. My review is as honest as it can be).
Gemma is not like any other teenager. She is a fifteen-year-old girl with a tiny secret, she is an averter. If you are asking what that means is very simple, they try to alter people minds and change their choices when their facing some danger. (If you want a better explanation just read the book).
Things gets messy in her life when Russ, her first assignment, suddenly starts talking to her and keeps insisting in being her friend. And to make things worse, he is so freaking cute that Gemma can't help to like him.
Gemma is one of those sweet girls, trying to go unnoticed, accepting a fate that comes with a lot of rules. However, when she discovers secrets from the past and all her loves ones are in danger, a tough, brave woman comes to surface.
Russ is the perfect match for Gemma, not only is a tennis player (which in my language means cute body), he is so careless about what people think, funny and seems to take even the weirdest things with an strange calm. Some minor changes from the beta version make him even more loveable.
A fast pass book, with a lot of action, tears, a few breathtaking moments and some good twists. And my favorite part… The cherry on the cake… The end… What a good way to leave us waiting for book 2. An ending that broke my heart a little but also leave me with a big smile. It is a 50/50 situation (if you read the book you know what I mean).
The paranormal base in this book is pretty original with different kinds of people and different abilities. There some explanations left for the next book which is great because I think the series has a lot of potential to be GREAT.
(I received an ecopy from the author. My review is as honest as it can be).
June 5, 2013
*A copy was provided for me by the author in exchange for an honest review.
While I didn't love the book, it really surprised me. I loved the concept! I loved the idea of Averters and Mentalists, with some other labels that you learn about later on. I thought the story-line was executed nicely, although the voice of Gemma, the main character, was hard to like at times. Sometimes it felt like she was very naive about things, having never asked any questions and trusting her father completely. She was a strong heroine, though, and she did whatever she could to protect the ones she loved.
While the beginning was slow, I didn't find myself bored with it (which sometimes happens if I'm having a hard time connecting with the main character, or if the book isn't holding my attention). There wasn't much action until later on, when a stranger appears and she learns they're in danger and that her father has to lied to her about a lot of things. When Gemma learns more about her past, she realizes that she's far more powerful than she ever thought possible. And here she was thinking she'd screwed up her first Aversion on Russ! I liked Russ a lot, and I thought the sweet and innocent relationship between them was played out to fit both of their characters. In the end, there are a lot of questions left unanswered, and I can't wait to find out more about the life of an Averter.
Overall, it was a good start to the series! :)
While I didn't love the book, it really surprised me. I loved the concept! I loved the idea of Averters and Mentalists, with some other labels that you learn about later on. I thought the story-line was executed nicely, although the voice of Gemma, the main character, was hard to like at times. Sometimes it felt like she was very naive about things, having never asked any questions and trusting her father completely. She was a strong heroine, though, and she did whatever she could to protect the ones she loved.
While the beginning was slow, I didn't find myself bored with it (which sometimes happens if I'm having a hard time connecting with the main character, or if the book isn't holding my attention). There wasn't much action until later on, when a stranger appears and she learns they're in danger and that her father has to lied to her about a lot of things. When Gemma learns more about her past, she realizes that she's far more powerful than she ever thought possible. And here she was thinking she'd screwed up her first Aversion on Russ! I liked Russ a lot, and I thought the sweet and innocent relationship between them was played out to fit both of their characters. In the end, there are a lot of questions left unanswered, and I can't wait to find out more about the life of an Averter.
Overall, it was a good start to the series! :)
February 7, 2016
Review on blog
Tumbling In Books
This is the second book I read by Kenechi Udogu and she never fail to amaze me with her writing. Gemma has the power to alter people’s mind set and that is called an Averter.
I was drawn to this book from the very first page. Kenechi brings something new in this YA paranormal genre with the aversion concept. Kenechi managed to portray Gemma’s voice as an Averter very well. On the outside, Gemma looks like your everyday teenage girl. She’s a little lonely, yes. But she has enough quirk and personality that makes her likeable and relatable.
The connection between Russ and Gemma is pretty intense and intriguing. There was a perfect plot twist halfway through the book and OMG! The ending! I have this knot in my stomach that can’t be cured by any medicine in the world until I read Sentient(Book 2). But Aversion isn’t really a well-rounded story(I don’t mean it in a bad way), it’s more like an introduction to a series. Which is WHY I CAN’T wait for Book 2 to publish! Oh gosh, the anxiety of waiting!
Overall, Aversion has all the stuff one needs in a book(it may not seem like it but it’s pretty squeal-worthy). Aversion was such a fun read! Seriously, if you’re not reading this, you’re seriously missing on something very good here.
This is the second book I read by Kenechi Udogu and she never fail to amaze me with her writing. Gemma has the power to alter people’s mind set and that is called an Averter.
I was drawn to this book from the very first page. Kenechi brings something new in this YA paranormal genre with the aversion concept. Kenechi managed to portray Gemma’s voice as an Averter very well. On the outside, Gemma looks like your everyday teenage girl. She’s a little lonely, yes. But she has enough quirk and personality that makes her likeable and relatable.
The connection between Russ and Gemma is pretty intense and intriguing. There was a perfect plot twist halfway through the book and OMG! The ending! I have this knot in my stomach that can’t be cured by any medicine in the world until I read Sentient(Book 2). But Aversion isn’t really a well-rounded story(I don’t mean it in a bad way), it’s more like an introduction to a series. Which is WHY I CAN’T wait for Book 2 to publish! Oh gosh, the anxiety of waiting!
Overall, Aversion has all the stuff one needs in a book(it may not seem like it but it’s pretty squeal-worthy). Aversion was such a fun read! Seriously, if you’re not reading this, you’re seriously missing on something very good here.
December 25, 2012
This book goes by fast! The main character, Gemma, is likeable, understandable, and relatable. The chemistry between her and Russ is intense and intriguing - and you're left just as winded by it as they are. The backstory is both sad and interesting; I definitely felt for Gemma and give her props for her loyalty to her father, regardless of what was going on around them.
My only hesitation about this book is the fact that almost everything happens at the climax of the book. Other than that I definitely recommend this book to YA fans - it has a bit of romance, mystery, supernatural powers, and as a bonus, character growth. On a side note, this book uses UK English, which threw me off only once (the term over there is "drink driving" versus American English's "drunk driving").
My only hesitation about this book is the fact that almost everything happens at the climax of the book. Other than that I definitely recommend this book to YA fans - it has a bit of romance, mystery, supernatural powers, and as a bonus, character growth. On a side note, this book uses UK English, which threw me off only once (the term over there is "drink driving" versus American English's "drunk driving").
October 9, 2016
Overall, this was a good book. I like young adult and paranormal books so this was right up my ally. What fascinated me was the subject matter. I loved how Gemma tries to explain to Russ what she is...witch, no...sorceress, no...gaurdian angel, no. In the end, no one really knows what she is which makes wanting to read book two even more tempting. The book pulled me in and didn't shake me loose until the end. I kept wanting to know all the secrets from Gemma's dad, but now I am full of even more questions. I guess I better keep reading. Her other books intrigue me as well, so I guess I am going to be busy for a few days.
For more reviews, go to bbsbookreviews.com
I received this book in exchange for an honest review.
For more reviews, go to bbsbookreviews.com
I received this book in exchange for an honest review.
December 16, 2012
I received this book in exchange for my honest opinion in the form of a review.
I absolutely loved this book, it kept me hooked from start to finish. The main character 'Gemma' was extremely likable and so were the other characters in this book. I do not think I can point out something I didn't like about it which is rare for me. I will most definitely be re-reading in the near future and I am already so excited for the second book! I am also going to be checking out the authors other books and if they're as good as this one I think I have a new favorite author.
Here is the link to my amazon review:
http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B0...
I absolutely loved this book, it kept me hooked from start to finish. The main character 'Gemma' was extremely likable and so were the other characters in this book. I do not think I can point out something I didn't like about it which is rare for me. I will most definitely be re-reading in the near future and I am already so excited for the second book! I am also going to be checking out the authors other books and if they're as good as this one I think I have a new favorite author.
Here is the link to my amazon review:
http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B0...
June 28, 2014
By the time I had finished the first page of Aversion, I knew I was going to enjoy it. This story is original and fresh, bringing a new perspective to a teenage romance.
I loved the fact that in this story it was the girl with something to hide, I loved that it was the girl who had to protect the boy, instead of the usual boy rescues girl and they fall in love, happily ever after.
The only problem I had with this book is that it was too short! I can honestly say that I finished this book in under 2 hours and I was just desperate for more. I absolutely cannot wait for the next in the series.
I definitely recommend.
I loved the fact that in this story it was the girl with something to hide, I loved that it was the girl who had to protect the boy, instead of the usual boy rescues girl and they fall in love, happily ever after.
The only problem I had with this book is that it was too short! I can honestly say that I finished this book in under 2 hours and I was just desperate for more. I absolutely cannot wait for the next in the series.
I definitely recommend.
December 26, 2012
I received a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
I enjoyed this book. It was a quick read. The plot and drama were well paced. Gemma, the main character, was a great heroine. She is a teenager who has herself together while seeming like a real teenager (and not a 30 year old woman). They mythology was interesting and unique. There was enough information in this first book of the series to keep me interested in reading another. I can't wait to read more about Gemma's dad, her boy interest Russ, and the secrets Gemma carries inside herself.
I enjoyed this book. It was a quick read. The plot and drama were well paced. Gemma, the main character, was a great heroine. She is a teenager who has herself together while seeming like a real teenager (and not a 30 year old woman). They mythology was interesting and unique. There was enough information in this first book of the series to keep me interested in reading another. I can't wait to read more about Gemma's dad, her boy interest Russ, and the secrets Gemma carries inside herself.
December 16, 2012
I was given this book in return for an honest review.
I truly enjoyed this book. It was a little slow in the beginning but after the first chapter or so it really picked up. The story is so unique and unlike anything else. I'm looking forward to reading more about Gemma and Russ in the next book!
I truly enjoyed this book. It was a little slow in the beginning but after the first chapter or so it really picked up. The story is so unique and unlike anything else. I'm looking forward to reading more about Gemma and Russ in the next book!
August 4, 2016
EDIT: reseña completa en el blog: http://palabrasachocolatadas.blogspot...
No me ha gustado nada la forma en la que ha narrado el final como si estuviéramos tontos o algo y no hubiéramos leído todo el libro. Pero bueno, tengo que formar mi idea general.
No me ha gustado nada la forma en la que ha narrado el final como si estuviéramos tontos o algo y no hubiéramos leído todo el libro. Pero bueno, tengo que formar mi idea general.
July 23, 2017
Aversion is the first book from The Mentalist Series by Kenechi Udogu.
From the moment I started this book, I was captivated by the story behind it. I was amazed by the whole idea of Aversion and so I wanted to know more. In the first book, however, I discovered that all I knew was close to nothing when I reached the end. It’s not a flaw, I must say, because not even Gemma (the only female Averter- or so she thought) knew much more.
It was easy for me to read the beginning of the series (mainly because I was a sucker for Gemma and Russ). The book itself was well written, which helped.
Two aspects I found negative:
-Sometimes I felt that the action was forced and rushed, leaving less room to explore more the concept of Aversion.
- Gemma is a lovely person and even though she seems a bit odd at the beginning, we can understand her motives thanks to the fact that the whole book is narrated from her perspective in the first person. Yet, it doesn’t change the fact that I found her a little too simple as a character.
- The end left me a little confused and made me question things like: How did so suddenly Gemma discovers she can talk with Russ using nothing more but her mind? No touching involved!
I’m looking forward to read the second book because I want to find out more about Gemma’s condition as Progressive Empath and her connection with Russ. I hope Kenechi Udogu will explore it more through the story.
From the moment I started this book, I was captivated by the story behind it. I was amazed by the whole idea of Aversion and so I wanted to know more. In the first book, however, I discovered that all I knew was close to nothing when I reached the end. It’s not a flaw, I must say, because not even Gemma (the only female Averter- or so she thought) knew much more.
It was easy for me to read the beginning of the series (mainly because I was a sucker for Gemma and Russ). The book itself was well written, which helped.
Two aspects I found negative:
-Sometimes I felt that the action was forced and rushed, leaving less room to explore more the concept of Aversion.
- Gemma is a lovely person and even though she seems a bit odd at the beginning, we can understand her motives thanks to the fact that the whole book is narrated from her perspective in the first person. Yet, it doesn’t change the fact that I found her a little too simple as a character.
- The end left me a little confused and made me question things like: How did so suddenly Gemma discovers she can talk with Russ using nothing more but her mind? No touching involved!
I’m looking forward to read the second book because I want to find out more about Gemma’s condition as Progressive Empath and her connection with Russ. I hope Kenechi Udogu will explore it more through the story.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
February 11, 2020
Ich lese zwar selten Fantasy-Romane und auch wenig Jugendbücher (oder Young & Adult), doch dieses hier hat mir gut gefallen. Die Autorin beschreibt eindringlich all die Gefühle, die den Hauptpersonen so durch den Kopf gehen und die auch einen großen Teil der Handlung ausmachen, sie auch leiten. Obwohl es keine Gedankenwender gibt (zumindest, soweit wir wissen), lesen sich die Erlebnisse von Gemma und ihren Vater zuerst sehr angenehm und realistisch. Sie leben ein beschauliches Leben, abgesehen davon, dass sie alle vier Jahre umziehen müssen. Laut Gemmas Vater ist das bei Gedankenwendern normal, was es damit wirklich auf sich hat, erfährt die Teenagerin erst ab der Hälfte des E-Books. Dann nimmt die Handlung richtig Fahrt auf und die Welt der Gedankenwender wird dem Leser einerseits näher gebracht, andererseits werden auch Fragen aufgeworfen. Hier merkt man schon, dass dieses Buch der Beginn einer Reihe ist, deren zweiten Teil, „Sentient“ es bisher nur auf Englisch gibt.
Dass noch mehr hinter Gemmas Leben und Fähigkeiten steckt, ahnt der Leser auch bald, als die mysteriösen Übertragungen auf ihren Schützling beginnen. Je mehr Information man über das wahre Leben der Greens und vor allem das des Vaters bekommt, desto mehr Gemma über sich erfährt, desto stärker offenbaren sich die Kräfte, die sie schon all die Jahre in sich trägt und die weit über das hinausgehen, was in der Szene der Gedankenwender einerseits bekannt und andererseits akzeptiert wird. Für Gemma, ihren Vater und auch Russell wird es gefährlich…
Das Ende ist gut gewählt und leitet schön auf die Fortsetzung über. Hoffentlich gibt es sie auch bald auf Deutsch, um noch mehr Leser zu begeistern.
Ein wenig Längen gab es bei dem anfänglichen Hin und Her von Gemma und Russel und die Übersetzung birgt neben ein paar Tippfehler einige Probleme mit der richtigen Zeit.
Dass noch mehr hinter Gemmas Leben und Fähigkeiten steckt, ahnt der Leser auch bald, als die mysteriösen Übertragungen auf ihren Schützling beginnen. Je mehr Information man über das wahre Leben der Greens und vor allem das des Vaters bekommt, desto mehr Gemma über sich erfährt, desto stärker offenbaren sich die Kräfte, die sie schon all die Jahre in sich trägt und die weit über das hinausgehen, was in der Szene der Gedankenwender einerseits bekannt und andererseits akzeptiert wird. Für Gemma, ihren Vater und auch Russell wird es gefährlich…
Das Ende ist gut gewählt und leitet schön auf die Fortsetzung über. Hoffentlich gibt es sie auch bald auf Deutsch, um noch mehr Leser zu begeistern.
Ein wenig Längen gab es bei dem anfänglichen Hin und Her von Gemma und Russel und die Übersetzung birgt neben ein paar Tippfehler einige Probleme mit der richtigen Zeit.
August 1, 2017
The author asked me to read Book One of The Mentalist Series, and when I agreed, she sent me the box set. I'm glad she did because once I started reading, I wasn't ready to stop at Book One. I thoroughly enjoyed the voice of Gemma, the teen-aged main character and narrator of the story. She's a likeable protagonist learning her skills as an Averter, a young woman with special gifts functioning in a normal world. Her kind include others such as Progressive Empaths, Sentient Twins, and Keepers, and as the story deepens, we learn more and more about what that means to Gemma and those she cares about.
Kenechi Udogu is a good storyteller with great promise as a writer. She needs an editor, however, to straighten out her use of punctuation and the presence of run-on sentences. While neither was so egregious that I stopped reading, I was disappointed to see a lack of commas before the names of people being directly addressed in dialogue and the misuse of semicolons. With a little help, her work could be excellent.
Bella Reads and Reviews received a free copy from the author in exchange for an honest review.
Kenechi Udogu is a good storyteller with great promise as a writer. She needs an editor, however, to straighten out her use of punctuation and the presence of run-on sentences. While neither was so egregious that I stopped reading, I was disappointed to see a lack of commas before the names of people being directly addressed in dialogue and the misuse of semicolons. With a little help, her work could be excellent.
Bella Reads and Reviews received a free copy from the author in exchange for an honest review.
January 23, 2018
The original review can be found on my blog at this link.
I would like to give a huge thank you to the author, Kenechi Udogu, for giving me this opportunity to read her trilogy, The Mentalist Series, in exchange for an honest review. I truly enjoyed reading this trilogy. 🙂 I’m going to break up the book review into four parts, so as to discuss each novel in a much greater detail.
Aversion is really short considering it is only 133 pages long. I breezed through it in just one seating. Though this novel is really short and there isn’t much world building or character development in this novel, I’m hooked to Aversion right from the very start. The mystery behind the true abilities and extent of Gemma’s powers keep me glued to Aversion right from the very start.
I like how there is an element of mystery in Aversion, that being the extent of Gemma’s power and Russ’ attraction towards her. Throughout the novel, I’m unable to correctly predict what was going to happen next and at times, the truth caught me completely off guard. I love novels which keep me guessing only to have a sudden turn of events which I didn’t see coming. Aversion is one of such novel.
From time to time, I question the chemistry between Gemma and Russ. The sudden attraction between both parties makes me question whether the ‘attraction’ they feel is authentic or whether it is the result of the failed Aversion. With that said, I’m glad that the author develops their chemistry over the course of the novel. The struggles they face while questioning the sudden chemistry they feel for one another makes the novel less mundane.
However, there are instances where I feel like some incidents occur without a definite link to the story. Its as if the entire story still have missing puzzle pieces and I’m still unable to see or visualise the entire picture yet. Rather than labeling this as a con of this novel, I have a feeling that those puzzle pieces will appear in the subsequent novels. As such, I’m looking forward to five headfirst into the sequel of Aversion, Sentinent.
My favourite character in Aversion would be Russ. Despite being thrown headfirst into a situation which might potentially disturb, confuse and upset most individuals, Russ handled the entire situation really well. He remained calm, composed and have utmost faith and trust in Gemma. He respects Gemma’s decisions instead of pushing her to do what he deemed is the ‘right thing’ for her. Though, at times, I do question how Russ could have so much trust and faith in someone he barely knows. In addition, that person is someone who altered his mind and might have pretty dangerous powers and abilities.
I would like to give a huge thank you to the author, Kenechi Udogu, for giving me this opportunity to read her trilogy, The Mentalist Series, in exchange for an honest review. I truly enjoyed reading this trilogy. 🙂 I’m going to break up the book review into four parts, so as to discuss each novel in a much greater detail.
Aversion is really short considering it is only 133 pages long. I breezed through it in just one seating. Though this novel is really short and there isn’t much world building or character development in this novel, I’m hooked to Aversion right from the very start. The mystery behind the true abilities and extent of Gemma’s powers keep me glued to Aversion right from the very start.
I like how there is an element of mystery in Aversion, that being the extent of Gemma’s power and Russ’ attraction towards her. Throughout the novel, I’m unable to correctly predict what was going to happen next and at times, the truth caught me completely off guard. I love novels which keep me guessing only to have a sudden turn of events which I didn’t see coming. Aversion is one of such novel.
From time to time, I question the chemistry between Gemma and Russ. The sudden attraction between both parties makes me question whether the ‘attraction’ they feel is authentic or whether it is the result of the failed Aversion. With that said, I’m glad that the author develops their chemistry over the course of the novel. The struggles they face while questioning the sudden chemistry they feel for one another makes the novel less mundane.
However, there are instances where I feel like some incidents occur without a definite link to the story. Its as if the entire story still have missing puzzle pieces and I’m still unable to see or visualise the entire picture yet. Rather than labeling this as a con of this novel, I have a feeling that those puzzle pieces will appear in the subsequent novels. As such, I’m looking forward to five headfirst into the sequel of Aversion, Sentinent.
My favourite character in Aversion would be Russ. Despite being thrown headfirst into a situation which might potentially disturb, confuse and upset most individuals, Russ handled the entire situation really well. He remained calm, composed and have utmost faith and trust in Gemma. He respects Gemma’s decisions instead of pushing her to do what he deemed is the ‘right thing’ for her. Though, at times, I do question how Russ could have so much trust and faith in someone he barely knows. In addition, that person is someone who altered his mind and might have pretty dangerous powers and abilities.
April 1, 2018
I have received Aversion by Kenechi Udogu in exchange for an honest review. I have given this book four out of five stars ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
This book had me pulled in from the first page, I really enjoyed this one! I adored the characters Udogu created, especially Gemma Green (Colt) and Russ Tanner they were very likeable and I loved their sweet romance that blossomed throughout the pages. I couldn’t wait to read each scene both of these characters were written into.
The storyline for this paranormal series is very interesting and and refreshing compared to other books I have read from this genre in the past. I love the concept of there being people called Averters who are able to save certain people (subjects) by "averting" their future disasters. I love the twist in this story and the fact they have made it into a mini series as I want to keep reading more, not just about Gemma and Russ, but the events they will face in the next few books!
I don't want to give too much of this book away as I think it should be one you start reading without knowing anything except the description about.
I’m beyond excited to read the rest of this series next and would definitely recommend this book to fans of young adult, paranormal, mystery and lightly romantic genres.
November 15, 2018
My Review: I received this book from the author, the following is my honest review and opinion. It has been a while since I have read any paranormal books and the premise of this book and series was unique so I thought I would give it a go. This book is fairly short and the first book in the series, and we are given information about the magic system (if you can really call it that, more of abilities) in piece mail. We find out the details as the main character, Gemma, does and normally I am not a fan of characters and the reader both being left in the dark, but with the familiar modern day setting and relatively normal life the characters lead I was able to get over that quirk. I did enjoy the characters, and I loved the relationship that Gemma and her father had at the beginning of the book. This was also a quick read, the pages turn quickly as the story gains momentum and we discover new information. The end leaves a lot of questions open that will have you reaching for the next book in the series. I want to know more!
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