What do you think?
Rate this book
Universal Forces
This is an alternate-cover edition for ASIN B00A0WD25S.
The universe may have four forces, but the heart has one: love.
"If things didn't work out with Jake—either because he wasn't good enough for me, or I wasn't good enough for him—I'd have to give up on the idea of finding someone. Ever. Okay, maybe not ever, but at least through the end of high school, which felt like ever."
Cassie Vogler is convinced she'll spend her junior year dateless until fellow bookworm, Jake Gunderson, moves to her windswept West Texas town. He's super hot, super smart...and super religious, something Cassie doesn't understand. From an early age, she was taught to reject the fairytales of faith, and Jake's extreme views are way over the top. But she's drawn in by the irresistible pull of his gravity and agrees to secretly tutor him in astronomy.
During these sessions, Cassie and Jake find a commonality—both have felt the sting of abuse—and this bonds the pair beyond initial breathless attraction. Yet the more their romance heats up, the more their parents drive a wedge between them. Their relationship takes a dangerous turn, however, when Cassie discovers the Gundersons' alarming plan for their son, Jake. Can she put a stop to it without dooming both families to a violent fate?
A modern twist on Romeo and Juliet for mature readers, ages 15 and up.
The universe may have four forces, but the heart has one: love.
"If things didn't work out with Jake—either because he wasn't good enough for me, or I wasn't good enough for him—I'd have to give up on the idea of finding someone. Ever. Okay, maybe not ever, but at least through the end of high school, which felt like ever."
Cassie Vogler is convinced she'll spend her junior year dateless until fellow bookworm, Jake Gunderson, moves to her windswept West Texas town. He's super hot, super smart...and super religious, something Cassie doesn't understand. From an early age, she was taught to reject the fairytales of faith, and Jake's extreme views are way over the top. But she's drawn in by the irresistible pull of his gravity and agrees to secretly tutor him in astronomy.
During these sessions, Cassie and Jake find a commonality—both have felt the sting of abuse—and this bonds the pair beyond initial breathless attraction. Yet the more their romance heats up, the more their parents drive a wedge between them. Their relationship takes a dangerous turn, however, when Cassie discovers the Gundersons' alarming plan for their son, Jake. Can she put a stop to it without dooming both families to a violent fate?
A modern twist on Romeo and Juliet for mature readers, ages 15 and up.
200 pages, Kindle Edition
First published November 1, 2012
About the author
Monica Shaughnessy
17 books28 followersMonica Shaughnessy has a flair for creating characters and plots larger than her home state of Texas. Most notably, she's the author of the Cattarina Mysteries, a cozy mystery series starring Edgar Allan Poe's real-life cat companion. Ms. Shaughnessy has nine books in print, including two young adult suspense novels, a middle grade superhero novel, an Easter picture book, two cozy mystery novellas, and numerous short stories. Customers have praised her work time and again, calling it "unique and creative," "fresh and original," and "very well written." If you're looking for something outside the mainstream, you'll find it in her prose. When she's not slaying adverbs and tightening plots, she's walking her rescue dogs, goofing around with her family, or going back to the grocery store for the hundredth time because she forgot milk.
The best way to learn about her books is to join her mailing list, which can be found on her website: www.monicashaughnessy.com. You'll receive advance release notices, special discounts, and the occasional ARC.
The best way to learn about her books is to join her mailing list, which can be found on her website: www.monicashaughnessy.com. You'll receive advance release notices, special discounts, and the occasional ARC.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews
Read
April 11, 2013I don't rate my own books!
February 28, 2013
Sixteen-year-old Cassie Vogler, who describes herself as an uber-nerd, is convinced she’ll spend junior year dateless until Jake Gunderson moves to her tiny West Texas town. Cassie is the daughter of Dr. Theodore Vogler, an esteemed astronomer that works at the McDougal Observatory in the Davis Mountains high above their town, Fort Nesbitt. Cassie has been raised to evaluate using science and logic. Jake Gunderson has been raised in an extremely strict religious cult and is being groomed for ascension to become cult leader. Logic and faith turns out to be a caustic combination for these two star-crossed lovers.
This is a strangely dark thought provoking story. It is obvious that a lot of thought went into building the relationship between all of the characters. I really liked Cassie’s relationship with her father and her best friend Daniel, as well as some of her other classmates. Although these were not as well defined or explored, their dialogue rang true. I appreciated that Cassie’s naïveté also rang true for her age, she really felt like she could save Jake by just separating him from this religious cult. I wish a little more detail from Jake’s view point had been explored, I found his position fascinating as he learned more about science and logic, but never giving up on his faith. The plot is driven forward by some surprising twists in this budding relationship between these two students of life. I also appreciated the little bits of humor that were sprinkled into the story that lightened the heavy subject matter.
FYI:
This book contains relatively mild offensive language, although two F bombs are dropped. I found no significant issues with editing or formatting.
**Originally written for "Books and Pals" book blog. May have received a free review copy. ** February 23, 2013
This is a strangely dark thought provoking story. It is obvious that a lot of thought went into building the relationship between all of the characters. I really liked Cassie’s relationship with her father and her best friend Daniel, as well as some of her other classmates. Although these were not as well defined or explored, their dialogue rang true. I appreciated that Cassie’s naïveté also rang true for her age, she really felt like she could save Jake by just separating him from this religious cult. I wish a little more detail from Jake’s view point had been explored, I found his position fascinating as he learned more about science and logic, but never giving up on his faith. The plot is driven forward by some surprising twists in this budding relationship between these two students of life. I also appreciated the little bits of humor that were sprinkled into the story that lightened the heavy subject matter.
FYI:
This book contains relatively mild offensive language, although two F bombs are dropped. I found no significant issues with editing or formatting.
**Originally written for "Books and Pals" book blog. May have received a free review copy. ** February 23, 2013
January 8, 2015
It took a few chapters but once the book got its hooks into me, I didn't want to stop reading until I finished. The plot surrounds a teen girl who believes in science and logic and a boy who believes in faith and miracles and how their lives collide. Cassie and Jake feel pulled towards one another while their families and environments try to tear them apart. As the title implies, the book highlights the forces that can bring people together and the ones designed to rip them apart. The question for Cassie and Jake, is which force is the strongest and is love a force stronger than all of the others?
Shaughnessy writes in such a way that I actually believed the characters were teens. The plot is fast-paced with more action and danger than you'd expect from the outset. Cassie and Jake grow exponentially as people as they are hurtled toward the rather shocking climax. All and all, this was a great ride.
Shaughnessy writes in such a way that I actually believed the characters were teens. The plot is fast-paced with more action and danger than you'd expect from the outset. Cassie and Jake grow exponentially as people as they are hurtled toward the rather shocking climax. All and all, this was a great ride.
October 25, 2014
I received this book from a LibraryThing giveaway in exchange for an honest review.
This book was amazing a fresh take on a star crossed love. Cassie and Jake come for completely different family backgrounds their parents don't want them to be together. They have a lot of things to overcome to be together and this story deals with some heavy stuff. I love the relationships between the characters. This book is well written and has a nice flow to it.
This book was amazing a fresh take on a star crossed love. Cassie and Jake come for completely different family backgrounds their parents don't want them to be together. They have a lot of things to overcome to be together and this story deals with some heavy stuff. I love the relationships between the characters. This book is well written and has a nice flow to it.
September 30, 2014
Wow, double WoW, triple WOW ... This book is magnificently strange, tells the love story of Two very unique persons, Cassie is a young precocious and intelligent girl, but very naive about the real world and Jake, I thought he was an alien! lol, seriously, is a love story with a heavy undertone, with unreal situations and in others painfully real.
I really loved this book.
I really loved this book.
Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews