What do you think?
Rate this book
Eve #1
Essence
Jocelyn Timmons does not believe she is anything special — just an ordinary high school senior, living an ordinary life full of school-work, volleyball and friends. She’s about to find out how wrong she is.
Jackson Chandler moved in to the house across the street. His dark wavy hair, green eyes and charismatic personality draws everyone to him. Everyone, but Jocelyn.
Whenever Jackson gets near Jocelyn she feels ill and dizzy. When he touches her, she blacks out and has visions of another life, in another time. As the odd hallucinations evolve and become clearer, she feels a strong pull towards the people she sees there. Frightened, she watches her once stable life begin to crumble around her and she begins to question her own sanity.
Could it be possible that these episodes are actually her own memories of a life she is living somehow, somewhere, some-when? Maybe this is time-travel or some other paranormal mysticism? Our minds often wander, but can our souls?
Jackson Chandler moved in to the house across the street. His dark wavy hair, green eyes and charismatic personality draws everyone to him. Everyone, but Jocelyn.
Whenever Jackson gets near Jocelyn she feels ill and dizzy. When he touches her, she blacks out and has visions of another life, in another time. As the odd hallucinations evolve and become clearer, she feels a strong pull towards the people she sees there. Frightened, she watches her once stable life begin to crumble around her and she begins to question her own sanity.
Could it be possible that these episodes are actually her own memories of a life she is living somehow, somewhere, some-when? Maybe this is time-travel or some other paranormal mysticism? Our minds often wander, but can our souls?
308 pages, Paperback
First published August 1, 2011
21 people are currently reading
1929 people want to read
About the author
A.L. Waddington
4 books166 followersA.L. Waddington has her master’s in military psychology and is currently working on her doctorate. She is an avid researcher and reader and when she is not lost in the world of her own creation, she is busy exploring the southwest region of the country. She is slightly addicted to coffee and after recently moving to Arizona, has a new-found appreciation for Central Air Conditioning. She and her husband, Eric live in Phoenix with their daughters.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 102 reviews
January 21, 2012
I think I may be a bit biased, but someone sent me a recommendation to read the book I wrote so I'm going to give it five stars!! LOL
![Profile Image for Carol [Goodreads Addict].](/_next/image?url=https%3A%2F%2Fi.gr-assets.com%2Fimages%2FS%2Fcompressed.photo.goodreads.com%2Fusers%2F1626057011i%2F10717098._UX200_CR0%2C33%2C200%2C200_.jpg&w=128&q=75)
November 11, 2015
“Time will reveal my love.”
Rating: 4.5 stars
Essence is book one of The Eve Series by A.L. Waddington. This is a wonderful, well written book that explores the concept that is written in the synopsis, “Our minds wander, can our souls as well?”
2009
We meet Jocelyn Timmons. She has a normal happy teenage life. She is almost 18, in her last year of high school, is thinking about college and has a wonderful family and great friends. She lives in Chicago in what I perceived to be a beautiful historical neighborhood; the houses are all refurbished old mansions. Her best friend, Jenna, lives to one side of her and her best friend’s boyfriend to the other side. Her life is going along happily but everything changes when the very cute Jackson moves in to the house across the street. Jocelyn is not interested in having a boyfriend but what is it about Jackson? She feels inexplicably drawn to him. But there is a problem. Whenever she gets near him, everything starts to spin, she feels sick and dizzy. Then, when he touches her, everything goes black and she faints. But, it’s during this time that she dreams of another Jocelyn in a much different time.
1878
Jocelyn has a wonderful life, she is engaged to the most wonderful man, Jackson. They will be married in two months. Her best friend Olivia lives on one side of her and Jackson lives across the street. But everything changes when Olivia and her brother William reveal that they have been secretly seeing each other. For her 18th birthday Jackson gives her a beautiful antique woman’s pocket watch but later, when Jocelyn holds the pocket watch, she is instantly transported to a different time. There are things she doesn’t understand in these visions, horseless carriages, music she has never heard of before, and the clothes!!! The girls are in public with clothing allowing parts of their bodies to be seen!
Although the siblings and the friends are different, there is one constant in both of these times, Jackson. And it seems that Jackson knows more about this than he is letting on.
It isn’t until nearly the end of this book that the true nature of what is happening to Jocelyn is revealed. I really enjoyed getting to know Jocelyn in both of these times. Her life is so different. Can Jocelyn come to terms with this gift and will she have to choose which one to remain in? I can’t wait to see what is next for Jackson and Jocelyn. Thank you so much to A.L. Waddington and Booktrope Publishing for allowing me the opportunity to read this book.
July 17, 2017
dnf at 71%
i wanted to like this book so much, but i couldn't, its way too slow & boring. the main lead in modern times doesn't does much except for fainting every now & then. in Victorian times its just family drama & nothing much holding the book together.
in modern times mc & its love interest just does not click for me. its like it was, so it is or should be.
i wanted to like this book so much, but i couldn't, its way too slow & boring. the main lead in modern times doesn't does much except for fainting every now & then. in Victorian times its just family drama & nothing much holding the book together.
in modern times mc & its love interest just does not click for me. its like it was, so it is or should be.
April 9, 2014
Whoa! This story was so unique!
At the beginning I was sure I'm gonna get bored reading about her life in 1878, but with every moving chapter I found myself more and more intrigued!! I wanting to see her and Jackson together, and to discover all the secrets in her life there.
It was so different comparing both her lives!! From one side she lived in two different times, alas her education is a bit different, but her soul and personality is the same.
Meet Jocelyn in 1878
Meet Jackson in 1878
Jocelyn life is perfect. She has a wonderful family, amazing friends and she's engaged to the love of her life - Jackson chandler. He lives across the street and they know each other a long time. Everything is going according to plan - or so she thought .. Everything start to fall apart when her beloved brother William reveals his secret relationship with her best friend Olivia. This discovery start a chain of event that will affect her and all the people involved in her life.
Jocelyn & Jackson are very much in love and can't wait for they wedding day when they finally can be together <3
When Jocelyn 18th birthday arrives, Jackson give her antique woman's watch that will have future consequences whenever she hold it in her hand.
"Time will reveal my love"
Meet Jocelyn in 2009
Meet Jackson in 2009
Jocelyn life in 2009 are very much the same. She lives in Chicago, has a wonderful family and amazing friends .. It's her senior year of hight school and she enjoy spending her last year with her friends.
Everything is pretty much the same with the exception of Jackson. She doesn't know him in 2009.
When Jackson and his family moves to the house across the street everything in her life starting to change. He expresses an interest in her and she doesn't understand why he wants to be near her. She's not looking for a boyfriend and want to devote her time for studying.
But .. There is something about this guy that don't let her stay away. She has this feeling like she knew him her all life.. But there is a problem. Every time he's near she feels sick and dizzy, and everything is spinning .. When he touch her she faint and has visions of herself and another time. She doesn't know what it means, and slowly feels like she's getting crazy. With all the Chaos around her, she feels that Jackson knows more than he lets her know.
What is the real reason he's here? Will both her worlds collide ? How can she have 2 life's in two different Periods ? And when everything Comes into the light, how she would react?
That's for you to find out ;)
“ARC provided by author in exchange for an honest review”
At the beginning I was sure I'm gonna get bored reading about her life in 1878, but with every moving chapter I found myself more and more intrigued!! I wanting to see her and Jackson together, and to discover all the secrets in her life there.
It was so different comparing both her lives!! From one side she lived in two different times, alas her education is a bit different, but her soul and personality is the same.
Meet Jocelyn in 1878
Meet Jackson in 1878
Jocelyn life is perfect. She has a wonderful family, amazing friends and she's engaged to the love of her life - Jackson chandler. He lives across the street and they know each other a long time. Everything is going according to plan - or so she thought .. Everything start to fall apart when her beloved brother William reveals his secret relationship with her best friend Olivia. This discovery start a chain of event that will affect her and all the people involved in her life.
Jocelyn & Jackson are very much in love and can't wait for they wedding day when they finally can be together <3
When Jocelyn 18th birthday arrives, Jackson give her antique woman's watch that will have future consequences whenever she hold it in her hand.
"Time will reveal my love"
Meet Jocelyn in 2009
Meet Jackson in 2009
Jocelyn life in 2009 are very much the same. She lives in Chicago, has a wonderful family and amazing friends .. It's her senior year of hight school and she enjoy spending her last year with her friends.
Everything is pretty much the same with the exception of Jackson. She doesn't know him in 2009.
When Jackson and his family moves to the house across the street everything in her life starting to change. He expresses an interest in her and she doesn't understand why he wants to be near her. She's not looking for a boyfriend and want to devote her time for studying.
But .. There is something about this guy that don't let her stay away. She has this feeling like she knew him her all life.. But there is a problem. Every time he's near she feels sick and dizzy, and everything is spinning .. When he touch her she faint and has visions of herself and another time. She doesn't know what it means, and slowly feels like she's getting crazy. With all the Chaos around her, she feels that Jackson knows more than he lets her know.
What is the real reason he's here? Will both her worlds collide ? How can she have 2 life's in two different Periods ? And when everything Comes into the light, how she would react?
That's for you to find out ;)
“ARC provided by author in exchange for an honest review”
August 30, 2011
I truly enjoyed this book, very well written, relatable to a large audience and I loved the characters, mainly Jenna. Many of them act like my own friends do making them even more real. Essence was truly amazing and easily one of my all time favorites. I can't wait for the second one to come out!!
January 17, 2014
A new debut YA novel called ‘Essence’ by A.L.Waddington is a tale that not long after you start reading it, you very quickly realise that you have found a great new type of YA story that quickly ‘reels you in’ right from the very start.
Within ‘Essence’ Jocelyn Timmons is quickly introduced as the main character within the story. Jocelyn does not believe that she is anything special, just an ordinary high school senior, living an ordinary life full of school-work, volleyball and friends, but then she begins to find out how very wrong she is!
A boy called Jackson Chandler moves into the house across the street from Jocelyn. His dark wavy hair, green eyes and charismatic personality draws everyone to him, except Jocelyn.
Whenever Jackson goes near Jocelyn she starts to feel dizzy and ill. When he touches her, she blacks out and has visions of another life, in another time.
As her odd hallucinations evolve and become clearer, Jocelyn feels a strong pull towards the people she sees. Frightened, she watches her once stable life begin to crumble around her and Jocelyn then also begins to question her own sanity.
Could it be possible be that these episodes that Jocelyn is experiencing are actually her own memories of a life she is living somehow, somewhere, some-when? Maybe this is time-travel or some other paranormal mysticism? Our mind can often wander, but can our souls wander too?
A.L. Waddington’s use of a very clear and descriptive writing style, allows the reader to ‘cognitively experience’ the emotions and events that take place between the characters within this absorbing story. ‘Essence’ is different from the usual titles that are currently being released as YA novels these days and is in my humble opinion a breath of fresh air to the YA book market. Once started, a reader will find this novel quite difficult to put down until the end of the story is reached.
I would briefly state that ‘Essence’ is a beautifully written fictional ‘time slip’ story,that contains both adventure and romance. I would highly recommend ‘Essence’ as an excellent and clean YA read.
‘Essence’ is the first of four installments of this particular story that will make up a collection of novels called the EVE Series. I really enjoyed reading this book and I am now looking forward to reading the further installments in this particular story and YA Series from the author A.L.Waddington!
Within ‘Essence’ Jocelyn Timmons is quickly introduced as the main character within the story. Jocelyn does not believe that she is anything special, just an ordinary high school senior, living an ordinary life full of school-work, volleyball and friends, but then she begins to find out how very wrong she is!
A boy called Jackson Chandler moves into the house across the street from Jocelyn. His dark wavy hair, green eyes and charismatic personality draws everyone to him, except Jocelyn.
Whenever Jackson goes near Jocelyn she starts to feel dizzy and ill. When he touches her, she blacks out and has visions of another life, in another time.
As her odd hallucinations evolve and become clearer, Jocelyn feels a strong pull towards the people she sees. Frightened, she watches her once stable life begin to crumble around her and Jocelyn then also begins to question her own sanity.
Could it be possible be that these episodes that Jocelyn is experiencing are actually her own memories of a life she is living somehow, somewhere, some-when? Maybe this is time-travel or some other paranormal mysticism? Our mind can often wander, but can our souls wander too?
A.L. Waddington’s use of a very clear and descriptive writing style, allows the reader to ‘cognitively experience’ the emotions and events that take place between the characters within this absorbing story. ‘Essence’ is different from the usual titles that are currently being released as YA novels these days and is in my humble opinion a breath of fresh air to the YA book market. Once started, a reader will find this novel quite difficult to put down until the end of the story is reached.
I would briefly state that ‘Essence’ is a beautifully written fictional ‘time slip’ story,that contains both adventure and romance. I would highly recommend ‘Essence’ as an excellent and clean YA read.
‘Essence’ is the first of four installments of this particular story that will make up a collection of novels called the EVE Series. I really enjoyed reading this book and I am now looking forward to reading the further installments in this particular story and YA Series from the author A.L.Waddington!
January 4, 2012
Essence completely caught me off guard. I wasn’t sure what I was expecting, mainly because this was the first book I could find by this author, but let’s just say I can’t wait to read more. The story draws you in and holds you until the very last page leaving you hungry for more. Her characters are so REAL and it felt like I was hanging out with my own friends. Jocelyn is so down-to-earth and Jackson is so completely irresistible! I wish he would move in across the street from my house! Plus, William and Ethan remind me so much of my brother’s and how we interact with each other. Still, I love the idea of EVE and how A.L.’s version of time travel is so unique compared to everything else. It’s the closest I’ve come to too something that’s plausible. I highly recommend this book to everyone!!
August 30, 2011
Though i have yet to finish the book, i have found myself getting lost in the words of Jocelyn Timmons. A.L. Waddington takes us on a journey that not only lets you explore reality, but explore whats possibile over plossable. This book is one ina million and i reccommend it to anyone who enjoys a good read and getting lost for hours on end.
December 24, 2011
A.L Waddingtons book Essence is the best moving book I had ever read. Once I started reading, it was hard to put down.It is one of those books that you will enjoy and make you think "oh my god I wonder what's going to happen." I just can't wait to see what A.L Waddington comes up with next.
January 16, 2014
I found A.L. Waddington’s ARC book, Essence, a very entertaining read. The story line is a great new look at the concept of time travel and how it could exist. Her leading characters are very well developed and they make you want to turn the page and see what they do next. As a fan of history the mingling of real events in history wrapped around her characters give the story a very real feeling. I can see this book series becoming an instant classic and fan favorite.
December 24, 2011
A friend of mine got me this book for Christmas. She gave it to me two days ago and I just finished it. I couldn't put it down! I absolutely loved it!! It has everything from romance, suspense to captivating characters. A.L. Waddington is one of the best new authors I've stumbled across in a long time. I cannot wait until the next book comes out!!
August 6, 2016
This book was interesting enough that I didnt want to put it down or for the story to end. I am excited to get to the next one in the series. It took me back to my high school days of first love and a time I've always wanted to explore, and this author does that, can't wait to read more from A.L Waddington.
August 30, 2011
I found the book very well written and hard to put down. all the characters are really well defined and tend to draw you into their lives.I must say i was very taken by the story and iam looking forward to reading more in the series. HIGHLY RECOMEND!!!
June 24, 2014
**See this full review and more at http://bookbriefs.net**
Essence takes place in two time periods. The chapters alternate between the present, 2009 and 1848. I really enjoyed trying to piece the mystery of what was happening together. I liked reading the dual stories because I just couldn't pinpoint what exactly was happening. Some of the characters were the same, but many of the characters in the two time periods were different not only in name, but also in personality. So I just couldn't figure out if they were all going to have "future/past" selves or if only one person was time traveling, or if it was something paranormal. But then again, that is kind of the point of the whole book. Trying to figure out just what was going on. And I thought the answer was really very interesting. I will warn you though, you have to wait pretty much the whole book, until the answer is revealed. It was kind of frustrating, but effective because now I really want to read the next book because I want to see how everything is going to work out.
Jocelyn is the main girl in the story, in both time periods. I really liked Jocelyn. In the past she was inquisitive and she loved to learn. She was unhappy with the role of women at the time because she wanted to go to university like all of her brothers. I liked her intelligence and spunk. She still was very true to the customs, but she wasn't blindly accepting of them. She wished things could be different. Jackson was her fiance in this time period and they are both very much in love. They have known each other their whole lives and their relationship is very sweet.
Flash forward to 2009 and Jackson moves in across the street from Jocelyn, who is a more confident version of her 1848 self. She excels in school and in sports and she seems really happy with her life. I liked 2009 Jocelyn a lot, maybe even more than past Jocelyn because she was getting to do what she always wanted. But every time Jocelyn sees Jackson she started feeling sick and when they touch she blacks out. This would freak me out so much. I would be as far away from him as possible. I thought it was strange that no one else put two and two together that these episodes were only happening in Jackson's presence. But for me they only added to the mystery. I had to see how they fit into it all. 2009 Jackson came on a little strong for my tastes, but he grew on me. I liked how determined and set he was on hanging out with Jocelyn.
My only critique of Essence was that the book was a little slow. It seemed like the whole book was setting the stage for book 2, where I feel like the real story will begin. That may not be a fair assessment, because there was a ton of character development and ground setting, but not a whole lot in plot advancement happened. It was still a really interesting story, and the reveal at the end took me by surprise, but I feel like the real action will be in book 2. At least I hope it is because I am interested in this series, but I hope the pace picks up a little. I am interested in seeing how Jackson and Jocelyn handle everything now. I anticipate enjoying book 2 more than this first book. Overall, Essence is an interesting concept, and is a lovely description of how different life can be for a girl in 1848 and 2009, with a large dash of mystery thrown in.
Essence takes place in two time periods. The chapters alternate between the present, 2009 and 1848. I really enjoyed trying to piece the mystery of what was happening together. I liked reading the dual stories because I just couldn't pinpoint what exactly was happening. Some of the characters were the same, but many of the characters in the two time periods were different not only in name, but also in personality. So I just couldn't figure out if they were all going to have "future/past" selves or if only one person was time traveling, or if it was something paranormal. But then again, that is kind of the point of the whole book. Trying to figure out just what was going on. And I thought the answer was really very interesting. I will warn you though, you have to wait pretty much the whole book, until the answer is revealed. It was kind of frustrating, but effective because now I really want to read the next book because I want to see how everything is going to work out.
Jocelyn is the main girl in the story, in both time periods. I really liked Jocelyn. In the past she was inquisitive and she loved to learn. She was unhappy with the role of women at the time because she wanted to go to university like all of her brothers. I liked her intelligence and spunk. She still was very true to the customs, but she wasn't blindly accepting of them. She wished things could be different. Jackson was her fiance in this time period and they are both very much in love. They have known each other their whole lives and their relationship is very sweet.
Flash forward to 2009 and Jackson moves in across the street from Jocelyn, who is a more confident version of her 1848 self. She excels in school and in sports and she seems really happy with her life. I liked 2009 Jocelyn a lot, maybe even more than past Jocelyn because she was getting to do what she always wanted. But every time Jocelyn sees Jackson she started feeling sick and when they touch she blacks out. This would freak me out so much. I would be as far away from him as possible. I thought it was strange that no one else put two and two together that these episodes were only happening in Jackson's presence. But for me they only added to the mystery. I had to see how they fit into it all. 2009 Jackson came on a little strong for my tastes, but he grew on me. I liked how determined and set he was on hanging out with Jocelyn.
My only critique of Essence was that the book was a little slow. It seemed like the whole book was setting the stage for book 2, where I feel like the real story will begin. That may not be a fair assessment, because there was a ton of character development and ground setting, but not a whole lot in plot advancement happened. It was still a really interesting story, and the reveal at the end took me by surprise, but I feel like the real action will be in book 2. At least I hope it is because I am interested in this series, but I hope the pace picks up a little. I am interested in seeing how Jackson and Jocelyn handle everything now. I anticipate enjoying book 2 more than this first book. Overall, Essence is an interesting concept, and is a lovely description of how different life can be for a girl in 1848 and 2009, with a large dash of mystery thrown in.
May 19, 2014
**This book was given to me by the author in exchange for an honest review**
Gave this a 4.5 stars!
Where do I begin with this beautiful book! This definitely turned out more different than I expected it to be and I am very much in love with this series so far.
Let me start off by saying the cover is absolutely gorgeous! I love the color, the butterflies, the girl flinging her hair and the font. The cover is absolutely perfect in my opinion.
The writing was flawless. It flowed easily from year to year. The characters were mostly loveable and I felt every emotion poured out.
As far as the storyline goes, I was highly impressed. When I started reading the book I was a bit confused because it's one protagonist, Jocelyn Alyssa, in two different time periods (1878 and 2009). One minute we are in the life of present day Jocelyn and the next we are seeing past Jocelyn. The crazy thing is that she is the same person.
Present day Jocelyn is a simple high school girl that plays sports with a family, one brother and friends. Past day Jocelyn has four brothers, friends, plays the piano and has a fiance. The only other constant characters throughout the book are Jackson Chandler and his parents Emily and Robert.
The Chandler's move to Chicago in a house right across from Jocelyn's which happens to be their original home back 1878. Jackson starts to come around Jocelyn and her friends, but she seems to get sick. Jocelyn begins to have these visions every time she faints when Jackson touches her. Visions of her life in 1878 with him.
Obviously their present day relationship has many struggles to it, but the reasoning behind everything just was awesome. Finding out that the Chandler's knew what was going on with Jocelyn and telling her the truth was great especially since they explained the meaning of EVE.
This is definitely a great paranormal story with a strange twist on time travel.
My favorite parts:
+ Jocelyn receiving the watch in both time periods which says "Time Will Reveal My Love"...I just find that to be so fitting for this story.
+ Jocelyn, in 1878, giving her wedding dress to her best friend Olivia for her wedding to make her feel loved.
+ Jackson, in 2009, telling Taylor off at the
Halloween party.
+ The Chandler's explaining what EVE was by telling Jocelyn about her special ability.
+ Jocelyn's parents in 1878 saving Olivia from her evil parents.
What I didn't like:
+ The way the Adam's (Olivia's parents) starved her.
+ Taylor being ignorant and trying to get Jackson's attention.
Overall, this book was excellent. Even though it ended a bit off for me with past Jocelyn crying wanting to see the vision of her present self it was still great. Personally needed a bit more to give it a full five stars, but an awesome start to a series nonetheless.
Gave this a 4.5 stars!
Where do I begin with this beautiful book! This definitely turned out more different than I expected it to be and I am very much in love with this series so far.
Let me start off by saying the cover is absolutely gorgeous! I love the color, the butterflies, the girl flinging her hair and the font. The cover is absolutely perfect in my opinion.
The writing was flawless. It flowed easily from year to year. The characters were mostly loveable and I felt every emotion poured out.
As far as the storyline goes, I was highly impressed. When I started reading the book I was a bit confused because it's one protagonist, Jocelyn Alyssa, in two different time periods (1878 and 2009). One minute we are in the life of present day Jocelyn and the next we are seeing past Jocelyn. The crazy thing is that she is the same person.
Present day Jocelyn is a simple high school girl that plays sports with a family, one brother and friends. Past day Jocelyn has four brothers, friends, plays the piano and has a fiance. The only other constant characters throughout the book are Jackson Chandler and his parents Emily and Robert.
The Chandler's move to Chicago in a house right across from Jocelyn's which happens to be their original home back 1878. Jackson starts to come around Jocelyn and her friends, but she seems to get sick. Jocelyn begins to have these visions every time she faints when Jackson touches her. Visions of her life in 1878 with him.
Obviously their present day relationship has many struggles to it, but the reasoning behind everything just was awesome. Finding out that the Chandler's knew what was going on with Jocelyn and telling her the truth was great especially since they explained the meaning of EVE.
This is definitely a great paranormal story with a strange twist on time travel.
My favorite parts:
+ Jocelyn receiving the watch in both time periods which says "Time Will Reveal My Love"...I just find that to be so fitting for this story.
+ Jocelyn, in 1878, giving her wedding dress to her best friend Olivia for her wedding to make her feel loved.
+ Jackson, in 2009, telling Taylor off at the
Halloween party.
+ The Chandler's explaining what EVE was by telling Jocelyn about her special ability.
+ Jocelyn's parents in 1878 saving Olivia from her evil parents.
What I didn't like:
+ The way the Adam's (Olivia's parents) starved her.
+ Taylor being ignorant and trying to get Jackson's attention.
Overall, this book was excellent. Even though it ended a bit off for me with past Jocelyn crying wanting to see the vision of her present self it was still great. Personally needed a bit more to give it a full five stars, but an awesome start to a series nonetheless.
February 24, 2014
An exciting new YA paranormal romance that’s simply stunning!
“Time will reveal my love…”
Heartrending. Breathtaking. Epic.
This fantastic debut is utterly sensational and left me gasping in awe, of the beautifully written narrative and sublime storytelling. Highly imaginative and well conceived the deftly woven, intricate plot pulls you in with each new page and chapter. I fell in love with the characters and in particular Jocelyn, whose enchanting connection with Jackson I found so touching and inwardly moving. A. L’s take on time-travel is truly unique, and the intriguing psychological aspects of this tale are inspired. A. L’s acute perception on teen life is perfectly encapsulated, so as to bring nostalgic thoughts to the forefront of my mind.
Essence is an addictive read that takes hold and doesn’t let go, right up to the end where you are left wanting more! The characters feel so real and convincing, it is as though you are surrounded by your teenage friends. The sweet romance is only one layer of this deliciously detailed tale, which also incorporates various layers of reality / alternate reality and time frames. The intense, mysterious {mystical?} connection between the star-crossed lovers is projected perfectly - - emphasizing how love endures over the ages.
As gorgeous as the cover – Essence is distinctly original and a *new* series that stands-out within a very popular genre.
This beautiful book is a spellbinding story of paranormal mysticism and YA, which spans across time and space as an eternal message of everlasting love. I would highly recommend this to fans of “All our yesterdays” and “After Eden”, and to those who seek an unforgettable read by an author who is certainly one to watch. I cannot wait for book 2: Enlightened and I would like to thank the author for the opportunity to read her work.
Bring on April 2014!!
“Time will reveal my love…”
Heartrending. Breathtaking. Epic.
This fantastic debut is utterly sensational and left me gasping in awe, of the beautifully written narrative and sublime storytelling. Highly imaginative and well conceived the deftly woven, intricate plot pulls you in with each new page and chapter. I fell in love with the characters and in particular Jocelyn, whose enchanting connection with Jackson I found so touching and inwardly moving. A. L’s take on time-travel is truly unique, and the intriguing psychological aspects of this tale are inspired. A. L’s acute perception on teen life is perfectly encapsulated, so as to bring nostalgic thoughts to the forefront of my mind.
Essence is an addictive read that takes hold and doesn’t let go, right up to the end where you are left wanting more! The characters feel so real and convincing, it is as though you are surrounded by your teenage friends. The sweet romance is only one layer of this deliciously detailed tale, which also incorporates various layers of reality / alternate reality and time frames. The intense, mysterious {mystical?} connection between the star-crossed lovers is projected perfectly - - emphasizing how love endures over the ages.
As gorgeous as the cover – Essence is distinctly original and a *new* series that stands-out within a very popular genre.
This beautiful book is a spellbinding story of paranormal mysticism and YA, which spans across time and space as an eternal message of everlasting love. I would highly recommend this to fans of “All our yesterdays” and “After Eden”, and to those who seek an unforgettable read by an author who is certainly one to watch. I cannot wait for book 2: Enlightened and I would like to thank the author for the opportunity to read her work.
Bring on April 2014!!
February 26, 2014
I find the concepts of time travel and alternate dimensions extremely intriguing and so I jumped at the chance for a free copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.
17 year old Jocelyn lives a pretty ordinary life as a high school student in 2009 until a new family moves across the street with their gorgeous son Jackson, who is the same age as Jocelyn and immediately takes an interest in her. Jocelyn finds herself very attracted to Jackson but for some reason she becomes nauseous and blacks out whenever she touches him or even gets too close. On top of that, she begins to have strange visions of a different life with another family. Although Jocelyn is confused by these visions, she also feels extremely familiar and comfortable in this other life and a fondness for the strange people who make up her family there. In alternating chapters, we are taken to 1878 where another 17 year old named Jocelyn is also experiencing blackouts and visions of an alternate life.
I am a big fan of paranormal YA especially when it involves alternate dimensions. Although I found the writing easy to follow and the story interesting right from the start, I must admit that it took me a while to become truly vested in the book as nothing much happened in the first half. That being said, once we hit the halfway point, I was addicted and curious to find out what these visions meant to both Jocelyns and how much Jackson (who is present in both time periods) knew about it. I found the character of Jocelyn to be extremely likeable, especially in 1878, as she is spunky and somewhat of a feminist before her time. She is also a very loyal friend.
It isn't until the last 25% when the twist is revealed to explain what is happening to Jocelyn and how much Jackson and his family are involved, but it definitely left me wanting more.
17 year old Jocelyn lives a pretty ordinary life as a high school student in 2009 until a new family moves across the street with their gorgeous son Jackson, who is the same age as Jocelyn and immediately takes an interest in her. Jocelyn finds herself very attracted to Jackson but for some reason she becomes nauseous and blacks out whenever she touches him or even gets too close. On top of that, she begins to have strange visions of a different life with another family. Although Jocelyn is confused by these visions, she also feels extremely familiar and comfortable in this other life and a fondness for the strange people who make up her family there. In alternating chapters, we are taken to 1878 where another 17 year old named Jocelyn is also experiencing blackouts and visions of an alternate life.
I am a big fan of paranormal YA especially when it involves alternate dimensions. Although I found the writing easy to follow and the story interesting right from the start, I must admit that it took me a while to become truly vested in the book as nothing much happened in the first half. That being said, once we hit the halfway point, I was addicted and curious to find out what these visions meant to both Jocelyns and how much Jackson (who is present in both time periods) knew about it. I found the character of Jocelyn to be extremely likeable, especially in 1878, as she is spunky and somewhat of a feminist before her time. She is also a very loyal friend.
It isn't until the last 25% when the twist is revealed to explain what is happening to Jocelyn and how much Jackson and his family are involved, but it definitely left me wanting more.
November 25, 2025
Essence might just be the freshest, newest take on a young adult story. I have never heard or even conceived of a story quite like this and frankly Waddinton's imagination astounds me. This story jumps between the present 2009 and a distant past. At first, I was a little befuddled by the jumps, unsure if it was a reincarnation, actual time travel or maybe even something else. I was drawn in by its complexities and fascinated by the family, friends and love that was found between the pages. My suggestion is to read Waddington's Essence and discover a love story that bridges time itself.
I received this copy of Essence from A. L. Waddington in exchange for an honest review. This book is being republished January 16, 2014.
I received this copy of Essence from A. L. Waddington in exchange for an honest review. This book is being republished January 16, 2014.
March 27, 2014
“Time will reveal my love” is the telling inscription on a pocket watch that Jackson gives to Jocelyn in this sweet romance by A.L. Waddington in her book Essence. This is a captivating story of young love mysteriously taking place in two time periods. Which one is reality? Or are they both real? I enjoyed noting the differences and similarities between the two time periods while A.L. Waddington created the suspense about the strange connection that Jackson and Jocelyn have. This page-turner was a pleasure to read and I am eagerly awaiting the next book in the Eve series! I am thankful that I received an ARC in exchange for my honest review.
A.L. Waddington
A.L. Waddington
September 20, 2012
I am thrilled that Essence is a series. The story creates a fresh and interesting perspective on the application of time travel in an exciting and romantic sci-fi book. This author has the wonderful ability to bring characters to life! Each person has unique descriptions and traits and as they interact they are clear distinct people in your mind. Waddington's descriptions of the eras and scenes are so vivid that while reading this book all my senses seemed to become engaged. Although a young adult book, any reader of any age group will be be swept away into a world of young romance, spirited characters and a mysterious time traveling capability. I am awaiting the next book with eagerness!
January 19, 2014
My Review I absolutely loved this book! From the very beginning I was hooked, then the ending why oh why did there has to be a cliffhanger!? Jocelyn was so smart but I just wanted to scream the answer at her. The you can just tell Jackson is hot and so yummy and someone I wished I met in high school. The different scenes kind of threw me but once I got the hang of it I wanted more! The Jocelyn from the past isn't the same Jocelyn from the future, I mean they are the same person but two different personalities. As soon as I finished this book I wanted the second one! Sadly it's not ready yet but with this series it's one to watch that's for sure!
Stars: 5 out of 5 stars
Stars: 5 out of 5 stars
February 23, 2014
This story is a wonderful concept with good execution for a first-time author. The story is original and manages to capture many of contradictions of adolescence (youth/maturity; dependency/autonomy; constantly shifting sense of self). The main character, Jocelyn, finds herself torn between two realities (or are they?). The reader experiences her tumultuous existence along with her. I think this is a book that will resonate more with young readers than with older adults. It could benefit from closer editing, but if you aren't thrown by some of the small mistakes, the story and the experience are worth your time and persistence.
January 18, 2014
I received an ARC of this story and I was so excited to read it. I am 12 and get bored easily with books, but this one kept my attention the whole time. I was very interested in all of the story and loved all the details put into it. I think this book was great for my age with it's maturity level, but also is prefect for adults as well. I would definitely recommend it to anyone who loves to read. Well written!
February 15, 2014
This book is amazing, The love story between Jocelyn and Jackson surpasses all other love stories. The way A.L. Waddington draws you inside the story is wonderful. This book kept me wanting more and that is exactly what I got with each turn of the page. I am excited about the second book in this series I can hardly wait to see where Jocelyn and Jackson take me next.
July 10, 2012
This is a fascinating book with a concept that is done is such a way that it is fresh and new. The story will stick with you for years to come. Its well written and wonderfully done. Its such a fun read!!! I highly recommend it. It also makes a great gift to any young reader or college student.
April 25, 2014
A timeless love and time travel... When I turned the last page and it was over I literally yelped!
February 26, 2014
Great read and my 15-year-old absolutely loved it. We can't wait until #2 in the series comes out.
June 23, 2016
Istyria book blog ~ B's world of enchanted books
DNF at 42%
I'm sorry, I can't go on with this anymore. I just really don't like it and I have to force myself to read and if I continue doing that I'm going to push myself right back into a reading slump.
The first thing that bothered me was that the author cut to a new scene rather in the middle of something. She's explaining how Jocelyn and her friends grew up and how Jenna and Kyle (her friends) got together and then suddenly in the middle of that she cuts it off and jumps to the scene where Jocelyn is showering. Really weird. Can just be me but I like background info. Helps me get invested in the story.
There's a second storyline, it switches off every chapter. One is set in 2009, the other in 1878. I really didn't care for the one in 1878. I really didn't. Not just because I'm not a big fan of historical fiction, but for other reasons. It feels like the author didn't do much research on that time period, which is a must in that genre. Whether it's just a small part of the book or the whole book, it has to be correct in my eyes. Here the people use modern words and terms and there's even a high school that's way too modern for that time. That throws me off and annoys me because it makes it even harder for me to get into the story, which is already not easy because it's historical. So after two or three of those chapters, I just skimmed them. I didn't care for them.
Third is the writing, which I think is close to the first two points. Especially the conversations. They feel so... acted. Weird, I know, but they didn't feel natural at all. The story is pretty predictable too. I still want to know what's happening with Jocelyn, but I had a good guess and by now I honestly don't really care. The characters aren't really interesting. I didn't like how Jenna wants to push Jocelyn into having a boyfriend because that's so important and blahblah. They feel like stereotypes and not in a good way.
Last but not least is the romance. If I can call it that. So Jocelyn meets Jackson, sort off. She get sick when he's around the first few chapters and even passes out when he touches her. Then on the night of homecoming or something Jocelyn stays home and he comes by and they talk. The next day they're best friends and in love and everything. Jocelyn wants him to hold her and stuff. Just a few chapters ago she was bitching at her friends because they wanted to hook her up with him and she kept saying she didn't even know him well enough to even like him. And now she's in love. Yeah.
This is the most I've talked about a book I didn't finish but I had a lot to say so there. It's not for me, I don't like it at all, but I seem like the only person so far so just check it out. Perhaps you like it too. Or not. If not, we can rant about it together. Hurray.
September 3, 2014
I was given a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
CONTAINS SPOILERS.
The book was intriguing and new. I liked that this book wasn’t like others time traveling books, where you travel with something to the past. No, here the characters have the genetic ability to connect to their parallel/past life. The ability develops when they are almost adults so they live a normal life until their genetic code activates somehow and they connect their two lives together.
It was interesting to see Jocelyn from the past and the present without them knowing from each other. How their life is similar but different at the same time. And all the drama that is happening in Jocelyn’s life in the 1878 is also interesting.
The story that is happening at 1878 feels quite real and you get to see how the people of that time reacted to some things that also happen nowadays alike and different at the same time.
At first I thought it was funny that some of the characters had the same name as their past selves. But after I kept reading everything is revealed and understandable.
What I didn’t like that much is that the story only proceeds slowly. In some way I liked that, because you get to know each of the characters and their lives in different periods. But it also was frustrating to wait until the end to know what was happening. That way you get to feel as if you were Jocelyn, only knowing a little more than her.
I was always waiting for the enlightening moment were you get to know if Jackson and his family knows something about what is happening to Jocelyn and why it is happening. The climax of the story where you get to know everything is at the end, and it is a little exasperating to wait and wait for it to happen. You get only a few clues to it.
I thought that the love story in the present happens a little bit fast. You see the love for each other in the past more intensively, in the present you can barely see the romance. They are in love from the start. I understand that they kind of know each other already but still I would have liked to read about why and how they were falling in love. I mean, Jackson wants to be together with her from the start but Jocelyn tries to ignore him because she feels dizzy and nauseous when he is near her. And then you only get to read that they start to talk to each other and the next you know is that they are together. It was more like they were friends and only because they have that attraction from the past they get together.
Altogether the book was interesting and refreshing. I can recommend it to everyone who wants to read a new kind of time travel romances.
CONTAINS SPOILERS.
Rating: I give the book 4 of 5 stars
The book was intriguing and new. I liked that this book wasn’t like others time traveling books, where you travel with something to the past. No, here the characters have the genetic ability to connect to their parallel/past life. The ability develops when they are almost adults so they live a normal life until their genetic code activates somehow and they connect their two lives together.
It was interesting to see Jocelyn from the past and the present without them knowing from each other. How their life is similar but different at the same time. And all the drama that is happening in Jocelyn’s life in the 1878 is also interesting.
The story that is happening at 1878 feels quite real and you get to see how the people of that time reacted to some things that also happen nowadays alike and different at the same time.
At first I thought it was funny that some of the characters had the same name as their past selves. But after I kept reading everything is revealed and understandable.
What I didn’t like that much is that the story only proceeds slowly. In some way I liked that, because you get to know each of the characters and their lives in different periods. But it also was frustrating to wait until the end to know what was happening. That way you get to feel as if you were Jocelyn, only knowing a little more than her.
I was always waiting for the enlightening moment were you get to know if Jackson and his family knows something about what is happening to Jocelyn and why it is happening. The climax of the story where you get to know everything is at the end, and it is a little exasperating to wait and wait for it to happen. You get only a few clues to it.
I thought that the love story in the present happens a little bit fast. You see the love for each other in the past more intensively, in the present you can barely see the romance. They are in love from the start. I understand that they kind of know each other already but still I would have liked to read about why and how they were falling in love. I mean, Jackson wants to be together with her from the start but Jocelyn tries to ignore him because she feels dizzy and nauseous when he is near her. And then you only get to read that they start to talk to each other and the next you know is that they are together. It was more like they were friends and only because they have that attraction from the past they get together.
Altogether the book was interesting and refreshing. I can recommend it to everyone who wants to read a new kind of time travel romances.
August 14, 2016
Review also available here: http://www.paein-and-ms4tune.co.uk/?p...
Thank you to A.L. Waddington for providing me with a copy in exchange for an honest review.
“Time will reveal my love…”
Essence had a very unique concept. Jocelyn is your average high school student in 2009, who meets a boy named Jackson and for some strange reason feels drawn to him. As if she’s met him before somehow but she finds that she has the strangest reaction when they touch. She blacks out! But whilst blacked out she sees visions. On the other hand, Jocelyn could be a young lady from the late nineteenth century, engaged to a Mr Jackson Chandler. A Jackson who gives her a beautiful pocket watch as a birthday present. Although she finds that she also blacks out and sees visions when she touches the watch. Or is she both?
The story is told in alternating chapters between the Jocelyn of 2009 and the Jocelyn of 1878. I found that the character development was flawless. Not only did I find that I cared greatly about both Jocelyns and Jacksons, but that I also loved the numerous supporting characters, such as Olivia and William, Jenna, Mr and Mrs Chandler etc. I loved that Waddington has used two different styles to distinguish between the two time periods. She adopts a more suitable grammar and diction for the 1878’s while the 2009 chapters include more slang terms and grammar more common now. This heightened the sense of each period for me.
While the pace was slow, I managed to read about 60% without questioning too much. There seems to be very little in the way of action other than the blackout visions, apart from a scandalous pregnancy situation which made me way more interested in the 1878 chapters than the 2009 ones! But after this was sorted, I started to wonder whether the pace would pick up now as it was beginning to drag. My biggest worry was that we wouldn’t find out the cause of both Jocelyn’s episodes. Thankfully we did. However I found the explanation to be a little confusing. It seemed a little forced considering how well the rest of the book had flowed. Maybe I feel this way because the explanation was only in the last two chapters. I hope that there will be a fuller explanation to come later in the series.
As others have pointed out this book needs ‘a bit of a tweek’ editorially speaking but I wasn’t put off by the few mistakes that I noticed. All in all, a good start to what promises to be an interesting YA time-traveling romance series.
Thank you to A.L. Waddington for providing me with a copy in exchange for an honest review.
“Time will reveal my love…”
Essence had a very unique concept. Jocelyn is your average high school student in 2009, who meets a boy named Jackson and for some strange reason feels drawn to him. As if she’s met him before somehow but she finds that she has the strangest reaction when they touch. She blacks out! But whilst blacked out she sees visions. On the other hand, Jocelyn could be a young lady from the late nineteenth century, engaged to a Mr Jackson Chandler. A Jackson who gives her a beautiful pocket watch as a birthday present. Although she finds that she also blacks out and sees visions when she touches the watch. Or is she both?
The story is told in alternating chapters between the Jocelyn of 2009 and the Jocelyn of 1878. I found that the character development was flawless. Not only did I find that I cared greatly about both Jocelyns and Jacksons, but that I also loved the numerous supporting characters, such as Olivia and William, Jenna, Mr and Mrs Chandler etc. I loved that Waddington has used two different styles to distinguish between the two time periods. She adopts a more suitable grammar and diction for the 1878’s while the 2009 chapters include more slang terms and grammar more common now. This heightened the sense of each period for me.
While the pace was slow, I managed to read about 60% without questioning too much. There seems to be very little in the way of action other than the blackout visions, apart from a scandalous pregnancy situation which made me way more interested in the 1878 chapters than the 2009 ones! But after this was sorted, I started to wonder whether the pace would pick up now as it was beginning to drag. My biggest worry was that we wouldn’t find out the cause of both Jocelyn’s episodes. Thankfully we did. However I found the explanation to be a little confusing. It seemed a little forced considering how well the rest of the book had flowed. Maybe I feel this way because the explanation was only in the last two chapters. I hope that there will be a fuller explanation to come later in the series.
As others have pointed out this book needs ‘a bit of a tweek’ editorially speaking but I wasn’t put off by the few mistakes that I noticed. All in all, a good start to what promises to be an interesting YA time-traveling romance series.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 102 reviews