Transformed

by E.V. Fairfall

Since the beginning, two entities have had complete, unquestioned control over Thea: the Earth and God.

But when Thea suddenly figures out that the Earth has trapped her within a forest, she discovers that the only way to set herself free is to break God's one rule; she must forsake her animal form and become human.

The result is nothing she could ever have expected. Lost within the torrent of human emotions, Thea starts to lose who she is and even begins to fall in love with the one thing she always hated: a hunter.

As her act against God proves more problematic than anticipated, it is only a matter of time before her punishment may prove to be worse than Earth's entrapment.

Genres: Paranormal, Fantasy, Young Adult, Romance, Paranormal Romance, New Adult, Fiction

273 pages, Kindle Edition

First published January 1, 2014

About the author

The hunger is encompassing, so she feeds the beast books. But the hunger never settles... so she writes. E.V. Fairfall has an itch that drives her to the world of story telling. With several published short stories, and soon several books (fingers crossed), she explores the topics of humanity and hardship. 

During the daylight hours, a book is always within reach. She spends her nights reading with her husband, surrounded by towers of tomes and three furry children curled in close. If she isn’t reading, she is browsing bookstores or hiking, but always awaiting her next adventure. 

Reviews

[E.V. Fairfall · Rating 5 out of 5]

I can't help it. As the author, I really enjoy this book :P

[Monica · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 Stars This review was originally posted on Avid Reviews: http://www.avidfantasyreviews.com

Transformed has an incredibly unique take on the paranormal romance genre. The plot is part creation story and part love triangle, with themes that explore human instinct and the strangeness of many of our cultural norms when looked at through the eyes of a being who embodies nature itself. Fairfall gives the reader a novel that is far from the typical paranormal romance in its scope and many of its story elements, and that is sure to be refreshing to fans of a genre that is often filled with the same old tropes. For those of you who may be thinking this story is too ambitious and unfamiliar for your liking, it still contains enough of the familiar to ease any reader into the novel’s more weighty themes. Fairfall mixes her unique story elements with what is arguably the most common theme in the genre: the love triangle. This juxtaposition of these disparate story elements was a bit shocking to me at first, but Fairfall does a fine job of weaving them together into the plot line. However, I personally am a bit tired of the love triangle cliché, and there were plenty of other aspects to the story that would have made a wonderful book without that particular element. This, of course, is a matter of personal taste, and I am sure that many readers will be pleased to find this well-used but much loved trope.

It took my a little while to get fully engaged with the story, but what eventually caught my full attention were the creation story and the in-depth study of human nature. The creation story is especially captivating, as it is told in tantalizing snippets (some throughout the plot, and some in small fragments at the beginning of each chapter) and succeeds in immersing the reader in the story and keeping her turning the pages until late at night. Fairfall’s unique outside view of what it means to be human also fascinated me and gave a lot of depth to Thea’s character. I definitely found her struggle to be human and her unexplainable need to become human more and more often to be the most interesting and endearing aspects of her character.

Overall Transformed is a well-written story with some lovely prose interspersed throughout the novel. I was more drawn to the story’s unique and ambitious themes than I was to the genre clichés, but I still found myself engaged in the story and its characters. I would recommend this novel to fans of paranormal romance who are looking to read a novel that is different and thought-provoking, and I would also recommend it to anyone who loves a good creation myth turned into fiction.

My Rating: 7/10

I received a copy of this novel from Xpresso Book Tours and the author in return for an honest review.

[Natalia · Rating 5 out of 5]

I was given a free copy of this, by the author, in exchange for an honest review.

Here we go!

“The humans’ power to create then also became their power to destroy.”

Thea is Mother Earth, destined to create and take care of the creatures her and her brother, God, have created—humans and animals alike. She has the ability to transform into animals, and does her best to protect her creations. One day, in the form of a deer, Thea is shot and killed while trying to save another deer. When she dies, she takes on another form in another area, only this time, she becomes trapped in the small town. Thea decides she needs to break the one rule God had for her—never take human form. Thea believed that if she could make the youngest Willipord, the hunting family that always seems to kill her, love her then she can change his family’s future generations. Once Brice Willipord falls for her, Thea will turn into her deer form while he is out hunting, and when Brice shoots her, her plan is to return to her human form in order to understand the pain he causes. Only, Thea’s plan doesn’t work as she hoped, and she ends up succumbing to human emotions and falling in love with Brice’s cousin—Chamber.

I must say, I absolutely loved this book, and was already excited to read it long before E.V. Fairfall messaged me asking if I wouldn’t mind receiving a free copy and reading her novel in exchange for an honest review.

There were several times were I was caught off guard as to what was going to happen next, like near the end of the book. I won’t spoil it, but I certainly wasn’t expecting it to happen! It nearly broke my heart, and I must admit, I cried during the epilogue. I really didn’t think Thea and Chamber were going to be reunited.

The characters were wonderfully created. I adored Thea and Chamber, loathed Brice (and for a time, May as well), and soon fell in love with Cricket, the poor girl whom Thea turned into a squirrel in order to reside in her apartment. Cricket soon became a quick favorite of mine. Brice was the worst prick whom I was desperate to slap several times and I even wanted to off him myself! I think he certainly got what he deserved.

E.V. Fairfall did a wonderful job coming up with this fantastic and addicting world where God and Mother Earth are Brother and Sister trying to help humanity turn away from the evils of the world.

I would highly recommend checking out this book!

[Olivia-Savannah · Rating 3 out of 5]

First found on Olivia's Catastrophe: http://olivia-savannah.blogspot.nl/20...

Isn’t that just a beautiful cover? I chose this book for that reason – and also because I liked the idea of such a unique point of view.


I think the point of view was handled wonderfully. Seeing things from the eyes of Mother Nature was interesting, especially as she took human form for the first time and was exploring everything human. She quickly gets wrapped up in human emotions, which is something she thought she’d be able to distance herself from. And then we learn something else: her father is God.


I really liked seeing things from Thea’s point of view, and she was my second favourite character. I half expected her to be the whiny sort of person, especially as things she had previously planned weren’t going according to her wants. But she didn’t turn out to be that person. There were a few moments of confusion for her on the side as she figured out things about being human, but otherwise she reviewed her situation and tried to make the smartest choice, even though it didn’t always work out for her.


My favourite character was May. She’s the typical low cut shirts, super short shorts girl who throws herself at Brice, and at first I didn’t like her. But gradually her true self emerges and I was able to see her for who she really was, and I liked her :3


This is the typical love triangle story and although there is another plot line going as well (the main one) the love triangle is a huge part of it. If you don’t like them, then this isn’t for you. I didn’t really mind in this story because both relationships were different, and one was more forced onto Thea than the other. It kind of made the love triangle one that she wasn’t trying to be part of, and that made it seem less cliché.


The plot was… different? Kind of like the point of view choice. It was a bit slow and took a while to get to the point, but once it did I was surprised. A lot of things happened that I didn’t think was going to happen at all, and it had me reading further to find out what was happening.


Overall this was a well written book, and the author was definitely trying to do something new here. I liked it. :)

[KelleyAnn · Rating 5 out of 5]

The bottom line about this book is that it was one of those things that had a great build up. I was very excited to read it. and kept piling on these expectations... and guess what? It didn't disappoint in the slightest! It was fresh, new, and exciting! A fantastic read!

Things I liked:
-An extremely ORIGINAL concept. It was a beautiful take on creation, a story I find quite rare for the Young Adult and New Adult genre. It was fantastically refreshing.
-The characters. Cricket for example is an excellent side character and a fantastic source of humor in the story. Chamber is another character that I absolutely adored!
-The ending was very satisfying. It doesn't leave you hanging; it was very conclusive and overall just a really good way bookend to a good story. (I'm trying to be vague because I don't want to spoil anything ;) )
-Very engaging read. I spent some good time stuck with my nose in this book, and books that hook me in like that always have a very special place in my heart. :)

Things I disliked didn't like as much:
-I ALWAYS feel obligated to fill this out because nothing is perfect so don't take this the wrong way!... There are a couple characters I disliked. BUT they add rather than take away from the quality of the book, and my dislike of them is very interpretive, not everyone will dislike them. (Again no spoilers dear reader!<3)
-I wouldn't call this book my "normal cup of tea" but perhaps that's not a bad thing. :)

Overall, I enjoyed this book because of it's originality. It was a very new and exciting thing to hear about when I read the synopsis. Like with many original universe books it can be a bit difficult to understand in the first couple chapters but E.V. Fairfall does a great job of explaining the different original elements of her story. I would recommend this for anyone who is looking for an idea they HAVEN'T heard before. If you're tired of reading the same old sort of book, this is like the "palate refresher" of books for me in what has seemed like a very long time. :)

[Michelle · Rating 5 out of 5]

For the lazy people who don't want to read that ghastly chunk of review below:

Read this book. It's bittersweet, emotional, and heartrendingly sincere, with a good ending to boot. The characters are excellent, and the story keeps you on your toes. Do the right thing: read this book!

For the people who want to take the time to really know why this book is one that shouldn't be passed up:

I really enjoyed this book, more than I thought I would. I've read a lot of creation stories before, and I'm a huge fan of different mythologies, but Transformed definitely brings an interesting perspective to what one may normally believe to be a tired story. After reading the synopsis, I was sucked right in by the author's novel concept of the creation myth and what role higher powers played in it. Although that is what initially piqued my interest, it was the character development and interaction that kept me thirsty for more. The main emphasis of the book is on the characters, and I was very much glad that it was. I found myself getting so frustrated at times, and so giddy at others. Fairfall does an excellent job using the characters to manipulate the reader's emotions, and I'm glad to admit that I was ecstatic to have my emotions so thus toyed with. And the ending! I won't spoil it, but I will say this: I really loved how it turned out. Sometimes an author will write herself into a corner and need a copout escape route, but this is not so with Transformed. Transformed is definitely worth the read, and definitely a book that will linger in my memory fondly.

[Tracy · Rating 4 out of 5]

I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

What an interesting story! Soooo different than anything I've ever read! Throughout the book you learn bits and pieces of how this world came to be and Thea's role in it. Such a unique take on God and the creation. I enjoyed the characters (well, except for Brice, ugh.. CREEP)

A little cheesy in parts, but overall a fun, addicting read! I did have questions throughout that weren't ever answered, so I think that's why I'm giving it a 4 instead of a 5. Otherwise, great read!

Highly recommend!

[Maghon Thomas · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a sweet story that has such an interesting concept. What if you'd been around since the dawn of time, and you helped create not just the humans, but trees, and grass, and animals. Yes, it can almost be religious but not in the way you thing. It has the creation process point of view, but God is a little different than what most might expect in here. And here's how things are basically summed up. God and his sister showed up on Earth, which cause the explosion and big extinctions. So he and his sister, Mother Earth, recreated everything from scratch, except for the few living beings who survived in the water. But then, Mother Earth, aka Thea, every time she dies as one of her creations-usually a deer- she is sent to a new place on Earth, to help where she is needed. Except for the last few decades, she keeps being sent to the same place. She is stuck. So she decided to take a human form, to find out why she is stuck, and fix the same hunter who has killed her every time in this place. Along the way, she has Brice, May, Chamber, and Cricket. Cricket being my favorite of all :) Oh, and her brother God.

Thea is quite interesting because she is trying to learn how to be human. Yes, she's watched over everyone for a very long time. But she's never understood humans, or their feelings and emotions. This is complicated for her. She needs to fix Brice, who kills her every single time. He's a hunter. Not just a hunter, a sport hunter. He hunts for the thrill. Brice is not nice, and it takes Thea a very long time to realize she is being manipulated and he's hunting her in both forms. Chamber is absolutely adorable. I want to hung him, and kiss him, and hold him in my pocket. Brice I am going to sound horrible but I wanted him to be the bad guy, and I don't feel sorry for him at all. I knew who he was from the beginning and I felt sorry that Thea thought she could change him, and felt even more sorry for May that she really didn't see how horrible he truly was. And May, she's I think going to have to learn some more self respect, but I actually like her, at the end. I wanted to slap her multiple times for letting Brice do this to her over and over and over AND OVER again. I know girls like her. They are used, and it breaks my heart. In the end, she stood by Thea and I commend her for that. And Cricket, OMG, I love her. I will not tell you who she is, but no that she becomes Thea's side kick and I think her character was the best of the whole story. And her name, perfect fit!! And God, well let's just say I wasn't expecting him to have human traits, like lying and selfishness. But I like that he's flawed :)

The plot is quite unique which first grabbed my interest. The writing is excellent, which kept me involved. And the characters make you love them or hate them, which make it a great read. Overall, I really enjoyed this one. I liked the ending, which made everything ok. Not all better, because life is never perfect, but awesome enough that I smiled hugely at the end. :) 4.5 PAWS!

[Emily - Reads Must · Rating 3 out of 5]

Let me start off by saying that this book wasn't what I expected it to be. That's neither a good nor a bad thing, it was just different from what I usually read. I tend to shy away from books that have strong religious themes, even in a fictional sense, as they have a habit of being a little on the preachy side. But that wasn't the case with Transformed and even though God was a principle player in this story it was more of an interpretation of the religious figure than the traditional portrayal, with enough fantasy aspects to make you see him in a whole new light. This may be blasphemous, but in this story he was a bit of a dick!

The story follows Thea as she tries to find freedom from Earth's clutches. But Thea is much more than an ordinary human. Thea is Mother Nature herself. She spends a third of the book in her animal forms such as a doe, a squirrel and at one point even a mountain lion, which I found really interesting. As a character she has a fragile strength that pushes her forward with hopes of freedom but there are more than a couple of - potentially fatal - obstacles standing in her way. The question is, will she choose her family, her heart or her mission?

I think the main issue I had with this was Brice, there was just no humanity in that boy! I hated him more than I want to admit. I also didn't quite understand why the things that where happening in the story were important until about half way through, which for me is about 30% longer than it should take for things to start clicking together. But that is purely personal preference.

This book has some flaws so I'm not going to say it's perfect, because that would be a lie. But that doesn't change the fact that it's a sweet, magical tale that is both intriguing and heart warming. It's quirky sense of humour took it's form in the sense of a small little squirrel named Cricket, who for me was my favourite character in this book. Well, her and Chamber. He's not top of my swoon worthy boys, but he definitely made the cut!

A sweet little book that is perfect for reading out in the garden or at the park this summer. It was good and definitely worth a read if you want something a little different that your usual YA fiction. It's packed full of nature and magic and E.V. Fairfall paints a pretty picture indeed.

**I received this book from YA Bound to read & review for the tour. This is a 100% honest review.**

[onceuponatimeareview · Rating 4 out of 5]

I want to say thanks to the author for letting me read this in exchange of an honest review. I have been meaning to read this book for awhile now and I haven't gotten around to and I had a certain amount of time to read it. You don't need to know the life story on why I read the book. I really wanted to give this book a five but I have one tiny problem with it and that was it had a slow beginning. Other than that wow. I also I had a few questions I left not answer. First question was she blind for the rest of her life? Did her Chamber live forever happily ever after. This comes to my overall cause. I don't think mentioned it in any other review here it is I hate and dread stand alones. Number one reason they always leaving you wanting more. So yes this left me wanting more. It was a quick read for me it took me around an hour to finish. Just wow. This was amazing.

The plot was so creative. When you think about Mother Earth I think about Percy Jackson and Gaea. Well Thea not even close to Gaea. Without me spoiling anything more than I already have Thea is trying to save Earth hence Mother Earth. She thinks she can do by making a hunter fall in love with her and then have him shoot her. For all you people who have read the book there was some big irony at the end. It was one of the best parts of the book I kinda wanted to laugh but at the same time I felt a little bit of sadness. Just a little bit. This was so creative and loved everything about it.

All the characters are amazingly done. Thea is strong willed she does what she needs to do to save Earth and she never gives up. Like her brother said she had more empathy or something like that than most humans. Then there is Cricket the squirrel I could so picture the interacting with Thea. Brice was the main bad guy in the story. Then in another way humanity could be another main bad guy. Chamber is like so perfect for Thea. They were made for each other no joke.

Overall amazing book. So go to amazon now and click the buy button or pre-order button now!!!! Instead of reading this review you should be waiting to read this book. This book will leave you wanting more trust me on that. The author could always make a novella yeah and my problems would solve. But then where will I be after there is no more about Thea and Chamber. I will read anything this author writes. So I hope she comes out with more books because she's amazing this was amazing.

[A.M. · Rating 4 out of 5]

Such a wonderful, and beautiful story. Completely awe-inspiring.

This was a totally an adventure I'm glad I did not miss.

The storyline was very strong in explanations from the characters, but also held a bit of a mystique vibe which I fell prey too. The author created such a rich plot was such amazing characters. The development was so raw and pure with the many protagonists and antagonists. The main concepts I was able to pull out were life and death, and of love and hate. The scenarios were so enriching, sending a pretty powerful message if you get my drift.

I dived in completely blind, and I recommend anyone to do the same. It will literally open your eyes and make you question things about the book, especially in the middle, and my questions never went unanswered. Except toward the end because I wanted more insight, more to read. However, in a way the questions I still have were indirectly answered, I still feel as if more elaboration is in order. There was always something new being revealed and that was one of the things that kept me engrossed with the story.

I can really feel the author's passion in the writing style which is so easy and simple, but at the same time describing something that is being put onto play on a higher comprehension level. Very enlightening with its both light to dark contrast. This has a guideline of something basic, but in turn executed into something more meaningful and pretty amazing.

These characters felt so real, I was able to vividly see them, picture them. As well as understand them, and recognize there true colors for what they were.

Overall, I very much enjoyed this book and look forward to more of this author's work.

[Michelle (Adventure in Bookland) · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book grabbed my attention right away, I found the story line to be very interesting and unlike anything I have ever read before. Time passed and before I knew it I also almost done with the story. Transformed touched upon love, friendship and respecting the Earth and the all creatures that live on it.
Thea has always lived among the Earth with her brother, but she hasn’t seen him in a very long time. She has been keeping herself busy, while keeping an eye on the Willipords, whom have been tormenting Thea for years by not only killing her numerous times but animals around her. She decides that she needs to teach this family about compassion, but in order to do so she go back on a promise that she made to her brother, and transform into a human for the time being. Thea thought her plan was great, but she didn’t know now that she was human she would be plagued with the emotions, and falling in love was definitely not part of her plan. Thea’s plan was to make the Willipords’ son, Brice, to fall in love with her and show him what compassion really is. Instead Chamber walked into her life threatening to ruin all she had laid out.
Character wise Thea was very easy to like, she had and innocence when it came to the relationships with the other characters. While she was human she was new to all her human emotions, and she has never really done most of the things she was now doing. Chamber was very sweet to her while Brice would call her awkward behind her back. Brice was a very unlikable character; E.V. Fairfall did a great job molding someone who was unlikable and deceitful.
If you are look for a different kind of Paranormal YA book, I suggest you read this one!

[Samantha · Rating 4 out of 5]

Transformed is a different take on the concept of God and Earth than any I had previously encountered. I enjoyed how the story unfolded to reveal more information about the origins of the main character as well as the creation of the world we know today.

I found the plot to be character driven, with well developed, vivid characters whose stories I really got into. Thea was easy to root for as she sorted through conflicting feelings caused by unfamiliar human emotions. Brice and Chamber provided contrasting personalities, and Cricket brought an element of humor and whimsy. (Is it strange that Cricket, a somewhat minor character, plot-wise, was my favorite? I loved her!)

Like previous reviewers, I loved the ending (although it was not quite what I expected). I won't spoil it, but the way everything came together was excellent!

Definitely worth a read! I am excited to see what's next from E.V. Fairfall!

[Toni · Rating 4 out of 5]

Transformed is nothing I could have anticipated. Well, that’s not entirely true. Had I read the synopsis more closely, I probably would’ve had a better idea of what I was in for.. but y’all know I don’t always read them.

This book was pretty darn fantastic. The author’s writing style is a bit different, a tad more complex than some of the YA books I’ve read lately. It was a pleasure to delve into such a deep, intricately woven paranormal story.

Not a fan of religion? No worries. Don’t let the mention of God make you run in the other direction. You won’t leave this story with empty pockets and a rewired soul. You will, however, end this story with an appreciation for authors that make you think, and a pretty big book hangover. Consider yourself warned. ;)

I highly recommend Transformed to all fans of paranormal romance! If you’re looking for something truly unique.. you just found it.

[Bookcrazed · Rating 4 out of 5]

Loved the book! The description was saying that this book was about mother nature and it was, but it was more than save the planet. It added a different dimension to the mother nature story that I loved. Transformed was a really great book about how a stranger would see the human race and how we've been treating the Earth; it added an interesting perspective as to how animals would/could feel if hunted. I was surprised as to how E.V Fairfall portrayed God, I thought of it more like God representing Jesus who was sacrificing himself for the human race. I didn't really understand how Earth was played in the book, it seemed like it could be explained in the sequel but in this book it was a vague idea that some unknown force, the Earth yes but is it a person or a being? I would love to read the sequel though. Overall 4 stars.

[Malia · Rating 4 out of 5]

I crazy enjoyed it! Once I got past the 3rd chapter I was hooked! Finished it in a day because it was captivating! I will have a video review up and I will post a link this week for my further thought! Why 4/5? it was excellently written with vivid description and twists. Characters were well developed and I enjoyed the awesome story line. There were just parts I was confused by or disagreed with and thats why I dropped a star. But overall I highly recommend it because its nothing like I've ever read and very imaginative! I also had a dream last night about this book and when that happens its always a great indicator that the book utilized my imagination to form characters and events in the dream world! Pick up this book today! Here is a link to my video review! Let me know what you think! http://youtu.be/umNogqYavM4

[Spider the Doof Warrior]

Oh no. Not A LOVE TRIANGLE! I don't like them!

[Christian · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fear doesn't live in someone who has nothing to lose.
-Thea

Rating: 4.5/5 STARS

Years and years ago, Thea and her brother landed on Earth, destroying everything and leaving carnage in their wake. It was then their duty to recreate and bring back what they themselves had demolished. Taking the time to painstakingly implement the most intricate of details, Thea and her brother worked diligently to manifest the most beautiful of creations from animals to plants to humans. However, when they were done, the Earth would not let them grow old and die; instead, the two were to continue on with their duties.

Now commonly known as Mother Earth, Thea has guided her creations and looked after them with the utmost of care, going as far as to even take her animals' forms. However, humans soon began to destroy the beauty around them as time went on. They tear down forests and hunt living creatures only for the vanity of sport. The siblings roam for years, attempting to balance the good and evil in the world that was tipped when the humans became greedy, but suddenly Thea ends up somewhere she cannot escape. Earth wants her to teach the Willipord family, a group of less than empathetic hunters, compassion, and it will not let her go about the rest of the world freely until she succeeds.

The Willipords are ruthless, though, and in order to do carry out Earth's wishes, she must turn into a human. However, her brother gave her one rule and one rule only: never take the form of a human. Thea is terrifyingly hesitant to go against what her good-natured brother has told her, but her plan requires defying his wishes. She hopes to make Brice Willipord fall in love with her. Brice is undoubtedly handsome but his personality leaves little to be desired. Plus he has unknowingly hurt Thea countless times. Despite these prospects, she is willing to do what it takes to be free again . . . that is until she meets Chamber. Chamber has two things in common with Brice: he is a Willipord and a hunter. Thea cannot help but feel attracted to this broken, curly-haired boy with mesmerizing eyes. But he's a hunter. Perhaps Thea's plan won't work out as she had originally hoped, for fate has twisted the forthcoming events into something unimaginable.

What happens when Thea falls for what she despises most? The end result can't possibly be good. Also, Brice hates to see a girl end up with Chamber, and he is willing to do whatever it takes to have Thea ripped away from Chamber. Who will end up with Thea? Who exactly is her brother? Is it possible to have a soul mate? Will Thea ever be free? Can the Willipord family actually change? Read Transformed to find out!

Words were power, and ideas were death to the mind if left to wonder.

My thoughts on the book:
Original ideas for YA books are awfully challenging to come by. It almost seems as if ideas are just recycled again and again until they are completely exhausted. Sure, some can include twists that make them unique and still thoroughly enjoyable, but the core concept is still the same. However, Transformed was brilliantly new and quite honestly refreshing. Never have I come across a book such as this. The entire design was memorable, rare, special, and captivating. From beginning to end, it was practically perfect.

The origin and creation story that were weaved into Transformed were fascinating and gripping with a great perspective. Also, Thea as Mother Earth alongside her mysterious brother were completely intriguing, especially when their stories unfolded. I was shocked to find out exactly who her brother was, but it made perfect sense. Just thinking about how caring, gentle, genuine, and pure Thea was is remarkable. It is easy to imagine that she is what humanity was supposed to embody. This then leads me to the point where many honest emotions were explored and pondered as Thea finally experienced the forbidden: being human. I feel as though E.V. Fairfall kept Thea's behaviors, thoughts, and attitudes true and parallel to her innocence and first experiences.

I found the views on hunting in this book to be well thought out and heavily explored without being preachy. I personally find hunting to be an intensely horrifying endeavor. I just can't bring myself to understand the satisfaction that some experience when killing an animal only to have it hung on his or her wall. Through Thea's voice, I felt terrified and profoundly saddened when she saw an animal shot before or was hurt herself in the same manner. For some reason, my mind kept wondering to that one scene in Powder when the hunter felt exactly what the fallen deer felt, but I digress!

Why kill a soul if it didn't need to die?
-Transformed

If you like twists, this book definitely has some! I had no idea that they were coming. Each one was equally unpredictable and shocking! Plus, the ending was pure perfection!!!! I was literally putty as I read the last page. I wish we all had a Chamber in our lives. (Sigh)

So, if you enjoy a unique, thought-provoking, twisting, fantasy, paranormal story, definitely pick up Transformed! It's a marvelous read.

Please note that I received a free copy of this book from the author in exchange for an honest review. However, this did not influence my rating or review whatsoever. Also, I would love to thank E.V. Fairfall for the opportunity to fall in love with her novel.



This review can also be found on Knightingale Reviews:

[Nicole M. Hewitt · Rating 4 out of 5]

This review and many more can be found on my blog: Feed Your Fiction Addiction

Transformed is a young adult paranormal romance that offers a unique twist on the creation story. The story follows Thea, who is actually Mother Earth in human form, sister of God. Thea has suffered through the human treatment of her creation (wildlife) for centuries, but she has been forced to stay near one particularly cruel family for generations, being killed over and over by hunters. She believes that the only way she will be allowed to leave the area is if she changes the family’s youngest son – and the only way she can think to change him is to make him fall in love with her so that he can watch her die (in her animal form) and realize the damage he had done. But her plan goes awry, and things get very complicated when she meets Chamber and starts to have very human feelings for him.

What fed my addiction:

The alternate creation story.
The most interesting thing about this book was discovering the story behind the creation of the world and exactly who Thea and her brother truly are? Are they God and Mother Earth as we know them in the traditional sense? Yes and no. As the book goes on we discover that there are aspects of this story that overlap with the traditional Christian creation story and ways that it varies greatly from that story (the same with the nature of God himself). There are actually quite a few revelations that occur that were surprising – not just to me, but to characters in the book. I really enjoyed this alternate version of history and found myself wanting to unravel these characters secrets.

Thea.
I really liked the character of Thea, even though she was not a typical heroine. Because she wasn’t used to being human, she was often a bit naive, but it was kind of fun to see the world through her eyes and see her try to untangle the complexities of human emotions and human relationships. I also thought she had a unique perspective on the value of all life (as Mother Earth), and it was interesting to get her thoughts and perspective on our cavalier treatment of much of God’s (or Mother Earth’s) creation.

The romance.
For the most part, I was fully invested in the romance element of this book, even though there was a bit of instalove (it was justified via the concept of a soul mate connection, and I was actually way more okay with it than I usually am). And once we got past that initial attraction, I did feel the connection between Thea and her love interest deepen. I don’t want to say much more about it because I feel like I’d be spoiling things, but I’ll just say that I was a fan of the romantic connection!

What left me wanting more:

Slight instalove, slight love triangle.
Like I said, the instalove aspect was explained as a connection between soul mates, and I was actually mostly okay with it. I was actually more annoyed at Thea’s jealousy and attraction when it came to the guy she didn’t end up with. Speaking of which, yes, there was a love triangle of sorts, but Thea was only ever really interested in one of the guys. The other one she obviously did not have a true connection with. Again, I don’t want to say too much, but it becomes pretty clear early on who Thea should be with, and even she knows it, but there are complications.

I really enjoyed the unique journey that this book sent me on. If you’re looking for a young adult paranormal romance with something different to offer, pick this one up. I give it 4/5 stars.

***Disclosure: This book was provided to me by the author in exchange for an honest review. No other compensation was given and all opinions are my own.***

[dearrivarie · Rating 3 out of 5]

TRANSFORMED TOUR REVIEW:
Thea is somewhat of an Artemis figure. The Earth is her home, she shifts from creature to creature, doing her best to protect nature. Every time she dies, she is relocated to a new place where humans have been destroying her home. But for the first time, she finds herself locked in one forest location. No matter how many times she has died, she still appears in the exact same forest. So Thea does something that has always been forbidden of her, she becomes human. Her goal is to make Brice, the son of the town's notorious hunting family, fall in love with her. And then have him kill her, in the hopes that the heartbreak will change him.

Oh my goodness people, this book was really really good. It takes on a brand new concept of God, Earth, and creation that I haven't read before. It has totally lovable characters as well as ones you'd love to hate. The ending was super satisfying and while we can all pretty much guess how it ends, when you actually read it, it feels like Christmas because you're just so happy and fulfilled.

Thea is a "mother" of nature. When an animal dies, she releases their "light" which is something like a soul, back into the world. She herself cannot die because of her eternal light. Thea has a brother who is essentially God and throughout the book, my opinion of him only got worse. He was portrayed with a, "I'm better than the rest of humanity" attitude and similar to a lot of Greek myths, the willingness to sacrifice others for his personal benefit. He did redeem himself a tiny bit in the end, but that's at the end so you pretty much spend a good portion of the book just glaring at him. Compared to him, Thea is like an angel. She might have ulterior motives and we all know that she's not human, but E.V. Fairfall did a really great job in making her seem almost normal. She experienced human emotions and it was really cool to see how she reacted to being human and doing human things.

Now let's go on to Brice. He creeped me out from the very start, but I kept holding on to the hope that Thea would change him and it would all be good. Then enter Chamber, this guy is positively to die for and Thea obviously agrees. And so a love triangle of sorts was formed. What I loved about Thea in this situation was how she was so selfless in putting the forest's needs above her desires. It becomes pretty apparent that Brice is a douchebag, but Thea still puts up with him because the forest needs him to stop killing it. There is quite a lot of romantic drama between Chamber and Thea, but I kind of liked it because it showed Thea struggle to remain different than what her form says. Does that make any sense? Anyway, the romance was definitely heart throb worthy.

Oh, I almost forgot! CRICKET!! She was such a hilarious side character that you can't help but fall in love with immediately. I want a squirrel that picks out outfits for me, comforts me, and guards my door!! She was positively delightful and if I could definitely best friend material!

Overall, I highly recommend Transformed. It was a pretty refreshing read from what I've experienced and I had a super fun time reading it! Because light is such an important theme in the story, I'll end off with one of my favorite quotes by Elizabeth LaBan: Now, go forth and spread beauty and light. :)

Read my reviews at:
https://extreemeobsessed.blogspot.com

[Angelina · Rating 4 out of 5]

Originally on Fable's Library
4/5

This book was given to by the author in exchange for an honest review this does not change my opinion at all!

Ever since seeing the pretty cover (I man come on, it’s BEAUTIFUL!) I had to read what Transformed was about. Books about legends are always cool, I mean how many mythology books do we have about Greek/Roman gods/goddesses? I haven’t read a single book about Mother Earth, until now. E.V. Fairfall does a fantastic job telling us the story of Thea, Mother Earth who is trapped in a small town, her creations are constantly being hunted by Brice and his family. Thea sets out to stop Brice and his family from his meaningless killings.

What I Liked

The characters *cough* except Brice *cough* where all fantastic. I haven’t read too many characters who like Brice, left me with a huge frown and growing frustration. STOP IT BRICE! STOP BEING A BUTT HEAD! Aside from him, the cast was enjoyable to read about. I loved reading about Thea as Mother Earth, and how her feelings evolved and shifted away from her original goal! Plus, I have to mention, I totally ship Chamber and her :)!

I loved how everything was explained in the ending. The book tied up all my questions in a neat, sweetly wrapped package. I felt like there were no loose ends, so yay!

Transformed had a unique plot that I would love to see/read more of! Reading E.V Fairfalls take on Mother Earth and her story was very interesting, and after a teensy bit* I could NOT put it down. The ending had me close to tears, it was sweet and all sorts of good.

*The beginning was a bit slow for me, but afterwords the story really picked up pace!

What I Didn't Like

Thea was a bit stubborn at times, this isn’t a problem with the book necessarily, it just made me mad. I mean why did you do that Thea? Why did you say that stuff to a certain person :'(??? Mini spoiler! [spoiler]Why did she hurt Chamber when he OBVIOUSLY loved her? I mean she could have stopped Brice in another way other than making him love her right? Her telling him to go away was a punch in the feels, I SWEAR![/spoiler]

Maybe I’m over thinking things (I probably am, I do that), but isn’t her plan a bit over the top? I mean, her being Mother Earth and all and trying to get a hunter to love her, it’s a bit like loving your murderer O_O! Not a problem with the plot, just something I couldn’t stop thinking about.

Verdict

E.V Fairfall’s Transformed is a magical story about Mother Earth trapped in a small town. This book was all sorts of wonderful, and a quick easy read to get into. The characters were all done so well, and (most of them) were loveable. I would recommend this book to anyone with a love of nature (haha!) and a good book.

[Tani · Rating 4 out of 5]

I received a free copy of this book in return for an honest review.

First, this is not a love triangle. I know that the summary makes it sound like it is, but it's really not. Thea's heart is very clear for the entirety of the book. There's no waffling on her feelings for the two boys. Instead, there is a conflict between what Thea feels is her duty and what her heart is telling her.

So, this book was a very pleasant surprise! I was a bit nervous at first while reading it, because books like this are very hit or miss for me, and the beginning was a bit of a slow burn. I really had my doubts about how well I was going to like this at first. There's a lot of hidden backstory, though, and as that was revealed, I began to enjoy the book more and more.

The basic premise is that Mother Earth has grown weary of a certain family and the way that they hunt for the pleasure of the kill, rather than out of necessity. Sick of seeing her creations slaughtered, she turns into a human, in the hopes of capturing the heart of the family's teenage son, and teaching him a lesson about the value of life.

Only that's just the story to start. As the book goes on, the story changes as we learn more and more hidden details. That was a really fun aspect for me - all is not as it seems here, and the real truth only comes out after a bunch of twists and turns. Just when you think you've grasped the whole story, you find out something else new. In addition, the story itself is a really interesting spin on the usual paranormal romance-type stories, and I liked the uniqueness of it.

I also enjoyed the romance. For a romance that didn't have a terrible amount of development to it, it still felt authentic and convincing. I was definitely rooting for the two of them. They were quite a sweet couple, facing enough adversity to keep their connection from getting boring.

On the complaint side, I would say that sometimes Thea's character felt too young. A lot of that can be explained by the novelty of human emotions for her, but sometimes it was very hard to accept her as a being thousands of years old. In addition, Brice was a very one-dimensional character (although I will say that the way things ended up with him made me quite happy). Some of the writing quirks that showed up marked this quite clearly as a debut, as well.

But on the whole, I thought this was a very promising first novel, and I really do recommend it. I loved the unique and changing storyline and the sweet romance. I'm looking forward to seeing more from E. V. Fairfall.

[Lis - The Indigo Quill · Rating 4 out of 5]

See full review @ The Indigo Quill

Special thanks to Xpresso Tours and Silver Stag for providing a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

With an alluring and captivating cover, Transformed by E.V. Fairfall was definitely a pleasant surprise. In the rhythm of a fairytale, the reader follows Thea, who also happens to be Mother Earth herself, into her journey of trying to escape the strongholds of the world. However, a few things stand in the way. You guessed it, a love triangle that could potentially bring Thea to her irrevocable demise. But this book is so much more than that.

Unlike many YA books I've been reading, Transformed followed the premise of how the Earth came into existence through the eyes of Creationism. The beauty in Fairfall's approach is that she isn't shoving the author's views down your throat, and she isn't attacking another worldview. What I mean by this is that several books I've been reading lately have ruined the consistency of the story by throwing in the author's opinion on hot topics while bashing another view. It no longer feels like part of the story (rather, the author just using the opportunity to preach at the reader) and it makes me enjoy the book less because it almost makes me feel like I or people I know of certain worldviews are being attacked. It's incredibly refreshing to read a real YA book that stays consistent with the story and keeps it just that, storytelling.

The story itself is intriguing and unique. Although cheesy at times, I very much enjoyed reading this book. The reader becomes attached to the character of Thea and wants her to fulfill her purpose. As for Brice, I know a lot of people hated his part of the story, but I think an author's ability to write dynamic characters that pull emotions out of readers, good or bad, is a form of art in itself (think Dolores Umbridge in Harry Potter). I love to hate certain characters! I applaud Fairfall for her masterwork.

You will enjoy Transformed if you are looking for a fresh perspective in the Paranormal YA genre. It's a very light read, but it's definitely an enjoyable book if you don't mind reading about another love triangle!

[Fizza · Rating 5 out of 5]

An interesting and intriguing fantasy about two siblings. Thea and her brother destroyed everything on Earth when they came here. They thought that if they could give back what they took, then they will be free of Earth's pull. They are immortal and their light created everything on this planet. Thea created animals and forests and her brother has control over humans. For some reason he always kept her away from humans. Making her believe that they are dangerous and she won't be able to understand them. She kept her distance from them. But now it is important that she changes the way one human family lives, otherwise she will never be free. She can't spend an eternity in a small town, not knowing how to fix what has been wronged. Hence her plan to make Brice fall in love with her, then kill her and get consumed by grief...

Brice is a hunter. He kills animals for fun. He collects knives and has no compassion for other living things. Thea has seen him hunt and she hates that he murders her creations without s second thought. She must change the way he thinks and acts. She planned to use love against him. But she wasn't ready for the complications Chamber presents. He is Brice's cousin and very different from him. She feels something whenever she is with him but also knows that they can never be together...

On the other hand her brother (Human know him a God) is planning something entirely different. Is what Thea know is all there is or is her brother hiding something? Will she ever be able to succeed in her plan or is she destined to endure dying again and again at the hands of one man??

Right from the beginning this book kept me on my toes. Although it is being promoted as paranormal and romance but there is also mystery involved. Its well written and all the characters are engaging. I liked the way Fairfall tells this story. It was a 5-star read and I will recommend it to everyone who enjoys a good fantasy.

[Jennifer · Rating 4 out of 5]

First of all I’d like to thank E.V Fairfall for sending me this book in exchange for an honest review. Just a warning that this review may contain spoilers. Overall, I rate this book 3.5 stars out of 5, but because that is not an option on Goodreads, I am giving it four stars. So, I first just want to point out that the cover of Transformed is gorgeous. On to the things I enjoyed about this book. I really loved what a unique take on the creation story it is. I feel like this has never been written. Another thing I really liked was how the main character, Thea, was pretty relatable. She got jealous, overjoyed, depressed, and angry which made easier to see her humanity start to come through. The last strong point that I found in this book was its different points of views. Towards the end of the story, some dramatic stuff happens and I loved how it didn’t just stay in Thea’s viewpoint. For instance, when the villain, Brice, gets what he deserves in the end, the story switched to his dad’s thoughts.

In terms of things I didn’t like as much about this book was the seemingly forced love. Honestly, when Chamber and Thea start falling for each other, it seemed that they were moving very fast. But, hey, that’s just my opinion. I also would have really liked to delve deeper into Brice’s inner thoughts to see his motivation behind his actions. Throughout the story, Brice played the overall jerk; the kind of guy who didn’t mind stepping on people to get what he wanted. Yet other than him wanting to be immortal, we never get to find out why he will go as far as murder for this immortality. Also, I really wish it was better explained as to why he was so obnoxious to his cousin, Chamber. Chamber wasn’t a bad guy. In the end, the story ends happily where the guy gets the girl and everything is the way it should be. In conclusion, I’m glad I got to read such a diverse novel. This book really got me thinking.
Thanks again,
Jennifer

[Mony · Rating 5 out of 5]

I was simply blow away by the book, in my humble opinion is a marvelousness piece of writing.

The narrative was great; the plot twists, the mystery of the whole story keep your eyes glued to the book, anxious of knowing what would happen. The whole story was paced and never felt rushed.

I usually don't read books about God, but this one was different. The portrait of him was so unique, so human in some aspects that you could find yourself relating to him. The whole concept of how everything came to be was mind blowing and I think the whole book leave a heavy impression on the reader.

I loved how it showed the dark parts of human nature so well, the length a human could go in other to accomplish their goal, how far greed could take someone; But at the same time it showed the human capacity of compassion, of love. It showed the great diversity of human nature, and leave the reader with the message that evil and good are completely subjective terms.

I feel the outlook the book leaves on the reader after finishing the book, make us wiser some way; because it help us be more understanding, to appreciate all living creatures, that by the simple fact that it's alive it deserve our respect. And that actions, that somewhat seem small and insignificant, have a ripple effect.

I feel like everyone should read it, because apart from being an excellent and intriguing story it's also a really good learning tool.

[Kimber Wheaton · Rating 4 out of 5]

I received this book from the author in exchange for an honest review

Transformed is a sweet fantasy romance with endearing characters and an intriguing plot. I am a major animal lover, so I could relate to Thea and her adoration for her creations. This story combines mythologies with religion in an interesting new way. In some ways it's a coming of age story for Thea who, though an immortal deity, has to learn to navigate the human world and emotions.

I loved Thea. She was such a joy to follow as she learned to be human. Her interaction with both humans and animals is interesting. She's an immortal, ageless being, and yet when she becomes human she experiences all the emotions of a young woman. As for Chamber, it would be very difficult not to fall for him. What a great character.

The plot, while important really takes a backseat to the characters. Ms. Fairfall does an amazing job painting imagery so vivid, I could see it in my mind's eye. I enjoyed the ending. it was a great way to end Thea's journey. This novel keeps the reader turning the pages to the end and certainly doesn't disappoint.

[Esmeralda · Rating 5 out of 5]

Two words to describe this book is absolutely beautiful!!! Transformed was in my opinion a beautiful and interesting book. I loved how I got a feel for nature and how humans are in this book. It kind of got my mind thinking on how people hunt for just the fun of it and not for the need of it. I loved how Thea was so compassionate towards her creations and believing there had to be a good in everyone. Brice showed how some humans are selfish and we'll do anything to get what they want, for example when he wanted to have immortality, he killed Chamber, and tried to kill Thea and stole her light. I absolutely loved cricket and how she would help Thea even though she was turned into a squirrel by her. I was shocked when Thea's brother (aka God) is actually her Father because he created her from his blood and bones. But what I loved the most about this book was how Chamber showed the sweet and loving side of humans, I loved how even though he found out Thea was not human he still loved her no matter what. Overall I loved this book and I would recommend this to anyone!!!

[Kate St.Clair · Rating 5 out of 5]

There is a rare occasion when you come across a truly unique story; that is what you get when reading Transformed. E.V. Fairfall has manages to create an entirely new storyline, blending together a visionary theology and the very visceral inner workings of humans.

She paints the thoughts and feelings of her characters so vividly and genuinely that you experience every step with them. Thea's stumbling journey toward humanity will have you feeling as though you are discovering it yourself. Despite this being her debut novel, Fairfall demonstrates her ability to create tangible imagery like she's been doing it for years. Her lines are unforced, and the progression unfolds naturally. Although she deals with such an abstract concept as the soul and God, she manages to keep the reader grounded and never steps too far.

I loved this book, I truly found it to be a distinctive, individual read. Highly recommend to anyone tired of reading the same kind if YA over and over.

[Levi Stack · Rating 5 out of 5]

It was refreshing to read a novel in genres that I rarely venture into (Romance & Fairytale), and Transformed was thoughtful exploration of the relationship that humans have with the earth. The story centers around a Mother-Earth-like being, Thea (or 'Goddess' in Greek) who becomes incarnate as a teenage girl - a girl who falls in love with a hunter, a young man who is destroying the very creation that she herself is a part of. This, in turn, stirs up an array of issues that need addressing, starting with morality and ending with religion and what it means to be a part of creation.
But don't let these large themes frighten you off. Transformed, at it's core, is a classic love story just with a new and interesting twist. It centers on the hunted/hunter relationship, and I would imagine this story would appeal especially to fans of Twilight or Maggie Stiefvater's Shiver.