Now all she wants to do is move on—and find a way to be with Tarek, the new Warden of Arcus and the love of her life. Even though worlds separate them now, she holds onto the hope they’ll be together again. Until then, Lena focuses on being truly happy for the first time in her life…this life. She has new friends, an apartment free from her abusive father, and the chance to live a normal life.
But for Lena, the past never stays gone.
A woman from another lifetime reveals Cassondra, Exemplian’s new authority commander, is seeking revenge against Tarek for killing her brother. There is only one way to end this new threat…
This time, it will take more than Wilma to keep the monsters away. It’ll take an entire army–an army who remembers Lena from her past life, and who might just want her dead, too.
Lena’s past will shape her future more than she could ever imagine.
Born in Pennsylvania, Lynn spent most of her childhood, especially during math class, daydreaming. Today, she spends an obscene amount of time in her head, only now she writes down all the cool stuff.
With a degree in English Literature, Lynn used college as an excuse to read for four years straight. She lives in the Pocono Mountains with her husband, raising the four most incredible human beings on the planet. She writes young adult novels.
Kick ass book! Full review once released, but damn, so good! I’m late, but here is my full review. I loved Lost more than Tainted Energy. The story is fast paced and filled with more action. However, I don’t enjoy a book unless it has romance, so let’s cut to the good part ;) Lena and Tarek aren’t together, but he’s able to talk to her every night. OMG! So sad, but sweet at the same time. He misses her and she him, of course. Reading the angst was more than enough to keep me flipping page after page. I HAD to know if they got their happy ending….
Aside from Lena and Tarek, Vroman’s side characters shine, too! I mean to write so well that it makes me care about what happens to someone else in the book, is a gift. Details below…
Remember Belva from Tainted? The asshole chick turned Lena’s best-friend. She’s actually a pretty cool person. What about Ferran? He’s the Protector, who at the end of Tainted was sent to watch over Lena since Tarek was stuck in Arcus. Anyway, Belva and Ferran spark up a nice little romance! I LOVED the banter between them. They totally made me laugh and blush the entire time.
Lost isn’t rainbows and sunshine. Lena’s on a mission to make up for her past, and to do that she learns more than she wants to. Trust and determination push Lena and when the end came, I was shocked. The book finishes with one hell of a cliffhanger! UGH! Can’t wait to read where Vroman takes her characters in Fractured Energy!
I think if you enjoy SiFi, action, different worlds, and romance, then you’ll love Lynn Vroman’s Energy Series!
Lost Energy, the second book in the captivating young adult fantasy romance Energy Series is an action packed emotional roller coaster. After defeating Casimir, Tarek is now the new Warden of Arcus and as a result Lena and Tarek are forced to live apart and though the separation is overwhelmingly heartbreaking the two dream of the day when they can finally be together and that day may come sooner than they hoped for but it won’t be under the best of circumstances.
Lena’s enemies are looking for any excuse to strike and destroy Lena’s energy for good. Her protectors Wilma and Farren are doing their best to prevent that from happening. Farren is teaching her how to fight and even working at the movie theater with her and Belva, who he can’t keep his eyes off of. Despite the gnawing need to see Tarek, Lena does her best to stay occupied by hanging out with her best friend Belva and focusing on the future. Every night she has the added bonus of falling asleep with Tarek’s voice in her mind but when a Guide from her past shows up to ask for her assistance and warns her that Cassondra is looking for revenge Lena’s forced to act. She’s going to have to break the rules and put everyone at risk in order to expose some devastating truths and she’ll have do everything in her power to save her family, her friends, Exemplar and Earth from destruction including asking some powerful people from her past who would rather see her dead for help.
I liked the first book in the series but I really loved this second book. It was exciting and it broke my heart in so many ways. I’m still wallowing in my sadness over what happened to a certain character (No spoilers). The revelations and twists in the story had me glued to my seat. Vroman paints emotional scenes that are haunting and beautiful. I felt every bit of frustration, joy, helplessness and sadness that Lena felt.
The storyline delved deeper into the main characters and into the make up of the worlds. We learn more about how Guides are made, where their power comes from, how exactly Lena became tainted and what she did to provoke so many people into becoming her enemy. The introduction of new characters added more depth and tension to the story. I enjoyed getting to know the new characters especially Winston who is awesome! My favorite developments in the storyline pertained to the revelations concerning Belva. Who would have thought that Belva one of the antagonist from the first book would have become such an intriguing, kind and powerful character? Her and Farren aka Ginger, oh my, I have no words for how much I enjoyed the interactions between the two of them. I really can’t wait to see Belva become even more powerful and see how Lena is going to maintain her humanity while facing so many obstacles and tragic situations. I want a happy ending for everyone in the story but at this point I’m not sure everyone is meant to have one.
I absolutely fell in love with this story starting with book 1 but more so with this one. I felt like I was there experiencing Lena's emotions with her. She goes through so much turmoil and finding more things out it is heartbreaking at times. She is stronger than what she thinks she is and she carries so much compassion and love for all of those close to her even when she starts to feel like she isn't going to make it. Lynn Vroman did an excellent job bringing more understanding and feeling with each character. I can't wait for the next book in this series.
*free ARC from author in exchange for an honest review*
MY REVIEW
Casimir has been defeated and Arcus' new warden is Tarek. Lena and Tarek are forced to live in different dimensions because of this. Lena spends her time hanging out with Belva, taking care of her dad and training with her new protector Farren. She misses Tarek immensely but at night, she can hear him in her mind. But when a guardian shows up at her dad's house and tells her that Cassondra, Casimir's sister, is looking for revenge, Lena jumps into action to protect those she loves. Secrets from her past life are revealed, things she had never thought Old Lena had done, treacheries are exposed as the battle escalates to extreme heights and loads of deaths.
At the beginning of the book i was a bit disappointed because Lena and Tarek were not together. I thought i would miss the romance but i really didn't! The whole book was a battlefield, there was danger everywhere! It was an amazing action packed book that always kept you reading and reading because all the battle scenes were really intense. I think everyone came so close to dying at one point that i was always like 'is this it? are they dead!?' But the author really kept surprising me throughout the book!
Farren. Farren is my favorite part of the book! His relationship with Lena was just so sweet and hilarious. They love each other so much and protect each other-in a sibling kind of way. In her mind Lena refers to him as a brother and i just got all giggly when i read that because they have got to be the most awesome non-siblings in the world! I love how Lena refers to him as Ginger and then sometimes they curl up together to sleep and i'm like 'AWWW!! I WANT A FARREN!" Their relationship was just so easy and so well interpreted that i found myself wishing i had a brother like Farren!
Lena has so changed so much from book 1. And i'm talking a lot! she'd be my top 1 in character change category! She's become this strong determined SOLDIER. She's not weak or lovey dovey, she's firm and has become a real leader. I honestly say she can give Katniss Everdeen a run for her money! Despite being strong and firm, Lena is still as compassionate as before. She is driven by justice and courage to save the innocents being killed, She is constantly putting her life in danger for all the innocents and even sacrifices her time with Tarek. Lena looked like a queen to me in this book!I did not expect her to be like this, she truly surprised me! But she still has her reckless side!
Like i said, the setting is a battlefield. There are no casual strolls in the park to contemplate life. Instead there's B&E and a rebellion! I really could not get over how awesome this book was! The ending is full of promises for the next book! I'm sure it will be even more action packed than this one, and i know Lena will not disappoint! In all of the books i've read so far, Lena makes my top 3 kickass characters! I loved having more of Wilma in the book, i really love her, she's a really complex character but she's awesome!
Lena discovers so much about her past life and her relationship with Tarek is put to the test when she learns old Lena wasn't all that good. Loads of twists and shocking revelations really left me completely awed! All reader of sci-fi will LOVE this series!!!
Title: Lost Energy Author: Lynn Vroman Publisher: Untold Press ISBN: B00S2XNWVG Buy Link: http://www.amazon.com/Lost-Energy-Boo... Reviewer: Teresa Fallen Angel Blurb: The Energy 2
Last spring, Lena discovered who she was.
Now all she wants to do is move on—and find a way to be with Tarek, the new Warden of Arcus and the love of her life. Even though worlds separate them now, she holds onto the hope they’ll be together again. Until then, Lena focuses on being truly happy for the first time in her life…this life. She has new friends, an apartment free from her abusive father, and the chance to live a normal life. But for Lena, the past never stays gone.
A woman from another lifetime reveals Cassondra, Exemplian’s new authority commander, is seeking revenge against Tarek for killing her brother. There is only one way to end this new threat… This time, it will take more than Wilma to keep the monsters away. It’ll take an entire army–an army who remembers Lena from her past life, and who might just want her dead, too.
Lena’s past will shape her future more than she could ever imagine.
Summary: This story began where the first book ended with the lines drawn, but things are not always as they seem. Lena thought she was unremarkable, but there are still things she doesn't know about herself. She was catapulted into a struggle between beings who felt they could manipulate other worlds in the name of progress, but that wasn't exactly what was going on. Lena and her friends are faced with decisions that could end not only their lives, but countless others. Lena has to deal with not only that, but separation with her love Tarek who by saving her life is now the Warden of Arcus, a violent and untamed world. Their love is put to the test as they fight to save uncounted people from many worlds. This fast paced story held many twists that kept the reader wondering if they could ever survive the dangers ahead and the story isn't over yet!
I would like to thank the author for sharing this in our read it and reap group in exchange for an honest review. I Found the continuation of the story from tainted energy to be fun, engaging, and funny at times. Such as the scenes where Belva is known as the squid whisperer and Farren and is arrested after his trip to Arcus and comes up with that fictional name which I found totally hysterical. Lena is given a glimpse of her past life and she struggles with the jealousy she feels for past Lena and Tarek. This jealousy and revelation lead to a falling out between the two star crossed lovers. It is with the help of her friends and a growing maturity that Lena is able to reconnect with Tarek. The characters are very easy to relate to they are interesting,unusual at times. The writing is young in its choice of wording,such as "Ginger"and "dumbass". A pleasure to read,action packed and funny, sad and anger provoking at others. I enjoyed how Belva's role was elaborated, how she was transformed from rich brat into an ancient,how she became a better person and the impact of her relationship with Lena and especially with Farren. In this book Lena's "family" is enlarged with the addition of her "brother" as Farren has become and her new "father" as Jake. And let's not forget the cool factor with Winston. I was saddened by the lost of one of the supporting characters, perhaps the energy will be recycled again into Lena's life? I will definitely be reading book 3, since I am wondering what will happen and if Lena gets her revenge on Cassandra.
While I really enjoyed Tainted Energy, Lost Energy was so much better! It was fast-paced and action packed. It picks up where the first book in the series left off. While love is still a major theme, Tarek doesn't play as big a role in this book as he did in the first. Instead, the relationship between Farren, a Protector, and Lena seems to be the focus. Farren takes on the role of trainer, Protector, and big brother of Lena. With his help and the help of other Guides and Protectors found hiding on Earth, Wilma, Zander, Tarek, and Lena take on Cassondra and her army in an epic battle to save the other dimensions.
This book has a real teary ending. It leaves you wanting more. I can't wait to see how Lena plans on carrying out revenge on Cassondra. I am looking forward the reading the third book Fractured Energy.
***I received an ARC from the author as part of a giveaway and for an honest review***
I was sucked into the story yet again and rooting for Tarek and Lena to be together once and for all. There were mountains of obstacles in this book that each character faced and defined their strength and love. I was faced with many emotions while reading this sadness, happiness, anger, and more. I cannot believe that the book ended the way it did. I would like to rewind to before something tragic happened and pretend it never happened. I cannot wait to see what is in store in the next book. I am holding onto my seat and crossing my fingers things will get better.
Now that Lena’s new-found sweetie Tarek has taken over as Warden of the pink squid realm of Arcus she’s been spending her life working at the theatre, living with her mom and Jake, looking in on her dad occasionally and missing her main squeeze until a powerful figure from her previous life pulls her back into the battle to free the worlds from the tyranny of Emperion. In this sequel to Tainted Energy, Lynn Vroman has created another dark but brilliant YA novel that’s appropriate for all readers.
Now that Lena’s new-found sweetie Tarek has taken over as Warden of the pink squid realm of Arcus she’s been spending her life working at the theatre, living with her mom and Jake, looking in on her dad occasionally and missing her main squeeze until a powerful figure from her previous life pulls her back into the battle to free the worlds from the tyranny of Emperion. In this sequel to Tainted Energy, Lynn Vroman has created another dark but brilliant YA novel that’s appropriate for all readers.
I liked this, Vroman has really stepped up the pace, and it feels like after the solid start of the first book the plot is really speeding up. We get to spend more time in alternate dimensions and the new world are fascinating. We also get to learn more about how all the technology works (I'm still not sure how it all works but the story doesn't really rely on that too much).
Lena has to confront more of her history as 'Old Lena' from many more people who knew her before and its really interesting to see such a complex character through so many people's eyes.
I was very lucky because I was chosen as a beta reader for this book. I had enjoyed the first book and I think this one is even better. There is a lot of action! The characters are given more depth and become even more interesting. So far Lynn has done a great job of creating the worlds contained in this book as well as the people. Not everything has a happy ending and she also recognized that so be prepared to roll through the emotions right along with Lena.
Though Lena got on my nerves a bit in this one it was packed full of action to keep the reader on their toes. Belva a friend of Lena's had many interesting things that happened to her that she learned about who she was before she was reborn into her current state.
Oh Lord!!! I loved Tainted Energy but the sequel, I was uber confused. I mean I was trying to understand that what was happening. The story was just rushing and Oh lord i DNFed it after 20 pages. Yes it was this crazy bad.
I have no words to say more. I'd recommend the first book but second.. meh!
1st - I received this book in return for my review. I liked the 1st book way more than this one. The story is well written but I just feel like this one DRAGGED on and on - like it was purposefully extended to make a 3rd book - I dont like that. I also felt like this didn't move us forward hardly at all..... Not sure I will read book 3 - but it is there if I want it
- I received this book via the Read it and Reap program. -
I really enjoyed this book and the character development. I was also confused but that was my fault since I haven't read the first book yet. Aside from my confusion, I love it and I recommend this for teens or adults who love action books.
Revenge and wars are about to be waged in this second part of the Energy Series. Old emenies are out for revenge and will not stop til she gets it. They may be separated by dimensions but the still love each other and talk at night in the minds. Will they be able to defeat their emenies and get back together...even with some help.
Great read. I love how long had to deal with coming to terms with her past life without letting it take her over. I would have liked more from Tarek but still live how Lena is his heart. can't wait to its the next book to see how the war is resolved. Won't be dissapointed with this book.
I'm still enjoying this series, but this second installment lost me a little bit. It could be because of the format I'm reading this on (Kindle, on my phone), or maybe the backstory wasn't clearly laid out enough for me, but I didn't understand how some of the plot developments came about since I didn't understand the initial world-building that well either.
I liked that the book starts with a time jump, and seeing developments in main and side characters' relationships over the past few months was interesting. However, as soon as we got into the main plotline of the book and reasons why the main conflict occurs, I was lost.
I was also confused by the apparent change in characters' past relationships and storylines. The relationship between Wilma and Lena in the beginning of book one was very casual - Wilma gave Lena a ride to school or work sometimes - and didn't get deeper until Lena's true history was revealed. In this book, it seems like Wilma practically raised Lena, going back to childhood memories of making lunch and such. It seemed to me like a ploy to make Wilma and Lena seem closer without actually going through the work to do this, and to make later events in the book more emotionally resonant.
Lena's mood swings and half-hearted love triangle also weren't high points of the novel for me. She went from saying she wanted to murder everyone to cowering in a corner in a half a second. Maybe that's more realistic, but it wasn't enjoyable to read. I was hoping for more development for Lena's character in this book, but aside from learning how to fight (even though she only fights once in the book), there wasn't much change. I didn't feel as connected to the characters as I wanted in the second book of a series, making it less impactful when developments that are supposed to be sad happened.
I'm still interested to see how things unroll, and Lynn Vroman is a good writer, so I will continue with the series. I think many of my gripes with this sequel would have been resolved by a good editor, and since it seems like this series is self-published, or at least not published with a large agency, I'm less annoyed by these things.
My favorite part of the book by far was Belva's character and relationship development. I would love a book about Belva and Farren in Arcus! Overall, this was an interesting read with some world-building and character development problems that I'd still recommend as a great indie read.
DISCLAIMER: I was given a copy of this book by the author (via Goodreads/Shut Up and Read/Read It and Reap) in exchange for an honest, unbiased review.
ADVISORY: This book contains violent situations and language
SYNOPSIS / SPOILER ALERT:
So many things have changed for Lena in the past five months. Both she and her mom, Jacie, are safe from their abusive relationship with her father. He, on the other hand, is a wreck, having been exposed to the harsh world of Arcus. Lena feels obligated to act as his caregiver (though he doesn’t deserve it). However, she makes a point to check on him daily. And Lena’s mom has moved on – she is now in a relationship with her boss, Jake.
Speaking of Arcus, that’s where the love of Lena’s many lives, Tarek, now lives. He is Warden of that world, which sucks, because Lena is still considered Tainted, and has to serve out this life on Earth. They are not allowed to be together, but Tarek is able to communicate with her every night, telepathically. Unfortunately, it is only a one-way conversation, since Lena does not have that ability. However, it is better than nothing.
Her best friend, Zander, is no longer in the picture, because he has chosen to spend time on Empyrean under the wing of their ally, Teenesee. Fortunately, Lena has a new best friend (and former enemy), Belva, as well Tarek’s friend, Farren (who is also a Protector, like Tarek once was). Belva is not afraid to let Farren know that she is very interested, which makes him a little uncomfortable due to their age difference, as well as the things of his past (which he’d rather not get into, but that could come back to haunt him).
And then there’s Wilma, her paired Protector, who is still able to travel between worlds and dimensions. Wilma is able to visit and communicate with Tarek, but more importantly, she is trying to keep track of their many enemies, not the least of which is Cassondra, who is definitely looking to avenge the death of her brother, Casimir, the former Warden of Arcus. And it appears that she has been building an army, with plans to annihilate anyone (or any planet) that stands in her way.
However, Cassondra is not Lena and Tarek’s only enemy. Turns out that Old Lena had a tendency to be a bitch, and she burned a lot of bridges– especially in her previous life. There are folks on Exemplar with an axe to grind, and some of them aren’t content to wait for some payback. They’re more than willing to come to Earth and stir up trouble, and they don’t have any problem with dragging Lena’s family and loved ones into the fray. Things start to get out of hand, and the safest place for Lena and her family/friends is Arcus, though that will bring new problems for Tarek.
Unfortunately, the conditions on Arcus are not conducive to lengthy visits from humans, so Lena and Farren have to revisit Earth for supplies. But their enemies have laid a trap, and Farren gets caught in it. Lena must now enlist the aid of the questionable Winston Candell in freeing Farren, as well as trying to convince him to help them find the people on The List. Because war is coming – and they need all the help they can get. But they may not be willing to trust Lena. And the allies they do have come with agendas of their own. Help comes from unexpected places, but not without some tragic losses.
COMMENTS:
Overall, I felt this book followed through on the groundwork laid in Book One, and gave a lot more development for our characters, as well as prep for Book Three. I look forward to reading the next book!
NITPICKY GRAMMAR-TYPE STUFF (meant in a helpful way):
This book was fairly well-written, and the editing was good. However, I ran into quite a few errors in spelling and usage. Here are some examples: “old bitties” (I’m more familiar with “old biddies”), “turning signal” (I’d say “turn signal”), “staunch the tears” (should be “stanch – “staunch” has a different meaning), “and away Belva” (probably “and away from Belva”), “his body shuttered” (should be “shuddered”), global incorrect usage of “you heard” (instead of “you hear”), “thumping base”/”distant base” (both should be “bass”), “stalk still” (should be “stock still”), “drug” (an acceptable variant, but should really be “dragged”), “in my head lessoned” (should be “lessened”), “awe” (should be “ah”, or “aw”), “we won states” (probably “state” or “State”), “enemy screams render the air” (probably “screens”), “until I stopped whaling” (should be “wailing”), “surprised shined” (should be “surprise”).
However, I was more appalled by the excessive use of F-bombs littered throughout the book. (Tainted Energy had four. Lost Energy had 38.)
(I received a free copy of this book in exchange for a review).
(This review may contain spoilers).
I'd give this book 3.5 stars out of 5, ideally. It was good to see Lena and her friends appear again, but I did think that she was a bit too obsessed with getting back to see her boyfriend. While it was clear she missed him, I felt that she considered seeing him more important than her family members. (Not so much her dad... but definitely her mom and 'adopted' family members).
I really liked seeing Wilma again in this book. It was good to see her not taking nonsense from anyone... and yet also wanting to protect Lena and keep her safe. I also liked seeing Lena's friendship with Belva... and how Belva and Farren were clearly romantically interested in each other. I also liked the fact that there were things about Belva that were special, instead of it just being about Lena.
It was good to see Lena's feelings towards her past self and I felt the author captured her resentment/jealousy really well. Although not an attractive trait, it did help her to appear more human and enabled me to become more sympathetic towards her. I also liked being able to meet Winston and see how good he was... and the fact that he didn't match Lena's mental image of him at all was amusing and, I felt, really worked for the story.
I wasn't especially fond of the fact that there were two occasions where the first person perspective slipped into third. I felt that was unnecessary and revealed plot twists earlier to myself as a reader, which made them lose their effectiveness.
I liked being able to see more of Arcus and the fact that the inhabitants of the world weren't the scary creatures they came across as in the previous book. I would have liked the opportunity to get to know some of the other characters more, although I did think that Lena went through a good character journey through the course of this book.
I don't know if I'd read book three as it stands. This was entertaining and easy to read... but there were a few issues I would like to see addressed.
Kick ass book! Full review once released, but damn, so good! I'm late, but here is my full review. I loved Lost more than Tainted Energy. The story is fast paced and filled with more action. However, I don't enjoy a book unless it has romance, so let's cut to the good part ;) Lena and Tarek aren't together, but he's able to talk to her every night. OMG! So sad, but sweet at the same time. He misses her and she him, of course. Reading the angst was more than enough to keep me flipping page after page. I HAD to know if they got their happy ending....
Aside from Lena and Tarek, Vroman's side characters shine, too! I mean to write so well that it makes me care about what happens to someone else in the book, is a gift. Details below...
Remember Belva from Tainted? The asshole chick turned Lena's best-friend. She's actually a pretty cool person. What about Ferran? He's the Protector, who at the end of Tainted was sent to watch over Lena since Tarek was stuck in Arcus. Anyway, Belva and Ferran spark up a nice little romance! I LOVED the banter between them. They totally made me laugh and blush the entire time.
Lost isn't rainbows and sunshine. Lena's on a mission to make up for her past, and to do that she learns more than she wants to. Trust and determination push Lena and when the end came, I was shocked. The book finishes with one hell of a cliffhanger! UGH! Can't wait to read where Vroman takes her characters in Fractured Energy!
I think if you enjoy SiFi, action, different worlds, and romance, then you'll love Lynn Vroman's Energy Series!
I received this book from the author in return for a fair and honest review.
Book 2 continues where book 1 stopped - Tarek is still Warden of Arcus and Lena is still on earth. He can talk to her every night but she can't respond. What a heartbreaking way to start the book!
This book is building up to so much more than 'just' a romance. It is full of action, humour, double-crossing, rivalry and even loss. Lena has grown up a lot since the first book but still has some to do, and Wilma is more than happy to help set her straight. The pace of the book is fast although not frantic. There are events that need to happen, and they do. It is not all sweetness and light though.
I love the characters in these books as they all have depth and their own personalities. Farren's relationship with Lena is simply fantastic and they have the unconditional love and support of each other that nothing can break (I hope!). The emotional range in this book will draw you in before it tears you apart.
I don't like talking too much about the story as you have the synopsis for that - but one that that I really need to say is that you NEED to read this series. I was in tears by the end of the book, totally side-swiped by an event that I just never saw coming because I was too wrapped up in the story. What happens after said event is even worse and I really, really need the next book, like now, just to ensure that all will be well.
If you like fantasy then get your grubby mitts on this series because, trust me, it's a brilliant one! HIGHLY RECOMMENDED.
*copy of this book from the author in exchange for an honest review*
At the beginning of the book i was a little confused and disorientated. I found it difficult to keep up with the story line but this eased after a couple of chapters. I was a little bit disappointed because Lena and Tarek were not together. I thought the story line would miss something without the romance but i was surprised and it didnt. The whole book was action packed book that kept you reading and wanting more. Romance, action and tears a good connection is made with the reader and the characters.
The ending is a real surprise and it keeps you hooked and waiting/ wanting to read the next book!
This is a good series and i would suggest this book as a great read.
Just when you think you have got these worlds sorted out, you realise that you haven't. This is a book full of twists and turns and a fast paced narrative.
But it is, for me at least, a more detailed and satisfying book in a lot of ways. There is more by way of character and relationship development. And Belva? Well. Not at all what I expected.
A word of caution - the ending may have you sniffling. I look forward to the next one.