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Dying Thoughts #2
Second Sight
Join Tara in the second book of the Dying Thoughts series as she faces new challenges.Tara Leverton has a ‘gift’. Up until recently it has been kept a secret from everyone. Things have certainly changed.For one, Tara has a best friend, Kaolin. For another, Kaolin, her dad and the police know about her ‘gift’. She’s got the chance to help them solve murders – actually make a difference, one that doesn’t involve doing homework on time.When tragedy strikes can Tara be the eyes seeing things that no one was supposed to see?
292 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 2012
15 people want to read
About the author
Joey Paul
27 books588 followersJoey Paul is a multi-award-winning indie author, exploring the young adult genre. She has released twenty-three books in total so far, with one more due out in 2025. Her current works include the "Dying Thoughts" series, which is eight books, the "Lights Out" trilogy, the "Cramping Chronicles" series, the “Invisible” quartet, as well as several standalone novels. She writes across genres, with crime, mystery, paranormal, dystopian and urban fantasy being her usual genres. She is writing her next two books at the moment, having recently finished her last two.
Joey is disabled and a graduate from The Open University with a BA (Hons) in Health & Social Care. When not reading medical textbooks, she enjoys reading crime novels, medical dramas and young adult novels. When she's out and about, she likes doing weekly wheelchair walks occasionally challenging herself for charity. And when she's not doing THAT, she's sleeping! She's 43 and has been writing since she was retired from her job on medical grounds at the age of 19. She plans to write for as long as she has ideas or until someone tells her to stop!
Joey is disabled and a graduate from The Open University with a BA (Hons) in Health & Social Care. When not reading medical textbooks, she enjoys reading crime novels, medical dramas and young adult novels. When she's out and about, she likes doing weekly wheelchair walks occasionally challenging herself for charity. And when she's not doing THAT, she's sleeping! She's 43 and has been writing since she was retired from her job on medical grounds at the age of 19. She plans to write for as long as she has ideas or until someone tells her to stop!
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Displaying 1 - 14 of 14 reviews
October 5, 2017
Tara is struggling to come to terms with her new gift, okay, well it's not a new gift, she's had it since she was six. The only thing is, she didn't know exactly what is was, other than perhaps a crack in her sanity. Her father, who could have made everything much easier by talking to her about it, said nothing. He thought he was shielding her from pain. He hoped the visions his wife, Tara's mother, suffered from had not been passed on. He clung to this hope even when she suffered from the same symptoms. He had lied to her about how her mother died, a truth that could have spared her so much confusion, and now it seems impossible to trust him. Fortunately she has Kaolin, the friend whose kinship came at the price of exposing her father's lies, not to mention kidnap and murder. She had her concerns when the teacher once more added a new student to her group, she was worried something of Cassie's would cause a similar drama and terror she had experienced with Kaolin. Cassie would indeed bring something to her, it just wasn't what she had expected, although visions are certainly inevitable, their not like Tara has ever experienced.
A wonderful addition to what is quickly becoming a gripping series. I read book one on Tuesday night and picked this one up for my last night's read. I am really enjoying watching Tara and Kaolin's evolving friendship. I'm never normally one for first person narrative but this is certainly wonderfully written. I said it before, but it possesses a brilliant inner monologue, and once again the author whisks you away on an adventure where you are trying to put together the pieces, only it's more complicated this time, for reasons I won't reveal. I've picked up book three and can't wait to dive in to see what new troubles find Tara.
A wonderful addition to what is quickly becoming a gripping series. I read book one on Tuesday night and picked this one up for my last night's read. I am really enjoying watching Tara and Kaolin's evolving friendship. I'm never normally one for first person narrative but this is certainly wonderfully written. I said it before, but it possesses a brilliant inner monologue, and once again the author whisks you away on an adventure where you are trying to put together the pieces, only it's more complicated this time, for reasons I won't reveal. I've picked up book three and can't wait to dive in to see what new troubles find Tara.
December 14, 2020
I love you, Cassie
Partially blind reader here, and in this book's case, that's something I should mention before I dive in with my rambling reviews.
Why 5 stars?
1 did I pu the book down?
No, impossible. I listened to this in ebook formate with the screen reader telling me the whole thing. I remember as soon as I finished the 1st book I went on to this one. I had lunch while listening, did some other mechanical chores while listening, I didn't stop until I finished the book.
2. The characters.
I already said in my review of book 1 that I love Tara, and now I love Cassie. I wont go into spoilers, but it is known from quite early on that Cassie is blind, and also she's in the foster care system. I'm partially blind and adopted. Should I say more?
3. Structure
This book is where the repetition aspect was effective instead of jarring, unlike some other books.
Tara has a hard dilemma in this story, and with every attempt she makes, it hurts more and more. I want to quote it, but I'll restrain myself and keep spoilers out of this.
4. Writing?
It takes sensitivity to write a character like Cassie Yates. Joey understood her so well it kinda scared me.
5. Subjective stuff
Although Cassie is the more known case of the pitch-black blind portrayed in fiction, her personality was something I needed to see as a teen. I'm thankful to find her as an adult. This book made me cry, and made me thank my adoptive parents for being in my life.
Partially blind reader here, and in this book's case, that's something I should mention before I dive in with my rambling reviews.
Why 5 stars?
1 did I pu the book down?
No, impossible. I listened to this in ebook formate with the screen reader telling me the whole thing. I remember as soon as I finished the 1st book I went on to this one. I had lunch while listening, did some other mechanical chores while listening, I didn't stop until I finished the book.
2. The characters.
I already said in my review of book 1 that I love Tara, and now I love Cassie. I wont go into spoilers, but it is known from quite early on that Cassie is blind, and also she's in the foster care system. I'm partially blind and adopted. Should I say more?
3. Structure
This book is where the repetition aspect was effective instead of jarring, unlike some other books.
Tara has a hard dilemma in this story, and with every attempt she makes, it hurts more and more. I want to quote it, but I'll restrain myself and keep spoilers out of this.
4. Writing?
It takes sensitivity to write a character like Cassie Yates. Joey understood her so well it kinda scared me.
5. Subjective stuff
Although Cassie is the more known case of the pitch-black blind portrayed in fiction, her personality was something I needed to see as a teen. I'm thankful to find her as an adult. This book made me cry, and made me thank my adoptive parents for being in my life.
April 19, 2019
This follows on from book one. Again effectively using the voice of the young character to good effect. Her thinking and language are both those of a teenager, which makes the character easier to understand and relate to. The relationship between the girl, her father and her friend are again a big part of the appeal. The story is a little darker this time because of the nature of the crime and the closeness of the victim, but still an interesting read.
March 29, 2019
A great follow up to book one! I love the dynamics between Tara, her father, and her best friend. I don't envy Tara for her gift, but it is a gift none-the-less and I enjoy seeing what she does with it. I guarantee I'll be going through this entire series to find out!
June 3, 2021
5 STAR review from Readers’ Favorite
Reviewed By Divine Zape for Readers’ Favorite
Dying Thoughts: Second Sight by Joey Paul is an enthralling YA paranormal story with strong hints of crime. It follows Tara, a young girl who lost her mother at the age of six. She regrets that instead of leaving her with something more valuable, like money, her mother left her a gift. Her gift is the ability to see the last moments of someone by simply touching something that belonged to them. Few people know about her gift, including her ex-pop star father, her best friend, Kaolin, and the police. The police ask her to help in solving murders, but that has other negative effects on her and her studies. When faced with a unique tragic situation, will she be able to use her gift to unravel the truth?
Joey Paul has created a wonderful character in Tara. The story is told from her point of view and in an engrossing first-person narrative voice. I was pulled in by the quirkiness in her voice and her unusual way of interpreting events in her life. Tara is not just gifted, she is intelligent, and readers will enjoy following her thoughts as her inner world unfolds before them. Her gift is, indeed, her curse. At least, that is how it feels when readers get to know her. The author does a wonderful job of character development, exploring them elaborately and allowing relationships between the characters to deepen as the plot moves steadily forward. The dialogues are well-crafted and they raise the entertainment quality of the novel. While Dying Thoughts: Second Sight is the second book in the series, it reads well as a standalone story with impeccable world-building, unforgettable characters, and a storytelling gift that hypnotizes.
Reviewed By Divine Zape for Readers’ Favorite
Dying Thoughts: Second Sight by Joey Paul is an enthralling YA paranormal story with strong hints of crime. It follows Tara, a young girl who lost her mother at the age of six. She regrets that instead of leaving her with something more valuable, like money, her mother left her a gift. Her gift is the ability to see the last moments of someone by simply touching something that belonged to them. Few people know about her gift, including her ex-pop star father, her best friend, Kaolin, and the police. The police ask her to help in solving murders, but that has other negative effects on her and her studies. When faced with a unique tragic situation, will she be able to use her gift to unravel the truth?
Joey Paul has created a wonderful character in Tara. The story is told from her point of view and in an engrossing first-person narrative voice. I was pulled in by the quirkiness in her voice and her unusual way of interpreting events in her life. Tara is not just gifted, she is intelligent, and readers will enjoy following her thoughts as her inner world unfolds before them. Her gift is, indeed, her curse. At least, that is how it feels when readers get to know her. The author does a wonderful job of character development, exploring them elaborately and allowing relationships between the characters to deepen as the plot moves steadily forward. The dialogues are well-crafted and they raise the entertainment quality of the novel. While Dying Thoughts: Second Sight is the second book in the series, it reads well as a standalone story with impeccable world-building, unforgettable characters, and a storytelling gift that hypnotizes.
October 6, 2015
Tara, bored, rebellious teenager, is well-drawn, but specific incidences of her level of schoolwork for her age are inaccurate. I stopped to check the setting was the UK; American education grades are different, but I should have known the country where the story was set and, a quarter of the way through the book, I realised I hadn’t a clue. Other characters are not as good, like Tara’s father, ex-popstar “ the great Colin Leverton”.
I was reading Dying Thoughts – Second Sight because the blurb interested me so I pressed on, resisting the urge to skip repetitive sections. Eventually Tara got her first “case”. Had the novel opened with it as a prologue, I wonder if the grounding, properly researched, would be less tedious? Tara’s schoolmates are believable.
There is a very unusual plot idea and it does develop into an intriguing story, not least because Tara breaks the rules in a way that could jeopardise a police prosecution by confiding in her best, and only, friend. The way the Inspector Mike Clifford finds round that is unlikely, but the police have been known to deal with practitioners of the occult.
I was reading Dying Thoughts – Second Sight because the blurb interested me so I pressed on, resisting the urge to skip repetitive sections. Eventually Tara got her first “case”. Had the novel opened with it as a prologue, I wonder if the grounding, properly researched, would be less tedious? Tara’s schoolmates are believable.
There is a very unusual plot idea and it does develop into an intriguing story, not least because Tara breaks the rules in a way that could jeopardise a police prosecution by confiding in her best, and only, friend. The way the Inspector Mike Clifford finds round that is unlikely, but the police have been known to deal with practitioners of the occult.
January 19, 2016
I’m definitely becoming Joey Paul’s fan! I’m enjoying her protagonist – Tara’s – voice so much that I can’t stay away from the “Dying Thoughts” series. Tara, a fifteen year old schoolgirl with a gift of seeing the last minutes of someone dying if she touches something that belongs to them, is again in the thick of it. Not only has she got involved with the police, using her gift to help inspector Mike, her new friend from school, a blind girl Cassie, goes missing, and, eventually turns up dead. Tara and her best friend Kaolin swear to do everything possible and impossible to find the killer…
Tara, despite her self-doubts and sarcasm, is extremely lovable and sweet. Once again she’s ready to do anything possible and impossible to punish the monster who killed Cassie, she doesn’t mind another detention to put her big mouthed classmate Jody into her place, after the latter accused Tara in killing Cassie and her own mother (I actually laughed out loud at their words exchange prior to Tara throwing a punch, which was just priceless!). I’m not going to give anything else away, just read it and I assure you, you’ll enjoy it! I’m off to read book 3;)
Tara, despite her self-doubts and sarcasm, is extremely lovable and sweet. Once again she’s ready to do anything possible and impossible to punish the monster who killed Cassie, she doesn’t mind another detention to put her big mouthed classmate Jody into her place, after the latter accused Tara in killing Cassie and her own mother (I actually laughed out loud at their words exchange prior to Tara throwing a punch, which was just priceless!). I’m not going to give anything else away, just read it and I assure you, you’ll enjoy it! I’m off to read book 3;)
April 8, 2014
Dying Thoughts ~ Second Sight takes you right back into Tara's life. There is something so refreshing about this series. I can't get enough of the great adventure. With all the humorous moments there is a real life force. I am touched by the real life emotion filled with depth and great insight. This series moved me, entertained me and left me wanting more. This particular book was completely riveting and I was lost into the mystery that this story held. This is what a great book does. Leads you to a great escape that you can connect to at the same time.
"Mostly though, people don't know they're going to die. They don't get up one morning, get dressed and know that they're going to die in whatever clothes they put on - if they did then no one would ever die in some of the god awful outfits I've seen. They'd make sure they had matching underwear, they'd take time doing their hair and putting on make up and everything. They'd make the effort to be the best they could be."
"Mostly though, people don't know they're going to die. They don't get up one morning, get dressed and know that they're going to die in whatever clothes they put on - if they did then no one would ever die in some of the god awful outfits I've seen. They'd make sure they had matching underwear, they'd take time doing their hair and putting on make up and everything. They'd make the effort to be the best they could be."
November 9, 2015
I absolutely adore Tara's voice. She is the classic angst-ridden teenager with an attitude and something a little different. How does a teen cope with seeing stuff from the dead? It isn't easy and until recently, she had kept her ability hidden from everyone, which made her isolated in a different way than having a retired pop star dad did. Now she has one good friend who knows, along with her dad and a police detective. It is time to make the next move, following in her mother's footsteps to help police solve violent crimes. Hard enough for an adult, so it comes with a growing curve for Tara.
I read the first book and snapped this one up when I saw it, eager to continue with the journey. I have not been disappointed. Love this!
I read the first book and snapped this one up when I saw it, eager to continue with the journey. I have not been disappointed. Love this!
July 24, 2015
Tara has a best friend, Kaolin. She is not alone, in many different ways, in this instalment of the dying thoughts series. Tara's father and a police office now know about her secret; her powers to see and hear things from the other side of the thin veil. With her gift, slightly more out in the open, she finds new purpose, and a new vocation, fighting crime.
I enjoy Joey Paul's books. She has a natural gift for storytelling and a smooth engaging writing style. This, as with her other novels, showcases, not only good plot lines, but humour shining through, quirky dialogue, and an overall story that hangs well throughout.
A great series, so far. Looking forward to more.
I enjoy Joey Paul's books. She has a natural gift for storytelling and a smooth engaging writing style. This, as with her other novels, showcases, not only good plot lines, but humour shining through, quirky dialogue, and an overall story that hangs well throughout.
A great series, so far. Looking forward to more.
November 25, 2016
Recommend to younger readers.
A great follow up to the first book in the series.
Tara is an interesting, far from perfect main character. She hates most of the pupils in her school, earns detentions and suspensions on a regular basis, argues with her best friend and father and would really prefer to stay in bed until midday and yet is quite a lovable character.
In her first proper case, using her 'gift' to help the police, events turn more personal and darker when the new girl in her class is killed.
A quick and easy read with a main character younger readers will identify with.
A great follow up to the first book in the series.
Tara is an interesting, far from perfect main character. She hates most of the pupils in her school, earns detentions and suspensions on a regular basis, argues with her best friend and father and would really prefer to stay in bed until midday and yet is quite a lovable character.
In her first proper case, using her 'gift' to help the police, events turn more personal and darker when the new girl in her class is killed.
A quick and easy read with a main character younger readers will identify with.
June 10, 2018
4/5*
Full review soon (http://presa-nas-palavras.blogspot.pt/)
This one was the perfect continuation. The main character development was amazing, and the case was way more dense than the previous one, I liked that. As always, Tara is just amazing, she talks like a teen, she is grumpy like a teen, but she is so funny, I just love her. However, and even tho I like Kaolin, she annoyed me a little bit in the beginning of the book, not completely respecting Tara.
As I was expecting, I loved this book and I can't wait to read the third one.
Full review soon (http://presa-nas-palavras.blogspot.pt/)
This one was the perfect continuation. The main character development was amazing, and the case was way more dense than the previous one, I liked that. As always, Tara is just amazing, she talks like a teen, she is grumpy like a teen, but she is so funny, I just love her. However, and even tho I like Kaolin, she annoyed me a little bit in the beginning of the book, not completely respecting Tara.
As I was expecting, I loved this book and I can't wait to read the third one.
December 2, 2014
I absolutely loved the first book in this series, and Joey Paul did not fail to disappoint in her follow up! Tara is just as wonderful as in the first book. Her humor really carries the book to great places and makes it such a fun read. I enjoyed getting to know her all over again and follow her adventures as she lets her gift lead her on new journeys. A great series for any age reader! It does not disappoint!
May 2, 2016
First of all I must make a confession. Yes, I'm biased. Not because I know the author or anything – because I don't. No, it's because I love the voice and character of Tara. Her POV is often delightful and always insightful. I have a feeling you too will fall in love with Tara, and then you, like me, will be looking forward to all the books in this series. Fast paced, easy to read, and a real page turner.
Displaying 1 - 14 of 14 reviews