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The Gray Eyes Series #1
Crossing the Barrier
High school can be hell.
Especially for empath and band geek Lily Morgan. The only way she manages to survive with her sanity intact is by shielding from the emotions of people around her. But when Malakai Thomas, the star wide receiver and her secret crush, barrels into her in the hallway, she suddenly loses what makes high school bearable, sending her already complicated life into a tailspin.
Ever since he saw her across the hallway in freshman year, Malakai has had eyes for only one Lily. Inadvertently tackling her to the ground while running inside of school was not how he thought their first meeting would go. Now, he can’t get Lily out of his head. Something draws him in, something that gives him no other option than to pursue her.
But can they cross the social barriers of high school to be together?
If you enjoy young love with a touch of the supernatural, you won't want to miss this!
Especially for empath and band geek Lily Morgan. The only way she manages to survive with her sanity intact is by shielding from the emotions of people around her. But when Malakai Thomas, the star wide receiver and her secret crush, barrels into her in the hallway, she suddenly loses what makes high school bearable, sending her already complicated life into a tailspin.
Ever since he saw her across the hallway in freshman year, Malakai has had eyes for only one Lily. Inadvertently tackling her to the ground while running inside of school was not how he thought their first meeting would go. Now, he can’t get Lily out of his head. Something draws him in, something that gives him no other option than to pursue her.
But can they cross the social barriers of high school to be together?
If you enjoy young love with a touch of the supernatural, you won't want to miss this!
375 pages, Kindle Edition
First published March 22, 2016
197 people are currently reading
834 people want to read
About the author
Martine Lewis
8 books43 followersMartine Lewis is a forty something who was born and raised in the French speaking province of Quebec, Canada. She spent her childhood looking forward to her summer vacations at the farm, which were a nice escape from the suburbs where she lived.
Her first written endeavor was a 200-page handwritten Duran Duran bandfiction which she wrote when she was eleven years old. Of all her written work, this is the only one she no longer has.
All throughout high school, Martine wrote more bandfictions and some original work, then she went to write fanfictions in the Star Wars, Buffy and Harry Potter universes. Her fanficiton in the Potterverse are mostly centered on characters of her own creation and can be found on fanfiction.net.
Following her viewing of Roswell on Netflix in 2012, Martine wrote book two and three of the Gray Eyes Series, then went on to create the Gray Eyes Series universe in which she has been playing ever since. She writes contemporary coming-of-age romance fiction (young adult/new adult) with a twist.
Martine is an avid reader and rollerskater. She loves sushi, hot chocolate on a cold day, and the beach. But what she loves above all else is to curl on her chair with her computer and write more stories for her readers.
Martine currently lives in Houston TX with her two cats.
Her first written endeavor was a 200-page handwritten Duran Duran bandfiction which she wrote when she was eleven years old. Of all her written work, this is the only one she no longer has.
All throughout high school, Martine wrote more bandfictions and some original work, then she went to write fanfictions in the Star Wars, Buffy and Harry Potter universes. Her fanficiton in the Potterverse are mostly centered on characters of her own creation and can be found on fanfiction.net.
Following her viewing of Roswell on Netflix in 2012, Martine wrote book two and three of the Gray Eyes Series, then went on to create the Gray Eyes Series universe in which she has been playing ever since. She writes contemporary coming-of-age romance fiction (young adult/new adult) with a twist.
Martine is an avid reader and rollerskater. She loves sushi, hot chocolate on a cold day, and the beach. But what she loves above all else is to curl on her chair with her computer and write more stories for her readers.
Martine currently lives in Houston TX with her two cats.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 53 reviews
March 24, 2016
Book – Crossing The Barrier
Series – The Gray Eyes Series #1
Author – Martine Lewis
Publication Date – March 22, 2016
Genre – YA Romance
Rating – 4.5 out of 5 Stars
Complimentary copy generously provided by the author in exchange for an honest review.
My Thoughts - Story
I am not a big fan of YA Romance books unless the characters are running from zombies or are in a fantasy land fighting evil creatures, but this book absolutely blew me away.
This being a first time I have read this author, I was extremely impressed by her artistic talents of developing characters, describing everything to a “T” and just taking the reader through a spectacular journey of love, hurt and protection.
Don’t even get me started on the characters – I instantly connected with both Lily and Malakai and found myself rooting for these two.
I think I have definitely found a new author that will be added to my “One-Click” author list!!
Reason for Reading – Author Request/Blog Tour
Story – 5 out of 5 Stars
Steam – N/A
Angst – 5 out of 5 Stars
Writing – 5 out of 5 Stars
Content Flow – 4.5 out of 5 Stars
Would Read More from Author? - Definitely
Recommend To – Everyone!
For more Reviews, Free E-books and Giveaways
Series – The Gray Eyes Series #1
Author – Martine Lewis
Publication Date – March 22, 2016
Genre – YA Romance
Rating – 4.5 out of 5 Stars
Complimentary copy generously provided by the author in exchange for an honest review.
My Thoughts - Story
I am not a big fan of YA Romance books unless the characters are running from zombies or are in a fantasy land fighting evil creatures, but this book absolutely blew me away.
This being a first time I have read this author, I was extremely impressed by her artistic talents of developing characters, describing everything to a “T” and just taking the reader through a spectacular journey of love, hurt and protection.
Don’t even get me started on the characters – I instantly connected with both Lily and Malakai and found myself rooting for these two.
I think I have definitely found a new author that will be added to my “One-Click” author list!!
Reason for Reading – Author Request/Blog Tour
Story – 5 out of 5 Stars
Steam – N/A
Angst – 5 out of 5 Stars
Writing – 5 out of 5 Stars
Content Flow – 4.5 out of 5 Stars
Would Read More from Author? - Definitely
Recommend To – Everyone!
For more Reviews, Free E-books and Giveaways
August 25, 2016
http://angelerin.blogspot.com/2016/08...
Crossing the Barrier is a book that intrigued me from the moment I saw it on Goodreads. In the summary it says that Lily can feel everyone's emotions and I really wanted to read more about that. I find the whole empath thing really fascinating and I am so happy that it is done well in the book!
#HowWouldYouLikeToFeelEveryonesEmotions?
This story is a better than I expected it to be. I really like Lily's and Malakai's characters, even though Lily did start to annoy me near the end of the book. It wasn't her character exactly, just the decisions she kept making seemed ridiculous to me. Also, I don't know who infuriated me more Beatrice or Wes! The author does a great job of making you feel for Lily and Malakai's characters that's for sure. I love when you really feel for the characters in a story.
#IFeelForYouBro
So here is where I have to be really honest about this book. I loved it, I really did. However, it's so CORNY. Don't get me wrong, I am a fan of corny if it's still a good book. That's how it is with Crossing the Barrier. It's super cheesy, but gosh it is so addicting and entertaining. Oh and that ENDING!!! It really made me desperate to read the next one. I need more information ASAP!!
#CornyButAddicting
Overall Crossing the Barrier has a few issues (corny being the main one), but I still enjoyed it immensely. In a way this book reminded me of Twilight even though the two stories are very different. I feel that it's similar in the way that there are some noticeable issues, but the writing is very captivating and fun. I can't wait to read book two and see what will happen next.
#NeedBookTwoNow
I recommend Crossing the Barrier for fans of the Twilight series, Lux series, The Mortal Instruments series, and the House of Night series.
#BasicallyForAllYAParanormalLovers
Crossing the Barrier is a book that intrigued me from the moment I saw it on Goodreads. In the summary it says that Lily can feel everyone's emotions and I really wanted to read more about that. I find the whole empath thing really fascinating and I am so happy that it is done well in the book!
#HowWouldYouLikeToFeelEveryonesEmotions?
This story is a better than I expected it to be. I really like Lily's and Malakai's characters, even though Lily did start to annoy me near the end of the book. It wasn't her character exactly, just the decisions she kept making seemed ridiculous to me. Also, I don't know who infuriated me more Beatrice or Wes! The author does a great job of making you feel for Lily and Malakai's characters that's for sure. I love when you really feel for the characters in a story.
#IFeelForYouBro
So here is where I have to be really honest about this book. I loved it, I really did. However, it's so CORNY. Don't get me wrong, I am a fan of corny if it's still a good book. That's how it is with Crossing the Barrier. It's super cheesy, but gosh it is so addicting and entertaining. Oh and that ENDING!!! It really made me desperate to read the next one. I need more information ASAP!!
#CornyButAddicting
Overall Crossing the Barrier has a few issues (corny being the main one), but I still enjoyed it immensely. In a way this book reminded me of Twilight even though the two stories are very different. I feel that it's similar in the way that there are some noticeable issues, but the writing is very captivating and fun. I can't wait to read book two and see what will happen next.
#NeedBookTwoNow
I recommend Crossing the Barrier for fans of the Twilight series, Lux series, The Mortal Instruments series, and the House of Night series.
#BasicallyForAllYAParanormalLovers
May 4, 2016
**** 4 Cranky Stars ****
Once again I came across a gem. I read this one in seven hours (would have been less if I didn’t have to do real life duties!) and absolutely loved it.
This is a YA romance/paranormal about Lily, a young empath who faces high school drama on a daily basis as well as deals with her own problems at home. Her loving father had died and left their family home in her name. That didn’t sit well with her adoptive mother at all...in fact, her mother absolutely hates her. Having to deal with all those negative emotions everyday as a normal person is hard enough, let alone braving it all as an empath who lost her ability to shield herself against everyone else’s feelings.
Thankfully, Lily has great friends in Sandra and David who were like her rock and anchor during her times of need. I wish I had a friend like Sandra...everyone needs a Sandra in their lives!
Then we meet Malakai, the quarterback who fell in love with our geeky clarinettist.
I have almost forgotten about the paranormal aspect of the story as I was swept away by the numerous turmoil thrown at the young couple. Events and drama kept coming one after the other which seemed intent on tearing the young lovers apart until I just wanted to shout “Stop it! Leave them be!” to the author.
The pacing of the story kept me glued to my ebook reader. The suspense kept me constantly on the edge hoping Lily and Malakai would survive yet another obstacle in their way, only to find myself hanging on for dear life after a very short reprieve. Yet there were also tender moments that warmed my heart and brought a smile or two to my lips.
Then just when I thought the story was finished with a beautiful happily ever after, the author reminded me that this was just the first book of a potentially intriguing paranormal series! WELL! I will definitely watch out for the next book in the series.
http://twistedbookcur.blogspot.ch/201...
April 13, 2016
Read this review and more at The Bohemian Housewife Blog
I loved the idea of this book. The main character can feel other people emotions, and you can just imagine the impact that has on her high school life. To my surprise the paranormal aspects of this book aren't the central focus point; they're more of a side issue. I expected it to play more of a part in the story. I still love the effect it had on the story. In my opinion, her powers set her connections with people in stone; they had to be transparent, even if they didn't know what she could do. I think the next book will involve more of the influences of her capabilities; Which makes me especially excited.
The main focus point of book one was Malakai and Lily's relationship. It's a rollercoaster. Let's just say it isn't a young adult/new adult book without a lot of misunderstandings and angst. Crossing the Barrier isn't your typical high school romance. The fact the characters have no choice but to be transparent helps you build a strong feel for all the side characters in the book; That teamed with a touch of unexpected drama that actually had very little to do with Lily's abilities made for an exciting ride. The twists always caught me when I least suspected it. Once I thought how the book was going it, spun around and became something completely different; Even on the final page, I was sent through a hoop.
While I enjoyed this book, I did have a slight issue with the vocabulary. The characters seemed a bit too adult in some parts or use language I didn't think fit well with a person of that age. I would say that's solely because I read a lot of YA/NA now and that always sticks out to me. I am bouncing between 4 or 4.5 stars because of this. The epilogue really pushed it up for me I'm truly excited to see where the next book goes. It's going to be a long wait until September! If you like YA/NA paranormal romance, you'll probably like this book.
I loved the idea of this book. The main character can feel other people emotions, and you can just imagine the impact that has on her high school life. To my surprise the paranormal aspects of this book aren't the central focus point; they're more of a side issue. I expected it to play more of a part in the story. I still love the effect it had on the story. In my opinion, her powers set her connections with people in stone; they had to be transparent, even if they didn't know what she could do. I think the next book will involve more of the influences of her capabilities; Which makes me especially excited.
The main focus point of book one was Malakai and Lily's relationship. It's a rollercoaster. Let's just say it isn't a young adult/new adult book without a lot of misunderstandings and angst. Crossing the Barrier isn't your typical high school romance. The fact the characters have no choice but to be transparent helps you build a strong feel for all the side characters in the book; That teamed with a touch of unexpected drama that actually had very little to do with Lily's abilities made for an exciting ride. The twists always caught me when I least suspected it. Once I thought how the book was going it, spun around and became something completely different; Even on the final page, I was sent through a hoop.
While I enjoyed this book, I did have a slight issue with the vocabulary. The characters seemed a bit too adult in some parts or use language I didn't think fit well with a person of that age. I would say that's solely because I read a lot of YA/NA now and that always sticks out to me. I am bouncing between 4 or 4.5 stars because of this. The epilogue really pushed it up for me I'm truly excited to see where the next book goes. It's going to be a long wait until September! If you like YA/NA paranormal romance, you'll probably like this book.
March 9, 2016
WOW!!!! When I started to read Crossing the Barrier. I couldn't put down the book at all. I laughed, cried, and was on my seat throughout the whole book.
This is first book that I read by Martine Lewis. I loved it every page I turned too. I love how much strength that Lily has in her. I love how much Malakai wants to protect Lily from everything she has to deal with. If you love books like this then it's the book for you. I would recommend this book to everyone to read. <3 <3
Review by Chantelle
This is first book that I read by Martine Lewis. I loved it every page I turned too. I love how much strength that Lily has in her. I love how much Malakai wants to protect Lily from everything she has to deal with. If you love books like this then it's the book for you. I would recommend this book to everyone to read. <3 <3
Review by Chantelle
March 6, 2016
Review to be added soon...
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May 18, 2016
Find more of my reviews at Books, Stars, and the Pages in Between
**I received a copy from the author in exchange for an honest review**
I have found a true gem of a story. This book is a complete breath of fresh air!
When Malakai Thomas accidentally rams right into Lily Morgan, he triggers an unknown event in Lily's life: taking away her ability to shield. Without her ability to block everyone else's emotions, Lily finds herself struggling to stay on her feet, overwhelmed by onslaught of emotions in her head from others. But as Lily and Malakai's feelings grow for one another, they must find a way to triumph over social high school life their own individual secrets and demons...
Lily was a very human character, one easy to connect to and root for. She went through highs and lows like any normal person, and her ability as an empath created a sense of excitement and unpredictability to the plot. Right from the beginning of the book, we were introduced to Lily's strange ability to feel the emotions of others, and the importance of being able to shield herself from other people's emotions in order to function properly. And like any good book, the first thing that happens is that she loses this ability, thrusting her into a life no longer under her control. And if her situation wasn't bad enough, Lily was also forced to deal with her emotionally abusive mother, Beatrice, who was constantly trying to get rid of Lily by pressuring her to marry a young man of Beatrice's choosing in order to salvage her own supposedly tarnished reputation. The author perfectly captured the struggles Lily had, unable to protect herself from the pure hatred emitting from Beatrice's mind, as well as the less-than-favourable emotions from some of her classmates. But what also came with her heightened emotion reading also came a beautiful romance between herself and Malakai, and that really stole the show. She could feel Malakai's emotions towards her, which fuelled her own.
In the beginning, I was wary of Malakai since he was described as a star football player, but was relieved to see he was nothing like the stereotypical thick-headed football player characters I always read about. Though there were no cheerleaders, there still were preps, and with them, some downright nasty people who were the ones stereotyping everyone else. Malakai was quick to show that he, and the rest of the school, were not to be stereotyped at all; everyone was their own individual person, simply sharing passions like sports or music. Malakai really challenged these supposed notions, refusing to be used or paired up according to student social expectations. His actions really proved that he could tell good friends from bad friends, and went to lengths to avoid those people and be with whoever he wanted to. What had to be the best trait about Malakai was his fierce desire to be there for Lily for any and all occasions and support her. And with a backstory like his, with his absent parents, it's only natural Malakai would gravitate towards wanting to always be there for Lily. It complemented the plot and Malakai's character perfectly, making him a great character to read about, and so easy to fall in love with. He's the type of guy every girl dreams of scoring, myself included!
The writing was very strong: lush, flowing, and easy to follow. I enjoyed all the side characters like David and Sandra, and their roles in the plot both for essential and supportive roles. There was a great blend of peer/student support and adult support, along with social rules and legal rules. It's a contemporary love story with a twist to keep things interesting and unique, and with that ending, will leave you both satisfied and intrigued for the next one. I can't wait to get my hands on the next one!
**I received a copy from the author in exchange for an honest review**
I have found a true gem of a story. This book is a complete breath of fresh air!
When Malakai Thomas accidentally rams right into Lily Morgan, he triggers an unknown event in Lily's life: taking away her ability to shield. Without her ability to block everyone else's emotions, Lily finds herself struggling to stay on her feet, overwhelmed by onslaught of emotions in her head from others. But as Lily and Malakai's feelings grow for one another, they must find a way to triumph over social high school life their own individual secrets and demons...
Lily was a very human character, one easy to connect to and root for. She went through highs and lows like any normal person, and her ability as an empath created a sense of excitement and unpredictability to the plot. Right from the beginning of the book, we were introduced to Lily's strange ability to feel the emotions of others, and the importance of being able to shield herself from other people's emotions in order to function properly. And like any good book, the first thing that happens is that she loses this ability, thrusting her into a life no longer under her control. And if her situation wasn't bad enough, Lily was also forced to deal with her emotionally abusive mother, Beatrice, who was constantly trying to get rid of Lily by pressuring her to marry a young man of Beatrice's choosing in order to salvage her own supposedly tarnished reputation. The author perfectly captured the struggles Lily had, unable to protect herself from the pure hatred emitting from Beatrice's mind, as well as the less-than-favourable emotions from some of her classmates. But what also came with her heightened emotion reading also came a beautiful romance between herself and Malakai, and that really stole the show. She could feel Malakai's emotions towards her, which fuelled her own.
In the beginning, I was wary of Malakai since he was described as a star football player, but was relieved to see he was nothing like the stereotypical thick-headed football player characters I always read about. Though there were no cheerleaders, there still were preps, and with them, some downright nasty people who were the ones stereotyping everyone else. Malakai was quick to show that he, and the rest of the school, were not to be stereotyped at all; everyone was their own individual person, simply sharing passions like sports or music. Malakai really challenged these supposed notions, refusing to be used or paired up according to student social expectations. His actions really proved that he could tell good friends from bad friends, and went to lengths to avoid those people and be with whoever he wanted to. What had to be the best trait about Malakai was his fierce desire to be there for Lily for any and all occasions and support her. And with a backstory like his, with his absent parents, it's only natural Malakai would gravitate towards wanting to always be there for Lily. It complemented the plot and Malakai's character perfectly, making him a great character to read about, and so easy to fall in love with. He's the type of guy every girl dreams of scoring, myself included!
The writing was very strong: lush, flowing, and easy to follow. I enjoyed all the side characters like David and Sandra, and their roles in the plot both for essential and supportive roles. There was a great blend of peer/student support and adult support, along with social rules and legal rules. It's a contemporary love story with a twist to keep things interesting and unique, and with that ending, will leave you both satisfied and intrigued for the next one. I can't wait to get my hands on the next one!
October 12, 2016
http://www.platypire.com/j-hooligan/c...
I picked this book up when it was free on Amazon, and I've heard good things from a couple of my friends. When I heard there was going to be a blog tour I decided to jump on it.
Although I wasn't instantly connecting with the book, it eventually grabbed me. My biggest issue was with its flow. It felt a little too wordy, making it harder for me to get emotionally attached in certain situations.
There are certain aspects about this story that I absolutely loved. I wish I could give some of the people giant shiny star stickers for how they handled a particular situation. It was great and I wish I could explain it, but spoilers. Just know that I actually put my kindle down and clapped.
There's some cheesy stuff, but it's nothing I couldn't handle. Besides, who doesn't like cheese? Crazy people!
One major thing that needs to be brought up... I was recently discussing with some of my friends how sports books do not contain POC, and this one is literally the only one I could think of - and I've read a number of them - where the players (especially the main characters) weren't all white. That gives this book a major plus.
...Also it's paranormal. That's my favorite genre!
I enjoyed this book and I am interested in continuing the series.
I picked this book up when it was free on Amazon, and I've heard good things from a couple of my friends. When I heard there was going to be a blog tour I decided to jump on it.
Although I wasn't instantly connecting with the book, it eventually grabbed me. My biggest issue was with its flow. It felt a little too wordy, making it harder for me to get emotionally attached in certain situations.
There are certain aspects about this story that I absolutely loved. I wish I could give some of the people giant shiny star stickers for how they handled a particular situation. It was great and I wish I could explain it, but spoilers. Just know that I actually put my kindle down and clapped.
There's some cheesy stuff, but it's nothing I couldn't handle. Besides, who doesn't like cheese? Crazy people!
One major thing that needs to be brought up... I was recently discussing with some of my friends how sports books do not contain POC, and this one is literally the only one I could think of - and I've read a number of them - where the players (especially the main characters) weren't all white. That gives this book a major plus.
...Also it's paranormal. That's my favorite genre!
I enjoyed this book and I am interested in continuing the series.
March 25, 2016
Used to wonder how a book can be both realistic fiction and at the same time belong to the paranormal genre. This one was both..though I prefer to think of it as more realistic..
It was a very good book and it was obvious that the author loved her characters.. Sandra and her family were the glue sticking the story together.. Without them I don't know what would have happened to Lilly and Malakaki..
It was a very good book and it was obvious that the author loved her characters.. Sandra and her family were the glue sticking the story together.. Without them I don't know what would have happened to Lilly and Malakaki..
August 7, 2018
Good start
I like the idea behind the story but found the victimized, weak heroine a bit hard to take. The insta love connection was also to syrupy for me. Good idea but I’ll pass on the rest of the series.
I like the idea behind the story but found the victimized, weak heroine a bit hard to take. The insta love connection was also to syrupy for me. Good idea but I’ll pass on the rest of the series.
July 12, 2016
Review to come
January 8, 2020
So, I have to be honest. I’m really disappointed in this book. I thought it had a really promising intro and I was excited about the series, but then I started reading the book. I came back to it multiple times. I had a really hard time reading it. There was lots of issues I found with this book not including grammatical errors and typos.
First, the author skipped over days, weeks, and months. It was crazy I was like slow down I barely even know if I like this guy Malakai she is seeing yet and you are skipping all this in between time.
Second, the love bug hit way too fast! I was like what!? I’m not ready for that. When did this happen?
Thirdly, the main character Lilly kept throwing me off with all this weakness the author developed her with. I mean it was making me mad. Women are powerful. I mean we have female cops, military officers, and all kinds of self independent female role models out there. Just because this story is based in high school doesn’t mean she has to be presented as weak.
I really don’t think I will finish this series. I’m sorry but I wouldn’t read this again or recommend it. 3.1
First, the author skipped over days, weeks, and months. It was crazy I was like slow down I barely even know if I like this guy Malakai she is seeing yet and you are skipping all this in between time.
Second, the love bug hit way too fast! I was like what!? I’m not ready for that. When did this happen?
Thirdly, the main character Lilly kept throwing me off with all this weakness the author developed her with. I mean it was making me mad. Women are powerful. I mean we have female cops, military officers, and all kinds of self independent female role models out there. Just because this story is based in high school doesn’t mean she has to be presented as weak.
I really don’t think I will finish this series. I’m sorry but I wouldn’t read this again or recommend it. 3.1
September 7, 2016
Crossing the Barrier by Martine Lewis
Book #1: The Gray Eyes Series
Source: Purchase
My Rating: 4½/5 stars
My Review:
When I initially read the synopsis for this book, I really didn’t think it would be a read for me and then I met Martine Lewis, interviewed her for my blog, and thought maybe I should give Crossing the Barrier a shot. Holy wow! I am so glad I gave this book a chance. Talk about a surprise!
At it its core, Crossing the Barrier is all about its characters and everything is driven by these well-developed and completely interesting people. It’s not easy to create a real person in a book but Martine Lewis has managed to do so and her characters carry every aspect of this read right on through from beginning to end. Here’s the roll call:
Lily: Lily Morgan isn’t like the other kids. Since birth, Lily has been able to channel other people’s emotions and if she doesn’t have her well-developed shields in place, she can be overwhelmed by the emotions and thoughts coming from those around her. When you’re in high school, those emotions and thoughts are often erratic and intense and until the minute Malakai Thomas slammed into her (literally!) she was able to hold the emotions at bay. Now, Lily is going to have to call on all her reserves and the help of her best friend to survive each day. To make her life far, far worse, Lily lives with the single most horrible human being on Earth, her stepmother, a woman who has never hidden her total and complete hatred of Lily.
Malakai Thomas: What a good kid! Like Lily, Malakai doesn’t have the best home life but he makes the best of what he has. When most kids would take advantage of their parent’s frequent absences, Malakai does not. He is responsible, kind, has a strong sense of right and wrong, and though he is exceedingly popular, he doesn’t give into the peer pressure that is near-constant. In fact, once Malakai meets Lily and really gets to know her, he goes totally against what his “friends” want and begins to date the band geek.
David: In so many ways and on so many levels do I love this kid! David is Lily’s best friend’s older brother and he is just a genuinely good guy. Like his sister, David knows about Lily and her abilities and is fiercely protective of her. In fact, if Malakai weren’t so into Lily, David would be next in line to date her and be proud to do so. At every turn, David is right there for his friends and family and won’t let anyone stand in his way when someone needs his help. David is a support system for those around him and never once does he complain about being so.
Beatrice: Not everyone in Crossing the Barrier is good and Beatrice is a shining example of awful. Halfway through this book, I contacted Martine Lewis and asked if she would kindly kill off Beatrice in some truly wretched, horrible, and awful way. Now that Lily’s dad is gone, Beatrice doesn’t bother hiding her hatred of Lily. In fact, Beatrice truly has no concern at all for Lily and that is abundantly clear in her every word and action. With each encounter, I hated Beatrice a little more and was disappointed to not know what happened to her at the end of the read. Yes, I was truly hoping for a truly spectacular end to this cow. Maybe next time around . . .
As all the above characters – and a host of others – interact with one another and tell their stories, the plot unfolds and evolves. While Lily’s lack of shields is the major plot line, there are other things going on as well including the sudden reappearance of Malakai’s mother, the devolution of Beatrice, and Lily and Malakai’s budding relationship. There is so much interaction and conversation that the plot really moves along at a swift pace and gives both the characters and reader very little down time.
The Bottom Line: Crossing the Barrier was a quite a pleasant surprise for me and with the exception of a few wonky things, this is a book that is well worth the time and effort. The wonky things for me included Malakai’s mother and what her real purpose is as it isn’t quite explained and the fate of a few of the characters such as Beatrice, Wes, and Zoe. To be sure, the wonky things are minor and are far outweighed by the good things. This is a solidly written read with fully-developed characters that all come together in such a smooth and effortless way. You really don’t notice this book is just shy of 400 pages once things get rolling and you become attached to the characters. In all, Crossing the Barrier is an excellent start to what should be a truly exciting series.
Book #1: The Gray Eyes Series
Source: Purchase
My Rating: 4½/5 stars
My Review:
When I initially read the synopsis for this book, I really didn’t think it would be a read for me and then I met Martine Lewis, interviewed her for my blog, and thought maybe I should give Crossing the Barrier a shot. Holy wow! I am so glad I gave this book a chance. Talk about a surprise!
At it its core, Crossing the Barrier is all about its characters and everything is driven by these well-developed and completely interesting people. It’s not easy to create a real person in a book but Martine Lewis has managed to do so and her characters carry every aspect of this read right on through from beginning to end. Here’s the roll call:
Lily: Lily Morgan isn’t like the other kids. Since birth, Lily has been able to channel other people’s emotions and if she doesn’t have her well-developed shields in place, she can be overwhelmed by the emotions and thoughts coming from those around her. When you’re in high school, those emotions and thoughts are often erratic and intense and until the minute Malakai Thomas slammed into her (literally!) she was able to hold the emotions at bay. Now, Lily is going to have to call on all her reserves and the help of her best friend to survive each day. To make her life far, far worse, Lily lives with the single most horrible human being on Earth, her stepmother, a woman who has never hidden her total and complete hatred of Lily.
Malakai Thomas: What a good kid! Like Lily, Malakai doesn’t have the best home life but he makes the best of what he has. When most kids would take advantage of their parent’s frequent absences, Malakai does not. He is responsible, kind, has a strong sense of right and wrong, and though he is exceedingly popular, he doesn’t give into the peer pressure that is near-constant. In fact, once Malakai meets Lily and really gets to know her, he goes totally against what his “friends” want and begins to date the band geek.
David: In so many ways and on so many levels do I love this kid! David is Lily’s best friend’s older brother and he is just a genuinely good guy. Like his sister, David knows about Lily and her abilities and is fiercely protective of her. In fact, if Malakai weren’t so into Lily, David would be next in line to date her and be proud to do so. At every turn, David is right there for his friends and family and won’t let anyone stand in his way when someone needs his help. David is a support system for those around him and never once does he complain about being so.
Beatrice: Not everyone in Crossing the Barrier is good and Beatrice is a shining example of awful. Halfway through this book, I contacted Martine Lewis and asked if she would kindly kill off Beatrice in some truly wretched, horrible, and awful way. Now that Lily’s dad is gone, Beatrice doesn’t bother hiding her hatred of Lily. In fact, Beatrice truly has no concern at all for Lily and that is abundantly clear in her every word and action. With each encounter, I hated Beatrice a little more and was disappointed to not know what happened to her at the end of the read. Yes, I was truly hoping for a truly spectacular end to this cow. Maybe next time around . . .
As all the above characters – and a host of others – interact with one another and tell their stories, the plot unfolds and evolves. While Lily’s lack of shields is the major plot line, there are other things going on as well including the sudden reappearance of Malakai’s mother, the devolution of Beatrice, and Lily and Malakai’s budding relationship. There is so much interaction and conversation that the plot really moves along at a swift pace and gives both the characters and reader very little down time.
The Bottom Line: Crossing the Barrier was a quite a pleasant surprise for me and with the exception of a few wonky things, this is a book that is well worth the time and effort. The wonky things for me included Malakai’s mother and what her real purpose is as it isn’t quite explained and the fate of a few of the characters such as Beatrice, Wes, and Zoe. To be sure, the wonky things are minor and are far outweighed by the good things. This is a solidly written read with fully-developed characters that all come together in such a smooth and effortless way. You really don’t notice this book is just shy of 400 pages once things get rolling and you become attached to the characters. In all, Crossing the Barrier is an excellent start to what should be a truly exciting series.
August 23, 2016
Review originally posted on Rach Lawrence Books.
*I was provided a copy of Crossing the Barrier by the author in exchange for an honest review. I am not compensated for my honest opinion.*
Lily Morgan and Malakai Thomas couldn’t be more different as high school students. Lily is a clarinetist in the band, and Malakai is the star wide receiver of the football team. Their worlds don’t fit together. Yet when Malakai bumps into Lily and puts her in the hospital with a head injury, the two can’t get each other out of their minds. Lily has the ability to feel everyone’s emotions around her, and her ability to shield out this talent is lost after her injury. The growing attraction between these coming of age students is tested by the collision of the differences between their social circles, and Lily and Malakai must learn to navigate these potholes and fight to stay together.
Crossing the Barrier is a well-written coming of age story with great lessons for young adult readers. It provides an intense look at social stigmas and diversity. I loved the addition of Malakai’s racial mixture, that it wasn’t one hundred percent apparent but it did play a role in the story. The characters were relatively well-developed, and the attraction was set at a decent pace.
The story moved a little too slowly for me and contained a lot of cliché tropes: neither character having the guts to admit their feelings, getting interrupted when trying to talk about feelings, deciding something for the other character. Perhaps a young adult will relate better to these issues, but as an adult who enjoys reading Young Adult novels, this one just didn’t hit home for me. Some plot points were too over the top to be believable, and although I can set aside certain beliefs for fiction, the extremities of this story made me lose interest at times.
The paranormal aspect was minimal within the story, which made its inclusion somewhat awkward. Lily was able to feel the emotions of those around her, giving her somewhat of a truth barometer. After her collision with Malakai, she lost the ability to shield herself from people’s emotions, resulting in her being overwrought with emotions when in public. But this wasn’t tied to the plot too deeply until the end of the story, mostly as a setup for the next book.
Overall, the book just missed having any type of wow factor for me. The writing was good and it was edited well, which is something that is sorely lacking in many novels these days so that was a plus. It just didn’t have enough holding it together for it to make a positive impression.
*I was provided a copy of Crossing the Barrier by the author in exchange for an honest review. I am not compensated for my honest opinion.*
Lily Morgan and Malakai Thomas couldn’t be more different as high school students. Lily is a clarinetist in the band, and Malakai is the star wide receiver of the football team. Their worlds don’t fit together. Yet when Malakai bumps into Lily and puts her in the hospital with a head injury, the two can’t get each other out of their minds. Lily has the ability to feel everyone’s emotions around her, and her ability to shield out this talent is lost after her injury. The growing attraction between these coming of age students is tested by the collision of the differences between their social circles, and Lily and Malakai must learn to navigate these potholes and fight to stay together.
Crossing the Barrier is a well-written coming of age story with great lessons for young adult readers. It provides an intense look at social stigmas and diversity. I loved the addition of Malakai’s racial mixture, that it wasn’t one hundred percent apparent but it did play a role in the story. The characters were relatively well-developed, and the attraction was set at a decent pace.
The story moved a little too slowly for me and contained a lot of cliché tropes: neither character having the guts to admit their feelings, getting interrupted when trying to talk about feelings, deciding something for the other character. Perhaps a young adult will relate better to these issues, but as an adult who enjoys reading Young Adult novels, this one just didn’t hit home for me. Some plot points were too over the top to be believable, and although I can set aside certain beliefs for fiction, the extremities of this story made me lose interest at times.
The paranormal aspect was minimal within the story, which made its inclusion somewhat awkward. Lily was able to feel the emotions of those around her, giving her somewhat of a truth barometer. After her collision with Malakai, she lost the ability to shield herself from people’s emotions, resulting in her being overwrought with emotions when in public. But this wasn’t tied to the plot too deeply until the end of the story, mostly as a setup for the next book.
Overall, the book just missed having any type of wow factor for me. The writing was good and it was edited well, which is something that is sorely lacking in many novels these days so that was a plus. It just didn’t have enough holding it together for it to make a positive impression.
February 5, 2017
I voluntarily reviewed an Advance Reader Copy of this book for Fallen for Books.
Crossing the Barrier is the first book in The Gray Eyes Series by Martine Lewis. I will admit I was a little skeptical about this book when I read the synopsis – paranormal elements always make me wonder whether or not I am going to like it. I am incredibly glad I didn’t let that deter me this time. This book very honestly blew me away! I was hooked from the first few pages! I don’t know if it was the characters or the fact that I could somewhat relate to Lily and Sandra’s life as I also played Clarinet in high school in marching band and almost every other opportunity available. I started it around 10pm and finished it before 10am the next morning. I lost a few hours of sleep thanks to this book!
Lily Morgan is a band geek as determined by the majority of the school. She is very successful and is the soloist in the marching band performance. She mostly keeps to herself other than her best friend Sandra. She has had a crush on the football team’s star wide receiver since she first saw him freshman year.
Malakai Thomas is arguably one of the most popular guys in school. However, he is not the typical jock. He cares about his grades, has a plan B in case plan A doesn’t work out, and doesn’t love to party like some of his teammates. He has secretly has had his eyes on a petite brunette he first saw the first day of freshman year.
What happens when Lily and Malakai’s worlds collide – literally? Can they break through the high school social norms where football players are supposed to avoid band geeks? Can Malakai come to terms with what makes Lily truly special?
I really enjoyed this book and would love to see what the rest of the series has in store. Especially the way this story ended! Seriously a fun read! I definitely recommend!
Crossing the Barrier is the first book in The Gray Eyes Series by Martine Lewis. I will admit I was a little skeptical about this book when I read the synopsis – paranormal elements always make me wonder whether or not I am going to like it. I am incredibly glad I didn’t let that deter me this time. This book very honestly blew me away! I was hooked from the first few pages! I don’t know if it was the characters or the fact that I could somewhat relate to Lily and Sandra’s life as I also played Clarinet in high school in marching band and almost every other opportunity available. I started it around 10pm and finished it before 10am the next morning. I lost a few hours of sleep thanks to this book!
Lily Morgan is a band geek as determined by the majority of the school. She is very successful and is the soloist in the marching band performance. She mostly keeps to herself other than her best friend Sandra. She has had a crush on the football team’s star wide receiver since she first saw him freshman year.
Malakai Thomas is arguably one of the most popular guys in school. However, he is not the typical jock. He cares about his grades, has a plan B in case plan A doesn’t work out, and doesn’t love to party like some of his teammates. He has secretly has had his eyes on a petite brunette he first saw the first day of freshman year.
What happens when Lily and Malakai’s worlds collide – literally? Can they break through the high school social norms where football players are supposed to avoid band geeks? Can Malakai come to terms with what makes Lily truly special?
I really enjoyed this book and would love to see what the rest of the series has in store. Especially the way this story ended! Seriously a fun read! I definitely recommend!
September 1, 2016
Overall the book was good and not what I expected. We have two people Malakai and Lily who have fears of abandonment and have lost alot. Lily her dad and happiness. Her mother despises her and makes her life miserable. Lily won’t leave her house because it is where she felt the happiest with her dad. Lily does have those who care about her though and they help make her life more bearable. For Malakai his mom left when he was young and although his dad loves him he is absent alot.
There are times when these issues come to the forefront and make them both extremely insecure. Malakai also puts alot on his shoulders. He takes on alot and even when something isn’t his fault he takes it as a failure. He gets this way with Lily alot due to his fears and how much he cares.
The plot I wonder about the most is Wes and Zoey. Wes was Malakai’s best friend and once with Zoey he turned very dark and changed. He lost control of himself and essentially became someone no one knew. I do wonder why and where that story will go. I also wonder about the ending. What is going on and why would Malakai’s relationship be an issue?
The characters have you feel. Zoey to me is not nice. I do think she had something to do with the change in behavior in Wes. Lily’s mom is a piece of work. Charlie is great. Sandra fascinating. David deserves someone to love. Malachai is a leader without trying. He marches to his own drum and does what he is right. He is kind and smart but also very independent but feeling lost. Lily is sweet but is scared. Malachai helps lily feel safe and she helps him feel loved.
The story is well formed and fascinating. The plot is character and emotional driven. the story is of Malakai and Lilly. How they come together, how Malakai discovers what Lily is and accepts her, the issues they face and deal with and where they are going to go. It is also the story of who Lily is and how those around her feels about it and how it affects Lily in the future.
There are times when these issues come to the forefront and make them both extremely insecure. Malakai also puts alot on his shoulders. He takes on alot and even when something isn’t his fault he takes it as a failure. He gets this way with Lily alot due to his fears and how much he cares.
The plot I wonder about the most is Wes and Zoey. Wes was Malakai’s best friend and once with Zoey he turned very dark and changed. He lost control of himself and essentially became someone no one knew. I do wonder why and where that story will go. I also wonder about the ending. What is going on and why would Malakai’s relationship be an issue?
The characters have you feel. Zoey to me is not nice. I do think she had something to do with the change in behavior in Wes. Lily’s mom is a piece of work. Charlie is great. Sandra fascinating. David deserves someone to love. Malachai is a leader without trying. He marches to his own drum and does what he is right. He is kind and smart but also very independent but feeling lost. Lily is sweet but is scared. Malachai helps lily feel safe and she helps him feel loved.
The story is well formed and fascinating. The plot is character and emotional driven. the story is of Malakai and Lilly. How they come together, how Malakai discovers what Lily is and accepts her, the issues they face and deal with and where they are going to go. It is also the story of who Lily is and how those around her feels about it and how it affects Lily in the future.
June 10, 2016
I’ve been hearing good things about this book for quite some time now and so I was really looking forward to reading it. I guess it could be classified as NA Romance with a touch of paranormal which isn’t really my thing. I usually tend to shy away from NA books but I could honestly say I’m glad to have read this one. It’s not like the other NAs that I used to read.
I can say I like all of the characters, the annoying ones included. I like Lily’s strength which is why I was sort of disturbed and a tad disappointed in the way she handled the story’s conflict with regards to Malakai. I like Sandra for being such a good friend to Lily. I like how Malakai stood his ground on things. I like Wes, even if he’s annoying because he makes me curious. I think underneath all that annoying things he did that there’s a bigger thing he’s trying to hide and maybe trying to escape from. But among all of them, it’s actually David I like the most. Partly because somehow I can relate to his situation the most and also because he’s such a great brother and friend.
The story was very interesting. It has caught my interest that I was able to finish reading it through text-to-speech which is the only way for me to be able to read at that time. I have tried reading text-to-speech before but I never quite finish a book through listening through and this is the first time.
I have a few questions regarding Lily’s condition which I’m hopeful to get answered through the next book when it comes out based on how this one ended.
This more like a story of love, friendships, and family which for me is always a plus on a story. I really enjoyed it and I’m looking forward to reading the next book which I think comes out a couple of days before my birthday. Which means, I won’t likely to forget about it.
I can say I like all of the characters, the annoying ones included. I like Lily’s strength which is why I was sort of disturbed and a tad disappointed in the way she handled the story’s conflict with regards to Malakai. I like Sandra for being such a good friend to Lily. I like how Malakai stood his ground on things. I like Wes, even if he’s annoying because he makes me curious. I think underneath all that annoying things he did that there’s a bigger thing he’s trying to hide and maybe trying to escape from. But among all of them, it’s actually David I like the most. Partly because somehow I can relate to his situation the most and also because he’s such a great brother and friend.
The story was very interesting. It has caught my interest that I was able to finish reading it through text-to-speech which is the only way for me to be able to read at that time. I have tried reading text-to-speech before but I never quite finish a book through listening through and this is the first time.
I have a few questions regarding Lily’s condition which I’m hopeful to get answered through the next book when it comes out based on how this one ended.
This more like a story of love, friendships, and family which for me is always a plus on a story. I really enjoyed it and I’m looking forward to reading the next book which I think comes out a couple of days before my birthday. Which means, I won’t likely to forget about it.
Read
June 7, 2016
Lily is an empath. She lost her dad when she was younger and her mom hates her. She's grateful she can shield herself from others emotions, until an accident takes that ability away from her.
Malakai noticed Lily a few years ago. She's in the band and he's on the football team. He doesn't think she'd ever like him. He could never get the nerve to talk to her, until he accidentally bumps into her one day and she lands in the hospital. With the odds and people against them will they be able to make a relationship work?
Wow. There were so many emotions to work through here. Between the two there was loss, abandonment, abuse both mental and physical, fear, and love. It was written in dual pov and very well done. Lily was a very strong girl, of course it helped she could tell what others were feeling. She was persistent though because without her shield she was literally in so much pain she would black out. For being so young and an outcast of sorts, I admired how she persevered trough everything.
Malakai made the perfect match for Lily. He was sweet and caring towards her although very shy at first. He didn't care that his best friend didn't like her just because she was in the band. The connection between them was so strong and the way it was described made you feel it. The writing was truly great. I love the alternate pov and the way this author gets you right into the story as if you're a part of it. I enjoyed reading this and can't wait for book two!
June 30, 2016
I was fascinated from the start with Lily Morgan and her special abilities. She can feel what everyone else is feeling, but she has developed, what she calls, a shield, that can block out the overwhelming and unwelcome sensations of the people that are all around her. She was doing well at school and coping with her gift until the day, Malakai Thomas, collides with her in the hall, and she falls and bangs her head. And suddenly her defence against her gift is no longer working. With her emotions in turmoil, this isn't the right time for her to fall head-over-heels in love with a football star, who until the day he knocked her over, had not noticed she was alive.
Malakai Thomas is one of the golden boys of the school. He is good-looking and popular. He the one others envy. He is the one all the girls swoon over. But he is not interested in cheerleaders or such. Ever since he first laid eyes on her, he has been drawn to the petite, pretty musician, who has the most beautiful eyes he has ever seen.
I loved this book. So much happens, it is not just about first love; it is a deep and an incredibly emotional read. I honestly, could not put this book down when I started to read it. The plot is so full of surprises that each page kept me guessing. I loved the characterisation of Lily and Malakai, the chemistry between the two was so believable and beautifully written. It really was a pleasure to read.
I cannot wait for the next book in the series.
So do yourself a favour and check this book out. You won't be disappointed. I Highly Recommend
Malakai Thomas is one of the golden boys of the school. He is good-looking and popular. He the one others envy. He is the one all the girls swoon over. But he is not interested in cheerleaders or such. Ever since he first laid eyes on her, he has been drawn to the petite, pretty musician, who has the most beautiful eyes he has ever seen.
I loved this book. So much happens, it is not just about first love; it is a deep and an incredibly emotional read. I honestly, could not put this book down when I started to read it. The plot is so full of surprises that each page kept me guessing. I loved the characterisation of Lily and Malakai, the chemistry between the two was so believable and beautifully written. It really was a pleasure to read.
I cannot wait for the next book in the series.
So do yourself a favour and check this book out. You won't be disappointed. I Highly Recommend
July 19, 2016
I really enjoyed this book. The writing style is easy to read and, for the most part, the story flow quickly and keeps the action moving. The characters are well-written and entertaining, the plot is laced with romance, suspense and an air of mystery that keeps you guessing as to what is really going on.
Lily's romance with Malakai is endearing- a football star following his heart and going after the girl in the marching band, despite his crowd's rejection of the idea. As a former marching band member, reading about football games and marching competitions tugged at the strings of my heart.
While, as an adult, it seems like their dependence on each other and reluctance to talk things out when things go wrong seems a little inflated, I fully remember being 17-18 years old and feeling like a boyfriend was the center of my universe and having doubts I was too scared to voice....In other words, this whole romance is totally believable to me and swept me into it completely.
The paranormal aspect was well written- I could feel what Lily felt as I read it. I was very intrigued by mean girl Zoe. It was pretty obvious to me that something out of the norm was going on with her and I was disappointed that that wasn't explored. I am hoping that it will be delved into in book 2 of this series- which I can't wait to read!
The ending was left open and left me begging for more. Great job. I recommend!
Lily's romance with Malakai is endearing- a football star following his heart and going after the girl in the marching band, despite his crowd's rejection of the idea. As a former marching band member, reading about football games and marching competitions tugged at the strings of my heart.
While, as an adult, it seems like their dependence on each other and reluctance to talk things out when things go wrong seems a little inflated, I fully remember being 17-18 years old and feeling like a boyfriend was the center of my universe and having doubts I was too scared to voice....In other words, this whole romance is totally believable to me and swept me into it completely.
The paranormal aspect was well written- I could feel what Lily felt as I read it. I was very intrigued by mean girl Zoe. It was pretty obvious to me that something out of the norm was going on with her and I was disappointed that that wasn't explored. I am hoping that it will be delved into in book 2 of this series- which I can't wait to read!
The ending was left open and left me begging for more. Great job. I recommend!
September 9, 2016
Crossing the Barrier is the first book in the Grey Eyes series, and starts off with Lily who is an empath. She has worked hard on her 'shields' which help negate the effects of feeling everyone's emotions. These shields came into being partly because of the 'loving' relationship she has with her mother. However, a bump on her head loses her those shields and she has to find a way to cope. Malakai is the wide receiver (and yes, I had to google what that was!) and has been fascinated with the pretty clarinet player since Freshman year. However, he never had a chance to speak to her... until he ploughed into her and knocked her off her feet. Theirs is a turbulent relationship, not always because of them, but because of circumstances outside of their control.
This is a very well written YA Romance, that has more of a hint of paranormal about it. The story flows very well, and the characters are solid. There are no grammatical or editing errors to disrupt the reading flow. With hints of mystery, suspense, danger, as well as romance, this is a book that ticks many boxes. If I did half stars, then it would be a 4.5, but I don't, so it isn't ;) However, I do highly recommend this book for anyone who likes High School angst with a hint of paranormal and a dash of romance.
* I received this book from YA Reads in return for a fair and honest review. *
Merissa
Archaeolibrarian - I Dig Good Books!
This is a very well written YA Romance, that has more of a hint of paranormal about it. The story flows very well, and the characters are solid. There are no grammatical or editing errors to disrupt the reading flow. With hints of mystery, suspense, danger, as well as romance, this is a book that ticks many boxes. If I did half stars, then it would be a 4.5, but I don't, so it isn't ;) However, I do highly recommend this book for anyone who likes High School angst with a hint of paranormal and a dash of romance.
* I received this book from YA Reads in return for a fair and honest review. *
Merissa
Archaeolibrarian - I Dig Good Books!
January 5, 2017
This book annoyed the hell out of me. I find it repetitive and bordering ridiculous.
Lily can feel others emotions early on the book she has an accident that left her without the ability of making barriers against other people's emotions, so now she constantly suffers from headaches from being overwhelmed.
Soon enough she meets her love interest and more drama develops, more besides Lily's awful home situation. Now the plot is pretty simple with a cheesy ending and all.
The characters:
Lily was such a victim how can she kept on having hopes for her mother when she could feel all her emotions during 17 years of life, that is delusional and unbelievable hence I couldn't connect with her or any of the other characters.
Malakai (what a strange name ) has his own version of lack-of-spine with Wes his supposedly "BFF". Now Sandra the bestie of Lily was in my opinion far from being a good friend, I couldn't feel her support even though she does some savings, still she was a flat character, her brother David was more lively than her and he was probably the only character I liked.
Even though this is a paranormal read, the plot is mostly focused on Lily's love story which was even more annoying. I did care for Lily or Malakai much less I care for them as a couple. Most of the first half of the book is spend in them trying to surpass the misunderstandings of teenage love stories.
Sooo boring.
Lily can feel others emotions early on the book she has an accident that left her without the ability of making barriers against other people's emotions, so now she constantly suffers from headaches from being overwhelmed.
Soon enough she meets her love interest and more drama develops, more besides Lily's awful home situation. Now the plot is pretty simple with a cheesy ending and all.
The characters:
Lily was such a victim how can she kept on having hopes for her mother when she could feel all her emotions during 17 years of life, that is delusional and unbelievable hence I couldn't connect with her or any of the other characters.
Malakai (what a strange name ) has his own version of lack-of-spine with Wes his supposedly "BFF". Now Sandra the bestie of Lily was in my opinion far from being a good friend, I couldn't feel her support even though she does some savings, still she was a flat character, her brother David was more lively than her and he was probably the only character I liked.
Even though this is a paranormal read, the plot is mostly focused on Lily's love story which was even more annoying. I did care for Lily or Malakai much less I care for them as a couple. Most of the first half of the book is spend in them trying to surpass the misunderstandings of teenage love stories.
Sooo boring.
April 6, 2016
It’s a long time since I was a Young Adult, but this definitely did not stop me from enjoying reading Crossing the Barrier, in fact, I can truthfully say this book kept me awake at night. I could not put it down.
There were so many elements of this book that I loved. I am a HUGE fan of paranormal, so that was #1. All the characters drew a reaction from me. I loved Lily, but I couldn’t help worrying about her. I wanted her to be happy. Malakai drew similar feelings out of me. I loved all of their friends. There were other characters I liked, but there were also characters that I truly hated. I’ll let you work out the ones I hated. Then there were the characters who were a bit of a mystery...
But not that’s all, because I haven’t mentioned the suspense. These last two elements were the ones that kept me awake at night. This was a book of feelings. I felt Lily’s pain and I wanted to help her. I smiled when she was happy. I was angry when someone hurt her.
Crossing the Barrier is the first book in The Gray Eyes Series and, even though this book doesn’t end on a cliff hanger (Thank God!), Lily’s story isn’t over and I can’t wait to read what happens next. Hurry up and finish the next book, please Martine!
I gave Cross the Barrier 5 HUGE stars!
Written by Karen from A Thousand Lives Book Blog
There were so many elements of this book that I loved. I am a HUGE fan of paranormal, so that was #1. All the characters drew a reaction from me. I loved Lily, but I couldn’t help worrying about her. I wanted her to be happy. Malakai drew similar feelings out of me. I loved all of their friends. There were other characters I liked, but there were also characters that I truly hated. I’ll let you work out the ones I hated. Then there were the characters who were a bit of a mystery...
But not that’s all, because I haven’t mentioned the suspense. These last two elements were the ones that kept me awake at night. This was a book of feelings. I felt Lily’s pain and I wanted to help her. I smiled when she was happy. I was angry when someone hurt her.
Crossing the Barrier is the first book in The Gray Eyes Series and, even though this book doesn’t end on a cliff hanger (Thank God!), Lily’s story isn’t over and I can’t wait to read what happens next. Hurry up and finish the next book, please Martine!
I gave Cross the Barrier 5 HUGE stars!
Written by Karen from A Thousand Lives Book Blog
March 27, 2016
Well, first of all the characters are beautiful. The moment I f.e. met David, I liked him. The fact that this book is about an empath (someone who can read each others feelings) really helped understand Malakai's and Lily's intentions and reasons for their reactions in certain situations. This book is written in two POV's, Lily's and Malakai's . It helps you identify with them and you can't really be mad at anyone bc of their thoughts and family backgrounds.
First I didn't really get what this book is really about. Romance? Fantasy? Friendship?
I can tell you, it's all of it. It's the perfect mix of ordinary teenage life (let's forget their horrific backgrounds) and the paranormal ability of Lily.
The only thing I thought was a bit weird was how fast the relationship of Malakai and Lily grows. Not that I didn't enjoy any of it, but looking back at it now it was a bit fast forward.
Anyhow I really enjoyed this book and can't wait for the second one. I need it like right now because that cliffhanger was just not okay.
So, I really enjoyed "Crossing the Barrier" and I can only tell you to get a copy and dig into this fantastic story!
First I didn't really get what this book is really about. Romance? Fantasy? Friendship?
I can tell you, it's all of it. It's the perfect mix of ordinary teenage life (let's forget their horrific backgrounds) and the paranormal ability of Lily.
The only thing I thought was a bit weird was how fast the relationship of Malakai and Lily grows. Not that I didn't enjoy any of it, but looking back at it now it was a bit fast forward.
Anyhow I really enjoyed this book and can't wait for the second one. I need it like right now because that cliffhanger was just not okay.
So, I really enjoyed "Crossing the Barrier" and I can only tell you to get a copy and dig into this fantastic story!
August 16, 2016
This was a hard one for me to rate. First off, I want to say I absolutely loved Martine Lewis' easy writing style. It is perfect for the YA audience this novel is aimed at and I would love to read more from this author. Unfortunately, there were a couple of things within the novel that annoyed me so much I just couldn't give this one five stars. The two main characters refused to talk to each other to sort out their problems, preferring instead to make huge assumptions about what the other might be feeling. I found this extremely frustrating to read. The other thing that annoyed me was Malakai constantly referring to Lily as "his" girl, who needed his protection - I'm not a feminist, but the idea that Lily couldn't get by without Malakai also annoyed me.
That said, these were plot issues that this reader didn't enjoy and even so, I'm giving this one four stars. Because the writing style was so good, I would imagine many readers will be able to look past these small issues and absolutely love this book. I would recommend this author to all lovers of young adult fiction.
That said, these were plot issues that this reader didn't enjoy and even so, I'm giving this one four stars. Because the writing style was so good, I would imagine many readers will be able to look past these small issues and absolutely love this book. I would recommend this author to all lovers of young adult fiction.
January 26, 2017
Wow, I love finding new Authors to love. This is the first book I have read by Martine Lewis but it won't be my last.
Lily has a secret that only her best friend and her uncle know - she's an empath. Lucky for Lily her shields help her copy with school and the hatred her adoptive mother has for her. Life for Lily hasn't been easy since her father died in an accident and it gets to get even completed when an accidentally run in with Malaka the hot school quarter back result in a blow to the head that knock's out her shields.
Malaka has always had a bit of a crush on Lily but did nothing about until he accidentally put her in hospital. As the pair grow closer there are those happy for the couple and those out to destroy their happiness. What will happen will when Malaka discovers Lily's secret will it draw then together or tear them apart. Will love win or will Lily wind up without a home and with a broken heart.
Can't wait to read the next book in the Series and find new Characters to Love
Lily has a secret that only her best friend and her uncle know - she's an empath. Lucky for Lily her shields help her copy with school and the hatred her adoptive mother has for her. Life for Lily hasn't been easy since her father died in an accident and it gets to get even completed when an accidentally run in with Malaka the hot school quarter back result in a blow to the head that knock's out her shields.
Malaka has always had a bit of a crush on Lily but did nothing about until he accidentally put her in hospital. As the pair grow closer there are those happy for the couple and those out to destroy their happiness. What will happen will when Malaka discovers Lily's secret will it draw then together or tear them apart. Will love win or will Lily wind up without a home and with a broken heart.
Can't wait to read the next book in the Series and find new Characters to Love
July 11, 2016
The first book in the Gray Eyes Series is told in dual point of view (POV) via Malakai Thomas, the star wide receiver and Lily Morgan, a clarinet player in the high school band. Oh and she's an empath. Their world literally collides and breaking the social circles between the jocks and the band geeks.
While the dialogue is less than I would expect or have read in other books, the reader gets all of the characters thoughts and feeling through their non-verbals. I didn't need any additional dialogue to satisfy me.
The story was a bit predictable for the teen love plot line, but the gray eyes plot really took me by surprise and I ended up liking the story better. Pacing was a bit slow and repetitive for me, but overall
the flow is well done, the characters (even the secondary characters) are well developed, and I think the football/band dynamics were right on target.
While the dialogue is less than I would expect or have read in other books, the reader gets all of the characters thoughts and feeling through their non-verbals. I didn't need any additional dialogue to satisfy me.
The story was a bit predictable for the teen love plot line, but the gray eyes plot really took me by surprise and I ended up liking the story better. Pacing was a bit slow and repetitive for me, but overall
the flow is well done, the characters (even the secondary characters) are well developed, and I think the football/band dynamics were right on target.
July 27, 2016
So the book starts out a little slow. I like that the main character is an empath and that they address that fact straight away, so that you, as a reader, know what's doing. But I do feel like this book is a build up book for the second book. So I fully recommend reading this one if you're planning on reading the next (or you may get lost in the story line). As the story continues, the descriptions used to explain the emotions swirling around Lily do an amazing job at helping you understand what she is feeling, especially once Malakai is introduced. In the beginning of the story, I had a hard time getting into the book, but by the middle I was intrigued and wanted to see where the story was going, and by the final words, I wanted to read the next book.
December 6, 2017
I was fascinated by the idea of this story. It's execution left a little to be desired. In fact, there were a quite a few places where I put down book and walked a way for a few days. Why? It had two different types of storytelling: expose and immersion. The expose part always felt like the author was rushing to get to the good stuff. Overuse of had and stating the days, weeks, and months instead of describing fall colors or the snap in the air made those sections more like a report. Some important events and scenes were treated this way. When the story relaxed, I actually heard and felt the characters. The ending was intriguing, but I'm hesitant to pick up the sequels.
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