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Unchanged
An ordinary girl with a forgotten history.
A man who followed her through lifetimes.
A jealous enemy who wouldn't stop until she was dead.
Though the world is ever shifting, some things remain
UNCHANGED.
A man who followed her through lifetimes.
A jealous enemy who wouldn't stop until she was dead.
Though the world is ever shifting, some things remain
UNCHANGED.
161 pages, Kindle Edition
First published March 20, 2012
7 people are currently reading
134 people want to read
About the author
Heather Crews
20 books564 followersArt, dreams, spray paint. Love, death, villains. Awkward but nice. Can't keep plants alive.
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Displaying 1 - 11 of 11 reviews
October 3, 2017
Read for the 2017 POPSUGAR Challenge prompt 'A Book Written by Someone You Admire'
Disclaimer: Heather and I are friends. That has not effected my ability to review this honestly and critically.
SPOILERS THROUGHOUT!!!
30/9 - Writing a negative review for a friend is very difficult. You want to be honest (well, I do, at least), but you don't want to hurt their feelings or upset them (not that I want to upset authors who are unknown to me, either, but sometimes it happens). Unchanged's plot had a lot of potential - a romance revolving around reincarnation and a river spirit for a hero - but it also had flaws.
I found it very hard to like Lilly, she was so detached from everyone around her and viewed everything in a negative light. That's probably a very realistic portrayal of a teenage girl, but that doesn't make it any easier to read about. Lilly's intuitive leaps were way too far-fetched. I just don't believe that she could go from being positive Ahaziel was a man who had been 'born' somewhere at sometime, to completely believing that he was a river spirit in a matter of pages. We needed more pages of investigation and then disbelief before she finally accepted the truth (I hate to say it, but kind of like in Twilight). I mean, of all things, why would she immediately jump to 'river spirit' as the answer to the question of who he was without even considering the more likely choices - immortal, time traveller, ghost that is strangely solid, etc. - before she came to the correct answer? I'm not saying I don't like the river spirit idea, but it shouldn't have been so easy for her to come to that conclusion.
We also needed more pages for the reader to understand how river and ocean spirits work. I felt like Merko was an appropriately threatening villain, but he would have been much more threatening if he hadn't been so casual in his attempts to kill Lilly. It's like in action movies where the bad guys come at the good guy one at a time, they don't use their superior numbers to overwhelm him and kill him all at once. Merko seemed to have transportation powers that allowed him to take Lilly to the caves in much less time than it would have for a man walking, but then why didn't he flit around at every chance? Why didn't he use his powers to kill her much earlier in both Eve and Lilly's times? In fact, why didn't he use his powers to whisk Lilly out into the ocean well before Lilly, Brandt, and Austin managed to corner him? Why did he show himself at the party as Joy's date, giving Lilly the opportunity to escape him? Why didn't he hide his existence and sneak up on her? It seemed that he could cause things to happen remotely, like when she slipped off the jetty, so why didn't he do that every time she went near the ocean, over and over again until he suceeded in drowning her? So many unanswered questions.
I also had a problem with Ahaziel's instantaneous reaction to Olivia and the fact that with one look at her he decided that he needed to take the form of a man and found empathy for humans and could no longer eat them. I am an admitted insta-love/lust junkie, but I felt nothing between this couple (the insta-connections that I enjoy usually give the couple at least a conversation to start the sparks). I didn't understand the connection behind the necklace Olivia picked up. I thought it was going to be some kind of clue as to who/what Ahaziel was (he did tell Olivia that she had something of his), but it was never brought up again.
The reincarnation aspect was the best part of the whole book and I was completely clueless about what was going on until it was finally revealed. Olivia/Eve/Lilly's return every 100 years reminded me of one of my favourite tv shows, which I've been coincidentally binging on the last few weeks, Haven. In Haven, a woman (Audrey Parker in current reincarnation) returns every 27 years to deal with supernatural 'troubles' that plague the town. She always looks the same, but each time she comes back she has someone else's memories and name and doesn't remember her previous lives.
Many of my problems with this book could have been solved with about 50 extra pages - more pages to better explain the background of the spirits and how their powers worked, more pages to make Lilly's intuitive leaps more believable, more pages to give Ahaziel longer to fall in love with Olivia before he took human form - in summary, more pages = better book.
Disclaimer: Heather and I are friends. That has not effected my ability to review this honestly and critically.
SPOILERS THROUGHOUT!!!
30/9 - Writing a negative review for a friend is very difficult. You want to be honest (well, I do, at least), but you don't want to hurt their feelings or upset them (not that I want to upset authors who are unknown to me, either, but sometimes it happens). Unchanged's plot had a lot of potential - a romance revolving around reincarnation and a river spirit for a hero - but it also had flaws.
I found it very hard to like Lilly, she was so detached from everyone around her and viewed everything in a negative light. That's probably a very realistic portrayal of a teenage girl, but that doesn't make it any easier to read about. Lilly's intuitive leaps were way too far-fetched. I just don't believe that she could go from being positive Ahaziel was a man who had been 'born' somewhere at sometime, to completely believing that he was a river spirit in a matter of pages. We needed more pages of investigation and then disbelief before she finally accepted the truth (I hate to say it, but kind of like in Twilight). I mean, of all things, why would she immediately jump to 'river spirit' as the answer to the question of who he was without even considering the more likely choices - immortal, time traveller, ghost that is strangely solid, etc. - before she came to the correct answer? I'm not saying I don't like the river spirit idea, but it shouldn't have been so easy for her to come to that conclusion.
We also needed more pages for the reader to understand how river and ocean spirits work. I felt like Merko was an appropriately threatening villain, but he would have been much more threatening if he hadn't been so casual in his attempts to kill Lilly. It's like in action movies where the bad guys come at the good guy one at a time, they don't use their superior numbers to overwhelm him and kill him all at once. Merko seemed to have transportation powers that allowed him to take Lilly to the caves in much less time than it would have for a man walking, but then why didn't he flit around at every chance? Why didn't he use his powers to kill her much earlier in both Eve and Lilly's times? In fact, why didn't he use his powers to whisk Lilly out into the ocean well before Lilly, Brandt, and Austin managed to corner him? Why did he show himself at the party as Joy's date, giving Lilly the opportunity to escape him? Why didn't he hide his existence and sneak up on her? It seemed that he could cause things to happen remotely, like when she slipped off the jetty, so why didn't he do that every time she went near the ocean, over and over again until he suceeded in drowning her? So many unanswered questions.
I also had a problem with Ahaziel's instantaneous reaction to Olivia and the fact that with one look at her he decided that he needed to take the form of a man and found empathy for humans and could no longer eat them. I am an admitted insta-love/lust junkie, but I felt nothing between this couple (the insta-connections that I enjoy usually give the couple at least a conversation to start the sparks). I didn't understand the connection behind the necklace Olivia picked up. I thought it was going to be some kind of clue as to who/what Ahaziel was (he did tell Olivia that she had something of his), but it was never brought up again.
The reincarnation aspect was the best part of the whole book and I was completely clueless about what was going on until it was finally revealed. Olivia/Eve/Lilly's return every 100 years reminded me of one of my favourite tv shows, which I've been coincidentally binging on the last few weeks, Haven. In Haven, a woman (Audrey Parker in current reincarnation) returns every 27 years to deal with supernatural 'troubles' that plague the town. She always looks the same, but each time she comes back she has someone else's memories and name and doesn't remember her previous lives.
Many of my problems with this book could have been solved with about 50 extra pages - more pages to better explain the background of the spirits and how their powers worked, more pages to make Lilly's intuitive leaps more believable, more pages to give Ahaziel longer to fall in love with Olivia before he took human form - in summary, more pages = better book.
February 8, 2015
Oh, I loved this one a lot!
It´s been so long since I´ve read something that ... unusual. I mean, it is definitely not the usual kind of paranormal story. It´s like you read about faeries, ghosts, mermaids - you name it - all at the same time.
The characters are strong and I´m going to remember them always.
Atmosphere is absolutely beautiful, and at times - creepy.
Ms. Crews, thank you for such a great book.
It´s been so long since I´ve read something that ... unusual. I mean, it is definitely not the usual kind of paranormal story. It´s like you read about faeries, ghosts, mermaids - you name it - all at the same time.
The characters are strong and I´m going to remember them always.
"I personally believe in free will. I don't believe there's some force out there controlling or predetermining our actions."
Atmosphere is absolutely beautiful, and at times - creepy.
"The forest is very interesting. It's a place of shelter and life. Forests are remarkably resilient and steady. They grow and change over time, yet they remain essentially the same. They are beautiful and mythical. One always knows what to expect from a forest. It doesn't lie."
Ms. Crews, thank you for such a great book.
April 6, 2012
First I would like to say, that for someone w/ no editor, the spelling/ grammar was impeccable, so thank you for that. LOL ;) As for the story: without giving anything away, it was fantastic, easy to follow, entertaining, and had a beautiful, solid ending. No cliff hangers. An easy leisurely read, but still keeping you guessing, and wondering what's going to happen next. I would definitely recommend it to anyone who loves a good fantasy, and to anyone who has ever dreamed about a love that could literally withstand the test of time. Congratulations Heather on your first self-published book, and I look forward to many to come! Good luck!
December 14, 2023
This story had a dreamy, mythological feeling to it that I enjoyed. I loved the overall plot. I liked the FMC Lilly too. She felt raw and real, and I thought both Ahaziel and Merko (I CAN FIX HIM) were good characters.
August 14, 2012
Rating Clarification: 3 / 5
If you want to see more of my reviews, check out my blog @ Moosubi Reviews!
Hmm. To be honest, I’m not really sure how to review and rate Unchanged. Compared to a lot of YA PNR Kindle freebies I’ve been reading, Unchanged is probably one of the better of the batch. Still, I didn’t love it, although I would say I still enjoyed the writing…
Unchanged revolves around two lovers – one immortal, one that keeps on dying but reincarnating every one hundred years. Similar to Reincarnation by Suzanne Weyn, Unchanged has that theme that love is immortal, and cannot be stopped even through death. Although there was a definite attraction and liking between Ahaziel and Lilly, I suppose I couldn’t see their “true love”. To me, there was instant attraction, and although it didn’t bother me as it usually does, this factor probably downplayed the “love factor” for me.
Lilly, however, was a great heroine! She was definitely flawed, but also a strong and relatable character. After all, there are always times when teenagers feel less-than-perfect. Although, as I mentioned before, there is insta-love, she didn’t immediately fall into Ahaziel’s arms – instead, she was cautious and was careful in weighing her options. She was also a fighter, although not to reckless or too generous to be unrealistic. Overall, she was a smart, realistic, and likable heroine!
The side characters, however, felt a little underdeveloped for me. They seemed one-sided, and not too interesting. Part of this is because a certain portion of the book is dedicated to exploring past lives, but this still bothered me. Moreover, I felt that the final battle passed too quickly – I suppose I was looking for more of a struggle? I have to admit that Lilly’s strategy and solution to the problem was smart though – I was definitely impressed with that.
Overall, Unchanged is a pretty interesting contribution to the YA PNR genre. I also happened to get it as a Kindle Freebie, so as a free weekend read (and contribution to my challenge!), I would say I got a pretty good deal. I would recommend this book to those who are in need of a short and satisfying romance, or are interested in the idea of reincarnation.
If you want to see more of my reviews, check out my blog @ Moosubi Reviews!
Hmm. To be honest, I’m not really sure how to review and rate Unchanged. Compared to a lot of YA PNR Kindle freebies I’ve been reading, Unchanged is probably one of the better of the batch. Still, I didn’t love it, although I would say I still enjoyed the writing…
Unchanged revolves around two lovers – one immortal, one that keeps on dying but reincarnating every one hundred years. Similar to Reincarnation by Suzanne Weyn, Unchanged has that theme that love is immortal, and cannot be stopped even through death. Although there was a definite attraction and liking between Ahaziel and Lilly, I suppose I couldn’t see their “true love”. To me, there was instant attraction, and although it didn’t bother me as it usually does, this factor probably downplayed the “love factor” for me.
Lilly, however, was a great heroine! She was definitely flawed, but also a strong and relatable character. After all, there are always times when teenagers feel less-than-perfect. Although, as I mentioned before, there is insta-love, she didn’t immediately fall into Ahaziel’s arms – instead, she was cautious and was careful in weighing her options. She was also a fighter, although not to reckless or too generous to be unrealistic. Overall, she was a smart, realistic, and likable heroine!
The side characters, however, felt a little underdeveloped for me. They seemed one-sided, and not too interesting. Part of this is because a certain portion of the book is dedicated to exploring past lives, but this still bothered me. Moreover, I felt that the final battle passed too quickly – I suppose I was looking for more of a struggle? I have to admit that Lilly’s strategy and solution to the problem was smart though – I was definitely impressed with that.
Overall, Unchanged is a pretty interesting contribution to the YA PNR genre. I also happened to get it as a Kindle Freebie, so as a free weekend read (and contribution to my challenge!), I would say I got a pretty good deal. I would recommend this book to those who are in need of a short and satisfying romance, or are interested in the idea of reincarnation.
January 2, 2025
In December 1809, an undead spirit "born in the forest, from shifting of wind and leaves" suddenly felt his heart come to life. And instead of devouring the soul of his 18-year-old victim; he fell in love. - But this love ... It shouldn't be.
"We`ll never be free of each other" (...) "You do not realize what you have done to me. You must return here until we belong to each other. Until I no longer feel the pain you`ve wrought in me".
From then on, a time of waiting, hoping and uncertainty began for Ahaziel. In December 2004, he met Lily and their story took its course.... Again.
I liked the flair and Lili's inner conflict when it comes to Ahaziel. Her unconscious sense of recognition, her dark premonition for no apparent reason, and her fear of dying.
I also think that Ahaziel's "insta love" doesn't need to be analyzed in more detail here. She was just there. Just like his existence was simply there. He is not human and therefore does not have to be considered according to a human standard. The same applies to Merko, who sees their predetermined existence threatened by Ahaziel's derogatory behavior.
Normally I don't like reincarnation stories so much. However, I liked this one.
"We`ll never be free of each other" (...) "You do not realize what you have done to me. You must return here until we belong to each other. Until I no longer feel the pain you`ve wrought in me".
From then on, a time of waiting, hoping and uncertainty began for Ahaziel. In December 2004, he met Lily and their story took its course.... Again.
I liked the flair and Lili's inner conflict when it comes to Ahaziel. Her unconscious sense of recognition, her dark premonition for no apparent reason, and her fear of dying.
I also think that Ahaziel's "insta love" doesn't need to be analyzed in more detail here. She was just there. Just like his existence was simply there. He is not human and therefore does not have to be considered according to a human standard. The same applies to Merko, who sees their predetermined existence threatened by Ahaziel's derogatory behavior.
Normally I don't like reincarnation stories so much. However, I liked this one.
June 13, 2021
“Unchanged” by Heather Crews is an odd little book. Three young women, Olivia, Eve and Lilly, each 100 years apart, seem to share a soul and the attention of a forest spirit made man, Aheziel, who believes that Olivia is his soul mate and that Eve and Lilly are Olivia reborn.
And then there is Merko, an ocean spirit, whose sole goal seems to be to frustrate Ahaziel at every turn.
It's a little bit disjointed, awkward in places, and the plotting is somewhat pedestrian but it's a likeable, if not particularly memorable, read.
And then there is Merko, an ocean spirit, whose sole goal seems to be to frustrate Ahaziel at every turn.
It's a little bit disjointed, awkward in places, and the plotting is somewhat pedestrian but it's a likeable, if not particularly memorable, read.
March 16, 2017
Unchanged is my second novel from Heather Crews and this one was not good.
I felt that Lilly, the main character was too detached and I didn't get her character. Her development was rushed and I still feel that she didn't really change at all.
The story went by fast and not a lot of it made sense to me. I like reincarnation stories because they are interesting but the reason why Lilly was being reincarnated because some random guy (I don't know how to spell his name) wanted her for himself.
I'm not going to say anything else. I didn't like it. End of story.
I felt that Lilly, the main character was too detached and I didn't get her character. Her development was rushed and I still feel that she didn't really change at all.
The story went by fast and not a lot of it made sense to me. I like reincarnation stories because they are interesting but the reason why Lilly was being reincarnated because some random guy (I don't know how to spell his name) wanted her for himself.
I'm not going to say anything else. I didn't like it. End of story.
September 6, 2012
I really enjoyed Unchanged. First, let me say how much I appreciate the title after reading this book. When I read the synopsis, I was expecting two reincarnating characters. I was pleasantly surprised to learn one was immortal, therefore, Unchanged. However, this goes so much deeper, because Ahaziel DOES in fact change. He goes from a scary, uncaring being, hurting others to survive, to sacrificing who he is to be good enough for the girl reincarnating repeatedly to be with him. And though his love for Lilly only seems to grow, and she must fall in love with him all over in each life, it is actually their love that is Unchanged.
Secondly, this book is beautifully written and edited. It made reading it fast and easy.
And then there is the story line. Undying love over hundreds of years. I LOVED this! Ahaziel's whole life became waiting. Waiting for Lilly (Olivia) to reincarnate and make her way to him. Waiting for her to trust him. Waiting for her to fall in love with him once again. Just for her to be ripped from his life by his friend. And I liked that Lilly, on her third life, didn't rush right into his awaiting arms. She was actually suspicious of him even though a part of her recognized their connection. It made me like her immediately.
My only complaint, there were times when Lilly's inner dialogue seemed to weigh down the story. I would have preferred for her thoughts to have been discussed with Ahaziel or her brother, Brandt. I also really liked Brandt a lot and wish there would have been more of him. Overall, this was a great read!
Secondly, this book is beautifully written and edited. It made reading it fast and easy.
And then there is the story line. Undying love over hundreds of years. I LOVED this! Ahaziel's whole life became waiting. Waiting for Lilly (Olivia) to reincarnate and make her way to him. Waiting for her to trust him. Waiting for her to fall in love with him once again. Just for her to be ripped from his life by his friend. And I liked that Lilly, on her third life, didn't rush right into his awaiting arms. She was actually suspicious of him even though a part of her recognized their connection. It made me like her immediately.
My only complaint, there were times when Lilly's inner dialogue seemed to weigh down the story. I would have preferred for her thoughts to have been discussed with Ahaziel or her brother, Brandt. I also really liked Brandt a lot and wish there would have been more of him. Overall, this was a great read!
June 13, 2012
Amazing book, could NOT put it down, I loved it! :-)
Displaying 1 - 11 of 11 reviews