Soulstruck

by Natasha Sinel

Seventeen-year-old Rachel Ferguson is trying to get struck by lightning. Hopefully it will lead to finding her soul mate, like it did for her mother. And then maybe her mom will be as devoted to her as she is to her lightning strike survivors group.

When Rachel discovers a journal written by her mother's soul mate - the man she thought was her father - she begins to question everything she's always believed, including soul mates, fate, and even her mother. No longer sure of its power, she decides to quit chasing lightning.

Rachel feels abandoned and alone. Her best friend has ditched her, her boyfriend has dumped her, and a confrontation with her mom only made things worse. At least she still has her friend Jay. In fact, their growing attraction to each other seems to be the only good thing happening.

But when her relationship with Jay starts to unravel, too, the impulse to get struck by lightning resurfaces.

And there's a thunderstorm coming.

Set in a small Cape Cod beach town in the off-season, Soulstruck is about the search for love and the risk of losing it while waiting for destiny to happen

Genres: Young Adult, Romance, Fiction, Contemporary

304 pages, Hardcover

First published June 12, 2018

About the author

Natasha Sinel is a writer of young adult fiction. She graduated from Yale University with a B.A. in English and from the University of Michigan’s Ross School of Business with an M.B.A. Before beginning her career as an author, she was director of business development at Showtime Networks. Born and raised in Washington, D.C., she now lives in Northern Westchester, New York with her husband and three sons.

Reviews

[Jenny (Bookbookowl) · Rating 2 out of 5]

I received a complimentary copy of this book from Sky Pony Press through NetGalley. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

Actual rating 2.5 stars

Rachael is hoping to be struck by lightning.  Her mother was struck many years ago and seems more devoted to her lightning strike survivor group than her own daughter. Her mother also claims the lightning strike enabled her to see who her, and others, soul mates would be.  As she refuses to tell Rachael who her soul mate is, Rachael hopes that being struck will not only make her feel more accepted by her mother, but give her a glimpse of her future too.

She thought she had found 'the one' in another strike survivor - Reed, a boy who turned up out of the blue to her mother's survivor group.  But after a short romance, he left her heartbroken and injured from an accident.  Between fighting with her best friend, navigating high school crushes, her changing feelings for her friend Jay and trying to uncover the mysteries surrounding her father (who died before she was born), Rachael has her hands full.

Unfortunately, although I found the premise of this book really interesting, the way the characters were written were just too juvenile for me.  I read a lot of YA books, but the characters in this one just felt childish.  The teenage angst and immaturity that radiated from Rachael surrounding all the relationships in her life just let the book fall irritatingly flat.

For example, Rachael spent a fair amount of time in the beginning of the book panicking that Reed would 'notice she was two years younger than him'.  Two whole years.  Phew, that's practically, forever, right?  and quotes such as:


"He could be a serial killer on the run or something" she said after I'd spent nearly every minute with him for two weeks. "Oh, come on"

and

We kissed, and even though it had been a few weeks, I still couldn't believe I was with him.  I was definitely falling in love with him. It was the real deal.


Had me sighing and wanting to put the book down due to the silly insta-love theme.  I mean, obviously two weeks is SUCH a long time and clearly you know everything about the person.

The character I did enjoy was Jay, Rachael's friend who has Asperger's.  He was a fantastic character and I really enjoyed his wit and 'realness'.  Rachael was pushy and selfish with him.  She struck me as a very 'all about me' character and took everything as rejection if she didn't get what she was looking for right away.  I wanted more for Jay.

I wish I had enjoyed this book more because I think it had the potential to be a much better book.  If the writing had felt less rushed and clunky and the characters, other than Jay, had been less whiny and more likeable.

[Claire Louisa · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this YA book, it had a different story with the lightening survivors group and Rachel wanting to be a survivor because she wanted to fit in. It was a story about growing as a person and finding out where you fit in, to family, and socially, as a teen this can be a hard thing to do. I really liked Jay's character, I found it interesting to read about a character with Asperger and it was refreshing to have a love interest who was different to the norm. I thought the relationships between Rachel and her friends and family were realistic, I felt empathy for her due to her relationship with her mum, and I was glad we slowly found out why her mum was the way she was.

Thanks to NetGalley and Skyhorse Publishing for a copy in return for an honest review.

[Zoë ☆ · Rating 1 out of 5]

NOPE I did not like this unfortunately.

[Megan · Rating 3 out of 5]

Soulstruck was a quick read, that kept my interest but it wasn't a great book. Some parts of it dragged and it took so long to explain how and why Rachel got her injuries - too long in my opinion, since it didn't seem that surprising by the time it was revealed. All in all, this was okay and I'm glad I read it, but it's not a book I'd recommend.

[Sara Oxton · Rating 5 out of 5]

Soulstruck by Natasha Sinel a five-star read that will divide opinion. This is going to be one of those books that you will either love or hate much like marmite I’m guessing there won’t be much in between. Rachel as a character will do much the same, we get to see her grow and develop into the woman that she will become. Each of the characters brings a new angle to the story and add another layer to the story. Rachel's mum was a character that I didn’t know how to take at first there was something about her, but as the story developed we got to see more of her understand the distance and her story and the whole read just took on a more compelling angle. That being said this wasn’t what I imagined, I thought it would be more drama, but it was just a nice read with good story and enough to keep you hooked. I can’t wait to read more from this author.

[Melissa Killian · Rating 5 out of 5]

Rachel, the main character, is not very likable, but she is realistic. Teenagers can easily be so caught up in figuring out their own stuff that they fail to see what is going on with those around them, and how they themselves are a contributing factor to other peoples' stuff.

Rachel's mother was struck by lightning as a teenager and, as a result, now has some special ability to see who a person's soul mate is. (And no, this is not a supernatural story. It is solidly contemporary.) Her mother becomes a part of a lightning strike survivors group and gets very involved with helping other survivors, allowing them to visit and stay at her house and completely disrupting the quiet life she and Rachel once had together. So much so that Rachel thinks the only way her mother will really pay attention to her again is if she also gets struck by lightning.

So Rachel becomes obsessed with thunderstorms and purposely tries to get struck. She's also trying to figure out the whole soul mate thing because her mom refuses to tell her who her soul mate is (although she does find out near the end of the book.) She meets Reed, a guy who joins the survivor group, and they begin seeing each other. Rachel is much more invested in the relationship because she is convinced that Reed is her soul mate, since he's been struck by lightning and all. Reed is just looking for a good time. But Rachel can't see that and ends up getting hurt both emotionally and physically, with scars on her legs. No, Reed did not abuse her. The mystery of the scars carries on long into the book and the reveal is a little bizarre and anticlimactic.

Rachel also has two best friends: Serena and Jay. In Rachel's view, Serena is ditching her to join the cheerleading squad and all the popular kids, and Jay is suddenly becoming a romantic interest, although not likely the soul mate she has been searching for. While it was nice to see Jay, a character with Asperger's, navigate the challenges of a physical relationship when those have never been easy for him, I couldn't help but feel that Rachel was using him for her own comfort, especially since she knew in her gut he wasn't "the one" but he could easily become more invested in the relationship than she is and end up getting very hurt.

There is also the mystery of who Rachel's father is. She finds some letters in a box and realizes that the person her mom always said was her father, her mother's supposed soul mate, might not have been after all. Carson, the person Rachel believed to be her father, died before she was born. But then she finds out that her mom was also in love with another guy, Rafe, around the same time. So Rachel is also coping with the fact that her mom might have lied to her her entire life.

There is a lot going on here, but the pay off at the end is worth it, in my opinion. I liked the resolution between Rachel and Serena, although Rachel really was, and probably still is, a shitty friend. Serena is a saint for forgiving her. But what I liked was getting Serena's perspective. The truth. Not Rachel's opinion. I also really liked the reveal of who Rachel's soul mate actually is. The only thing that worries me is how she will end up treating Jay in the future.

[Rigel · Rating 2 out of 5]

Thank you to NetGalley and the publishers for sending me a copy in exchange for an honest review.

I took maybe two or three weeks to get through this book. Partially because April is exam season for those of us in university, but mainly because I was just very bored.
We went round and round in circles with Rachel being obsessed with finding a soul mate to the point where she absolutely disrespects her love interests' (Jay, who by the way has Asperger's, a high-functioning form of Autism, meaning social interactions can be very difficult for him) boundaries, gets mad at him for setting boundaries, making up with him, and then starting the cycle all over again.
She's also so hell-bent on "belonging" to/with and "being loved" by her mother and her lightning strike support group that she actively seeks out being struck by lightning despite knowing the extent of the consequences. When her best friend (Serena) gets struck and nearly killed (because the lightning, surprise, interrupts the electrical systems of the body, namely the heart), she is more concerned with the fact that Jay is giving Serena mouth to mouth to resuscitate her than the fact that, oh I don't know, Serena's heart has stopped beating. Then she's JEALOUS that Serena has been struck by lightning and is now part of this group of people who have suffered great pain and will continue to experience side effects of the event for the rest of their lives.
Rachel is just not a likable character, which I'm usually fine with, but this time around whether it be because I read this book during a very stressful time in my life (yes I'm writing this review instead of finishing my final neuroscience essays that will be worth 40% of my grade) or because I just can't stand people who want to be/make themselves sick or injured or whatever to belong to a certain group. In the end, Rachel did see the error of her ways and figured out that her mother and the support group love and will always love her even if she isn't a victim of the same tragedy they have suffered, but it's too little too late.

[Jill Jemmett · Rating 5 out of 5]

Before reading this book, I had no idea what an impact getting struck by lightning has on a person. Of course, I know it could kill a person, but I didn't realize that it causes lifelong health problems and that you need to constantly get checked for symptoms for the rest of your life. There are even support groups like the one in this book, which I had never thought about before. I learned a lot in this book.

I loved Rachel. She was very real. She had ups and downs, like a real person. I could feel her pain, both when dealing with her mom and her boyfriends. I even had tears in my eyes at the end. It was emotional but powerful.

I liked how not all of the information was given right at the beginning of the book. It takes a while to learn about Rachel's past, including what her injury was that caused the scars on her legs. Since this information was held back, it made me want to keep reading.

One thing that was a little confusing was that the first few chapters alternated between the present and the past, during Rachel's relationship with Reed. It would have been helpful if there was a signal at the beginning of the chapters to show that it was flashing back in time or returning to the present. Once the flashbacks caught up to the present, it continues in the present, so that was only for a few chapters at the beginning.

I loved this book! I'll be recommending it for a while.

I received a copy of this book from the distributor, Thomas Allen & Son.

[Aj · Rating 4 out of 5]

Rachel has such a strong need to bond with her mother (who's lightening struck) that she develops an addiction to chasing lightening. The urge is so ingrained that she'd corrupted it with feelings of needing a soulmate without evening realizing what was at the core. After, getting her heart broken by the one she thought was her soulmate she realizes that she didn't really believe in the whole soulmate thing and that the entire time she was oblivious to someone perfect all along. While she was still in the dumps, Rachel pushed away her best friend -Serena- even though she stuck by her through it all. Until one day Serena just cracked and decided that it wasn't worth it anymore since it was obvious that Rachel didn't even notice her. In the midst of all this, Rachel was conflicted about her father as she only knew his name and that he died before she was born. After reading some old letters she found, Rachel's world gets turned upside down as she ends up with more questions than answers and her mother is reluctant to tell her more.

[Ms. Nguyen · Rating 4 out of 5]

I was able to read this ebook through NetGalley!

Rachel's mother was struck by lightning and can now "see" soulmates. While the title of this book might make you think that this is the only topic explored, it's definitely not. Rachel is trying to figure out a new crush on an old friend, getting over an ex, typical fights with her best friend, and a slightly strained relationship with her mother. It might seem like a lot going on, but I found it incredibly realistic (okay, minus the lightning strikes thing). Rachel's friendship with Serena felt real, right down to the reason for their fight. I loved Jay and the fact that his Aspergers was glossed over; I can understand that some might want to know more about it and him, but it just reminded me that he was more than that.

Overall, I would recommend this book to all young adults.

[Jill MacKenzie · Rating 5 out of 5]

By Alice M. Age 12

The book Soul Struck, by Natasha Sinel is a captivating tale about a girl named Rachel who has always lived in the company of her mom’s lighting-strike survivor support group. If she gets struck, too, hopefully, her mom will pay as much attention to her as she does to her precious support group. Maybe she’ll even find her soul mate through the strike, like her mom. She’s tried everything. Climbing trees, standing in an open field, but she just can’t get struck. Things seem even worse when her best friend ditches her, her boyfriend dumps her, and she starts to feel like she doesn’t even exist around her mom. One day she discovers a box full of notes from her moms supposed soul mate and Rachel’s dad, and she knows nothing might ever be the same again. The read is an amazing novel for lovers of the enchanted and unusual.

[Carol Riggs · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5 stars rounded up to 5. The characters were really well-drawn in this book, with real emotions and motivations. Some sensory images were very strong and wonderfully unique. Rachel, the main character, navigates love and friendship within an interesting scenario of her mother being a lightning strike survivor. The twist at the end was great—a couple of twists, in fact. That was fun, even though I guessed one twist. FYI, the book includes profanity (F-word) sprinkled throughout and a scene or two of teen sexual situations, so there’s a heads-up if you don’t care for that in your reading. I do prefer my reads without those things, but it seems to accompany the contemporary genre, and it worked well with this storyline. Overall, this novel is an enjoyable trip through Rachel’s life, and the ending is satisfying.

[Cathy Schultz · Rating 5 out of 5]

Soulstruck by Natasha Sinel is a quiet, beautifully told story about a girl looking for a soulmate, and in the process figuring out all the relationships in her life--with her mother, her best friend, a new boyfriend, and an old one. It’s a sweet story, set evocatively on Cape Cod in the off-season, with a romance that’s both charming and realistically (and sometimes hysterically) awkward. One of the characters (who became my favorite) has Aspergers, and Soulstruck sensitively depicts what it’s like to experience the condition. But actually, ALL the characters in this story are vividly sketched out, and you really end up caring about them. Deeply. Overall, Soulstruck is a great, satisfying read. I highly recommend it!

[Laura's Book Addiction · Rating 4 out of 5]

Having only just read The Fix last week, I was so excited to get approved for Soul Stuck, although the storyline is vastly different it didn't stop my enjoyment of the book. I read it in one sitting and I couldn't put it down.

Rachel's story of how her obsession with lightning and the relationship with her mother culminated in a great YA novel that explores how we relate to people when we don't always understand that person. It also explores coping mechanisms, and what draws us to them and ultimately how to overcome them.

All in all Soul Struck is a look at families, first love and what it means to let go. I'm excited to read what this author writes next.

thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for letting me read & review this for my honest opinion.

[Maggie · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book has a lot of potential. It definitely feels like a YA novel that is just that….a YA novel. The main character and her mom are fairly forgettable which is odd because the premise of the story centers around them clearly and is an interesting one but they were not developed well. There is a lot of dragging out in this story and I found the developing relationship between Rachel and Jay too obvious and wish that the author would have just kept them as good friends. I believe it would have given more depth to the book….but again….this is why the book is strictly YA…..those obvious “romantic” relationships.

[gem · Rating 4 out of 5]

A really interesting concept for a contemporary ya novel that focuses on friendship, love and family.

The romance which develops between Rachel and Jay is pretty believable, it’s not Insta love and all swoon worthy, it’s built more on their friendship and shared awkward moments which I liked, especially when it all realistically goes down hill!

The scenery is beautifully described and reminded me of The Rattled Bones by Shanon Parker.

A great read for fans of Gayle Foreman and Erin Lange.

Thank you to Netgalley for the chance to read this book.

[Maureen · Rating 4 out of 5]

Rachel Ferguson has a tough life. Her single mother, who was struck by lightning as a teen, seems distant. Her two best friends are changing, and she develops feelings for Jay even as she is “dumped” by her bestie Serena. It is not too angsty, and the teens were likable. This was a comfort read, slow and easy. I thoroughly enjoyed it and appreciate NetGalley and the publisher, who allowed me to be an early reader for my fair and honest review.

[Ruth · Rating 4 out of 5]

Sinel once again displays her confident storytelling skills, her keen ear for dialogue, and her perceptive insights about the complications of young love, as she did in The Fix. Here, the focus is on love and the longing for love - among friends, within family, and within sexual relationships. I especially welcomed Sinel's depiction of a young woman with a sexual appetite who takes the lead her less confident male partners.

[Jodi McKay · Rating 5 out of 5]

After falling in love with Sinel's first book, The Fix, I was so excited for Soulstruck and I definitely was not disappointed! Her knack for creating a well-developed cast of characters with relatable struggles, both internal and within their relationships, always draws me into the story and makes me miss them when I'm done reading. This is why I re-read her books and plan on doing the same with Soulstruck in 3...2...1...

[Lisa · Rating 5 out of 5]

I could not put this book down. Rachel and her friends were refreshingly real, and the lightning-strike-survivors element was an intriguing way to frame a very genuine and heartfelt drama. Natasha Sinel does an incredible job writing a romance from an empowered girl's perspective. And no spoilers, but I LOVED the ending!!

[Madison Zing · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 ⭐️ this book has been on my tbr foreverrrr, and I’m so glad that I finally read it. the concept of this book is so interesting to me and I was definitely entertained while reading. not an overwhelmingly amazing book, but I wouldn’t say it was bad either, so I would recommend it.

[MIriam Spitzer Frankllin · Rating 5 out of 5]

A unique story full of interesting characters about friendship, family, and the bonds that connect us.

[Tanya · Rating 5 out of 5]

I want to be 17 again. This book brought back the heartache and drama and giggles from relationships with parents and best friends and boys. I loved this story!

[Susan · Rating 5 out of 5]

Seventeen year old Rachel has a lot going on in her life. And none of it seems to be easy. A broken heart, a fractured friendship, a complicated past, a frightening yearning to be struck by lightening...all of it seems to be coming at her at once. Natasha Sinel skillfully balances tender moments with a good dose of heartache in this page turner of a novel.

[Nanette Purcigliotti · Rating 4 out of 5]

“Soulstruck,” Natasha Sinel’s Young Adult novel, is a character-driven novel, as seventeen-year-old Rachel Ferguson, thinking being struck by lightning, is the answer to finding her soul-mate. Her mother is a member of the lightning strike survivor group, and Rachel joins, believing she will get close to the members of the group, and in turn, get closer to her mother. Rachel feels abandon, and alone. She runs out to a thunderstorm, and as a reader, you quiver, but she wants to feel that lightning bolt, as if it will magically lead her to her soulmate. In the end, she finds another way to find her soulmate.

[BookishGeek · Rating 1 out of 5]

I am a big lover of the “sleepy, summertime beach romance” YA literature genre, so I snapped up Soulstruck when it was available on Netgalley in order to get a jump on the warm weather – and as a Georgia native, summertime comes pretty darn quick here. Unfortunately, this was not a book I could sink my teeth into like I can with many of the other more established “summertime romance” YA veterans – this was an interesting concept, but it ultimately fell flat to me.

How I’d Describe This Book to My Friends

We follow Rachel, a young lady in her early teenage years who lives with her mother near Cape Cod. We see this sleepy island town as the off season begins, the tourists are packing it in, and the rain starts coming. This in and of itself sets the stage for a quaint story, but Rachel herself has an intrinsic eccentricity: she wants desperately to get struck by lightning.

Apparently at one point, Rachel’s mother was struck by lightning. She now possesses the unique ability to determine who everyone’s soulmate is, and spearheads a support group for people who’ve been struck by lightning. She and Rachel have moved all over the place during Rachel’s formative years, and so now they are excited to settle down and put in some roots for Rachel’s high school season of life.

Rachel has two best friends: Serena, and Jay. The three of them are thick as thieves, BFFs! Besties! Nothing can eeeeeeeeeever go wrong!



You can probably see where this is going a mile away, but just in case you can’t … girl, it’s a love triangle and some broken, bruised friendships and fee-fees. Rachel was spurned by the boy she fell in love with when she had an accident, and has been trying desperately to get struck by lightning ever since, hoping it will bring her some romantic luck. She doesn’t know her father, but is positive her mother is keeping it from her because of a delightfully romantic backstory that she is just not privy to.

What follows is a 200+ page romp through the late summer months here, near beautiful Cape Cod, where our tragic heroine runs after lightning strikes and deals with having a crush on Every Boy. Unfortunately, what could be an interesting premise is mired and bogged down by clunky writing, and a plot with more drama than a high school theater production.

Bottom Line

Soulstruck is a neat concept, and it made me want to visit Cape Cod in the off season. But other than the few facts I learned about lightning strikes … I didn’t really get much here. It makes me sad, because this was clearly a labor of love, but it just didn’t hit the mark for me. If you want a deeper, more satisfyingly fluffy YA beach read, check out Huntley Fitzpatrick or the good ol’ standby, Sarah Dessen.

[Cristie Underwood]

This book seemed to be interesting, as the plot was unique. However, I could not get into this. Cool theory, but the follow through was disappointing.

[Books · Rating 4 out of 5]

I finished Soul Struck within 24hrs and was completely hooked from the first page.

Soul struck was a girly, fluffy read with a fatalistic twist that makes the reading experience so much more enjoyable!

It was a romance that was cynical of soul mates and love. It was a young adult novel that beautifully handles the growth and turmoil young adults go through at some stage.

I also was super appreciative of the author for normalising and humanizing the amazing people whom have Asperger's. I've only recently learnt a little about Asperger's due to a friend having it and seeing it portrayed so normally but still accurately was brilliant.

It's a very casual writing style but it is enthralling and a great quick read to take you away for an hour or two.

[EruditeAF Literary Symposium · Rating 4 out of 5]

I started reading this book in the early afternoon and read it through within a few hours. It was easy to get pulled into, which surprised me a little as I wasn't certain I would love the book after reading its synopsis. There is a lot more depth and personality to the characters than I imagined there would be.

Although the synopsis may allude to it, Rachel Ferguson isn't just a girl who only wishes to be struck by lightning so she can find her soulmate. She is the daughter of a woman who has been struck by lightning, which has enabled her to see soulmates (although she refuses to tell Rachel who her soulmate is). Her mother has become rather enmeshed with a Lightning Survivors group, holding meetings at her house and having other survivors frequently drop in. This begins to create a divide between the two, wth Rachel feeling that her mother no longer values their relationship. Her mother has also kept mum about Rebecca's father, only sharing with her daughter that the man died before she was born.



Feeling excluded, Rachel yearns for the day she might be struck by lightning. She even plans for storms and goes to the most lighting-prone locations. Yes, this is a bit odd. However, what really carries the book in the realistic relationships Rachel has with her two best friends. I really loved the connection Jay and Rachel shared and the growth of their relationship. There were plenty of awkward moments that gave the book a very authentic feel.



The book was paced very well and I thought the ending was satisfying enough. I wish Reed's story had been better developed, but he wasn't a super likeable character anyway, so meh. Overall, I give Soulstruck a 3.75/5. It's a gem for YA fanatics.

*I was provided with an ARC by the publisher in exchange for my honest review.

[Emilie lafleur · Rating 4 out of 5]

Quite a cute story actually, i was suprised I liked it that much. We follow the story of Rachel who has a lot of questions about her pas, about her family and about the mystery surounding her mother and her thunder survivors group.. A lot of people will relate to Rachel