The Space Beyond is part two of The Book of Phoenix series by Kristie Cook. I have really enjoyed reading all of Kristie's books and this one is no exception. Today I have a review for you and an excerpt from the book.
First - here is the inside jacket text to introduce the book:
As members of the Phoenix, Jeric and Leni are thrust into their new lives, expected to lead Earth’s Guardians. But Leni struggles with trusting her own soul, and Jeric is more concerned about keeping Leni safe than meeting others’ demands. When Darkness swarms Lake Haven, they embark on their first mission with little preparation and no idea which soul the Dark hunts.
Born and raised in Lake Haven, Bex hopes to escape her small-town life, ideally in the arms of her soul mate. She knows he exists, and her heart aches with the need to find him. When her long-lost mama calls to announce she's knockin' on death's door, Bex reluctantly makes the trip to see the uncaring bitch (bless her heart), only to be knocked off her feet by the sexy and charming Dr. Mason Hayes. Is he really The One?
Leni’s soul felt an instant connection to Bex, but if Bex found her soul mate, she isn’t their mission. So who is, and why does Leni instinctively feel drawn to her? Can Leni even trust her intuition? And will Jeric step up and lead when the time comes or continue to hold them back?
If they don't learn to trust themselves and each other quickly, Darkness will claim them all…along with the rest of Earth’s souls.
About the author:
Kristie Cook is a lifelong, award-winning writer in various genres, from
marketing communications to fantasy fiction. She continues to write the
Soul Savers Series, a New Adult paranormal romance/contemporary
fantasy, with the first five books, Promise, Purpose, Devotion, Power
and Wrath available now. She's also written a companion novella,
Genesis: A Soul Savers Novella, currently available. Over 300,000 Soul
Savers books have been sold, with Promise peaking at #54 on the Amazon
Top 100 Paid list and at #1 in the Amazon Fantasy category.
The
Space Between kicks off her second New Adult paranormal series, The Book
of Phoenix, with part two, The Space Beyond, releasing in May 2014.
Besides
writing, Kristie enjoys reading, cooking, traveling and riding on the
back of a motorcycle. She has lived in ten states, but currently calls
Southwest Florida home with her husband, three sons, a beagle and a
puggle. She can be found at:
Author's Website & Blog: http://www.KristieCook.com
UK Fan Site: http://www.kristiecookfansite.co.uk/index.html
The Book of Phoenix Website: http://www.TheBookofPhoenix.com
Soul Savers Series Website: http://www.SoulSaversSeries.com
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/AuthorKristieCook
Twitter: http://twitter.com/#!/kristiecookauth
My review:
This series brings soul mates to a whole new level. I read it in a day and it had me hooked the entire time - I couldn't put it down. I really identified with the characters and went on an emotional ride with them. There were some tough subjects in the book that were handled very well by the author. It did end with a cliffhanger, but the next book is out in July so it won't be too long of a wait. I really like Bex and was glad to see her back in this book. I would give this book 5 out of 5 stars and if you have not read the first book you should read them in order. It's a great book and an incredible series. I can't wait for July to come!
And now for your excerpt (from Jaric's point of view):
[Leni] paused for a moment, staring at her hands as her fingers tapped a rhythm on the blanket, and I already knew her next thought. I had to control myself from clamping my hand over her mouth to keep her from saying it, as though that would prevent the thought from already being a reality. Because remembering our pasts was kind of fun, like solving a weird mystery, but what she was thinking took us to a whole different level. One I wasn’t ready for.
“I have this strong feeling the guy in the Gate who’d sounded so desperate was Nathayden,” she said. “And I think … saving Rebethannah is our first mission.”
She lifted her head to look at us. I turned mine to stare at the wall, my jaw clenching. She already knew my feelings on this theory.
“What do you guys think?” she asked when nobody said anything.
My eyes cut to Brock and Asia, who shared another look, but they didn’t hold back this time. Asia reached out and laid her hand on Leni’s knee.
“You tell us,” she said to my other half. “We remembered last night that this has always been your thing, like your super power—you lead us to the souls we’re supposed to help.”
The hair on the back of my neck rose, and I jumped to my feet as though the bed itself had caused the feeling. But what I felt came from inside, and no matter how much I wanted to deny it, to make it go away, to pretend it didn’t exist, I couldn’t. The truth is the truth, and what Asia just said was no doubt a truth. I knew it in my gut, or in my soul, as everyone else would say. Leni was our light, showing us the way. Theo and Mira had emphasized this when we’d been Forged at the Gate. Not just mine, but everybody’s. I hadn’t fully understood what that meant at the time, but it was starting to make more sense.
Didn’t mean I liked it.
“No,” I said, unable to form the words I wanted to say. “Just … no. Not yet.”
“Jeric—” Leni started, and I spun on her.
“Can you really say you feel ready to do this?” I demanded, leaning over her on the bed. “Do you even know what you’re doing?”
Leni stared at me for a moment, opening her mouth then closing it like a carp as she considered my question.
“Yes,” she finally said, and when I lifted my brow and sucked in a breath to argue, she held a hand up. “It’s not knowledge to be gained, Jeric. I don’t have to learn this. It’s intuition. Instinct. My soul talking to me. I know how that sounds, but look at our lives now. Look at what we do know and tell me that relying on our instinct, on our souls that have existed for eons compared to our measly human brains, isn’t what we’re supposed to do. That’s the lesson we’re supposed to learn more than any others. Am I right?”
She turned back to Brock and Asia, who both nodded.
“So we’re just supposed to cut off our brains and all logic?” I snapped.
“Don’t be ridiculous,” Asia said with a sigh. “You just have to let your brain catch up to what you already know in your soul.”
I glared at each of them in turn, not sure why this bothered me so much. I’d practically vowed to trust Leni and her intuition, to accept her as our light to lead the way. And I knew deep down that she’d be right—that her soul would know exactly what we’re supposed to do. The “normal” side of me, the Jeric I’d been for the last twenty-three years, however, bristled at the thought of going out and being some kind of supernatural-like ninja, helping people who probably didn’t even know they needed to be helped. How were we supposed to do that anyway?
“So you think your soul will lead us right to whoever Rebethannah is now?” I demanded. “And you really think that’s our mission?”
Leni pressed her lips together and dropped her gaze to the blanket again. “I don’t know yet,” she nearly whispered, but then she lifted her eyes to me and raised her voice. “But it’s time to find out.”
I hope you've enjoyed the excerpt and my review, now you should go
buy the book!
***** I was given a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.
