Review: The beginning of The Flawed Series is definitely not flawed.
Rating: 5 out of 5
Date: 09 27, 2013
From my blog, Reading the AlphabetOn the surface, knowing what people are feeling at any given moment sounds pretty neat. Wonder what your date is feeling about you? Easy! Wonder if your boss is in a happy enough mood to discuss that raise? Doable! Only for Jade, empathy doesn't work like that. It is not some party trick. She not only knows what people are feeling, she feels it to such an extent that they overpower her own emotions. It has been near debilitating for her entire life, so much so that her family has kept her away from much of society...until now when she decides to strike it out on her own and attend summer courses at college. So many emotions at college!At first, Jade is (understandably) overwhelmed, but she manages and finally begins to make friends when a professor she meets while off-campus offers to help her study and when she is paired up with a friendly and kind guy for her biology lab partner.As much as I liked Jade and witnessing her grow as a person, I really enjoy the chemistry that both Logan (the professor) and Cam (the lab partner) brought to the story. Both cause quite different reactions in Jade. First there's Cam, a lovable, adventurous, outdoorsy guy, whose happiness is infectious beyond the pages of the book. He made me smile when he was around. Then there's Logan, who Jade CAN'T feel. He's exceptionally good at closing off his feelings, but why? There is a bit of a love triangle in Empath, albeit it's unconventional because of Jade's abilities, which makes it so good.Add to that, a creepy and violent bad guy who is anything but normal, great secondary characters in the form of Cam's siblings, action, sweet innocent romance, and a story of self-discovery. If it seems like there is a lot going on in the story, you're right, there is, but Campbell weaves it all together wonderfully.This was the first book by Becca J. Campbell that I have read, but it certainly will not be the last.*I received an ARC of this book from the author in exchange for an honest review.*