Review: Very Good and Very Different. We LOVED it!!
Rating: 4 out of 5
Date: 10 19, 2013
***Nicky's Review:4 StarsCharacters- Multi-layered, complex, and very lovablePlot/Storyline- The story was very unique and an interesting concept.  I found it sometimes hard to follow, but this definitely did not stop me from wanting to read it. The plot is very different and intriguing.Steam Factor- The sex was on the PG-13 side with only one sex scene to even note sex in the book.Cover- Love the flower especially since it does have significance in the book. And it's just a beautiful cover speaking artistically too.Cliffhanger- YES!!! Nothing is really resolved in this novel. You are left wanting to know lots of answers. CAN NOT WAIT for Book 2!! :)Overall-  Great new story concept that keeps you turning pages and wanting more, despite the complexities of the story. I would definitely recommend this to anyone wanting a very different Paranormal Romance with two sexy ass guys who have you torn between the two.How do you start a review about a book that is like nothing you've ever read before?  Here is my best attempt.This story was complex but so intricately woven that in the end the overlapping stories came together to make for a great overall story that I thoroughly enjoyed. Phew! Did that make sense? Well, let me just try and summarize the book a little, nothing given away, I promise. One of my biggest pet peeves are spoilers so I would never do that to you.This is the story of really 5 people: Mara (Carrier spirit), Darius (Carrier Spirit), Belinda (18 year old lead girl), Frankie (Belinda's Best Guy Friend), and Conor (New guy vying for Belinda's attention).Belinda grew up with Frankie and they have maintained a great friendship until one night, March 23, that shall never be spoken of again.  No, seriously, that's how Belinda refers to it ;) The story picks up with Belinda trying to figure out her relationship, after said night, with Frankie and trying to decide if she wants to date Conor, who is super sweet and cute.Belinda is a very shy, clumsy girl who doesn't do well in unfamiliar situations. Here enters Mara. Mara helps Belinda be a braver person than she normally would be in these uncomfortable situations, but there is an internal struggle Belinda has with whether she should rely so heavily on Mara's assistance because then she is not able to maintain the confidence without Mara, which would result in dependency. And dependency is never a good behavior.Mara approaches Belinda in hopes to help her out in the real world because Belinda may be the key that Mara needs to possibly rejoin the real world. This is if the Law makers of the spirit world feel that she has righted the wrong she has committed in the past. It's a bit complex but it makes sense once you've read the book, I promise.A slight love triangle develops between Belinda, Frankie, and Conor.  I know who I want Belinda to end up with, but you make your own choice :)  Things get complicated between these three due to the constant interference of both Mara and Darius.Mara and Belinda become sort of a team and somewhat friends as time passes and they both begin to want to help each other.  But there is something always getting in the way of their efforts and that is where you'll just have to read the book to find out.This book will keep you turning pages and wanting more answers.  Sadly, there are lots of questions that you will have to wait until the next book to have answered, but definitely read this book. Its very unique and all consuming.  I can not wait for the next book!!! Such great writing and a beautiful complex story. Well done again Cassia Leo. You never disappoint :)***Brittany's Review4.5 StarsCharacters- In depth and multi faceted...LOVED the characters and how "different" they are.Plot/Storyline-The plot was very unique and flowed easily. You will be sucked in from page 1.Steam Factor-Not very steamy except for a certain part BUT that doesn't matter because the story is so good without it! Also, knowing Cassia, she will have some steaminess in book 2.Cover- Beautiful, Raw, and emotional. The flower symbolizes a lot in the story and connects the characters,Cliffhanger-YES! Book 2 comes out Summer 2014. Their are still unanswered questions at the end but you do get some type of closure.Overall- Great Book! At times it is a little confusing going back and forth between 5 different POV's, but what an amazing paranormal romance and love triangle.This story is very different and complex than anything you have read in the paranormal aspect. It's hard to review this book without giving too much away so I'm going to try very hard not to ;)This story is actually about 5 different people, 3 Teenagers-Frankie, Belinda and Conor and the other 2, Darius and Mara, are carrier spirits. Frankie and Belinda are best friends that grew up together. Now in their senior year in high school, an "incident" on March 23rd has made things awkward between them. Even though Belinda and Frankie are best friends, you can feel that they have a deeper connection than just friends.Belinda soon after meets Conor in the park. While she is talking to him she feels different. Something is controlling her talking and movements. Belinda, who is normally shy and clumsy, is flirting, confident and acting completely different. After she scores his number, she has an encounter with Mara who actually was the spirit inside "helping" her get Conor. Mara believes Belinda is the key to her destiny of being released from the spirit world by helping Belinda find love. Belinda needs Mara to give her the confidence so she can overcome these embarrassing and uncomfortable moments. This also sets us up for the sexy, love triangle between Frankie, Belinda and Conor.Cassia Leo sure knows how to get you involved in a love triangle. I was back and forth the whole book until the end and then I knew for sure who I wanted Belinda to be with. The writing is just absolutely beautiful and you are kept wanting and needing to know more about who everyone is and the roles they play in each others lives. The suspense and mystery of the storyline and characters makes you want to keep reading. I will say at some points, I was a little confused trying to understand the spirit world and the laws. I KNOW in book 2 we will get more answers and I just need to know what's going to happen! I can't wait HAHA!Favorite Quotes:"He reaches up and brushes a strand of hair off my forehead to get a better look at my injury. I can't feel him touching me. This is a swoon worthy moment and I can't swoon.""As he kisses his way up my belly, all I can think is: Is it okay to kiss him after that? I don't know the rules. Oh, who cares?""All the moments we long for, all the love we hope for, they wouldn't exist without the darkness."