Review: Review: Book of Beings Episode 1- Gripping and Emotional
Rating: 4 out of 5
Date: 10 16, 2013
Overall: ★★★★☆I wasn't sure what to expect with The Book of Beings, by Liz Search (Free on Amazon). But what I got was an intense ride that had me up until 3 am wishing that the book hadn't ended. And that I could sleep in so I wouldn't be a zombie the next day.Blurb:What if your imaginary boyfriend got you pregnant--for real?Seventeen-year old Manon knows she's not pregnant. After all, she's never had sex.Except she is actually pregnant.Nobody's roofied her. And probably there isn't a pervert on the loose hypodermically impregnating virgins. Manon's going to have to treat the whole thing as an act of God. Either that or an alien abduction. She can't decide which is more preposterous.Whatever's happened, Manon may just as well give up her struggle to not be the weird girl at school. And she may as well give up on Elias, the mysterious boy who haunts her dreams.Except it turns out Elias knows Manon's fantasies about him. In detail.Like he's been inside her head while she's having them. . .Originality: ★★★★★I think the entire concept is bold, especially for New Adult Fiction. A woman who is pregnant from her dreams, mysterious supernatural entanglements. A mysterious hero and an independent heroine. Search boldly crosses religious boundaries, class lines and includes a special romantic flare.Character Development/Plot: ★★★★☆There are times when the plot goes too quickly and too slowly, the pacing is off. It stretches at times when I wish it wouldn't and other times it is too quick to understand exactly what is going on in the character's minds. That being said, over all the plot is good, almost great. Worthy of four stars.The characters are pretty well developed, but missing that little bit extra. Especially in Elias's case. I have a feeling in future installments we will see what is going on behind the scenes in Elias's mind, but right now, it leaves a lot of wonder up to his motivations for doing what he does. Manon is well developed, but I think there could have been a better set of interactions between her and her friends as well as her enemies. Things that gave us a little more insight. Again good development, almost great.Appearance and Editing:★★★★☆There were a few formatting errors, but nothing atrocious.  I do however, recommend a cover that is more encompassing of the story. Readers want to have a hint of what they are reading about.The Romance/The Sex: ★★★★☆The romance feels like it comes out of nowhere. Again, I am guessing that more will be revealed in the next "episode" but I want to know now. That being said, the tension and the feelings, well, they rocked me. I clung to the book, wanting to find out what happened to Manon next. How she felt, what the consequences of her life were going to be. Definitely romantic in spots, just not always expected.And I enjoyed it.Please, go buy this book. Support us indie authors. And while you are at it, check out my other reviews!Veronica Hardy is a professional editor and author who enjoys writing reviews in her spare time, for fun. She is not compensated by authors, publishers or online retail markets for her opinions. If you are interested in a book review or editing services please email her at Veronica.R.Hardy@gmail.com.