The Forever Girl

Forever Girl, Book 1

By: Rebecca Hamilton

Narrated by: Sarah McKee

Length: 10 hrs and 10 mins

Publisher's summary

“Whatever you do, fight.”

Sophia's family has skeletons, but they aren't in their graves.

At 22, practicing Wiccan Sophia Parsons is scratching out a living waiting tables in her Rocky Mountain hometown, a pariah after a string of unsolved murders with only one thing in common: Her.

Sophia can imagine lots of ways to improve her life, but she'd settle for just getting rid of the buzzing noise in her head. When the spell she casts goes wrong, the static turns into voices. Her personal demons get company, and the newcomers are dangerous.

One of them is a man named Charles, who Sophia falls for despite her better judgment. He has connections that might help her unveil the mystery surrounding her ancestor's hanging, but she gets more than she bargains for when she finally decides to trust him.

Survival in his world, she learns, means not asking questions and staying out of the immortal council's way. It's a line she crossed long ago. If Sophia wants to survive the council and save the people she loves, she must accept who she is, perform dark magic, and fight to the death for her freedom.

The Forever Girl is a full-length Paranormal Fantasy novel that will appeal to lovers of paranormal romance, urban fantasy, witches, vampire fiction, ghost stories, paranormal mystery, and paranormal horror.

©2012, 2013 Rebecca Hamilton (P)2014 Rebecca Hamilton

A Perfect Package

What made the experience of listening to The Forever Girl the most enjoyable?

The story was engrossing and full of beautiful imagery and loads of excitement. The narrator is a good fit for it all.

What did you like best about this story?

The overwhelming sense of purity blossoming amid the darkness. The story has a magic all it's own.

Have you listened to any of Sarah McKee’s other performances before? How does this one compare?

I have not. Would love to hear others.

Was this a book you wanted to listen to all in one sitting?

Most definitely!

Any additional comments?

Don't look for any quick answers here. The Forever Girl is not a book about black and white witchcraft. Rather, it's about the wide range of colors that fall between evil and grace. And best of all, there's going to be another book!

Loved it

Would you recommend this audiobook to a friend? If so, why?

Yes, the narration is great and the story is wonderful

Any additional comments?

Hamilton did a wonderful job of weaving together witches, elementals, vampires, and shape changers. Sophia, is a strong character who struggles with her past and what lurks in her mind. When she starts to find out what is going on and is pulled into a world of non-humans, she handles it well and sets to learning all she can. I enjoyed watching her powers grow.

There is a nice romance mixed into the story and it isn’t one of those love triangles. While I don’t mind that so much, there are lot of stories focusing on that and they have been over done just a bit. So it was nice having just the two people falling in love. And I liked that Charles didn’t turn into a wolf, I’m tired of wolfmen.

I do wish the bird would have been in the story a little more, I think it was a nice little side story that I wouldn’t have minded seeing more of. I also wish there would have been a little more of the Franklin lady. That woman could have added a bit more turmoil to the book.

But, these two things did not stop me from enjoying the story at all. I like how the threads of Sophia’s previous lives intersect with her current life. I thought the way the Ivory story line played out was quite interesting. I was torn between thinking Ivory was incredibly creepy and feeling deeply sorry for her and her twisted thinking.

I found this book an enjoyable read worthy of five stars and it will be one I will read again in the future. I like a good paranormal and I like even better when it puts such a unique spin on the typical denizens of the paranormal world.

STELLAR "CAN'T MISS" ENTERTAINMENT

Where does The Forever Girl rank among all the audiobooks you’ve listened to so far?

By far, this audiobook has earned top honors in my opinion! Crystal clear. Easy to follow. Grabs your attention. You can close your eyes and "see" everything taking place. Like a movie playing out in your mind. Loved the experience.

Who was your favorite character and why?

I absolutely adored Sophia. I found her to be interesting and unique - somebody I felt like I would want to know in real life. In fact, I feel as if I already DO know her.

Which character – as performed by Sarah McKee – was your favorite?

From the opening dialogue, I was completely committed to Ms. McKee's performance as Sophia. I kept thinking that the voice actually belonged to the character. That said, each time Ms. McKee shifted personas I was equally impressed.

Was this a book you wanted to listen to all in one sitting?

Yes, I would have enjoyed doing so! This was one of those books that keeps you wanting to move through it without a pause.

Any additional comments?

I highly recommend The Forever Girl Audiobook. Whether or not you've read Ms. Hamilton's work before, this book is solid proof that she is an author of immense talent. Her staying power is undeniable. I would give it more than five stars if I could. Stellar entertainment!

Brilliant Adventure

I am usually not one to be charmed by cover art, but there is something about this girl on the cover that makes me want to know her soul.

This book provides several twist and turn through out as Sophia searches to find her history and know who she is. Charles becomes part of the adventure providing amazing gestures of love and true confidence in her every move and true concern for her well being. All the characters are beautifully written and captivate you from the start. There is a link between all the elements and each paranormal life form which adds a new dimension to stories that have been told before.

Sarah McKee did an excellent job of bringing each character to life. I was pulled in by Ivory's allure, by Charles' driven need to protect, and by Sophia's desire for knowledge. As each new character was added, Sarah brought more depth and richness to their voices that left me hanging onto each word and want more.

I am not a vampire fan, but this series had me wanting more.

I am looking forward to book 2...

Production Error?

This copy of the Forever Girl was not edited appropriately. There were many repetitions of specific phrases throughout the story. It made it difficult to follow the actual story line.

Review: The Forever Girl, by Rebecca Hamilton

This is the first in the Forever Girl series and I hope future titles are just as enjoyable a read as this first one was.

The book revolves around the character Sophia. She is a twenty something college graduate living in a small town in Colorado. She lives alone in her deceased grandfather’s house, works at the town dinner as a waitress, and tries to get through each day having to deal with ever-present voices in her head.

There is no apparent cause or cure to these voices and Sophia just puts up with them. She makes occasional attempts to quiet the voices through positive energy rituals she performs, but it’s never a permanent escape. Did I mention that Sophia practices Wicca? Well, she does. And this doesn’t help the town’s attitude toward her.

Sophia only has two friends, Lauren and Ivory. They don’t even know about the voices. She tries not to tell anyone. But eventually things start happening around her that she can’t ignore. One night out on the town with Ivory changes her life forever, and she is thrown into an underground world of supernatural beings and ancient secrets.

Will she ever find the source of the voices she hears? Can she trust the new friends who saved her life? Can she control her attraction for the mysterious Charles? Well, you’ll just have to read the book now, won’t you?

I only read a chapter or so the night I got this book, but I didn’t want to put it down. If I weren’t reading another book at the time I might have finished half the book right then and there. It’s just that good.

Even though there isn’t always action happening at every point in the book, (what story can be only action) the book hooked me in and didn’t want to let go. A key factor that kept me reading was that I didn’t know where the book was going to go next. I mean, I could tell that in the next chapter the characters were going to drive here or do something over there, but normally I can predict a major plot point well in advance. I was never able to make that sort of prediction with this book. It was a great feeling to always be surprised.

Another thing I really loved about this book was how Sophia saw the world. The description of her surroundings and the people she encountered were always detailed and filled with color, smells, and sounds. There are many books out there that are good, but they can still lack strength in this area of setting. Other books can have strong description but lack in other areas. There was a perfect balance between the plot’s forward motion and the development of the scene. It didn’t get in the way of knowing what was happening, even in the middle of fight scenes.

I didn’t want to mention too much above about the characters, but now that I think about it, I should mention briefly about the supernatural characters: There are vampires, shape-shifters, and witches. Before you think “oh, another of those books,” please trust in me saying “no, this isn’t just another of those books.” I didn’t think a book with vampires would interest me much, but I was proven wrong very quickly this time. It may also help that the mythology Hamilton creates around these supernatural beings doesn’t call them vampires and puts an uncommon reason for their creation (originally to save the world) into the story.

There is also a love story that is in the forefront of the plot, but with me being a guy, I feel safe saying that the romance factor is completely bearable and enjoyable. Not only did I not want to throw up, I also want to see where the next book takes it. This interest is increased with the way the book ends, but I don’t want to spoil anything more by getting into that.

To wrap this up. I WANT the next book to be released tomorrow if not today. I would buy it right away and not put it down. I trust that it will be just as good as The Forever Girl was. For now I will have to just enjoy the aftermath of reading this one.

Compelling!

Any additional comments?

This was a compelling book in every way. Fast paced, great character development, strong storyline, interesting twists and turns, a great love story, and a strong message (I always love a message). This book hooked me from the first page until I put it down. It's a page-turner, for sure! Highly recommend.

a new favorite!

What did you love best about The Forever Girl?

The romance between Charles and Sophia! Even though the plot is about more than their romance the scene between them were awesome!

Who was your favorite character and why?

I don't want to give away any plot twists but I will say my favorite character was the one that was part of the biggest plot twist. I did NOT see that coming. She was nuts and yet I felt a little heart broken for her at the same time. I loved reading her story.

Which character – as performed by Sarah McKee – was your favorite?

Sophia! The narrator NAILED the voice for this character! I hope she will do the future books in the series because I can't see anyone else doing Sophia's voice now.

Was this a book you wanted to listen to all in one sitting?

Absolutely! I kept telling myself I would listen to just one more chapter but that was impossible because of the suspense and mystery and there was always a cliffhanger at the end of each chapter I had to know what happened next!

Any additional comments?

I like that this book didn't sound robotic like some audiobooks do. It felt like the actual character was telling me the story. Sarah McKee did an amazing job and the author did too this was an amazing story!

Great Audiobook! Great Author!

Any additional comments?

This is the story of Sophia Parsons, a girl with a problem. She has a static in her head, like a white noise that she cannot clear. It has become more than a nuisance for her. It is way more than that. In fact, this curse leads her to investigate her family and she finds way more than she bargains for. Way more. I am careful about what I say because I don't want to spoil this book for anyone.

So let me break down why I liked "The Forever Girl"

-Characters: Rebecca Hamilton has a way with character. Many people completely blow first-person characterization. Not Ms. Hamilton. She seems to know her main character, Sofia, inside and out. As well, she seems to know that it is important to use the main character to get familiar and feel something for the other characters too. The chemistry between Sofia and Charles is fantastic and they seem to be real. This is the main thing I look for in novels. If I don't care about anybody, I will put it down quick.

-The History: There is quite a history in this novel and Ms. Hamilton has genuinely put some thought and research into what she has written. I typically think that flashbacks ruin a story, but Ms. Hamilton has made her flashbacks feel like flash forwards with their own story and an excitement all of their own. Fantastic!

-The Creatures: These creatures are so unique and unfathomably complex that you will wonder if this genre has not seen a revival. I literally could not believe how interesting these creatures are. Ms. Hamilton has taken the vampire genre and given an unusual shot in the arm, turning it into something almost unrecognizable and at the same time comfortably familiar.

-The Theme: One of the themes that found its way into this novel was that of acceptance and the evils of too much moral righteousness. There is nothing wrong with morality. However, there is something wrong with morality used as a baseball bat to club the life out of people. This book addresses this and I have to commend the writer on her themes.

Altogether, I cannot believe how much I enjoyed this book! I will be downloading the next book as soon as it comes out! Rebecca Hamilton has got another life long fan in me. She is an amazing person and a skilled, competent, and exciting author to read. I can't wait to see what she has in her pen for us next time!

Forever Amazing!

Would you listen to The Forever Girl again? Why?

Yes! Because of the great narrator, great story, and great characters.

What did you like best about this story?

I loved the idea of the Forever Girl mixed in with the whole Wiccan theme. It was a great combination!

Which scene was your favorite?

My favorite scene was when Charles comes to see Sophia as she's arriving to work and she says, "You came to see just to tell me that?" He says, "No," and kisses her for the first time, overcoming all his reservations about doing so. Loved it!

Did you have an extreme reaction to this book? Did it make you laugh or cry?

My extreme reaction was that I wanted it to continue! I was disappointed when it ended and there was no more of the story to enjoy.

Any additional comments?

I've heard the author is writing a new book in this series. I'm am so looking forward to reading it!