Review: Endless

Author: Amanda Gray
Series: Standalone
Publisher: Month9Books
Release: Sep 10th 2013
Source: NetGalley
Pages: 384 (ebook)
( Amazon | Goodreads )

Jenny Kramer knows she isn't normal. After all, not everybody can see the past lives of people around them.

When she befriends Ben Daulton, resident new boy, the pair stumble on an old music box with instructions for “mesmerization” and discover they may have more in common than they thought. Like a past life.

Using the instructions in the music box, Ben and Jenny share a dream that transports them to Romanov Russia and leads them to believe they have been there together before. But they weren't alone. Nikolai, the mysterious young man Jenny has been seeing in her own dreams was there, too. When Nikolai appears next door, Jenny is forced to acknowledge that he has travelled through time and space to find her. Doing so means he has defied the laws of time, and the Order, an ominous organization tasked with keeping people in the correct time, is determined to send him back.

While Ben, Jenny and Nikolai race against the clock - and the Order - Jenny and Nikolai discover a link that joins them in life - and beyond death.

It is hard to describe the feelings that are going through my head right now. It has been awhile since the last time I got this attached to a book. Endless left me completely speechless, and I still cannot quite articulate the emotions I'm experiencing. I loved and hated the moment I flipped through the last page. When I realized there was no more to Jenny's story and that I had finished it, I felt my heart aching. Amanda Gray's brilliantly composed plot and characters swallowed me as a whole and I am perfectly content to stay in this mesmerizing dream.

Jenny Kramer, a talented 17-year-old who loves to paint and enjoy her day offs, has had a secret her entire life - the vision of the past. But something else is bothering her even more these days, something weirder than her eerie visions. The mysterious man in her dreams, the deeply green eyes that are full of admiration and sorrow. Little does she know someone she once loved in her past life has been seeking her. He risked everything, crossed over time and space just so he can hold her in his arms again. He promised, remember? He will always find her.

Time travel romance is one of my favorites and the idea of reincarnation is something I truly appreciate and believe in. Thus, Endless connected with me both conceptually and emotionally. It is hard to find a book like that and I felt quite lucky for it. I also loved how Amanda Gray mixed historical elements into the book. Although only a few scenes of the Romanov Russia story were portrayed, I adored it as much as the main storyline. Her eloquent and elaborative writing made everything stands out even more. I fell for Nikolai almost immediately after the first encounter of him and Maria. I don't know why but their love seemed so compelling through Amanda's vivid depictions of their movements and thoughts. I was practically blushing myself.

However, Endless is not perfect either, though its flaws are nothing comparing to its brilliance. But to be fair, the ending is not one I have hoped. It left a lot of important and critical questions unresolved. A few plot arcs were dismissed without proper explanations as well. Seeing this as a standalone book, I'm not sure if Amanda Gray intends to carry on the story and give it a formal closure. Though either way, I would recommend you to read this, as this will for sure be one of the most thrilling rides you have gone on.

My Rating: ★★★★☆ (4 and 1/2 stars)

(A copy of this book was kindly provided by the publisher in exchange for an honest review.)