The Eternal Ones by Kirsten Miller

From Goodreads:

Haven Moore can’t control her visions of a past with a boy called Ethan, and a life in New York that ended in fiery tragedy. In our present, she designs beautiful dresses for her classmates with her best friend Beau. Dressmaking keeps her sane, since she lives with her widowed and heartbroken mother in her tyrannical grandmother’s house in Snope City, a tiny town in Tennessee. Then an impossible group of coincidences conspire to force her to flee to New York, to discover who she is, and who she was. 

 In New York, Haven meets Iain Morrow and is swept into an epic love affair that feels both deeply fated and terribly dangerous. Iain is suspected of murdering a rock star and Haven wonders, could he have murdered her in a past life? She visits the Ouroboros Society and discovers a murky world of reincarnation that stretches across millennia. Haven must discover the secrets hidden in her past lives, and loves¸ before all is lost and the cycle begins again.

Reincarnation, visions, teenage and small town prejudices and a strange pull. Something needs to be done, but not quite understanding of what needs to be done. Add a bit of youthful impatience with a large push of small minded prejudice and you have the beginning of this book. As the book goes on Haven tries to put together a puzzle where parts seem to fit and then don't. It's a struggle for her to find out what she is supposed to do and who to trust. Plus, with only a few snippets of former memory at a time it's not easy. Does she find out who is the evil force and who just wants to see good done? Can she trust anyone but her best friend? These are answers only Haven can find out for herself.

I have to say that this book holds an interesting concept for me. I was a bit disappointed on how it was handled within her own religion. I would have found that aspect more interesting if within her quest she was to also find out that Christianity has also had debates throughout the centuries with this concept. It wouldn't have been necessary at all to the book, but just more interesting since so much of the book was dedicated to the statement that Christianity and reincarnation do not go together. Another disappointment I had was with Haven. Her ability to quickly trust and mistrust Iain (often within the same hour) really irritated me. In fact it irritated her best friend who asked her if she was done with the roller coaster ride referring to her inability to pin how she felt about Iain. Also, Iain might have had good intentions, but the lack of information and the way he handled it really annoyed me as well. However, the one bright spot was Beau, her gay best friend. He was always there ready to have her back and was a true friend. 

Despite those criticisms I stated above, I will say that the book kept me interested and wanting to find out what happens next. How the pieces were to fall together and who did what kept me reading. I also believe that this is a series and I'm curious as to where the author will lead us. I find the antagonist intriguing even if a bit one dimensional at this point. I think that this concept could be taken into interesting territory. Especially since the big issue for Haven should be solved. As long as that issue is solved, I want to read the next book. I give this one 3 stars.

For some on-line fun you can goto the web site of the Ouroboros Society.

I'd like to thank Razorbill for this ARC. No compensation was given for this review.


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