Admittedly it took me longer to get into this then I thought it would. Omololu's writing is a little jarring as it goes back and forth between Cole's 'visions' and her present. And at first it seems pretty routine--girl, guy, destiny and love, so it didn't grip me. Somewhere in the second quarter however it grabbed me. I'm not sure if it was because Cole's visions of her past life came quicker or if the answers to questions just seemed to be occurring with more frequency, but I wanted to know more.

I wanted to know about the connection Cole had with the Italian girl, with the Lady at the Tower of London, why she felt insta-connection to Griffon. I wanted to know why Griffon was so reluctant to get involved with her despite his actions speaking to the contrary. It was kind of annoying that Cole staunchly believed Griffon wanted nothing to do with her at all and his continued presence throughout the first half was him merely being 'nice'. I'm not sure why she had so little self-confidence, or why she clung to that belief so hard for so long.

For his part Griffon's early reluctance is given context later in the book, though it doesn't excuse all of the bad behavior. Griffon did show a maturity that male heroes in YA seem to lack lately; he has some valid points about the difficulty in having a relationship with someone when he can remember all the other relationships he's had. He isn't going into a high school romance as a 17 year old guy--not really. He's going into it with the knowledge of having grandkids, watching spouses die, of living that same moment dozens of times.

That's just not fair to a person who is experiencing everything for the first time (at least as far as they're concerned its the first time).

There's a few red herrings along the way about how Griffon and Cole are connected, as well as Cole and the person hunting Cole for a past transgression she can't remember fully. And I'm not particularly pleased with the very last revelation involving a separate past life of Cole's and the present. For me I was happy with the resolution to Cole and Griffon's feelings, I don't need this to be a series.

I don't need to read another book or two or three about Cole's jumbled feelings and uncertainty. Trust me she did that enough this time around. But that's just me. I recommend this book with the caveat that the ending really isn't an ending and to be prepared for this to not be a stand alone. ( )

Supernatural/sci-fi-ish elements: great. Teen romance elements: blech. The plot is interesting (if occasionally predictable), but Cole's internal monologue regarding Griffon sounded a lot, too much like Bella Swan. So right now, four stars; in a few weeks we'll see which feeling I'm left with more strongly, and whether I drop it to three.

Nicole - Cole to everyone but her mother - Ryan has been getting strange feelings as she tours London with her sister. It's as if she already knows what's around the corner - or what used to be. Streets she's never been on feel familiar to her, old buildings hold a sense of déjà vu as well.

This is Cole's first trip to London so she has no explanation for the feelings, either.

Nor does she know why at the Tour of London she's almost overcome with visions of a beheading - and it feels like her own! When a boy comes to her rescue, Cole hates that someone saw (she's already worried about what these visions and feelings mean) but he's also more than a little cute.

Griffon also seems to already know what happened to Cole. But will she be able to get the answers from him?

And what happens when the visions start getting worse . . . and more frequent?

Maybe Griffon wants to help Cole with what her visions and feelings mean but there are others she'll have to watch out for, as well.


Transcendence is a fast moving tale of past lives and how much of them are brought into the next that mixes romance with danger and will keep you eagerly reading until the very last page. And then waiting for even more!

I've read or started to read several books where past lives and/or reincarnation play into the plot and have to say Transcendence is one of my favorites. I loved that Cole started out with an inkling that something was different about her but not sure just what it was - and not even sure if it was a good thing or not; not sure if it was her sanity or not. That she wasn't someone who just always knew, from birth, that she was the girlfriend of a 1920s gangster , etc., etc. really added to the unraveling of the story.

I also loved her (modern day/present) life and how it worked into things. While she was a cello prodigy, she also wasn't perfect. She's not an idealized character: she has her flaws. Yet, she's also not the character who has nothing going for her until the hero shows up with the explanation of what's happening and suddenly her life has meaning.

Griffon does make Cole a bit swoony, but only in the normal seeming sense. She's an independent character. (Normally I like characters a little less perfect, but I have a bit of a crush on Griffon after reading Transcendence.)

It's nice that the past is worked into the story a bit through flashbacks/visions. It would be nice to see a bit more of it in the next book(s), but really, I love the present that's been created so much that I'll likely love it either way (I just love the different time periods it was suggested could be involved!).

The way the characters' motives get more and more ambiguous towards the end, leaving Cole to really fend for herself is great. It leaves not only Cole second guessing herself, but the readers as well.

There are two scenes in particular that I want to reread to see if there was, on one, more follow up than I remember and, on the other, not the possible inconsistency/not-quite-sense-making that I remember. Other than that, things all came together incredibly well for a novel that had a lot to line up at the end and a lot to work out - though I think some will ultimately be worked out in the next book.

Rating: 9/10

Awww … another one of these novels that falls into your lap at the right moment in time. I admit that I am the type who turns to books for answers to those existential and universal questions, which is not always the brightest idea, but it brings me some measure of comfort nonetheless.

It’s probably more the connection I have with the characters in these books facing similar dilemmas or questions I am facing at the same time, then actually finding any answers. It helps to watch someone else wander through those tunnels of self-exploration, even if that “someone else” is a fictional character.

But enough of that philosophical blabber. Transcendence is the story of Cole Ryan, a teenaged cello prodigy that discovers she is Akhet – a rare individual who has the ability to remember past lives. She first discovers this talent on a visit to London, when a tour through the Tower of London prompts vivid visions of Cole as a young noblewoman who is executed outside the Tower in the 1500s. The visions are so intense that Cole faints … into the waiting arms of deliciously hot hero, Griffon Hall, of course. Turns out Griffon is Akhet too, and has been for a while, so he makes it his personal mission to help Cole accept, understand, and embrace this new ability.

Do I need to say romance here?

Or the fact that Cole’s new abilities also come with danger? Turns out that a woman she may have murdered in a previous life is also back and out to exact revenge. So, we sit on the edge of our seats as Cole and Griffon fall in love AND try to battle an evil “essence” (or what they call the soul that passes from body to body and life to life) set on destroying them.

I see Hollywood blockbuster here.

And the book was fabulous. As I have mentioned in previous reviews, I enjoy YA novels that feature strong and independent heroines. Although Cole and Griffon are falling in love, and Cole finds herself increasingly drawn to him, she still retains an element of her own self: mostly seen through her love for the cello. As Cole works her way through the blossoming memories of her previous lives, she learns that she was a cello prodigy in a previous life, and that her talent has come with her to this one. The cello, as she admits herself, is her one great passion. She feels like she can’t live without it, and as not seen with most 16-year-olds, she dedicates all of her spare time to it (to the chagrin of her best friend, Rayne, who is a refreshing sidekick). It was this passion – this dedication to a singular aspect of Cole’s life – that resonated the most with me. Especially when Cole starts to question the “truth” of that passion. She grows to believe that her Akhet status has somehow made her a cheater – because she knew how to play the cello before she was born into this life, then she is not a true cello prodigy.

And while I don’t question any of my extensive talents or where they came from (ha!), I can understand the journey that Cole is taking to understand what this change in her life means. I introspect a lot – probably far more than is necessary – but I do think a lot about the direction to take my life. What I want to do with my life is a question I know we all face, and I have found my path, but how far can I throw myself onto that path? How can I make it feel as rewarding and fulfilling as I want it to feel? That is my question now as I read this book. I love where I’m headed, and I want to make sure I keep going that way. And I know I will – but I want to make sure that I am experiencing it as much as I can. Cole isn’t facing quite the same questions, but the questions she faces about her future, resonate with another who is also thinking about the future.

So, on the whole, an excellent work. I enjoyed Omololu’s writing style, and her characters felt very real. Griffon is an admirable hero, one I can get behind and root for like Peeta from The Hunger Games trilogy or Four from the Divergent series. He’s got his head on straight, and he understands that women are not perfect in reality, but perfect in how they, as the hero, view them. That felt very vivid in Transcendence, and I would recommend this book for that reason alone. Ladies—you do not have to be perfect for the perfect guy to think you are. However, I think that Cole’s passion for the cello – her life connected to something so different than what you can find in other young adult heroines – is refreshing, and a great inspiration for young readers. ( )

Cover Talk: Alright, peeps. Let me just tell you how much I LOVE this cover. First, it’s not white washed! And I don’t know if it’s a big deal to other people, but I actually want the people on the cover to match the characters in the book. I get completely thrown off when the main character is a described as having brown hair and brown eyes and the cover model is blonde hair and blue eyes. So major kudos for the character looking perfect and beautiful.

Second, I love the bit of London in the background and how it’s kind of foggy. It matched the whole “recovering past lives” thing that Cole has going on.

Third, the font is really pretty. I don’t why it stands out so much, but it is simple and lovely.

First Impressions: Ever since reading Michelle Madow’s book Remembrance a while back, I have been wanting to read more fiction on reincarnation. When I found this book on GoodReads and other fellow blogger’s pages I was super excited!

First 50-100 Pages: Let’s just say, when I started this book, I refused to put it down until page 203. So yes, the first 50-100 pages grabbed me and would not let me go. The handful of flashbacks we get are very intriguing. Omololu created just enough of the previous lives to keep my attention.

Characters: Cole is a very difficult character to sum up. She is ambitious, smart, a little naive, passionate, confused, scared, and strong. Cole is a child prodigy who plays the cello. She meets Griffon, feels a spark, and their relationship develops over into something sweet and romantic. Overall, I really like her. I think toward the middle-end, she was starting to change into a bit of a “googly-eyed,” semi-annoying girlfriend, but she came back from that by the end.

Griffon is definitely one of my favorite male leads that I have come across this year. He is smart, funny, caring, supportive, and just an all around good guy. And I know in a lot of reviews, many say he is too good to be true. Well, to that I say *blows raspberry* “so what?!” This guy genuinely cares about Cole and it is evident in everything that he does. I definitely love him.

Veronique is definitely someone I underestimated. I didn’t realize she would play such a central role this book. I really liked the development of her character and though her story kind of comes to an end in this book, I kind of want her to stay around and play a part in the second novel.

Rayne is Cole’s best friend. I really hope that she gets a bigger role in the second novel. Bigger in the sense that I hope she gets to become aware of Cole’s new world. I really love Rayne and Cole’s relationship. They are best friends with no judgement, no questions, and true dedication.

Plot: I am a huge fan of reincarnation ever since I read Remembrance. I have always loved this idea and while reading this book, i have fallen even more in love with this and really want to read more. My favorite part of this theme is that we get flashbacks into different periods of history. Especially the one in London. I can’t wait to discover more in the second book.

On a personal note, I have always had a huge want, no need, to go to Ireland. My ancestors on both sides are from Ireland and I have felt a pull in my heart, soul, and blood to go back. So when I was reading this book and reading Cole’s reaction to London, tears would well up in my eyes as I read her experiences. I feel such similar experience when reading about Ireland or seeing pictures. I can only imagine how it will feel to actually go there and have my feet firmly on Irish soil.

Okay, back to the plot. Overall, I thoroughly enjoyed Cole’s discovery of who she is. It is not too fast, but not to slow. I was very thankful for not being overwhelmed with a ton of information. Another quick personal note, I absolutely love anything and everything to do with ancient Egypt (maybe I was Cleopatra in a previous life) and so I was thrilled when I discovered the significance of ancient Egypt to this plot. Specifically the ankh.

Now, onto the romance. I loved the sweetness and the caution. Yes, it was kind of insta-love, but kind of not at the same time. I prefer to call this one insta-intrigue. Clearly, Cole senses something about Griffon that is different and is able to open up to him. I loved seeing their romance involve and am very interested to see what happens in the second book. I have feeling that it will be shaken up, because well, you’ll see when you read this book.

Final Thoughts: This is my favorite part of the review. The part where I tell you that the book is amazing, originally done, well written, contains thoroughly developed characters, and needs to be read now. Ready, go? But seriously, Transcendence is brilliant and the snippet at the end about book two…oh my Lord. I can’t wait! ( )