Review: The Alchemy of Forever by Avery Williams

Reviewed by Gina

Date Read: January 27th, 2012

Date Published: January 3rd, 2012

Publishers: Simon & Schuster

Format: Hardback

Pages: 256

Blurb: After spending six hundred years on Earth, Seraphina Ames has seen it all. Eternal life provides her with the world's riches but at a very high price: innocent lives. Centuries ago, her boyfriend, Cyrus, discovered a method of alchemy that allows them to take the bodies of other humans from jumping from one vessel to the next, ending the human's life in the process. No longer able to bear the guilt of what she's done, Sera escapes from Cyrus and vows to never kill again.
Then sixteen-year old Kailey Morgan gets into a horrific car accident right in front of her, and Sera accidentally takes over her body while trying to save her. For the first time, Sera finds herself enjoying the life of the person she's inhabiting--and falling in love with the boy who lives next door. But Cyrus will stop at nothing until she's his again, and every moment she stays, she's putting herself and the people she's grown to care about in danger. Will Sera have to give up the one thing that's eluded her for centuries: true love?

Review: First thoughts after finishing...well, that was a big cliff hanger. I have so many thoughts going through my head right now and so many questions as to what will happen. I must know. I need to know. This is a great Young Adult fantasy novel and I enjoyed it thoroughly. This book was awesome and must read for people who love fantasy, I guess a bit of science, a sprinkle of romance and an interesting story line.

In 1349 Seraphina meets Cyrus, an apothecary’s son but when she is attacked he saves her life. But not in the traditional sense of the word. She is now immortal and has been living in different bodies for six hundred years. After changing bodies too many times she realises that she can’t do that anymore and runs from the life she has always known and once loved. But when a terrible accident happens she saves a girl’s life but ends up taking over her body. Now she must live a life that doesn’t belong to her. She must fit in with those around her and she mustn’t let Cyrus find her.

The idea of taking an elixir that helps you live forever by body switching was amazing and definitely something I hadn’t read before. Although I wish there was a bit more about how it worked and how it was created but maybe we’ll get the answers in the next book. I hope so. Maybe that’s why I gave it four instead of five stars. Or maybe it was because I didn’t get a lot of action from this book, as I was expecting and at times it was a little slow but overall it was a great read.

I loved the character of Sera (Seraphina) as she was different from other characters I’d read before. She was willing to give up her life, immortality, so no one else would be hurt for her. That takes courage to do that. She is a strong character and feels sad for the family that belongs to her new body and realises she can’t just leave them hanging. Noah was also great but we didn’t really get a lot of him. He was sweet and I think he is good for Sera even though he is in love with the person who once inhabited the body she now has. I don’t know how that will turn out but I look forward to it.

I would have liked for this book to be a little longer but I loved all of it. Avery writes flowingly (is that even a word?) and her unique idea and characters captured me easily. I can’t wait for the next one so I can find out more and see what happens to Sera and the people around her.

Rating: 4 stars!!