Review: The Many Lives of Avery Snow by Christy Sloat

What: The Many Lives of Avery Snow (The Past Lives #1) by Christy Sloat

Who: Anchor Group

When: January 11th 2012

How: A copy of this novel was provided by the author as part of a book tour.

Avery Snow led a boring, no thrills life. After her father left the family when she was young, Avery’s mother died when she was only twelve, leaving her all alone except for her Aunt Paulina. Now, at twenty-six, Avery is very used to being lonely.

She enjoys her job at Sunrise Estates, it’s the one place where she doesn’t feel left out. Her boss, Kerri, is her best friend and Lucy O’Shea, a resident at the home, is a good friend to her as well. The night Lucy dies in Avery’s arms she delivers a haunting message to Avery. She tells her that there is a man looking for her from a past life. And he will stop at nothing to have her.

Now Avery is unable sleep for more than a few hours, her dreams are keeping her awake. She is too terrified to sleep for the dreams are too vivid and too real. The only catch? She cannot remember what they are about. Until her Spirit Guide, Ianni, comes to help. Ianni shows Avery her past lives and tells her about the man who is stalking her soul. Now Avery remembers every life she has ever lived and she remembers the man she shared them with. He will not give up until she falls in love with him. The problem is Avery is in love with someone else. Ianni must help keep Avery from making the wrong choice. One her soul doesn’t want. She also must keep her safe from the Dark Guides who are after Avery.

Now Avery must make choices she never has before. This once lonely girl is now surrounded by Spirit Guides, psychics, Demonic Angels and two men fighting for her love.

Do you believe in reincarnation and a love that can last lifetimes?

Twenty six year old Avery Snow hasn’t slept a full night in three months. Hasn’t slept since the day someone told her she was being watched. Since she started having dreams that leave her scared and covered in sweat.

But it turns out there is a reason Avery isn’t sleeping. It’s because she has lived three previous lives; falling for the same man over and over again. Falling for her twin soul. Her other half.

When I read the blurb for The Past Lives of Avery Snow, I instantly wanted to start reading. I love the notion of past lives, and the fact that love can withstand even time, the ultimate power.

From the moment the book started, I was drawn into Avery’s world. For a while, I thought that the writing style was really simplified, and written in a way that resembled a young YA novel, or even a middle grade novel. But then it struck me that reading The Past Lives of Avery Snow was like having Avery talking to me. It felt like we were having a conversation on my couch, and she was speaking to me about everything that had happened to her. I’m not sure if that is what Sloat intended by the writing style, but it most definitely felt that way to me. And from the moment I realised that, I enjoyed reading the book much more.

There was a general lack of descriptions of places, but the descriptions of people were ample. I like knowing exactly what places look like through the eyes of the characters, so I was a little disappointed that there wasn’t more of this in The Past Lives of Avery Snow. I would have loved to see places through Avery’s eyes.

Insta-love took a front seat in this novel. Avery begins to tell the reader about Dallas, the man who works at the bar near her work. She’s had a crush on him for a while, but has never acted upon it. And then all of a sudden, they’re dating, and confessing their love for each other. I found this a little unbelievable. If it had been her twin soul, I would have been able to understand the insta-love; they’ve known each other for three lives, after all. But Dallas is just a guy she met at a bar (or seems to be), and I felt like the romance was a little rushed; albeit on the cute side.

I liked Avery as a character. She was a tad focussed on looks for my liking, and was constantly comparing herself to her ‘beautiful’ friends. And yet the men in her life were constantly telling Avery how beautiful she is. On the other hand, though, I loved that Avery didn’t smother her face in make-up; she just went natural. Like me! So I was definitely a fan of that aspect of her personality.

Avery felt pretty real to me. She was scared and confused about all the information she was learning about herself, and the world. She wished that her life would go back to normal, and I don’t blame her. Her life was a mess, and through no fault of her own.

If I had to pick a ‘team’, I would pick Landon. He seems like a more interesting character than Dallas, and I want to learn more about him in this lifetime. Perhaps in the sequel.

The circumstances that led to the final showdown in the novel were a tad confusing for me. I understood the past lives, and the Angel lore, but I wasn’t sure as to why they were having a ‘battle’ so to say.

The best things about The Past Lives of Avery Snow was how it made me want to come back for more. Every time I put my Kobo down, I was thinking about the story, and wanting to get back to it as quickly as possible. I love books that make me think about them at times when I am not reading them, and I am happy to include The Past Lives of Avery Snow in this category. I wanted to know what was going to happen next, and who Avery was going to meet. I loved that.

I am pretty interested in learning where Avery’s story leads in the next instalment of this series, and the novella about Ianni (Avery’s Spirit Guide) is definitely on my TBR list. I loved her character, and definitely want to learn more.

The ending of The Past Lives of Avery Snow was kind of depressing on one character’s behalf, so I am eager to discover what happens to them! And if Avery changes her mind about the man she loves. Someone give me The Unravelling of Avery Snow, please.

© 2013, Chiara @ Books for a Delicate Eternity. All rights reserved.