Review: Eternity - Elizabeth Miles

Eternity by Elizabeth Miles, published by Simon and Schuster on 10th October 2013

Goodreads synopsis:
The weather is mild in Ascension…but beneath the surface, everything is burning up. The nightmare Emily Winters has been living through for months shows no sign of ending, as the Furies stay on the peripheral, slowly driving her crazy. Em feels...different. She's angry, and never cold, and too strong. It's only a matter of time before she turns into the thing she hates the most. Em needs to take her fate into her own hands, but without Drea to help, or anyone to turn to, Em is quickly running out of options.

Crow's involvement with Em has grown more complicated, as his visions begin to take shape. It doesn't look good for Em, but Crow has a plan. He will do anything to save her. Anything. JD misses the Em he used to know...and love. She seems so different these days, like she's hiding something. When JD begins to learn the truth, he is as scared as he is determined to help her. But his help may be the last thing Em needs to survive.

Review:
'Eternity' is the third and final instalment in the trilogy about Emily Winters and the small town of Ascension.  I thoroughly enjoyed the previous two books and I was looking forward to reading the conclusion of Emily's story but I wasn't quite as wowed by it as I'd been by 'Fury' and 'Envy'.  Maybe because the gap between reading this and the other books was too long, but it took me a little while to get back into the story and pick up all the threads of the character's lives. 

Emily fears she's losing herself and becoming someone or something else.  She doesn't know how to break the Furies curse until JD begins to put all the pieces together and provides the smallest glimmer of hope that Emily might have a future after all.  The chapter point of view alternated mainly between Emily and JD.  They both still seem to be oblivious to their feelings for each other but this may be the one thing that can save them.

The story was pretty dark and twisty with life and death quite literally at stake but I couldn't help but feel that the Furies didn't come across as ominously as they had in the past.  Previously they'd been a malevolent presence in the town but they didn't seem to play such a big part in 'Eternity'.  They are still there to make Emily's life a misery but they didn't have such an active role in the book.   

I have to say that I was also disappointed with the ending which felt rather abrupt and the big showdown, when it finally came, was something of a let down.  It seemed that Elizabeth Miles was trying to tie everything up too quickly and so the edge of tension went out of the story. 

I think it may have helped if I'd gone back and read the whole series in one go but as I didn't, this final chapter in the series just didn't seem to live up to it's promise.  There were some aspects about it that I enjoyed and I was pleased to finally find out what was going to happen to Emily but overall I had high hopes for it which just weren't met.                

Review: Envy - Elizabeth Miles

Envy by Elizabeth Miles, published by Simon and Schuster on 30th August 2012

Goodreads synopsis:
Spring is here, and the ice is slowly melting in Ascension…revealing the secrets buried beneath.

The Furies are back, and Emily Winters is about to discover that their roots in Ascension are deeper than she ever imagined. With the help of her new friend Drea, she vows to take them down. But it's hard to focus when she's desperate to make up with JD, and to figure out why Crow, a mysterious Ascension High dropout, seems to be shadowing her.

Meanwhile, new girl Skylar McVoy is determined to leave her own dark past behind. So she's thrilled when not only does popular Gabby takes her under her wing, but the stunning and sophisticated Meg offers to give her a major makeover. But everyone knows what happens to the vainest girl of all…

It's tempting to be naughty. But beware: the Furies are always watching, and their power grows stronger by the day.

Review:
Dangerous and seductive, 'Envy' was the perfect sequel to Elizabeth Miles's bestseller 'Fury'.  With a cover which is equally entrancing, I adored this book and read it from cover to cover in one day.

Returning to the small town of Ascension, Em is struggling to cope after the events of the previous book.  Still trying to find out more about The Furies and what they want, she also finds herself distanced from JD, the boy she loves.

Em's point of view is interspersed with that of a new girl, Skylar McVoy, who desperately wants to become popular and liked at Ascension High.  There's a secret in Skylar's past which is hinted at throughout but not revealed until near the end of the story.  I feared for her from the word go as she unwittingly becomes involved with The Furies and starts to act out of character.  Although she initially comes across as a little bit one-dimensional with her desire to become Queen Bee at the school, glimpses into her past reveal more about her motives and I found her an interesting character.  

There's a sinister undertone through the whole story which drew me in and kept me gripped.  You know that something terrible is going to happen but you're not quite sure what.  Everyone's lives are at threat from The Furies and their terrible need for vengeance and their desire to punish those who have committed wrongdoings.  Everytime they appeared they were really creepy, pretending to be kind and helpful when underneath they are pure evil, causing unbelievable pain and upset to those they come into contact with.    

'Envy' had a stunning ending which really threw me for a loop.  Looking back on the book I guess there are a lot of hints to what's going to happen but I still found it incredibly surprising and a brilliant change of direction for the series.    

This series is one of my favourites and I can't wait for the next instalment which is set to be called 'Eternity' and will be published in 2013. 

Review: Fury - Elizabeth Miles

Fury by Elizabeth Miles, published by Simon and Schuster on 29th March 2012

Goodreads synopsis:
It’s winter break in Ascension, Maine. The snow is falling and everything looks pristine and peaceful. But not all is as it seems...

Between cozy traditions and parties with her friends, Emily loves the holidays. And this year’s even better--the guy she’s been into for months is finally noticing her. But Em knows if she starts things with him, there’s no turning back. Because his girlfriend is Em’s best friend.

On the other side of town, Chase is having problems of his own. The stress of his home life is starting to take its toll, and his social life is unraveling. But that’s nothing compared to what’s really haunting him. Chase has done something cruel...something the perfect guy he pretends to be would never do. And it’s only a matter of time before he’s exposed.

In Ascension, mistakes can be deadly. And three girls—three beautiful, mysterious girls—are here to choose who will pay. Em and Chase have been chosen.

Review:
'Fury' is based on the concept of The Furies who often feature prominently in Greek mythology.  They're three witches or spirits who seek vengeance for wrongdoings and this lies at the heart of Elizabeth Miles's story. 

The narrative alternates between two characters - Em Winters and Chase Singer.  They have more in common than they think because they've both wronged another and now they're about to be punished.  Whereas Em's indiscretion is clear from the start, Chase's isn't fully revealed until a good two-thirds of the way through the book when the mistake he made costs him dear.  Although I knew that Em and Chase had both done things which were wrong, I couldn't help but keep thinking that Zach (Em's best friend's boyfriend) had done things far worse and that the Furies should really have been after him.  The ending luckily dealt with that quite well.

I really liked Em's friendship with boy next door JD.  As they've grown up together, they're completely comfortable around each other and is was obvious from the start that they'd make a perfect couple.  I loved JD's quirkiness and honesty and his unfailing devotion to Em.  Their relationship does change near the end of the book and I'm looking forward to seeing how this will be explored in the second book in the trilogy.

Although I enjoyed Em's story, I actually liked the chapters which were centred on Chase slightly more.  He's had a difficult time of it living in a trailer with his Mum and has desperately tried to fit in with his peers, sometimes acting out of character to try and impress them.  It was interesting to see the contrast between his behaviour when he was around his friends and when he was with his mother.  His story took an unexpected turn near the end which took me completely by surprise but was a brilliant twist.

I would have liked to have known more about Drea who fills Em in on the Furies and how she's involved in everything but I have a feeling that more will be revealed in 'Envy' the second book in the series.  I didn't love 'Fury' quite as much as I initially thought I would as I found the start quite slow and kept wondering when something was actually going to happen.  I also didn't click with all the characters but I still thought the whole concept for the book was fantastic and I'm intrigued to know what direction Elizabeth Miles will take the story in next.