Ascension (Ascension, #1)

by Yolanda Hatcher

[Nadz@Totally Addicted to Reading]

Now I am at the end of the story I am at a bit of a loss as to what to write that would aptly portray my opinion of this book. This is my first experience with the author and the narrators so I did not know what to expect. Based on the rave reviews I came across for this title and the synopsis I expected an exciting read/listen. Sorry to say I am in the minority with regard to the rave reviews as the story failed to deliver what I expected. I guess this one was not for me.

Story
The story had potential, but I never connected with it. There were parts I found interesting, but these were overshadowed by the parts of the story that dragged.

Characters
The characters proved interesting, but I never connected with them. Initially, I found myself liking them, but then a particular revelation caused me to lose all developing connections. By the time, it came to light that the revelation was false it was too late to reestablish the lost connection.

One of the things I had difficulty wrapping my brain around was the relationship between the main characters, Luna and Parker. Parker had no contact with the outside world for 11 years because of time spent in a mental institution. Luna has been living under the evil thumb of her so-called guardian from she was eight years old. Now the moment they laid eyes on each other they knew they were in love. I had a hard time buying into that one even after events unfolded.

Magic and supernatural powers abound but it was not enough to make me enjoy this one. The cliffhanger ending helped to make the situation worse.

Narration.
The narration helped to make the story bearable, but it was not enough to get me excited. Four narrators were used in the story’s narration. I thought they did a good job in capturing the unique personalities of the characters through their voices. The pacing and tones were good, and they captured each of the characters’ emotions well.

Conclusion/ Recommendation
I wanted to like this book, but it just did not work for me. Other readers Urban Fantasy may like this more than I did. I do not believe I will continue the series.