Book Review: Water by Terra Harmony

NOTE: I was given the book through Netgalley.

This is the first time I review a book in stages, but I think it worked out well. Here goes:

0-50%
I read a lot of recommendations and positive reviews of this first book in the Akasha series. Too bad I can't say anything flattering about it. Yes, the idea is nice and with some work could be done a lot better, but...

-The writing style is lacking. There's too much tell and too little show, from the second chapter on. Yes, it does pull you in with the first chapter, and the second one is okay, but all the rest of it is one big ol' mess.

-The characters don't behave naturally. It's like they're being pushed against their will to do what they do, and that makes me really dislike them. Also, there's no gray with them - it's either black or white, and we all know how realistic that is. Take Micah for example. He either runs cold (suddenly hating Kaythlin) or hot (passionately kissing her) and neither is done with a particular reason in mind. Kaythlin acts stupid most of the time, trying to mask it under petty sarcasm and jokes. Not funny ones. Cato... well, he's like a tree I guess. Shows no emotions whatsoever. And Shawn is plain disgusting.

-The idea of the plot isn't entirely clear. This Gaia persona isn't explained consistently. In the beginning, Kaythlin is told she's the only Gaia, but then we're told there's a bunch of them. I don't know, the concept just isn't entirely cleared up.

-The romance is rather lust than anything else. And how could it? Kaythlin and Micah just met and wham! So, definitely not love, but then I have no clue what else to call it either. And if Shawn somehow forms a love triangle, I'm gonna call it quits. Seriously.

50%-80%
Okay, so I guess some things have improved over the pages.

-Although Kaythlin still lacks a real backbone and reasonable personality, she's sort of trying. She is standing her ground pretty well for someone with a personality resembling that of a mollusk.

-Micah had me almost completely disgusted, so 2/3 of the available males make me gag and want to vomit. Great. If you're curious, the training he administered her could've really violated her as a woman. You get the idea.

-At least so far, Shawn continues being all hateful, brooding and completely disgusting - just as he was in the beginning.

-Cato says Kaythlin's no different than any other Gaia (so there are more then, huh?), but he also says she's special. From my point of understanding, you can't have it both ways, so which one is it?

And finally, 80% -
It was around the 80th percent that I decided it was funally time to put this book down forever. Why? I can't handle rape well. Yes, you read it right - rape. It's sick and makes me want to puke. I am disgusted by this point with all of the characters. None of them means anything to me more than random words on a random page. They're stupid, selfish, reckless and incredibly weak to even be called characters. For example, Kaythlin has the power to sink an entire island, but she has no power to fight off a man who's vandalizing her body with no regrets whatsoever. Ugh. I can't believe she'd rather give in than die fighting. In my eyes, she can be no woman.

So, I'm sorry - or wait. No. I'm not. I can't go on with this ridiculousness.

My rating is: 1/5