Past Lives #1: Rachel (The Past Lives Series) [Kindle Edition]

Stephanie Abbott (Author), Jennifer Sommersby Young (Editor)

Book Description

How many times can you die for love?

For twenty-one years Rachel MacReady has skated along -- pretty and carefree, with wealthy parents and plenty of friends. Fate handed Rachel everything a girl could want.  But one icy night, a car crash unlocks memories from a very different existence. In 1870s England, in a steampunk subculture of Victorian London, Rachel was Cassandra Masters, a powerful telepath sidelined by the males who ran the Order.

Cassandra sparked a rebellion so radical, its effects are still felt in the present day. She also fell for two very different men. Fellow telepath Dominic Belden -- black-haired and handsome as a Greek statue -- and Ted Harrington, the Order's rebellious, hard-drinking Master Telekinetic. Both men loved her. And both have returned in the present day to seek out Rachel. But therein lies the problem. Cassandra Masters died at just twenty-one, the same age as Rachel. And one of those men may have loved her to death.

(First of a 6 book series.)

Editorial Reviews

Review

"The characters are interesting, the mystery is intriguing and the action scenes pull you in and don't let you go. The passages concerning the characters' paranormal powers is particularly bewitching ... Past Lives #1: Rachel is well written and a great start to what promises to be a great series." -- The Aussie Zombie, Books With Brains

From the Inside Flap

At the moment of impact, I wasn't surprised when a life flashed before my eyes. I just expected the life to be my own.
 
The silver Porsche must have been doing eighty when it hit black ice. I couldn't swerve, couldn't get out of the way. There was nowhere to go as the Porsche whipped around, skidding toward my little car. Headlights rushed toward me, flooding my windshield, obliterating the night. And then I was someplace else. A home that once belonged to me. A place I'd loved, the only safe refuge in an increasingly dangerous world. I recognized my surroundings - Belgrave Square, London. But not modern London, with its funky cars, punk rockers, and Virgin Mobile billboards. No, this was Victorian London. Cobblestone streets, iron fences, gaslights glowing through thick yellow fog. And I was myself again, my former self ...The memory stream jerked, flickering like an old zoetrope camera. Images flew by, pulling me deeper. Past the big oak tree shedding its leaves ... past the front step whitened by a maid each morning ... past the red-lacquered door with lanterns glowing on either side ... Beyond it all - wallpapered foyer, brass spittoons, coat rack, maid and butler - I saw myself.
 
I was seated in the drawing room, two men who meant more to me than anything in the world on either side. Dominic Belden - black eyes, black hair, handsome as a Greek statue. I trusted him with all my heart, yet didn't fully love him. And Theodore Harrington - tall and broad-shouldered, mouth curving sardonically, pale eyes alight. I loved him with all my soul, yet couldn't fully trust him. Dominic and Ted, Ted and Dominic ...
 
Was it right, how I remembered my feelings for those two? Or did I have it reversed?

So begins the first book in the Past Lives series.  In 1870, in the steampunk subculture that once ruled Britain -- and the Western world -- a woman named Cassandra Masters took on the Order, a cabal of telepaths, and paid the ultimate price.  Now she lives again as Rachel MacReady, haunted by memories and compelled to relive the events of that dangerous prior existence.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• File Size: 378 KB
• Print Length: 124 pages
• Simultaneous Device Usage: Unlimited
• Publisher: Lyonnesse Books (January 9, 2012)
• Language: English
• ASIN: B006VOKP7W
• Text-to-Speech: Enabled
• X-Ray: Not Enabled
• Lending: Not Enabled
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #388,368 Paid in Kindle Store (See Top 100 Paid in Kindle Store)

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars An imaginative and engaging read! January 15, 2012

By Gary Alan Ruse

Format:Kindle Edition|Amazon Verified Purchase

I really like this one. The author has crafted an intriguing mix of mystery, reincarnation, alternate history and suspense. I found the characters believable and the narrative both visual and imaginative, and the shifts between the Victorian era scenes and today work very well.

The lead character, Rachel/Cassandra, seems totally real as she seeks to understand and act upon her recollections of a past life. She pulls you in immediately and makes the clever concept engaging. The action moves along quickly. To reveal any more of the plot would spoil it.

Readers who like Victorian England settings, telepaths, secret societies, second chances on a grand scale and magick that's more adult than Harry Potter should enjoy this one. I'm looking forward to seeing what happens next in the series.

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Intriguing Twist May 11, 2012

By Andrea Kurian

Format:Kindle Edition

This is Stephanie Abbott's second book for me. Strangely, her style comes across as so different, you feel like you're reading from a completely different writer.

A few things are consistent - the way her words weave a description that is unique and alluring. And the situations that offer a twist to the regular scenes our minds are accustomed to.

In some ways, Rachel comes across as spoilt and reckless. The car crash seems almost deserving and then in other ways, you're offered other insights into her life and you start to feel sorry for her.

Sounds chick lit? Nope, that's where Stephanie twists and turns making it a read any reader will enjoy. Not your regular time travel read but oh so enjoyable.

Overall assessment:
Story: 4.5/5
Characters: 5/5
Editing: 4/5
Formatting: 4/5
Pacing: 4.5/5
Offensive content?: Minimal(PG)

Disclosure: I received a review copy of this book from the author through Orangeberry Book Tours. I did not receive any payment in exchange for this review nor was I obligated to write a positive one.

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful

4.0 out of 5 stars A great introduction to the series! March 5, 2012

By Ritesh Kala

Format:Kindle Edition|Amazon Verified Purchase

I loved the idea behind the series and was really excited to get to read this book. I can say that the story definitely does not disappoint. The story runs along in two timelines, as all the characters in the present day are reincarnates from 1870 who knew each other back then and were somehow intimately connected. They were all part of a society of "super-humans" who had certain abilities which made them special. Each of the characters seems to have retained their special abilities in the present day. In the beginning, I was feeling a bit overwhelmed by the two roles played by each character, past and present, but it became easier to follow as the story continued.

The author has done a wonderful job of delineating and describing each timeline beautifully. The historic timeline is quite suitably described, which I consider a big achievement, as any discrepancy here would throw the reader off the story. I have not read any Victorian era dramas and so, have no idea about that world, but the world which the author describes here, just seems perfect. There are elements of steam punk in this book as technology from the past is brought out wonderfully.

The magic in the book may be quite familiar to a lot of readers. Telepaths, telekinetics and pyrokinetics all make an appearance and seem to be a big part of the series. I expect them to make a continued appearance in all the remaining books in the series. With such a vast array of super-human characters, I expected a lot of action sequences and I was not disappointed. The action is fast paced and at times, breath-taking. I just loved it as magic and action intertwined in a beautiful symphony!

The book is quite short, and I consider it to be a novella rather than a full blown novel.... Would it have been better to extend the book, and reduce the series from six books to just three? I think so. I definitely think this book was missing some much needed background on both the past and present characters. A little more information for readers to go on and really get into the mystery would have been nice. However, the author has left enough hints to be able to guess the direction the series is taking. In fact, I see a much, much bigger story unfolding as the series continues. This, atleast for now, will keep my anticipation levels high for the next book in the series.

The book works as it is right now, but I would have liked for the story to continue rather than wait a few months for the next instalment. After the amount of time it has taken longer series like Harry Potter and Inheritance Cycle, not to even mention Game of Thrones to complete, I have become really wary of long series. It may so happen that a number of readers may get tired of waiting and lose interest. Maybe, the author will look at this and consider changing the format? Besides this aspect, I have to say that I love this introduction and am looking forward to getting the next book in my hands! Read more ›

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Unexpected treat June 13, 2012

By lanpcs

Format:Kindle Edition|Amazon Verified Purchase

This book has it all, interesting characters, mystery, sex, history and special powers. What a great introduction to a six part book series can,t wait to start the next one. The scenes are realistic, well outside of their hidden powers, but in keeping with the times the book is based on. The ideas are original and would make a great series for the small screen. Recommended read. *****

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Re entertaining Read! August 2, 2012

By alan nayes

Format:Kindle Edition|Amazon Verified Purchase

Yes, from my review title, i'm alluding to the topic of reincarnation. and Ms. abbott has written a very re engrossing and original story about a young woman, Rachel, as she tries to come to grips with her past life as Cassandra, who lost her life in the 1870s. Rachel and her current friends are all connected to what was happening to the characters in their pasts. The author did a fantastic job of interweaving the two separate plot lines--transporting us from the present to the actions of the past as seemlessly as climbing into a time machine. her descriptions and prose are beautifully written--sensual and erotic even, the dialogue witty and real, and the characters interesting and ones you want to root for. ms. abbott has obviously done her research in describing the late 1800s steampunk era of victorian Britain. if you are re enthralled with telepaths, telekinesis and secret societies, you can't go wrong with PAST LIVES. it is a series so be prepared for an ending that leaves you wishing to get into the next installment. reincarnation has always been a topic i've found intriguing--and the author has written about it so skillfully, i found myself wondering if it really does happen. PAST LIVES is highly recommended--or is that re recommended?

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