Transcendence [Hardcover]

C. J. Omololu (Author)

Book Description

Release date: June 5, 2012

When a visit to the Tower of London triggers an overwhelmingly real vision of a beheading that occurred centuries before, Cole Ryan fears she is losing her mind. A mysterious boy, Griffon Hall, comes to her aid, but the intensity of their immediate connection seems to open the floodgate of memories even wider.

As their feelings grow, Griffon reveals their common bond as members of the Akhet—an elite group of people who can remember past lives and use their collected wisdom for the good of the world. But not all Akhet are altruistic, and a rogue is after Cole to avenge their shared past. Now in extreme danger, Cole must piece together clues from many lifetimes. What she finds could ruin her chance at a future with Griffon, but risking his love may be the only way to save them both.

Full of danger, romance, and intrigue, Transcendence breathes new life into a perpetually fascinating question: What would you do with another life to live?

Editorial Reviews

Review

I raced through this suspenseful story, loving the mystery, romance, and past lives that make it come alive Cate Tiernan, author of the 'Sweep' and 'Immortal Beloved' series With a fascinating premise, a spunky heroine, and a sweet romance, Transcendence was a page-turner from beginning to end Malinda Lo, author of 'Ash' and 'Huntress' --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

About the Author

C.J. OMOLOLU majored in English at U.C. Santa Barbara because she liked to read, not because she liked to write. She later discovered that the voices in her head often have interesting things to say. Her most recent book is Dirty Little Secrets, about hoarding and family secrets. www.cjomololu.com

Product Details

• Age Range: 12 and up
  
• Hardcover: 336 pages
• Publisher: Walker Childrens; 1 edition (June 5, 2012)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0802723705
• ISBN-13: 978-0802723703
• Product Dimensions: 8.5 x 5.8 x 1.2 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.1 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (30 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #506,950 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Every journal I've ever had ends on or around January 21st, because I find it really boring writing about my own life. I have found, however, that I really like writing about the lives of imaginary people and that the voices in my head often have interesting things to say.

My picture book WHEN IT'S SIX O'CLOCK IN SAN FRANCISCO came out in July, 2009, and my young adult novel DIRTY LITTLE SECRETS (under C.J. Omololu) released in February 2010. TRANSCENDENCE, a YA novel about reincarnation and the meaning of life will be out in June of 2012, followed by the sequel in June of 2013. You can catch up with me on my website at www.cjomololu.com.

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

8 of 8 people found the following review helpful

4.0 out of 5 stars Great start to series June 10, 2012

By brandileigh2003

Format:Hardcover

To be honest, I was so close to putting this book down. I am not really a fan of prologues and I felt that this one didn't do the story justice. Yes, it is very important to the story, but I feel like it would have been better placed after she meets Griffon.
That said, once I got into this story, I completely fell in love with it. I love this idea of love through time and once I was able to bond with Cole, I really felt for her. Her love of cello is an awesome addition to the story, and I felt like her love for the instrument is genuine. I also really appreciated the theme of being able to right what you did wrong in the lives before, and the idea that these Akhet work for the greater good and use their knowledge for unselfish purposes.
The love story in this one is good, and it felt natural to me. I loved how they interacted and they had enough complications to keep everything interesting, especially the twist at the end!
There was always something going on, keeping me interested. C.J. Omololu kept a good pace though, and there wasn't so much stuff going on that I was confused. I also appreciated how everything, especially the flashbacks which at times seemed a bit random, all wove together and told a great story.
This story has so many twists, and I would've never imagined what ended up happening. I am so eager to read the next installment so that I can find out what happens next.

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful

4.0 out of 5 stars New twist on recarnation!! June 10, 2012

By sarah@catchingbooks

Format:Hardcover

When I first heard about this book, I was really intrigued! I haven't really read any books about reincarnation so I was interested to see how that would play out in this book. Overall, I enjoyed Transcendence! There were some moments that were dragged out really long and some moments were confusing.

One of the best parts about this book has to be the plot! It was really refreshing to read a totally different paranormal book then I had read before! I really needed a break from the mermaid/vampire/witches books that I have been reading and this was the perfect fix! It was interesting to see the different mythology that C.J. Omololu uses in this book and how she makes it work with the story. The beginning starts out a little slow..but as the novel progresses the story really picks up and I couldn't put this book down! I also enjoyed the flashback scenes to Cole's other lives and seeing her learn more about how she lived in her different lives! I was a little bit confused at certain moments..but my confusion was clarified later on in the story! So if you are confused at first don't worry :)

I also really liked the main character Cole! She is a really strong character, and I really liked learning more about her throughout the story! I wish we got the chance to learn more about her past lives, but I'm sure that in the next book in the series we will learn more!

In the end, I really enjoyed Transcendence! It was a really great book and once I got into it, I couldn't put this one down! Definitely check this book out this summer if your looking for a new paranormal book to read!!

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful

3.0 out of 5 stars Transcendence June 7, 2012

By Amanda Welling

Format:Hardcover

Imagine the idea of reincarnation was real. For some of you, it may be. The idea has always fascinated me. The idea of having life-times to learn from your mistakes, to better yourself, to have experiences throughout time. That idea is awesome. Hence, why I originally found the idea of Transcendence interesting.

But not all ideas are always so great. Have you ever psyched yourself up for something so great only to be let down by your own expectations? In reality, it probably wasn't all that bad. But you made it larger than life. I think Transcendence suffered from this ill fate from my own doing. Let me explain.

I loved the idea of secret organizations that traverse time through reincarnation for the betterment of humanity. It just seemed down right awesome. Reincarnation hasn't been attacked too much in YA literature. It's a fresh idea. But when you add in too much chick lit the idea loses its flavor.

The problem isn't the writing, or the writing style. This author has a magical way with words and imagery. The landscapes, the characters, the scenery, it all comes alive. I loved the use and style of writing switching from the déjà vu experiences back into reality. The creativeness used to describe the interactions between cast and scenery is almost perfect.

It wasn't the writing at all. In fact, I think I'll be seeking out more of this author's books.

It wasn't so much the idea of romance. I like romance, not so much in books, but I do. I'm not ashamed to say I like chick movies, especially when it involves some viewing time with my wife. I'm not a big fan of insta-love or overly over the top dramatic "romance" though.

It wasn't the story line.... Having to discover the little plot twists between Cole's new found partner and her little student were fun. Traversing back and forth through time gave the storyline some depth, dare I even say some multi-dimensionality. The world's secret cult hell bent on bettering human life was pretty cool too.

I think this time around, as per my usual gripes, would be the characters or actually the primary character, Cole, to be more exact. Cole is an interesting and deep character with wonderful abilities. But her personality sucks. She gives up her life for this guy. Everything she is becomes seemingly flushed down the toilet. I have grown tired of this kind of behavior from female main characters. I no longer find it okay to display to young girls that throwing away your being for a guy is fine. I married my wife because she is a strong, independent woman, which I find way sexier that any girl hopelessly willing to do my every bidding.

All in all, I'd say pass on this title and seek out the author's other works. From what I see and understand, they are very different and much more fulfilling. Hopeless romantics or those that like day time soap operas will enjoy this book. If that is your cup of tea, this is a very recommended read. Read more ›

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful

3.0 out of 5 stars Transcendence by C.J. Omololu June 11, 2012

By Amber @ Down The Rabbit Hole

Format:Hardcover

Transcendence couples an interesting concept with great characters. It is riddled with good action and writing and has a few twists and turns to keep the reader on the their toes. Unfortunately, it just doesn't feel that original so while it is a really good story, I'm not sure it's right for people who read a lot of paranormal romance.

I was originally intrigued by this concept as much as the exotic location. The fact of the matter is, you don't find a lot of paranormal romances set in different countries so the London thing really appealed to me. I was definitely bummed that we were out of London so quickly. It only starts there in London for the first 50 pages and the rest are in the states. This wasn't horrible but it was definitely a letdown for me.

However, the concept provided just as interesting as I thought it might be. The idea of people remembering their own pasts was really cool and I liked beginning to understand about the Akhet. Cole, the main character in the book, plays cello expertly and I found it really fascinating that she is a child prodigy because she played cello in a past life. I was also pleased with her reaction. If I'd found out that I was only good at something because I'd learned it in a past life, I'd feel like my ability was cheapened a little and I was really pleased to see Cole struggle through some of the same things. I'm definitely interested in learning more about the Akhet society and their mission.

The two main characters Cole and Griffon were decent enough. I liked that they both had things they were passionate about. In far too many stories, it seems like the only thing the guy is passionate about is keeping the girl safe so it's cool to see a guy with hobbies. Griffon and Cole's chemistry was pretty good.... I was also super glad to see an interracial couple portrayed with any kind of stigma about race. The only thing that bothered me was a lot of their dialogue and things they discussed felt straight out of another paranormal novel. The whole "no we can't be together" and "this is what you are" just sort of harkened all the other things I've read so many other times before that. Luckily, by the second half of the book, it took a different turn which made things a bit better for me. The other thing that bothered me slightly was how angry Cole got at Griffon without letting him explain. Now, this isn't Transcendence's fault. I get annoyed at this in most books and I just happened to really notice and get annoyed with it here.

One thing I really did appreciate was how close knit Cole's family was even though her parents were divorced. They all seemed to get along well enough and Cole and Kat acted liked sisters. I really liked their relationship.

Transcendence does have its high notes. It delivers on a unique plot, has plenty of action and characters that are passionate about something besides just each other. I'm just not sure it's original enough for people that read a lot of paranormal. If you're looking for something light to read then I'd say go for this one! Read more ›