Sunday, January 5, 2014

Book Review: Embracing Hamilton by Sarah J. Carr



Embracing Hamilton is the second book in Sarah J. Carr’s JackRabbit7 series. I received the prequel pRevealing Hamilton from Sarah early last year, and I was hooked to her writing style. JackRabbit7 is very different from what I normally read, but I love it. Once I start one of Sarah’s books, I have a VERY hard time letting go. There’s a reason why pRevealing Hamilton & Revealing Hamilton made it to my Top 10 for 2013. Seriously.

In Embracing Hamilton, Amelia is trying to come to terms with her father’s death (again). Finding him and losing him so shortly after is a nightmare. Even worse is the connection she has to her grandfather; Marius Benedict. Marius is the one who invented the JackRabbit7, and he’s…. uhmmm…. Special? Being linked to her grandfather is a problem for Amelia, especially because the link is one of her feeling his pain. The question is…. Can he feel HER pain? And if either of them dies, will the other perish as well?
And it gets even better…. Amelia’s father wanted her to take over the branch of IA where he worked. But is he equipped to it, or is she too soft hearted?

To make matters even worse… a flu epidemic is flourishing, and the Coalition (Marius Benedict) is proclaiming that they have a vaccine to protect people. (Yeah… that was my thought too). So, now Amelia not only has to deal with another scheme from her grandfather, her (used to be) best friend’s son is missing, she has to endure a person from Nick’s past (pushed onto her by the Top Dog in the IA), and since they don’t have time to train her properly, Amelia has to go through Project 1931, with some side effects that are… very different.
Will Amelia be able to play referee in her own home, stay sane AND save the world from her mad grandfather’s shenanigans?

Oh wow…. I have absolutely NO idea where to start. I mean, I had a CLUE what to expect from Sarah since this is the fourth book I’m reading from her, but I didn’t see THIS coming!  The plot is certainly thickening in Embracing Hamilton, more secrets are revealed, and there’s definitely more tension packed into these pages than the previous book; Revealing Hamilton. One thing is that Amelia accepts her father’s position and goes to Las Vegas to HQ to be trained. Another thing is what she has to drag home with her from Vegas; a hard pumped, top trained, sun(spray)tanned sleazebag – oh, excuse me, IA trainer and agent, also called Zephyr. He’s very different from the evilness of Marcus Benedict, but he is a piece of work. URGH!!

Amelia has changed compared to the first time we met her. Which really isn’t such a surprise, but I like that she is still her. She has become a bit rougher on some points, not as naïve, but she is still a good (and soft) hearted girl. She doesn’t want anyone else to suffer in the war between her and her grandfather. She is stubborn as hell, deathly afraid of needles and anything that remotely reminds her of doctors. And yet, she willingly jumps out into danger, accepts that sometimes you have to look deeper to see the secrets buried underneath and take the plunge, even if it’s scary. It’s truly not her fault that the world she has become a part of is insanely twisted and more filled with secrets than a dragon’s lair is filled with treasures. I mean, just look at Nick and his brother Dane. *throws hands up in the air in despair*

And just when I thought all the surprises were delivered in the end of the story…. Sarah decided to throw in another curveball. I felt Amelia’s pain, surprise and betrayal. My mouth was literally open with surprise when reading it.

To me Sarah has done it again. Embracing Hamilton is packed with action, secrets, plots, bad guys, disguised good guys, needles, testosterone, memories, rules and just a hint of romance. Just a touch. I loved it. It was amazing, and the ending… oy. My sole comfort is that I will receive Hunting Hamilton (JackRabbit7 #3) earlier than the rest. That is my ONLY consolidation right now. Because DAMN Sarah….  HOW could you end it like that?! HOW?! * crosses arms and glares*

If you’re not sure if Sarah’s writing is something for you, the prequel pRevealing Hamilton is definitely a good taste of what’s in store for you. Or you could head over to my Goodbye 2013, Hello 2014 and leave a comment there, and you might get lucky to win a copy!!





In book two, Amelia Hamilton's life is becoming more complicated by the minute. Still mourning multiple deaths, she struggles to accept severed relationships and embrace the present. During this difficult period, she is faced with a dilemma. Should she accept a position within the IA or blend back into her old existence and pretend the past few months never happened?

The truth regarding a flu pandemic pushes her over the edge, sending Amelia on a whirlwind trip to Nevada where she’ll face Levi Hewitt, the leader of the IA.
The Physician Coalition is preparing to release a deadly disease to the population if Amelia doesn't act fast. Unbeknownst to them, people will be pressured to endure the radical and potentially deadly side effects of JackRabbit7. To make matters worse, a child tied to Amelia's past is a target and he’s in danger.

When death warrants and Project 1931 enter the equation, Amelia finds herself enduring an internal struggle. Should she end her own life, hoping to destroy her grandfather or continue to live, knowing she will have to chase Marius and risk the others he intends to harm for the rest of her life?
 



 



Sarah Jayne Carr is a novelist who can be found most evenings with a cup of tea in-hand and her imagination racing from plot to plot. When away from her work, part of her mind is constantly brainstorming her next story and she always has writing paraphernalia within reach.

She wrote stories as a child, but became more serious about her passion during her twenties. In her spare time, she likes to read, splash in mud puddles, smell bookstores and eat Honeycrisp apples. Yearly, she participates in NaNoWriMo and has mentored others through the program. Due to her dedication to National Novel Writing Month, she is part of an amazing writing group.

Born and raised in Washington State, Sarah still resides in the area. Her life is richly filled with her supportive, yet swashbuckling husband and their golden Nugget.




 
 
 


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