Lani Woodland

I'm absolutely in love with this series. It's nice to see a levelheaded heroine who has the common sense to think her decisions through and to make hard choices. I think Yara is a good role model for YA readers: no boy-crazed-fashion-victim-gossipy-airheads here.
If I had a teenage kid, I would surely buy him/her this book as a birthday present (hint hint).

Second books are often tricky: if the romance has already been “solved” in the first one, how do you re-create some tension? If all show more the mysteries already got unveiled, should you introduce new ones or concentrate on something else? And about the world building, should you insist some more on the same main concepts or come up with something complementary?
I think [a:Lani Woodland|4104358|Lani Woodland|http://photo.goodreads.com/authors/1278086541p2/4104358.jpg] did a great job in facing these issues and many others I didn't mention.
She managed to build tension between Yara and Brent without resorting to the always detestable love triangle (thanks for writing a book that's trigonometrically free!).
I was not disappointed in the mystery and world building departments, either. We learn more about the Wakers and the Pendrell curse (something known), and we get acquainted with other side characters and a creepy ghost (something new).
About the ghost: it's hard not to give away any spoilers; let me just say this: if I were Yara, I would have called the Ghostbusters right away!

There would be much to say about this book but, for the sake of concision, I'm going to pick (the) one thing I didn't like and one (among many) I liked.

What I didn't like was the single-mindedness of Vovò; here she downgraded from “elderly mentor” to “overbearing old lady”. For her, Yara's life should be dedicated entirely to the Waker business, and she goes about this opinion of hers with the finesse of a steamroller. Let's take the moment in which she suggested that Yara could postpone, or downright renounce, college:

“Your parents and I agree it might be in your best interest to defer school for a year and train. […]
You don’t have a choice about being a Waker, Yara. I’m sorry. This is your life. You have much to learn. There is still much you don’t know about herbs, about our legends, about other techniques to help ghosts. […]
Just think about it, Yara. We aren’t forcing you to do this. It is your choice. Completely.”

Well, you are not putting it really as a choice, are you? It looks much more as a psychological blackmail to me: “you can do what you want, but I would be seriously unhappy if you choose what I don't want you to choose.”
I'm not entirely satisfied with Yara's decision about this matter , but it's consistent with the character, so I can't complain.

What I liked was the way in which the author dealt with the difficult topic of chronic illness. Maybe because it strikes too close to home for comfort, I always have a difficult time reading about situations in which someone is exposed to the fear of an announced early death. But in this case there's love, courage, determination and, most important of all, hope.

I'm definitely waiting for [b:Inevitable|9982010|Inevitable (The Yara Silva Trilogy, #3)|Lani Woodland|http://www.goodreads.com/images/nocover-60x80.jpg|14876556], the third (and final?) book in this series. show less

Yara has more mysteries to deal with this time around of both the ghostly AND the earthly varieties. Number one ghost contender…Sophie Pendrell; this is one family that just won’t quit! Sophie has some unfinished business to attend to thanks to her husband as well as her own sense of duty to a promise made long ago, but will she let Yara help her? Eh, no. It seems she blames her for the mess that exists currently in conjunction with that promise and while it’s true, it is SOMEWHAT her show more fault…should that really matter? I mean, she was tricked into discovering the location of the hidden object that would lead to the potential unraveling of ...wait, I’ve said too much. O-O Ahem…moving on….

The story is chock full of information about the addictive nature of gambling, the dangers in messing with Mother Nature, and what darkness can be provoked when the wrong person is given a LITTLE too much power. We get reacquainted with the evil that is Thomas from book one, catching a glimpse of just how he became the way he was, what he hoped to accomplish, and the “gift” he left behind for Yara’s boyfriend, Brent. School politics come into play a time or two as they discover further connections to both themselves and the past but don’t be surprised if you get caught in the web they are spinning. The powers that be are controlling and vindictive…case closed.

Things are not all doom and gloom though. The Silva family gains the spotlight a time or two, especially Yara’s Grandmother Vovo...we catch up with Cherie (Yara's best girl friend) and Brent (Yara's formerly possessed...well, sorta...boyfriend)...and even learn a thing or two about a sect of American Wakers of which we weren't formerly aware. I would have never guessed the outcome for Sophie; as far as I was concerned this is one ghost that was written off. What’s that old saying? Fool me once, shame on you. Fool me twice, shame on me. Yeah, well how about try to kill me one or more times and still expect some help from me? O-O Yeah...can't say I see a yes in YOUR future. I definitely can’t wait to see how Yara’s growing powers come into play in book 3…and even Brent’s…and whatever happened to….oh no, you’re not gonna make me slip up this time!

In summary, book one introduced us to Yara’s world as she uncovered talents she didn’t know she had, and really didn’t want. Book two gets us more intimately acquainted with the ways of the Waker and all it entails as Yara embraces her power more fully…even if reluctantly….and accepts her family heritage. It’s a powerful role she has to play in the lives of those who’ve moved on unsuccessfully but one she must fully accept if she has any hope of controlling it as opposed to it controlling her. My one line verdict….I DEFINITELY have to see how it all ends! Recommended reading for teens and beyond. show less

Book quote: I had the feeling that the past I was trying to put behind me wasn’t going to go quietly.

Books such as Instrinsical reinforce my love for paranormal stories because they strike a delicate balance between creeping me out and creating a suspended reality that I can easily come to believe. I definitely enjoyed this ghost story by Lani Woodland and the entire cast of characters she created were amazing! The writing was beautiful and the flow was flawless, especially the last two show more thirds of the book where I was so glued to the pages, I found myself reluctantly stumbling upon the final scenes.

About the book: Yara Silva has grown up believing that ghosts walk among us because her grandmother is an Acordera or Waker – someone who could communicate with ghosts. Yara has lived her entire life hoping that this ability would pass over her for fear of being called crazy, but all that changes when she and her best friend enroll in Pendrell Academy which has been known to have a paranormal history. Yara gets caught up in the fray when she saves Brent, a fellow classmate, from a ghost attack and suddenly becomes a target.

I enjoyed this book for many reasons, but the main one has to be Yara and Brent’s budding relationship. I loved how Woodland chose to slow the pace down for these two characters because in the end, their feelings for each other felt real and believable. I have to say that I predicted a couple of the twists, but the one that happened in the last third of the book, caught me so off guard that I gasped in pleasant disbelief! What a twist!

Also, I have to note the beautiful art cover! I loved how it ties in with one of the most important scenes in the book. That recurring scene was emotional for me because of my love for the ocean, lake, pool… anything related to water, and it reminds me of one of my biggest fears. ~shivers~

When I finished this book, I rated it 4 stars, but as I’ve had a couple of days to process the perfection of this story, I’ve bumped it to 4.5, so that’s what I’m going with. Overall, this book was everything I enjoy in a great ghost story, including a slow romance, emotionally ridden scenes, creepy backdrop and likeable characters. I will definitely be signing up for the rest of Yara Silva’s journey. Awesome read! Thank you Alexa for sharing your book with me. :D

Favorite Quote:
The subdued light and the flowered-perfumed air created a romantic setting as we walked the well-worn paths of Pendrell. Conversations unsaid and experiences shared followed us like shadows, but we didn’t speak. There was an undemanding easiness in our silence, but it also crackled with insistent possibilities. show less

In Indelible, the sequel to last year’s Intrinsical, Yara Silva, a Waker who can communicate with ghosts, faces more challenges and excitement in her new school year at Pendrell Academy. After spending the summer in Brazil with her grandmother and mentor Vovo, fine-tuning her Waker abilities, she’s ready for action. However, she would like some time to spend getting reacquainted with boyfriend Brent, and best friend Cherie before getting pulled into another mystery. Unfortunately, Yara show more starts her senior year off on the wrong foot by angering a new ghost, introduced to her by mysterious new boy DJ, and once again Yara finds herself embarking on a dangerous mission.

I enjoyed Indelible just as much as Intrinsical, and found Yara’s journey thrilling and emotionally satisfying. There is a smooth transition from the last book in the series, and a brief recap of the events that helped to refresh my memory. Indelible builds upon the story from the first book very nicely, with the familiar blend of surprises, suspense, sacrifice and charm I enjoyed in Intrinsical.

Yara has some help and moral support from her family this year as her parents and Vovo are now living nearby. I was thrilled to see Vovo’s character featured prominently in this book, since she interested me so much through her limited appearances in the first book. She holds the key to a lot of the answers Yara seeks and it’s interesting to get more insight into Waker history. She is one of Yara’s biggest supporters and always there with her fresh baked cookies, and special herbs and jewelry to protect Yara in her dangerous line of work. Along with the familiar carryover characters from Intrinsical, there are some new characters introduced that further complicate Yara’s life.

I enjoyed seeing Yara’s character growth and how she is managing her gift and facing her fears. Her relationship with Brent is tested as he is struck with a serious illness, and once again Yara faces some tough choices as she battles ghosts, villains and her own internal demons.

The plot twists kept my interest level high throughout the book, and the even pace made it a quick read. The mystery, characters, relationships, and emotional story make this a standout YA paranormal series. I think readers of Intrinsical will enjoy the compelling sequel even more. If you haven’t read Intrinsical, Indelible works well as a self-contained story, though you will get more out of it by reading Intrinsical first. I can’t wait to see what happens in the final book of the trilogy, Inevitable. show less