Review: Seduction (The Reincarnationist #5) by M.J. Rose

Complex, exotic scents bring this novel alive!

This isn’t just a tale of historic fiction– it’s a novel with a unique blend of the paranormal, romance, mystery, and psychology.

In 1843 the renowned author Victor Hugo discovers that his beloved daughter, Didine, has drowned.

In his grief he turns to the occult in hopes of communicating with his daughter. His wife, family, and friends all being having séances and they soon discover they can communicate with the dead.

Soon the séances turn into something more….Victor fears he has open an unwanted door to the spirit world when he starts being visited by the Shadow of the Sepulcher (the devil) who offers him what he desires most….the return of his daughter.

Mean while, Jac L’Etoile, receives a strange letter from a long lost friend, Theo Gaspard. Theo was always a troubled soul. In their youth they both attended a private facility that helped people cope with mental disorders….Theo was always unpredictable….reckless….a rule breaker, and it appears not much has changed now that he’s an adult.

Though many have warned Jac against Theo, she decides to visit Isle of Jersey anyway. There are many Celtic ruins on the island, and being a mythologist, curiosity gets the better of Jac.

Once she arrives, Jac meets the rest of Theo’s family….his two sisters Eve and Minerva, and his brother Ash. She begins exploring the island and helps Theo search for the lost journal of Victor Hugo. But almost as soon as she arrives, Jac begins having ‘episodes’ of intense past life regression.

The episodes are so intense that she fears she will be lost in the regression and never return to the present state. Often these regressions are brought on by scent. As Jac struggles to understand the regressions she is reliving she begins to understand the odd dynamics that are playing out in the Gaspard family.

So what do Victor Hugo, Celtic ruins, past life regressions, and Jac all have in common? You must read this richly developed novel to find out!

I was very intrigued by this series. I really enjoyed the concept of reincarnation mixed with the Jungian psychology theories. I LOVED this combo! It made for a very unique read! I am totally going to read this series from the beginning, Seduction was fine as a stand-alone but the series sounds enticing as a whole.

I am not entirely sure that I like Jac though. She is ok but I didn’t feel as though I had a connection with her. For me she was a little winey and flat. There was so much richness in the plot and theories within the novel, not to mention the fragrances, that I just expected more from her character. I am not sure if this is due to the fact that I haven’t read the series or if I simply don’t care for her, so I will reserve judgment of her character until I have read the series in its entirety.

I also didn’t like Malachai. There was something about him I just didn’t trust and like and that feeling I got was reinforced in the novel as the plot played out. I am not sure if that was the intention but I simply just didn’t care for him….again not sure if this is an issue because I read it as a stand-alone versus reading the series in order.

The potential romantic interest in the two brothers is very intriguing to me. I hope they return in the next novel. Each brother had something attractive and different that the other didn’t and I really really want to see how they develop both on their own as characters and as love interests for Jac.

The setting added a lot to the novel for me as well. The Isle of Jersey with all its Celtic ruins, hidden caves, and foggy nights was the perfect location for a ghost story!

When I read this book, I really got the sense that I was reading something different and unique. I loved how Rose uses scent as a catalyst for past lives and reincarnation….what a different concept!

I really liked the mix of Jungian theory, reincarnation, mystery, suspense, and historic fiction. What this novel lacked in character development it made up for in suspense and an intriguing plot line. I was captivated from the start and loved have all the plots converged at the end, truly a magical read!

I will definitely be reading more from Rose in the future!

I reviewed this book as part of the Seduction Virtual Book Tour hosted by Historical Fiction Virtual Book Tours. Be sure to check out a guest post by MJ Rose herself and be sure to visit the other blog stops on the tour for interviews and giveaways!

Challenge/Book Summary:

Book: Seduction (The Reincarnationist #5) by M.J. Rose

• ebook, 384 pages
• Expected publication: May 7th 2013 by Atria Books
• ISBN 1451621523 (ISBN13: 9781451621525)
• Review copy provided by: Atria Books in exchange for an honest review. This book was reviewed as part of the Seducation Virtual Book Tour courtsey of Historical Fiction Virtual Book Tours

This book counts toward: Historical Fiction Reading Challenge

Hosted by: Historical Tapestry

Books for Challenge Completed: 5/15

Recommendation: 4.5 out of 5 (a uniquely scented suspense novel)

Genre: Historic fiction, Suspense, paranormal

Memorable lines/quotes:

Yearning to be who we cannot be, for what we cannot accomplish, engenders discontent.

My passions run deep but are always close to the surface

Often the wanting is more satisfying than the fulfillment. I have come to prefer anticipation to satisfaction. Longing can make one feel alive in a more profound way.

VIRTUAL BOOK TOUR SCHEDULE

Monday, March 25
Review at Luxury Reading

Tuesday, March 26
Review at Peppermint, Ph.D.

Wednesday, March 27
Review at Bibliophilic Book Blog

Thursday, March 28
Interview at A Bookish Libraria

Friday, March 29
Review & Guest Post at vvb32Reads
Guest Post at Oh, for the Hook of a Book!

Monday, April 1
Review at A Bookish Affair
Review & Guest Post at The Novel Life
Review & Guest Post at The Lit Bitch

Tuesday, April 2
Guest Post at A Bookish Affair

Wednesday, April 3
Review at Griperang’s Bookmarks

Thursday, April 4
Review at The Musings of a Book Junkie

Friday, April 5
Guest Post at The Musings of a Book Junkie

Monday, April 8
Review at Girls Just Reading
Interview at The Novel Life

Tuesday, April 9
Review & Guest Post at Kinx’s Book Nook

Wednesday, April 10
Review at Booklover Book Reviews

Thursday, April 11
Review at Psychotic Book Reviews
Guest Post at Literary Marie

Friday, April 12
Review at West Metro Mommy

Monday, April 15
Review at Layered Pages

Tuesday, April 16
Review at CelticLady’s Reviews

Wednesday, April 17
Review at Reflections of a Book Addict

Thursday, April 18
Review at Flashlight Commentary
Guest Post at Reflections of a Book Addict

Friday, April 19
Guest Post at Flashlight Commentary

Monday, April 22
Review at Impressions in Ink
Interview at Oh, for the Hook of a Book!

Tuesday, April 23
Review at Review From Here
Review at Ageless Pages Reviews

Wednesday, April 24
Guest Post at The Maiden’s Court

Thursday, April 25
Review at So Many Books, So Little Time

Friday, April 26
Review at Girl Lost in a Book

Monday, April 29
Review at A Chick Who Reads
Review at As I Turn the Pages

Tuesday, April 30
Interview at A Chick Who Reads

Wednesday, May 1
Review at Peeking Between the Pages

Thursday, May 2
Review at Unabridged Chick
Guest Post at Peeking Between the Pages

Friday, May 3
Review at Confessions of an Avid Reader

Monday, May 6
Review at Amused by Books

Tuesday, May 7
Review at Sharon’s Garden of Book Reviews

Wednesday, May 8
Review at Buried Under Books
Review at Diary of an Eccentric

Thursday, May 9
Review at Oh, for the Hook of a Book!
Interview at Buried Under Books

Friday, May 10
Review at Savvy Verse & Wit

Monday, May 13
Review at Historical Tapestry & The Adventures of an Intrepid Reader

Tuesday, May 14
Review at Words and Peace
Review at Kimba the Caffeinated Reviewer
Guest Post at Historical Tapestry

Wednesday, May 15
Review at Stiletto Storytime

Thursday, May 16
Review at From Left to Write
Guest Post at Stiletto Storytime

Friday, May 17
Review at A Novel Review

Monday, May 20
Review at Broken Teepee

Tuesday, May 21
Review at Confessions of a Book Hoarder
Guest Post at Broken Teepee

Wednesday, May 22
Review at Bags, Books and Bon Jovi
Guest Post at Confessions of a Book Hoarder

Thursday, May 23
Review at Man of La Book
Guest Post at Bags, Books and Bon Jovi

Friday, May 24
Review at The Calico Critic

Monday, May 27
Review at Paperback Princess

Tuesday, May 28
Review at To Read or Not to Read
Guest Post at Blood Mother Blog

Wednesday, May 29
Review at Cheryl’s Book Nook
Guest Post at To Read or Not to Read

Thursday, May 30
Review at Book Nerds
Guest Post at Cheryl’s Book Nook

Monday, June 3
Review at A Book Geek

Tuesday, June 4
Review at Tribute Books Mama
Guest Post at My Shelf Confessions

Wednesday, June 5
Review at Bippity Boppity Book

Thursday, June 6
Guest Post at Book Nerds

Friday, June 7
Review at Book Drunkard

Monday, June 10
Review at Jenny Loves to Read

Tuesday, June 11
Review & Interview at Pure Textuality

Wednesday, June 12
Review at From the TBR Pile

Thursday, June 13
Review & Guest Post at Books by the Willow Tree

Friday, June 14
Review at Bibliophilia, Please

Monday, June 17
Review at Mari Reads

Tuesday, June 18
Guest Post at Mari Reads

Wednesday, June 19
Review at Daisy’s Book Journal

Thursday, June 20
Review at History and Women
Guest Post at Daisy’s Book Journal

Friday, June 21
Review at Judith Starkston Blog
Review at Just One More Chapter

Monday, June 24
Review at The True Book Addict

Tuesday, June 25
Guest Post at The True Book Addict

Wednesday, June 26
Interview at Judith Starkston Blog

Thursday, June 27
Review at The Little Reader Library

Friday, June 28
Review & Giveaway at A Writer’s Life: Working with the Muse