The Taker
(The Taker Trilogy #1)
by
Alma Katsu
Published September 6th 2011
by Simon & Schuster
ARC for Review
True love can last an eternity . . . but immortality comes at a price. . . .
On the midnight shift at a hospital in rural Maine, Dr. Luke Findley is expecting another quiet evening of frostbite and the occasional domestic dispute. But the minute Lanore McIlvrae Lanny walks into his ER, she changes his life forever. A mysterious woman with a past and plenty of dark secrets, Lanny is unlike anyone Luke has ever met. He is inexplicably drawn to her . . . despite the fact that she is a murder suspect with a police escort. And as she begins to tell her story, a story of enduring love and consummate betrayal that transcends time and mortality, Luke finds himself utterly captivated.
Her impassioned account begins at the turn of the nineteenth century in the same small town of St. Andrew, Maine, back when it was a Puritan settlement. Consumed as a child by her love for the son of the town's founder, Lanny will do anything to be with him forever. But the price she pays is steep;an immortal bond that chains her to a terrible fate for all eternity. And now, two centuries later, the key to her healing and her salvation lies with Dr. Luke Findley.
Part historical novel, part supernatural page-turner, The Taker is an unforgettable tale about the power of unrequited love not only to elevate and sustain, but also to blind and ultimately destroy, and how each of us is responsible for finding our own path to redemption.
The Way I See It
OH.My.GAWTS! Did I just read that? Yep! Holy FanFreakFrackFrockTheFrickFracOut! I had to make up a word because nothing in the English language can describe the way I feel about The Taker. Ms Katsu is a literary GENIUS! Wow just WOW! I have to start off by saying this one is not for the faint of heart! The Taker is dark full of self loathing and desperation! It’s completely different from anything out there right now. Seriously, you will get sucked in to a very mysterious/ magical/ scary/ tempting/ sensual world. Ms Katsu’s writing is… simply put MAGICAL. As I said earlier you will not put this one down, and when you absolutely must Lanny will remain at the forefront of all your thoughts. I tried to devour this in one sitting and let me tell you…Stupid sleep ended up winning out! I’m DYING to see where the story will go from here!
T-hreatened, Lanny has made an impossible decision one she cannot come back from. She stands to lose everything she has worked hard to overcome; soon all of her mistakes will come to light.
H-istory, so long ago Lanny gave her whole heart to an undeserving recipient nothing can change the past but atoning for her mistakes may begin to mend the ache.
E-vents, shocking and unbelievable Luke feels a connection to Lanny and his heart goes out to her because he is also familiar with that type of pain.
T-ime, is of no consequence but even so Lanny knows there is an evil lurking in isolation waiting for revenge. It seems as though she is truly alone.
A-dair cunning and enigmatic Lanny share a once love until his eyes become set on a target that Lanny must protect at all costs. Adair proves to be more evil than the monster everyone believes him to be.
K-ind, Lanny finds solace with Luke. Even though all he has done is listen there is a certain kinship between the two of them. Perhaps it’s the pain they have lived through that allows them to comfort each other, perhaps it’s more.
E-ngaging, in a plan that started Lanny on this path seems to all be for naught. The ghosts have become too much Lanny decides it’s time to shed her past, with Luke she feels anchored. Lanny knows the right thing to do, and so begins her attempt to erase her pain.
R-edemption, everyone makes mistakes and evil lays within every heart, our actions are what makes us who we are. The roughest path will surely lead you to the richest place, it’s the easy path that is misleading and will guide to to desolation and despair. Now is as good a time as any to reverse some of the evil that has been done. But will evil now come looking for Lanney.
My heart truly broke for these characters. Are they flawed? Yes. Did I want to slap or shake them? Every.Single.One. Even Luke who has done nothing wrong. Does that matter? No, in fact it makes the story more appealing. I find it refreshing when the lead character isn’t perfect. Lanny has a dark past but with a heart like hers I know she is capable of great things. Adair is drawn to Lanny and let me tell you it’s not easy to captivate someone like him. When I said this isn’t for the faint of heart I meant it this is an adult book with dark moments. I shed tears for the pain that was inflicted upon these misfit characters that I’ve grown much attached to. I am now a HUGE Katsu fan! The Taker was breathtaking and impressive, painful and fulfilling, infuriating and touching this story will guide you through an amazing journey. You will be hard pressed to put this down I loved the first and can’t wait to pick up the second.
My Fav’s
Lanny
There were times when I wanted to shake her and slap some sense into her but you know what? I love her we have all fallen victims to our own hearts. We cannot choose whom we fall in love with and sometimes it happens to be a ruddy bastard! Jonathan is not exactly a ruddy bastard he’s actually a really good guy with great intentions…but you know what they say about the road to h, e, double hockey sticks?..Yep that’s how it’s paved. ;) I’m a hopeless romantic but terribly unforgiving when it comes to matters of the heart. I say to Lanny lose the zero and find the hero!! I want nothing more than to see her happy. *sigh*
Adair
Yep I said it! I’m all about redemption…I don’t know what has lead Adair to lead a life of pure evil and darkness and maybe because of that I have a soft spot in my heart for him. He is a monster but he has never lied about it. He has caused much pain and destruction and he enjoys twisted games. There was a moment in The Taker where I saw a semblance of a soul perchance I’m naïve with this respect, but oh well like I said I’m a romantic at heart. I want so much to understand why he is the way he is and then I will make my final decision on him. He is on my fav’s because his character is breathtaking and shocking he pulled many emotions.
My Rating
4.5 Young Crush, First Kiss, Deep betrayal, Boston Trip, Painful Truth, Immortality, Surprising Love, Discovered Monster, Phosphorus, Plastered Wall, Long awaited peace, unrequited love filled stars!! Don't WAIT Pick this book up NOW!! NOW!!! NOW!!!!
About The Author
Alma Katsu is the author of The Taker Trilogy, an epic supernatural love story. The Descent, the final book in the trilogy, has just been released by Gallery Books. The Taker, the first book in the series, was selected by BOOKLIST as one of ten best debut novels of 2011 and has been published in over a dozen languages. Ms. Katsu has a MA in fiction from Johns Hopkins University.
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Wow that cover is gorgeous! I haven't heard of this book, but your review has certainly got my attention! It sounds like a emotional story. I love when a heroine is flawed, it makes them so much more relateable!
ReplyDeleteLOVE your review! I actually won this trilogy but haven't started it yet. Now my fingers are itchy to grab it! I can't wait to read it now. Awesome review!
ReplyDeleteI loved your review! This book is new to me. I'll need to go check it out.
ReplyDeleteIn many ways, I agree with your review. My daughter really liked this book. But, the brutal rape, molestations, and sexual depravity made it hard for me to read. Even though I finished it, I didn't do a review because I didn't feel I could be objective.
ReplyDeleteI've heard so much about Alma Katsu's books but haven't read any of them yet. This book sounds amazing!!! I love anything to do with historical romance and I'm definitely picking this one up. Great review!
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