The Alchemy of Forever by Avery Williams

The Alchemy of Forever (Incarnation #1)
Author: Avery Williams
Pages: 246
Publication Date: January 3rd 2012
Publisher: Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers

Seraphina has been alive since the Middle Ages, when her boyfriend, Cyrus, managed to perfect a method of alchemy that lets them swap bodies with any human being. Sera ran away from Cyrus years ago, when she realized that what they were doing—taking the lives of innocent people—was wrong. Yet she doesn’t want to die, so she finds young people who are on the brink of death, and inhabits their bodies.

     Sera has just landed in the body of a girl named Kailey who was about to die in a car accident. For the first time, Sera falls in love with the life of the person she’s inhabiting. Sera also falls for the boy next door, Noah. And soon it’s clear the feelings are returned. But she can never kiss Noah, because for her to touch lips with a human would mean the human’s death. And she has even more to worry about: Cyrus is chasing her. If she stays in one place for long, she puts herself—and the people she’s grown to care for—in great danger. Will Sera have to give up the one thing that’s eluded her for centuries: true love?

I've seen this book on sale at Chapters, but I refrained myself from purchasing it since I've never heard anything about this book. Instead of buying it, I burrowed it from my local library.

This novel is the first book in the Incarnation trilogy. I'm not sure whether it's a trilogy or duo. Hopefully, it's a trilogy. The Alchemy of Forever is the first book I've ever read that involved incarnating into another person. Incarnation in this book involved breathing into the mouth of the body you desire to be in.

In order for the incarnation to work, you must first taste the elixir that allows your soul to jump from body to body. Then after completing the first step, you breathe into their mouth. Our main character, Seraphina/Sera is forced into kissing a woman who has stabbed her so that she may live. Her soul transferred into the other woman's body, leaving Sera's body dead.

This may sound weird, but I felt like I was reading Romeo and Juliet when I first read the prologue. They don't really have anything alike except for the masquerade-themed ball. I didn't really like how Cyrus and Sera got together. It felt like instant love. The love between them was too rushed. When Sera was dying, Cyrus was begging that she couldn't leave him. Cyrus was acting like the love of his life was at lost. But the problem was that they barely knew each other. They have had only spared each other glances.

Overall, this book was a surprise to me. I adored the author's writing. And I loved Sera. She is smart and thinks critically. To those who love incarnation, this book is a must read!

4.5/5 STARS