Review # 172: Open Heart by Emlyn Chand

5/5 for the cover art!!!  Beautiful, but unknowing -
 Simmi seems to stare at  readers wherever they go!

Description: 

     After the events of last summer, Simmi Shergill is in a constant state of fear and trepidation; being convinced that you are going to die can do that to a person. Her psychic powers and focus are out of control, her boyfriend Alex is all about "I love you"s, she's feeling a strange attraction to Alex's nemesis, Dax, and her weight is making her self-conscious. To top that off, something sinister is happening in Grandon Township, and Simmi may be one of the only ones able to sense the danger. Can Simmi find the good inside herself and free her abilities before she loses everything? 

Review:


    I hate when a series starts out strong only to crumble during the second installment...Thank goodness that Emlyn Chand's Farsighted Series seems quite the opposite! Each book gets better and better, taking the reader deeper into the lives of Grandon's own  psychically-charged residents: Simmi, Alex, Shapri, Dax, etc. I thought that Farsighted was amazing, but Open Heart is better! These characters are anything but typical, yes they are gifted, but they still battle with the same fears, insecurities and disillusions that many teens and adults suffer from in the real world. In Farsighted, Alex's blindness paired with his seer abilities made for an interesting plot. Everything was described from his perspective - touch, taste, smell and sound. In Open Heart, Simmi may have all of her senses, but she, like most women, is uncomfortable with the way she looks, delving into self-hating practices - starvation and bulimia. I myself have struggled with self-esteem and weight issues, so I can relate to Simmi's plight. You begin to feel like you are not good enough, even if there are people who love you unconditionally. I was truly affected by Simmi's story and point of view; I wanted to reach out to her, embrace her, to let her know she was not alone. High school is rough enough without the added pressures of looking and being perfect. Beauty is in the eyes of the beholder, and Simmi is one of the most brilliantly beautiful and real characters that I have had the pleasure of reading about.The author has done a wonderful job on Simmi's character mentally, physically and psychically. I am quite awestruck by the book as a whole, it is so much more emotionally raw than I anticipated. Every character has a different background, and author Emlyn Chand is not afraid to tackle anything. She is definitely emotionally-keen, maybe even as psychically attuned as Simmi! Another aspect that I loved was the addition of Indian language and culture; I learned many interesting words and phrases, as well as some new far east mythology.   I read this book in about two hours - nonstop - but I wish I would have taken it slower so that I would not have to wait so long for another book. The next book in the series is Pitch, and it will chronicle Shapri's story, so May 2013 better get here soon, because I am impatient and cannot wait to see what happens in Grandon next! Recommended for all readers (YA/adult) who are psychically drawn to the paranormal. 


Rating: On the Run (4.5/5)


*** I received this book from the author in exchange for an honest and unbiased review.

Read my review of Farsighted - Book One in the Farsighted Series HERE!