I love Cheryl Rainfield. Scars is one of my favorite books. So when I got the chance to read Parallel Visions, I was beyond excited and started reading it right away.

This is another one of those books that I enjoyed so much that writing a review for it is difficult. I only had one problem with it, and that was the length. I wanted it to be longer. It worked well but I wanted more.

If you haven’t read anything by Cheryl Rainfield, you must. Right now. ( )

Please note: This book will be available free for your Kindle on Amazon on June 18, 2013. If you've been wanting to read it, it would be a great chance to snag a copy free!

Book Info: Genre: YA Dystopian Fantasy
Reading Level: Young Adult (older Young Adult, at least 16, with parental guidance)
Recommended for: I think most people should read this, if you can work with the triggers
Trigger Warnings: attempted murder, rape, domestic violence, homophobia, suicidal ideation

My Thoughts: This is the first book in a new series called Teen Psychic. It was a very difficult book to read. I spent a lot of it absolutely furious. But I really loved it and think everyone should read it if the triggers don't set you off. Younger readers should have guidance available to deal with issues if necessary.

Let me try to explain without too many triggers. One of the characters is a high-school age lesbian, who is gang-raped and left suicidal. Another is a teen that left school and married her boyfriend, who is now beating her (or is he?). The main character has severe asthma, and when she has an attack, she has visions: visions of the past, visions of the future. But she sees things. Her asthma is so severe she has almost died many times. I know this level of asthma, as a neighbor of ours had the same thing. She died when she was 16 from it. So I know how very dangerous asthma can be. I was absolutely flabbergasted to learn that some kids tease other kids for having asthma! That sort of thing did not happen in my hometown, not after Connie (I was in fifth grade at the time).

At any rate, I'm sort of rambling. This book did a number on my head, it really did. Cheryl Rainfield says, “I write the books I needed when I was a teen.” She doesn't pull punches. She tells it like it is, in all its ugly glory. And I think you should read this book.

Disclosure: I received a free copy of this book from the author in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.

Synopsis: Visions can kill you. Would you risk your life to save someone else’s?

Kate sees psychic visions of the future and the past—but only when she's having an asthma attack. When she "sees" her sister being beaten, she needs more visions to try to save her, along with a suicidal classmate—but triggering her asthma could kill her. Parallel Visions is the story of one brave, caring girl whose unusual gifts put her own life in danger. ( )

I was immediately drawn to the premise because I like reading about illnesses and I like the idea of psychic visions, and this combines them into one book.
Parallel Visions is a short and enjoyable read. I liked the character of Kate and how she really cared about her sister. Gil, the love interest is a genuine guy and I can see why Kate is attracted to him, she has had a crush on him for a while, and it is not just instant magnetism because of looks or anything like that. She has seen that he is kind and helpful to others, even the ones who are sick or hurt, and that especially gets Kate's attention since she has severe asthma.
The fantasy element is well done, and it really is a unique idea. It gets to me though how Kate has to suffer to have these visions, but she wants to because she desires to help others, especially her sister who may be in trouble.
I like how Parallel Visions really focuses on the family. Not only Kate and her family as a close knit unit but also Gil and his sister who is in a lot of pain, and he and his Nana come together to support her.
That is not to say I didn't have a few issues... There were times when Kate and Gil didn't sound like teenagers, they sounded like middle aged people having a conversation. It wasn't all of the time though and it didn't pull me out of the story, it is just something I noticed.
The story wrapped up well, and I can't wait to read more about Kate and Gil in the next book.
Bottom Line: Great premise and quick read.

Cheryl Rainfield is particularly adept at taking what most people would perceive as a weakness and turning it into a strength. Parallel Visions exemplifies this ability.

What value does this provide in writing? Well, it makes it priceless. It becomes a resource, a refuge, an outlet, an escape for people in desperate need of all of those things. There aren't many writers who actively focus upon providing more than just a story. Cheryl Rainfield is one of the best. As is evident in her writing as well as the online persona she has created for her self, Cheryl Rainfield truly cares about her readers. Truly.

Parallel Visions is an excellent story about a teenage girl who has psychic visions brought on by particularly severe asthma attacks. Life-altering psychic visions about future events. Kate must decide if she will take action to change the future -an intriguing concept to be sure!

One of my favorite techniques employed in Parallel Visions is the way Rainfield drops us right into the middle of Kate's post-psychic discovery life. In fact, we are dropped right in the middle of a major asthma attack and the correlating psychic vision. Many authors would begin the story with Kate's discovery of her psychic powers. Being thrust beyond that part of her life and into harrowing sequence of events where breadcrumbs of her initial discovery are dropped here and there makes the reader curious. Curious enough to want to know how it all began? Absolutely.

Rainfield keeps the cast of characters small -intimate, allowing the reader to easily get inside Kate's mind as well as have a good grasp on what motivates the other key players in the story. If you like being completely immersed in a story, Parallel Visions will do just that.

I look forward to Cheryl Rainfield's next release with bated breath! ( )

Parallel Visions is an exciting, new story written by the talented Cheryl Rainfield. Like her previous novel, Scars, she writes with so much raw emotion and reality. While this story is definitely paranormal, it's very much grounded in the real world where the main character, Kate, undergoes some very difficult conflicts. Along with her familial drama, she has the gift/curse of being able to see visions when she goes through an asthma attack. These visions let her see the past and even the future before it even happens.

I think Parallel Visions is extremely suspenseful and original. It had me completely enthralled from the first chapter to the last one. I won't give out any spoilers, but the plot is extremely intense and action packed. I love Kate as a main character and love that she is so caring and helpful with the ones that she loves.

I definitely recommend Parallel Visions for an intense and passionate read. You definitely won't be disappointed!

*I was lucky enough to receive a copy from the author in exchange for an honest review.* ( )