Empath 
The Empath Trilogy, Book #1
By H.K. Savage
ISBN# 2940011996795
Author’s Website: http://www.staccatopublishing.com/Staccato_Publishing/HK_Savage.html 

Brought to you by OBS reviewer Dawn

Synopsis: 

All she wanted was to disappear…

Claire Martin is a young woman with the unwanted talent of empathy. She’s lived her entire life as a slave to a constant barrage of emotions that weren’t hers. Leaving for college she hopes simply to blend with the crowd where she can best hide her curse.

Within her first few weeks at school Claire meets Stephen Andrews, a small, fragile looking boy who changes her life forever. Stephen, a boy with a secret of his own, instantly recognizes Claire for what she is. It is through Stephen’s aid that Claire meets James, a vampire with a talent of his own. As soon as they touch, their abilities connect in a way that has not occurred in over three hundred years forming a bond that cannot be broken.

Empath is book one in The Empath Trilogy, a series following the adventures of an alliance of vampires and weres working together to halt a war between the races while James and Claire explore their identity blurring bond — a bond which pits the natures of human against vampire leading them both to question who they are and what they ultimately want, while they work together to protect the human world from decimation. (Amazon.com)

Review:

Spoilers!

I LOVE THIS SERIES!!! I’m having a lot of fun reading it.

I had difficulty getting into the book because it seemed too informational at the beginning. But I was wrong. I later realized how important the informational foundation became to the story.

Claire is an empath and her life has been difficult and lonely. Imagine not being able to be close with or touch people because you could be overwhelmed with their emotions.

Savage perfectly portrays the difficulties involved with being a teenage empath. Claire is well defined, she is a brave young woman. She expands her life by going to college, which could have been a disaster. She struggles to cope on a daily basis, but she sticks with it. She refuses to give up and hide from the world despite being almost constantly over stimulated by those around her.

Claire first meets Stephen at school. He realizes what she is and he takes steps to help her learn to control the emotions. He sets out to help her build walls within her mind so that she can shut it off.

This is where James comes in. I’m in love with James. I can’t help it!  He is gentlemanly, sensitive, almost too perfect.

Initially, I was disappointed that Claire became so dependent on James. I dislike when a character just hands the reigns over to a man. By the end of the book, it finally clicked. She depends on James for more than just her safety.Claire is able, for the first time in her life, to have peace. Peace of mind is invaluable to Claire.

Yes, Claire is dependent on James for her safety but he is equally dependent on her because of the gifts she brings to his life. He does not shy away from feeling human emotion through Claire after years of not feeling much at all. They complement one another. He becomes more human with her. And the peace of mind she gains through him opens up a whole new world of possibilities for Claire. It’s a very mutually beneficial relationship.

Stephen and the clan accept her, she feels truly loved and care for with them. I enjoyed the vampire council as well. There are some fun and different characters peppered throughout the book.

The sex scenes are not graphic at all. I was actually hoping for some smut. LOL

Over all, Empath is a really good book. I recommend it with 4 out of 5 stars. I’m off to read the next book in the series, Bonded.