Blog Tour/Review: Eternal Mercury by Elaine Pinter

Eternal Mercury, by Elaine Pinter
2013, 409p, Clean YA Contemporary Romance
My Rating=5 Stars
Source: Received a copy via I Am a Reader for an honest review



Chelsee Taylor has been in love with her boyfriend, Max, since they started kindergarten together. She has no idea that high school graduation will be the last perfect day of her life. After a tragic car accident, she refuses to accept Max's death because she can still feel his presence. No one believes her and she is completely alone. But all of that changes the moment she meets Blake Andersen. It's not just that he believes her . . . or even just that he's so understanding . . . but why is Max's presence so strong when she's with Blake?

Eternal Mercury is two intertwined books in one. Book one follows Chelsee’s bittersweet journey and book two uncovers Blake’s story of redemption. In the end, it is Max who will inspire them both to trust fate, live life, and finish well.

Chelsee Taylor's life is perfect. She is graduating from high school, has great family and friends and a fantastic boyfriend, Max. A tragic car accident changes everything. Max dies and she has to find a way to live life without him. She still feels his presence, which helps her, but nobody wants to hear about that; they just want her to move on. She meets Blake Andersen and is finally able to find a way to heal.

This story is fantastic! It's really two books in one. The first book tells Chelsee's story and the second one tells Blake's. I loved getting both sides of the story. Chelsee's life was so lonely and difficult after the accident. She met Blake, a rock star, who was the opposite of Max (who was a track star), but they had one major thing in common. I liked learning what that was and how it helped Chelsee and Blake's relationship develop.

We got clues throughout Chelsee's story of the kind of guy Blake had been in the past so it was interesting to get the same story through his perspective. I loved getting Blake's thoughts on some of the conversations they had so I felt like I got a complete story by the end. I was also glad to get to know him first through Chelsee because I would have had a harder time with him in the beginning if I didn't already know how much he had changed. 

There are sad events in this book, which did make me cry, but it's also filled with a lot of hope. It's a powerful love story, as well as a story about the strength of family and friends, and redemption. A central theme is the importance of organ donation and how that affects the lives of others. I enjoyed this book and it will stay with me for a while!

Praise for Eternal Mercury

“Overall, this novel made me really think about how life can change so completely in the blink of an eye. It was an amazing, life altering story.”

“I loved this book. It made me laugh and cry but most of all it made me feel like there is always hope in this world.”

“I could not put this down. What an amazing story of love, tragedy, strength, triumph, and family.”

Guest Post: Eternal Mercury, Organ Donation, and Cellular Memory

When I first realized that I wanted to write a book, I knew that I wanted it to be different. Shortly after I began brainstorming for that unique idea, a car-crash scene on a mountain highway started playing in my head. Not only was I looking for a unique story idea, but I was also looking for a positive message. I began to wonder if, instead of something scary like a ghost, could something good be left after someone died? The answer became clear to me: organ donation. What could be more beautiful than that? And what could be more romantic than true love that could survive the boundaries of death? To my surprise, the idea turned out to be more realistic than I expected. Through research I discovered the phenomenon of cellular memory. Cellular memory is when people who receive transplants take on traits of people whose organs they receive. It’s rare, but when it does happen, it can come in the form of food cravings, changes in musical taste or hobbies, and sometimes even glimpses at other things about the donor.

Although the level of cellular memory I portrayed in Eternal Mercury is fictional, the need for organs definitely isn’t. It’s hard to think about death, and the common misconceptions about organ donation don’t help. But by understanding the facts and then making your decision known, you just might be able to bring something good out of the bad. That part of Eternal Mercury isn’t based on fiction.

Here are the facts:

Over 100,000 people, including kids, are in need of transplants. Over 20 of them die waiting each day.

One person can save up to seven lives by donating their heart, liver, kidneys, lungs, pancreas, and small intestine. That same person can improve the lives of many others through the donation of tissues such corneas, skin, veins, tendons, ligaments, and bones.

You won’t receive less medical care if you decide to become a donor. Doctors and nurses make every possible effort to save their patients’ lives and will not even consider organ donation unless a person dies.

Income, social status, and race are not factors in deciding who receives organ transplants. You’ll be helping people who need it the most and your family will not be charged for the procedure.

Most major religions support organ donation. I’m not sure that there could be a more loving or selfless gift, but don’t be afraid to check with your spiritual advisor.

Almost anyone can be an organ donor. Age and/or medical history don’t necessarily disqualify you.

The most important thing you can do is let your family know whether or not you want to be an organ donor. No matter what you decide, telling your family will save them from the pain of trying to guess your wishes at a time when that’s the last thing they need. And if the choice is right for you, to let someone else continue on when you’ve reached the end down here, don’t think about what it means for you; instead think of the incredible gratitude you’d feel if someone did it for you or someone you love.

Author Elaine Pinter

Elaine Pinter lives in Boise, Idaho with her husband and son. When she’s not hanging out with them, she’s jotting down ideas for her next novel in the tattered notebook she carries everywhere.

Her writing journey began in June of 2012 when a reading spree set off an unexpected chain of events. After poring over the pages, her own ideas began to appear and she found herself glued to her laptop after her family went to bed every evening. The late nights continued until her first two YA romance novels, Eternal Mercury and Between the Starlight, were published.

She’s one of those hopeless romantics who believes love always wins and that the best stories are the ones that drag you through the tears and reward you with a smile when all the pieces fit together perfectly in the end.

Website * Facebook * Twitter

Blog Tour Giveaway

$25 Amazon Gift Card or Paypal Cash

Ends 7/26/16

Open only to those who can legally enter, receive and use an Amazon.com Gift Code or Paypal Cash. Winning Entry will be verified prior to prize being awarded. No purchase necessary. You must be 18 or older to enter or have your parent enter for you. The winner will be chosen by rafflecopter and announced here as well as emailed and will have 48 hours to respond or a new winner will be chosen. This giveaway is in no way associated with Facebook, Twitter, Rafflecopter or any other entity unless otherwise specified. The number of eligible entries received determines the odds of winning. Giveaway was organized by Kathy from I Am A Reader and sponsored by the author. VOID WHERE PROHIBITED BY LAW.

a Rafflecopter giveaway