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 THE ATHENA EFFECT was a pleasant surprise. Unlike a few other books I read recently, I could tell I was going to enjoy this one when I was just ten pages in. 
 Caledonia, or Cal for short, has grown up almost in complete isolation for the majority of her life. Her parents were a bit eccentric and protective, but for good reason. After a terrible accident kills them both, Cal is sent to live with her Aunt in a life that is completely foreign to her. 
 Cal is very naive to the real world, only tasting it through books. I loved how genuine she seemed and how strong she was, while keeping her innocence. I was really worried about her when she meets the love interest of the name name, Cal, because he seemed so tough. I thought he would crush her. Of course, we quickly learn that she can handle herself. 
 For a majority of the novel, this was closer to a contemporary romance than Sci-Fi, which worked for me because I loved the slow building relationship between the two main characters. Although I was curious about the science fiction aspects and Cal's power, which was basically being able to read feelings through auras, the romance was enough to entertain me until the real action kicked in. 
 I loved the concept behind the reading auras, and how each color was connected to an emotion, it was very well done. 
 The minor characters that made up the story were just as great as the main characters, if not even more deep. Each had a backstory that was actually entertaining to learn about. Not a single one was one-dimensional and this was a major bonus because I love great supporting characters. 
 THE ATHENA EFFECT is one of the better self-published books I have read. It was completely polished up, and read very smoothly. I was pleased at its originality and overall greatness. Plus who doesn't love that cover? I can't wait to read more from this author, and I highly recommend this.