THE PASSENGER by Alexandra Bracken

Rating: B+
Synopsis:
Passage, n.
i. A brief section of music composed of a series of notes and flourishes.
ii. A journey by water; a voyage.
iii. The transition from one place to another, across space and time.

In one devastating night, violin prodigy Etta Spencer loses everything she knows and loves. Thrust into an unfamiliar world by a stranger with a dangerous agenda, Etta is certain of only one thing: she has traveled not just miles but years from home. And she’s inherited a legacy she knows nothing about from a family whose existence she’s never heard of. Until now.

Nicholas Carter is content with his life at sea, free from the Ironwoods—a powerful family in the colonies—and the servitude he’s known at their hands. But with the arrival of an unusual passenger on his ship comes the insistent pull of the past that he can’t escape and the family that won’t let him go so easily. Now the Ironwoods are searching for a stolen object of untold value, one they believe only Etta, Nicholas’ passenger, can find. In order to protect her, he must ensure she brings it back to them—whether she wants to or not.


Together, Etta and Nicholas embark on a perilous journey across centuries and continents, piecing together clues left behind by the traveler who will do anything to keep the object out of the Ironwoods’ grasp. But as they get closer to the truth of their search, and the deadly game the Ironwoods are playing, treacherous forces threaten to separate Etta not only from Nicholas but from her path home... forever.

My thoughts on the book:
I'll admit that I wasn't a huge fan of Bracken's last series, but I couldn't resist requesting a time travel novel. Needless to say, I was pleasantly surprised. I thoroughly enjoyed this book, and I absolutely loved the characters. The pacing dragged on in a few places, then the ending was a major cliffhanger, which I didn't like too much, but the world-building was spectacular. The writing was well-done, and the descriptions were extremely vivid. I can't wait for the next installment in this series.

Etta was well-developed and a bit stubborn, but she wasn't illogical or rash. She's pretty strong for a YA female lead, and she managed to do that without being a brat. My favorite thing about her is that she actually had feelings and stopped in the middle of the chaos to feel them. I also liked that she had some kind of anxiety disorder because that stuff needs to be talked about more. As someone with GAD, I can appreciate a heroine who is strong but also struggles with panic attacks. Nicholas was a great leading man. He was a good complement to Etta, and he was a bit broken without being angsty. He was also a super strong character, and he was very complex. There were layers to his pain, but he was still willing to give life a chance. We could all learn a few lessons from that, I think. The secondary characters weren't as well-developed, but they felt like real people. We just didn't get to see them a lot. Hasan was a lot of fun, and I would have liked to have seen more of Alice.

The writing was engaging, and the plot was extremely well thought out. Everything tied together nicely, and almost everything made perfect sense. The plot twist at the end sent me reeling, though, and I'm not sure if it felt right or not, to be honest. I haven't really had time to absorb it yet, I think. The last 75% of the story lagged a bit until the very end (93%ish mark), where it moved at lightening speed and ended on a cliffhanger. I really didn't care for that too much. The world-building was well-done, and I could accept and understand the world that Bracken created. The author described each place beautifully, and the descriptions were so vivid that I felt like I was there with the characters. She really did her research/traveling for this book. Again, I like that the action paused when something awful happened to give the characters a chance to feel a full range of emotion. I hate when something that's supposed to be traumatizing happens and the characters just keep going and never deal with it. That's not realistic to me, and it really takes away from the story. Bracken is one of the few authors that I've seen actually let the characters feel before jumping back into the fray, and I appreciated that.

Overall, I'd recommend this book to anyone who is looking for a good time travel novel. Bracken's presentation of time travel is a bit different from the other books I've read on this topic, and the story itself is extremely interesting.

INFINITYGLASS by Myra McEntire

Rating: B
Synopsis:
The stakes have risen even higher in this third book in the Hourglass series.

The Hourglass is a secret organization focused on the study of manipulating time, and its members — many of them teenagers -­have uncanny abilities to make time work for them in mysterious ways. Inherent in these powers is a responsibility to take great care, because altering one small moment can have devastating consequences for the past, present, and future. But some time trav­elers are not exactly honorable, and sometimes unsavory deals must be struck to maintain order.

With the Infinityglass (central to understanding and harnessing the time gene) at large, the hunt is on to find it before someone else does.

But the Hourglass has an advantage. Lily, who has the ability to locate anything lost, has determined that the Infinityglass isn't an object. It's a person. And the Hourglass must find him or her first. But where do you start searching for the very key to time when every second could be the last?

My thoughts on the book:
Infinityglass is a surprisingly good ending to this trilogy. I loved Hourglass, but I did not like Timepiece. This novel redeemed McEntire, in my opinion, by showing that she can still create likeable, strong characters, good relationships, and a strong storyline. While this book is not perfect (some aspects just weren't messy enough for me), it is a huge improvement over the second installment. I really enjoyed getting to know Dune and Hallie, and I rooted for them the entire time. The story is tightly plotted, and the pacing is perfect. The resolution is satisfying. Fans of the series thus far will simply adore this book. 

Hallie is a strong leading lady, and I really liked getting to know her. She is flawed, but likeable. I enjoyed reading from her perspective, and she is a realistic character. She's tough, intelligent, and adaptable. Dune really surprised me. I thought he'd be a boring guy to get to know, but there's a lot more depth to him than I would have imagined. I loved how he was with Hallie, and I adored their relationship. It seemed natural (unlike Lily and Kaleb), and they brought out the best in each other. I would have liked to have gotten to know more about Lily's dad. I felt that most secondary characters were not fully developed, and I didn't like that. Poe stood out, though, and I enjoyed learning about him. He's extremely complex, and he surprised me a few times. 

The plot, for the most part, is extremely intriguing. Nothing is too convenient this time around, but some things still happened a bit too easily. I didn't feel as if McEntire was controlling her world as much as I did with Timepiece, though. The relationships develop organically, as do the plot twists. The pacing is perfect, and I didn't get bored once. I still felt as if McEntire was trying to force me to ship Lily and Kaleb, though. She kept having Hallie talk about how "sexy" they were. Whatever. They suck as a couple and no amount of forcing by the author is going to change my mind about that. The ending is a little too tidy, in my opinion, but it's satisfying. All of the questions and problems were addressed and taken care of, and I feel that this group's story has found its resolution. 

Overall, I'd recommend this book and series to anyone who loves good time travel stories. 

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AMBER HOUSE by Kelly Moore, Tucker Reed, and Larkin Reed

Amber House
Kelly Moore, Tucker Reed, and Larkin Reed

Rating: A+
Release Date: 10/01/12
Synopsis:
"I was sixteen the first time my grandmother died . . ."

Sarah Parsons has never seen Amber House, the grand Maryland estate that's been in her family for three centuries. She's never walked its hedge maze nor found its secret chambers; she's never glimpsed the shades that haunt it, nor hunted for lost diamonds in its walls.

But all of that is about to change. After her grandmother passes away, Sarah and her friend Jackson decide to search for the diamonds--and the house comes alive. She discovers that she can see visions of the house's past, like the eighteenth-century sea captain who hid the jewels, or the glamorous great-grandmother driven mad by grief. She grows closer to both Jackson and a young man named Richard Hathaway, whose family histories are each deeply entwined with her own. But when the visions start to threaten the person she holds most dear, Sarah must do everything she can to get to the bottom of the house's secrets, and stop the course of history before it is cemented forever.

My thoughts on the book:
Amber House is a unique and captivating debut from the mother/daughter trio, Kelly Moore, Tucker Reed, and Larkin Reed. According to their website, Moore was inspired by her own family history and began to write. Once her daughters joined in the venture, Amber House became an actual novel. Considering the story of the house and the women in it, I think it is perfect that this book was written by two generations of women. This is a beautiful story, and I cannot wait for the sequel (I was so happy when I learned this is part of a trilogy).

Every character in Amber House is complex and fully developed. I enjoyed learning about all of them, even if I didn't particularly like everyone *coughRichardcough*. I simply adored Sammy, and I love how the authors created an intelligent autistic character who is easy to relate to. With the history of the family's insanity and how people judge Sammy, these writers are opening up a dialogue about autism, and that is very important. I applaud them for taking a stand for autistic people. 

Sarah is also a fantastic character. She's not perfect. She's bratty and silly at times, just like any teenage girl, but overall, she is mature, strong, and likable. I enjoyed reading things from her point of view, and even though I wanted to smack her once or twice, she isn't an annoying character. 

Her mother, on the other hand, is a piece of work. However, the more I got to know about Anne, the more I understood why she acts the way she does. It doesn't excuse her behaviors, but it does explain them. I would have liked to have seen more of Sarah's dad. 

The two love interests are very different, but neither is broody or obnoxious. I didn't like Richard because he just seemed a bit slimy to me. Being a politician's son, he can't be the most honest kid around. Jackson is a dreamboat, though. I really love his character. He's extremely strong and caring, but not whiny and fluffy. I hate fluffy guys. You guys know what I mean by fluffy, right? Edward Cullen like? Crying at the drop of a hat? Yea, I don't like that. 

The plot itself is insane! I don't know how the authors kept track of what was going on. This book is fast paced and complicated. However, I was able to follow the events just fine. There is just a lot going on. The writers do an excellent job of explaining the time travely type stuff, though, and I actually understood it. Normally with time travel books, I just ignore the explanations and go with it because physics is not my forte. This story line doesn't have much action, but it has tons of suspense. I couldn't put this book down!I had to figure out the mysteries of Amber House and its inhabitants (both past and present). I was hooked from the beginning, and the ending simply left me wanting more. I cannot wait for the sequel. Yes, I know I already said that, but it needed to be said again. 

I would recommend this book to anyone who is looking for a different type of paranormal story. Amber House focuses on a lot of different ideas, but they all come together nicely. I enjoyed the contemporary problems being brought into a paranormal book. The synopsis doesn't do this book justice. You have to give it a try!

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TIMEPIECE by Myra McEntire

Timepiece
Myra McEntire

Rating: C-
Release Date: 06/12/12
Synopsis from goodreads.com:
A threat from the past could destroy the future. And the clock is ticking...

Kaleb Ballard's relentless flirting is interrupted when Jack Landers, the man who tried to murder his father, timeslips in and attacks before disappearing just as quickly. But Kaleb has never before been able to see time travelers, unlike many of his friends associated with the mysterious Hourglass organization. Are Kaleb's powers expanding, or is something very wrong?

Then the Hourglass is issued an ultimatum. Either they find Jack and the research he's stolen on the time gene, or time will be altered with devastating results. 

Now Kaleb, Emerson, Michael, and the other Hourglass recruits have no choice but to use their unusual powers to find Jack. But where do they even start? And when? And even if they succeed, it may not be enough...

The follow-up to Hourglass, Timepiece blends the paranormal, science fiction, mystery, and suspense genres into a nonstop thrill ride where every second counts.


My thoughts on the book:
I am going to be very honest in this review, even though it pains me to do so. I am extremely disappointed in Timepiece, the follow-up to the amazing Hourglass novel by Myra McEntire. Hourglass completely blew me away. I read it all in one sitting, and when the book ended, I was sitting there with my mouth hanging open, and all I could say was "wow." Timepiece had the exact opposite effect on me. I was so looking forward to this novel, and I adore Kaleb. Therefore, I was super excited when I found out he was going to be the narrator. However, this book fell incredibly flat for me. It took me three days of reading to get through it. I had to force myself to pick it up, and every time I did, I'd sigh and think, "let's get this over with." I will be reading the sequel, though, because I have faith in McEntire. I firmly believe that this was just a rough patch and things will get better from here on out.


Kaleb was fine as a narrator, but he and Lily had no chemistry whatsoever. Also, there was no relationship development. They randomly poured their hearts out to each other for no reason when it seemed like they didn't even know each other that well. Also, they invited one another to be present for private family moments, and that seemed really awkward. I didn't buy into them as a couple, and I am so sick and tired of authors throwing a couple's two best friends or siblings together in a convenient match. It just wasn't believable. And Kaleb and Lily were just... blah. It felt forced, and there was no chemistry between them at all. I was hoping for some Emerson and Michael type chemistry, but alas, none came. I really hope Kaleb and Lily break up and Kaleb finds someone better suited for him because this was awful. He still seemed to care more about Emerson than Lily, too. Maybe something will come of that and it'll add some spice to the next book.


McEntire's writing was amazing. I love her descriptions and how she gives each of her characters a unique voice. When I read her books, I can hear the characters' voices inside my head when they speak. That doesn't happen for me often in novels. I also enjoyed getting to know more about Kaleb, his power, and his past. Additionally, the new characters that were introduced were intriguing and I can't wait to learn more about them. Jack, of course, was the most despicable bad guy ever. The more I learn about him, the more I hate him, which I think is the intended reaction.


The plot itself was a bit all over the place. It wasn't as well-defined and easy to follow as the plot in Hourglass. However, the mystery and suspense should have had me intrigued, and it would have had it not been for the god awful pseudo-romance between Lily and Kaleb. The two of them together really ruined the entire story for me. I don't think I've been this strongly against a couple since the Nightshade series with Calla and Shay. I hated Shay with a deeply burning passion, though, and I don't hate Lily and Kaleb... I just hate them together as a couple. Anyway, back to the plot. The pacing was spot-on, and the book didn't drag at all. A lot was going on, and sometimes it was hard to keep track of things, but I really felt like I was inside Kaleb's head. There were a lot of twists and turns, and I never knew what was going to happen from one second to the next. When I was ignoring the crappy romance, I was kept on the edge of my seat. The ending was a bit of a cliffhanger, but a few things were tied up from Hourglass. Also, Kaleb grew a lot as a character, so I felt that the novel accomplished what it set out to do. 


Overall, I'd recommend this book to anyone who loved Hourglass. If you haven't read Hourglass, you need to go out and buy it stat. Timepiece was a bit of a disappointment for me, but I will be continuing the series. I have a feeling that the next book will blow my mind and totally make up for this disappointment. As I stated, my main problem with this book was the romance between Lily and Kaleb. It just didn't feel real. Hopefully something will be done about this in the following books. While I wasn't impressed with Timepiece, it's a definite must-read for all Hourglass fans! 


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HOURGLASS by Myra McEntire

Hourglass
Myra McEntire

Rating: A+


Description from goodreads.com:
One hour to rewrite the past . . . 
 
For seventeen-year-old Emerson Cole, life is about seeing what isn’t there: swooning Southern Belles; soldiers long forgotten; a haunting jazz trio that vanishes in an instant. Plagued by phantoms since her parents’ death, she just wants the apparitions to stop so she can be normal. She’s tried everything, but the visions keep coming back.

So when her well-meaning brother brings in a consultant from a secretive organization called the Hourglass, Emerson’s willing to try one last cure. But meeting Michael Weaver may not only change her future, it may change her past.
Who is this dark, mysterious, sympathetic guy, barely older than Emerson herself, who seems to believe every crazy word she says? Why does an electric charge seem to run through the room whenever he’s around? And why is he so insistent that he needs her help to prevent a death that never should have happened?
 
Full of atmosphere, mystery, and romance, Hourglass merges the very best of the paranormal and science-fiction genres in a seductive, remarkable young adult debut.


My thoughts on the book:
I'm going to be completely honest. I'd heard a lot of wonderful things about Hourglass, and that made me think that I probably wouldn't like it. Let me explain... any time I hear a ton of great things about a book, it almost always ends up falling flat for me. Either I can't relate to the characters or the pacing is off or the plot just flat out sucks. However, Hourglass was a fantastic read, and I can't wait for the sequel. I fell in love with all of the characters, other than the bad guys, which I hated once I figured out they were bad. There were a ton of surprises in the book, and as hard as I tried, I couldn't predict the plot. As someone who can usually guess where a book is going, I was pleasantly surprised to find out that I had no idea what would happen in this novel. I also loved that the book was near Nashville, TN, in a small town called Ivy Springs.  I LOVE NASHVILLE! It's a fantastic city, and I haven't read many books that are set there. Myra McEntire is my new hero. 


The novel starts out a bit slowly, but Emerson is a very intriguing character. She's sarcastic, witty, funny, and charming. I really loved reading about things from her POV. She's not pansy, and she can take care of herself. She has a brown belt in Martial Arts training for Christ's sake! Don't mess with her. She may be little, but she can still kick ass! She's had a rough past, but she doesn't really whine that much. She goes back and suffers from guilt some, but we all do that when someone we love dies. She is a strong character, though, and she does what she has to do to make things right. 


I would have liked to have seen more of Lily and learned more about her, but hopefully we'll get to learn more about her in the sequel. She was interesting, and a terrific friend to Emerson. She stood by her no matter what, and it's hard to find a friend like that, especially in high school. 


Michael. *swoon* The second he said he preferred professional baseball, I knew I'd found my new book character soul mate. Now if he'd only been a Cubs fan instead of a Red Sox fan, he would have been perfect. I do like the Red Sox, but my heart is with my Cubbies. I digress... Michael was a terrific character and extremely selfless. He was trustworthy, kind, patient, brave, and understanding. I loved his interactions with Emerson, and the way he took care of all of his friends. He's just an all around great guy. They really need to make one of him in real life. Or several. I'd appreciate that. Only, we need to add a Cubs fan gene to the mix. I mean I love my Cubbies, but let's face it, no one is going to be a fan of a team that never goes to the World Series without it being a genetic condition. Wow, I'm really off topic right now. 


Kaleb was a wonderful addition to the book, and he mixed things up a lot. You can tell that deep down he's a good guy, but he's suffering, so he makes some terrible mistakes. He really care about his friends, though, and I really liked his ability. I'd like to see more of him in the next book, too. 


Thomas and Dru are the most likable parent figures in the world. Thomas is Emerson's brother, and Dru is his wife. They are supportive and kind to Emerson, and I simply loved them. They also were present a lot in the novel, and I enjoyed that. I like it when we don't have to read about phantom parents all the time. Spices things up a bit, don't you think? 


The first half of the book focuses on explaining the complicated world that McEntire has created. The time travel thing is a little science-y and confusing, but over all, McEntire leaves out enough details that it didn't give me a headache. I think I grasped the concept just fine, and I am no science whiz. The beginning moves a little slowly, but because of that I was able to gain trust in Michael and the rest of the Renegades right along with Emerson. Also, there is no insta-love. I hate insta-love, and I really appreciate it when an author takes the time to make a relationship develop instead of using love as a plot device. McEntire handled the relationship thing gracefully, and the connection between Michael and Emerson grew organically throughout the book. Nothing felt forced about it. It was easy to believe that they were best friends who just happened to fall in love with each other. 


The second half of the book is filled with mysteries, surprises, and a lot of tense moments. There's not much "action" in my mind because there is not really any fighting. However, there is a lot going on, and the climax and big reveal are intense and shocking. I was on the edge of my seat from about page 200 on. The ending wrapped things up nicely, but also left room for a sequel. The world McEntire has created is unique and wonderful. It's a great place to lose yourself in, and I haven't had nearly enough of it. Hourglass is not a book that you want to miss. 


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RUBY RED by Kerstin Gier

Ruby Red
Kerstin Gier

Grade: A+


Description from goodreads.com:

Gwyneth Shepherd's sophisticated, beautiful cousin Charlotte has been prepared her entire life for traveling through time. But unexpectedly, it is Gwyneth, who in the middle of class takes a sudden spin to a different era!

Gwyneth must now unearth the mystery of why her mother would lie about her birth date to ward off suspicion about her ability, brush up on her history, and work with Gideon--the time traveler from a similarly gifted family that passes the gene through its male line, and whose presence becomes, in time, less insufferable and more essential. Together, Gwyneth and Gideon journey through time to discover who, in the 18th century and in contemporary London, they can trust.

My thoughts on the book:

Wow. Just wow. The reason I picked up this book in the first place was because the cover is so different, and I am so glad I did! This is my first foray into the world of time travel, and I couldn't have picked a better novel to start with. Ruby Red is an enthralling story that will captivate you from the first page. I can definitely see why it's an international bestseller. 

The pacing of the book was a bit slow at first, but the characters are so well developed, and the story was so mysterious, that I remained intrigued. Even the secondary characters had terrific, three dimensional personalities. About halfway through the book, things start to pick up, and then it's impossible to put this book down! In the last half of the book, there is action, romance, and mystery! I couldn't have asked for a better story. 

The story is told from Gwyneth's POV, and she is a likable character. She has a very dynamic personality. Some of the things she says are really funny, and she won't take anyone's crap. She asks a lot of questions, but no one seems to answer them. That got frustrating sometimes. I think that was the point, though, to make the reader understand how confused and frustarted Gwyneth was. She doesn't complain, like many of the heroines in the YA books, and she also isn't obsessed with boys. She's not rebellious, and she doesn't have an attitude problem. She stands up for herself when she has to, but over all, she's a very polite, well-adjusted girl. It was a nice change. 

Gideon is another great character. He's a bit standoffish and arrogant, but what teenage boy isn't? He's not some tortured soul who needs saving, though. He's just a boy who time travels. He doesn't think Gwyneth is cut out for time travel at first, but she proves him wrong time and time again. Over all, he's a decent guy, though, and I liked him a lot. 

Lesley is Gwyneth's best friend, and Gwyneth told her all about time traveling even though she wasn't supposed to. Lesley is a bit of a detective, and she's always researching. I like that. She's a very intelligent and capable character from what I could tell. Google seemed to be her main love in life, and her theories on why people do things are hilarious. 

Grace, Gwyneth's mother is actually present in the novel, and that's another nice change. She takes an interest in her daughter's safety and in her life. She is very supportive of Gwyneth, and she treats her like an equal. I really liked Grace as well. 

Charlotte and her mother are the two most annoying characters, but even they aren't cookie cutters. Charlotte is intelligent and beautiful, but the time traveling gene skipped over her. She's resentful toward Gwyneth because of this, and her mother hates Grace because of it. She blames Grace for passing the gene onto Gwyneth, like Grace had any say in the matter. Though her actions are illogical, they are believable. Some people are just that obtuse. 

I wasn't sure what to expect when I opened Ruby Red, and I was pleasantly surprised. I didn't get a headache from all of the time travel stuff because Gier doesn't go into the science of it all (thankfully). The writing is fantastic, and the world Gier has created is wonderful. I can't wait to see what happens in the sequel, Sapphire Blue. Check out Ruby Red today. You won't be sorry.

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