Waking in Time by Angie Stanton

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Still mourning the loss of her beloved grandmother and shaken by her mysterious, dying request to “find the baby,” Abbi has just arrived at UW Madison for her freshman year. But on her second day, she wakes up to a different world: 1983. That is just the first stop on Abbi’s journey backward through time. Will is a charming college freshman from 1927 who travels forward through time. When Abbi and Will meet in the middle, love adds another complication to their lives. Communicating across time through a buried time capsule, they try to decode the mystery of their travel, find the lost baby, and plead with their champion, a kindly physics professor, to help them find each other again ... even though the professor gets younger each time Abbi meets him. This page-turning story full of romance, twists, and delightful details about campus life then and now will stay with readers long after the book’s satisfying end.


*Source: e-galley provided by publisher in exchange for an honest review

Abbi arrives at her new home for the next four years - UW Madison, a school that her beloved late grandmother went to. She feels strongly connected to her in this place and is glad that she chose to do this. As she's settling in, she receives a mysterious box that belonged to her grandmother and within it, finds a note from her that makes no sense at all. One night she goes to bed and the next morning she wakes up in a different time. Completely disoriented, she attempts to understand what is happening, even going to classes to behave as normally as possible without arousing suspicion. However, it gets more complicated as she keeps travelling further back in time. At some point, she comes to the realization that there's a mystery to solve and that she is somehow connected to it. Finding this connection becomes the goal and with some help, she hopes to solve this mystery and return to her own time.

Stories about time travelling can be tricky. Some can get too science-y and lose your attention while some can be too flippant. At first, the time travel moments reminded me of another novel from over a decade ago except this isn't as convoluted and hard to grasp. I mean that in a good way! The straightforward premise in Waking in Time meant that I could participate in the mystery and the friendships and romance that were developing without feeling like the story was over my head. Because ultimately, you want to enjoy the story, right? I also delighted in Stanton's description of the college campus. I've only ever been to Madison once a long time ago and I got to visit the campus then. It was summertime and the city was so vibrant and the campus simply breathtaking. So when Stanton added a bit of history to it, I was excited. 

I'd like to add that from reading Stanton's books in the past (Royally Lost being one of them), I've noticed that her stories remain relatively chaste and with Will, chivalry is safely intact. Last thing I'd like to add is that at the end of the book, Stanton mentions the story that inspired Waking in Time. It's kind of bittersweet and I like that Staton's spin on it has a happy ending. So there you have it. If you're up for a bit of time travel, romance and a mystery to boot, check out Waking in Time.

~ Bel

Anne & Henry by Dawn Ius

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In this wonderfully creative retelling of the infamous—and torrid—love affair between Anne Boleyn and King Henry VIII, history collides with the present when a sizzling romance ignites in a modern-day high school.

Henry Tudor’s life has been mapped out since the day he was born: student body president, valedictorian, Harvard Law School, and a stunning political career just like his father’s. But ever since the death of his brother, the pressure for Henry to be perfect has doubled. And now he’s trapped: forbidden from pursuing a life as an artist or dating any girl who isn’t Tudor-approved.

Then Anne Boleyn crashes into his life.

Wild, brash, and outspoken, Anne is everything Henry isn’t allowed to be—or want. But soon Anne is all he can think about. His mother, his friends, and even his girlfriend warn him away, but his desire for Anne consumes him.

Henry is willing to do anything to be with her, but once they’re together, will their romance destroy them both?

Inspired by the true story of Anne Boleyn and King Henry VIII, Anne & Henry beautifully reimagines the intensity, love, and betrayal between one of the most infamous couples of all time.

Admission: I requested this book because of my love of Tudor history. In fact, I have an entire row on my bookshelf dedicated to them. Historical fiction tends to make me hesitant because I'll inevitably want to separate fact from fiction (hence I’ve avoided the tv show, Reign). However, a reimagining of Anne and Henry VIII’s tumultuous and scandalous relationship that changed the course of England’s history, told in a modern day setting? Yeah, I’m on board for that!

Henry Tudor is privileged, a silver spoon in his mouth and a heavy set of expectations on his shoulders. His very wealthy and influential family would like to see him ascend to great heights. He's treated as if he's the second coming of the Messiah. He dates the “perfect girl”, Catherine. She’s beautiful, popular, comes from another wealthy family. It’s a perfect match. It does crack me up that we’re dealing with teenagers and here their families are ready to have them married off. But we’ll go with it.

Enter Anne, a complete contrast to the stuck up, prim and proper crowd that surrounds Henry. She’s new to the area and doesn’t exactly come from money but her mother married into it. She’ll be starting at the same school as Henry and Catherine. It's love at first sight for Anne and Henry though she wants nothing to do with him. Henry won’t be swayed. Soon they're together shocking everyone including the entire student body at their high school.

Ius juxtaposes this relationship against the real life political intrigue that took place hundreds of years ago. Instead of a country and a conniving royal court, we have a high school from hell and a very powerful, conniving student council. Much like the real Anne Boleyn, this fictional one is maligned and regarded as trash. Henry is totally in love and doesn’t quite understand that his friends are against this union. His family only cares about connections viewing Anne as beneath them. Eventually rumors, plots and some very calculated moves take hold leaving Anne open to public judgment. Can she be strong enough to fight back and rally against the haters?

I thought Anne & Henry was a quick, fun read. While I personally enjoyed making the connections between the events in the book with the actual historical ones, you don’t need to know anything about the real-life duo to appreciate it. My only issues were Henry’s spinelessness and gullibility later on. Oh, and Anne wasn’t any better. I did though really like how Ius ended their story giving it finality. A nod to what did happen. Nice touch!  

~ Bel

   

     

     

The Apple Orchard by Susan Wiggs

*** 1/2

#1 New York Times bestselling author Susan Wiggs brings readers into the lush abundance of Sonoma County, in a story of sisters, friendship and the invisible bonds of history that are woven like a spell around us. 

Tess Delaney makes a living returning stolen treasures to their rightful owners. She loves illuminating history, filling the spaces in people's hearts with stories of their family legacies. 

But Tess's own history is filled with gaps: a father she never met, and a mother who spent more time traveling than with her daughter. 

Then Dominic Rossi arrives on the doorstep of the San Francisco shop Tess hopes to buy, and he tells her that the grandfather she never knew is in a coma. Tess has been named in his will to inherit half of Bella Vista, a hundred-acre apple orchard in the magical Sonoma town called Archangel.

The rest is willed to Isabel Johansen. A half sister she hadn't heard of. 

Isabel is everything Tess isn't: all softness to Tess's hard angles, warm and nurturing where Tess is tightly wound. But against the rich landscape of Bella Vista, with Isabel and Dominic by her side, Tess begins to discover a world filled with the simple pleasures of food and family, of the warm earth beneath her bare feet. A world where family comes first and the roots of history run deep. 

Review:

I used to read Susan Wiggs books religiously so when Netgalley was offering a re-read of The Apple Orchard (one I hadn’t read yet) I jumped on it.  Of course, then it took me forever to read it because I love to overload my TBR pile.  But I finally opened it up in December and found an interesting mix of mystery, history and romance.

Tess has been on her own since she was a teenager.  With a mother that travelled constantly for work she didn’t have much choice.  She was always envious of the families around her.  As an adult she has learned to not yearn for the familial connections she always craved when she was younger.  But it doesn’t mean she’s immune.  When Dominic Rossi appears at her office to inform her that the grandfather, Magnus Johansen, she never knew existed is in a coma and that his apple orchard will go to both her and her half-sister if he dies, all those old desires are brought to the surface. 

Tess travels to Archangel to meet her new found family and finds that she is inheriting half of an estate that is in major debt and is on the fast-track to foreclosure.  But the immediate acceptance by her sister Isabel and Dominic makes the future of the orchard much more important to Tess than she would have ever guessed.  After learning of her grandfather’s efforts during the WWII Danish Resistance and finding some photos that hint at a possible treasure Tess does what she does best.  As a Provenance Specialist, her job is to reunite people with lost or stolen treasure and she might be able to reunite her new found family with a treasure worth so much it will not only save the estate but also help run it.

This was an interesting mix of genre.  There was some historical fiction with the many flashbacks of Magnus’ time spent in Denmark during WWII.  There was the mystery of the treasure and where it disappeared to.   Then, of course there was the romance between Tess and Dominic. 

I really enjoyed Tess’ character.  She was tough and driven.  Her career as a provenance specialist was absolutely fascinating and, of course, was a perfect device for telling Magnus’ story and solving some of the mystery of his life during WWII.   The other characters, although likable, didn’t seem as fleshed out as Tess.  Isabel was a little too perfect in the kitchen but didn’t seem to have any thoughts or ideas outside of that which was unfortunately.  I wish I had had more of a connection with her since the next book in the series, The Beekeeper’s Ball, is focused around her.  And I don’t often say this about heroes but Dominic Rossi was almost too perfect.  Fortunately that didn’t stop me from believing and becoming emotionally invested in the love story between him and Tess. 

Although not my favorite of Susan Wigg’s (Dockside will always be my favorite) this was a lovely story that I would recommend to anyone looking for a little bit of mystery, history and romance.

Nat

13 Hangmen by Art Corriveau

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Available April 1, 2012

“Some people won’t believe any of this story. You might be one of them. But every single word is true. Tony DiMarco does catch a murderer, solve a mystery, and find treasure – all in the first few days after he moves, unexpectedly, to 13 Hangmen’s Court in Boston. The fact that he also turns thirteen at the same time is not a coincidence.”

So begins the story of Tony and his friends – give 13 year-old boys, all of whom are living in the same house in the same attic bedroom but at different times in history! None are ghosts, all are flesh and blood, and somehow all have come together in the attic room, visible only to one another. And all are somehow linked to a murder, a mystery, and a treasure.

Is it too early to claim a favorite for 2012? 13 Hangmen was such fun reading that I can’t wait to share it with my daughter when it finally comes out.

This thrilling story combines everything described above – murder, mystery and a treasure hunt.  But the author has also added history, mythology and numerology into the mix. All of this is done so impressively that it’s thoroughly engaging reading as soon as it gets under way.

On his thirteenth birthday, Tony inherits a house that belonged to his Uncle Angelo – a man he only met once and barely knew. The inheritance comes with some odd stipulations – he must live in the house until he’s twenty-one, his bedroom must be in the attic and he cannot ever sell the house to any member of the Hagmann family who are perennial enemies of his family. This inheritance results in the uprooting of the entire family (his parents and his older twin brothers) from Detroit to Boston.

Getting used to his new digs is quite the task especially when he learns about what makes the house special.  It all starts with an old Red Sox baseball hat and from there the adventure begins. I won’t go into what happens next because it’s honestly so exciting that I don’t want to risk any spoilers. Suffice it to say that Tony somehow comes into contact with previous occupants of the house and delves into its history, the neighborhood and even a significant time in the country’s past.

Since I was a kid, I have always, always loved history and what I love about this book is how imaginatively Corriveau blends historical elements and makes them work in this adventure through time. Even though he admits to tweaking certain details to fit the story, he makes history interactive, a neat reminder that some of the greatest events come about as a result of chance encounters. And Tony, a sensible protagonist who starts out in the shadow of his more outgoing brothers, becomes the hero when he gains confidence in his own abilities to eventually save the day. 

I highly recommend 13 Hangmen simply for its good writing and inspired storytelling. I was drawn into this book, eager with every turn of the page to discover the next clue in the puzzle. Anyone who's a fan of mystery or the 39 Clues series will enjoy this. 

~ Bel