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

Until We Meet Again by Renee Collins

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They exist in two different centuries, but their love defies time

Cassandra craves drama and adventure, so the last thing she wants is to spend her summer marooned with her mother and stepfather in a snooty Massachusetts shore town. But when a dreamy stranger shows up on their private beach claiming it's his own—and that the year is 1925—she is swept into a mystery a hundred years in the making.

As she searches for answers in the present, Cassandra discovers a truth that puts their growing love—and Lawrence's life—into jeopardy. Desperate to save him, Cassandra must find a way to change history…or risk losing Lawrence forever.

A time-travelling escapade that brings romance, mystery and danger to our two protagonists is what you’ll find in Until We Meet Again. Cassandra and Lawrence discover an anomaly one night when they encounter each other on the beach, each believing that that the other is trespassing on their property. It takes a few more run-ins before they figure out that they’re somehow able to  see each other but only on a specific stretch of the beach property. Lawrence is everything that Cassandra craves – an escape from her boring summer. He’s far more interesting, insightful and mature than the boys around her. Cassandra’s uninhibitedness Lawrence and he can't get enough of her. Together they enjoy their stolen moments on the beach talking about their lives, their dreams and their futures. 

For me personally, the romance played second fiddle to the growing mystery surrounding their relationship. Cassandra and Lawrence meeting each other inadvertently messes with the sequence of events; some of them having far-reaching repercussions into her present world. Of more immediate concern is how Lawrence’s life is suddenly at risk. Their investigation uncovers a conspiracy that’s bigger than either could have ever conceived.

As the story progresses, Cassandra manages to turn herself around from being a snotty, uninterested teen, to someone who takes others' needs into consideration. Both she and Lawrence are forever changed by their experience and it's nice how everything is tied together at the end. Until We Meet Again is a fun and quick reading adventure!

~ Bel

A Whisper In Time (Whisper Falls #2) by Elizabeth Langston

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I have never been useless in my life.

Rescued from a life of servitude by the boy she loves, Susanna Marsh escapes across two centuries, only to be plunged into a world she's ill-prepared to face. Unable to work or go to school, Susanna finds herself dependent on others to survive.

Immersed in the fun and demands of his senior year of high school, Mark Lewis longs to share his world with the girl who's captured his heart. But first he must tackle government bureaucracy to prove Susanna's identity.

Overwhelmed by her new home, Susanna seeks refuge in history and in news of the people she left behind. But when she learns that danger stalks her sister, Susanna must weigh whether to risk her own future in order to save Phoebe's happiness.

If you were ever under the impression that time travel would go swimmingly and that you’d easily fit into whenever you end up, A Whisper In Time would be the reality dose you need.  It’s just as charming as its predecessor, Whisper Falls, this time focusing on how Mark and Susanna are going to set about their respective futures.

After escaping eighteenth century North Carolina, Susanna spends weeks recuperating from her illness and injuries she sustained at the hands of her previous master. Once her health is back again she must learn to adjust to a whole new world. Talk about culture shock! It’s not just things that are new that she has to get used to but also a far more progressive mentality. Some things come easily to her while others are harder for her to acclimate to.

What stands out in this is Susanna’s loss of identity in two ways. In her century, she knew her place and her purpose regardless of the awful circumstances she was in. In this century, she feels useless and isolated to an extent.  Having to make her way by leaving her past behind is frightening but has no choice – there’s no way she can return to what she escaped from. Her identity problem is also hampered by the fact that in order to stay and be a fully functional citizen in this century, she has to be able to pursue an education and get a job. To do both, she has to prove who she is. Obtaining an identity for her is a huge priority here. While Susanna is puzzled and exacerbated by this century’s obsession with identity, Mark is determined to do whatever it takes to get her one.  

Langston effectively captures how Susanna's presence in the current century impacts her and Mark. Susanna’s sense of directionless and Mark’s dilemma with wanting to be with her but also wanting to enjoy his senior year of high school and prepare for college. Mark at one point even refers to their relationship as “long distance” which is quite spot on as they do tend to have a few communication problems. He's constantly torn between trying to include her but also protecting her from scrutiny. Her secrets are hers to tell and he doesn't want to have to explain to others why Susanna is the way she is. 

Susanna’s need to keep up with her family’s welfare take on urgency as the story progresses. She’s desperate to know that she’s made the right decision for her sister Phoebe. In order to do so, she takes certain risks that alter history. Even as she weighs the consequences, her loyalty and stubbornness can’t deter her from protecting the ones she loves. She's admirable that way. She doesn't apologize for her decisions and forthright about her intentions most of the time.

I’ve said it before about this series – if you fancy history and adventure, sprinkled with romance, A Whisper In Time will suit you just fine. The back and forth through past and present North Carolina highlighting the changes and progress are fascinating. And experiencing some of these changes through Susanna’s eyes will only wow you. In the end, it's also about how two people from two drastically different backgrounds, who fall in love and try to make things work.

~ Bel

Whisper Falls (Whisper Falls #1) by Elizabeth Langston

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While training for a mountain bike race, high-school senior Mark Lewis spots a mysterious girl dressed in odd clothing, standing behind a waterfall in the woods near his North Carolina home. When she comments on the strange machine that he rides, he suspects something isn’t right. When Susanna claims to be an indentured servant from 1796, he wonders if she's crazy. Yet he feels compelled to find out more.

Mark enters a ‘long-distance’ relationship with Susanna through the shimmering--and temperamental--barrier of Whisper Falls. Curious about her world, Mark combs through history to learn about the brutal life she's trapped in. But knowledge can be dangerous. Soon he must choose between the risk of changing history or dooming the girl he can't stop thinking about to a lifetime of misery.

As far as love stories go, this is quite unusual but Langston pulls it off. Whisper Falls serves up a plenty for history fans and also some suspense that will keep you glued to the pages.

When Mark encounters the unusual and out of place young lady on one of his rides, he’s mystified and intrigued. Susanna feels the same. What makes their developing relationship believable is that they’re somehow able to be free with each other despite their vast differences in both time and culture. The glimpses into Susanna’s life at the time are a grim reminder of that period and the fate that many young girls suffered then. It’s all the minute details based on much research that draw stark images in mind that make the story come alive. If anything all these images should have us girls very grateful for what we have now.

And then there’s that tricky thing about messing with history. Their friendship could cause ripple effects in the historical timeline but it’s hard for Mark to walk away when he knows Susanna needs help. Even I was torn as to what they should both do.

Whisper Falls is a smart story featuring two characters who despite extremely different circumstances are equals. Susanna’s steely resilience and Mark’s stubborn determination make them perfect partners. And I’m looking forward to seeing how they cope with the ramifications of their actions in the follow up A Whisper In Time.

~ Bel

All Our Yesterdays by Cristin Terril

* * * 1/2

What would you change?

Imprisoned in the heart of a secret military base, Em has nothing except the voice of the boy in the cell next door and the list of instructions she finds taped inside the drain.

Only Em can complete the final instruction. She’s tried everything to prevent the creation of a time machine that will tear the world apart. She holds the proof: a list she has never seen before, written in her own hand. Each failed attempt in the past has led her to the same terrible present—imprisoned and tortured by a sadistic man called the doctor while war rages outside. 

Marina has loved her best friend, James, since they were children. A gorgeous, introverted science prodigy from one of America’s most famous families, James finally seems to be seeing Marina in a new way, too. But on one disastrous night, James’s life crumbles, and with it, Marina’s hopes for their future. Marina will protect James, no matter what. Even if it means opening her eyes to a truth so terrible that she may not survive it... at least, not as the girl she once was. Em and Marina are in a race against time that only one of them can win.

All Our Yesterdays is a wrenching, brilliantly plotted story of fierce love, unthinkable sacrifice, and the infinite implications of our every choice.


Review:

I’ve told you about my issues with time travel.  Time travel stories send me into an absolute tizzy that inevitably ends up with me getting into an argument with the Executive Officer about the impossibility of it all which then leads to the world’s biggest headache.  So the question I have to ask myself is this: Why am I such a masochist?  Because I willingly chose this story to read.  I requested it from Netgalley and then the library.  Twice, people.  I requested it TWICE.

Apparently I’m a glutton for punishment.

Or am I?

Because this book was pretty darn good.

The first chapter begins with Em staring at a drain in her prison cell.  By the end of the chapter she has found a way to open the drain and finds a list written in her own handwriting.  Everything on the list is crossed off except the last one, “You have to kill him.”  So she and her friend, Finn, escape their cells and go back in time to try to stop the creation of the time machine, Cassandra, before it can wreak havoc on the country and the world.

This story is in constant motion.  From beginning to end.  Some of it was predictable.  The relationship between Em and Marina was obvious (as was the identity of The Doctor) from the beginning even though I got the idea it was supposed to be a big surprise.  But that didn't detract from the story or lessen the anticipation I felt as I was turning the pages.  I found myself chewing on my nails in nervousness as I waited to see if Em and Finn would follow through with the last item on the list and, if so, how it would change their existence.

There were a couple things I didn't like about the story.  Em’s inability to commit to her task 100% drove me crazy at times.  But since that failing is a driving part of the story I can’t complain too much.  Also, there is a fairly useless scene at the very end of the book that tries to explain the inevitability of the person Marina will fall in love.  I think the message of hope and magic of the future’s possibilities would have been just as obvious and possibly had more of an impact had that scene not been included.

In the grand scheme of things, my complaints are small.  This was a fun and action-packed read.  If you enjoy stories of time travel, you will certainly enjoy All Our Yesterdays.

Nat

Tempest by Julie Cross

* * * 1/2

The year is 2009. Nineteen-year-old Jackson Meyer is a normal guy… he’s in college, has a girlfriend… and he can travel back through time. But it’s not like the movies – nothing changes in the present after his jumps, there’s no space-time continuum issues or broken flux capacitors – it’s just harmless fun.

That is… until the day strangers burst in on Jackson and his girlfriend, Holly, and during a struggle with Jackson, Holly is fatally shot. In his panic, Jackson jumps back two years to 2007, but this is not like his previous time jumps. Now he’s stuck in 2007 and can’t get back to the future.Desperate to somehow return to 2009 to save Holly but unable to return to his rightful year, Jackson settles into 2007 and learns what he can about his abilities.

But it’s not long before the people who shot Holly in 2009 come looking for Jackson in the past, and these “Enemies of Time” will stop at nothing to recruit this powerful young time-traveler. Recruit… or kill him.

Piecing together the clues about his father, the Enemies of Time, and himself, Jackson must decide how far he’s willing to go to save Holly… and possibly the entire world.


When we received Tempest, I fully admit to trying to pawn it off on Shel and Bel.  The fact is time travel drives me batty.  The impossibilities and incomprehensible ramifications of it keeps me from fully enjoying and appreciating a time travel story.  I can't even watch Back to the Future without getting all worked up and starting an argument with The Executive Officer about how impossible time travel is.  So imagine my chagrin when I found out that Shel is not a big time travel either and Bel was already committed to a few other reads.  So I took one for the team and read the dreaded time travel story....

...and all I have to say is that Julie Cross is a genius.  Tempest manages to be the first time travel story that didn't make me want to pull my hair out.  The non-stop action never allowed me to overly dwell on the time travel issues that I have.  The book read like an action movie and consistently kept me on the edge of my seat so much that I couldn't wait to turn the page to see what happened next. 

I personally found the main character in this book pretty engaging.  Jackson starts out as a jackass commitment-phobe but grows considerably as he learns exactly what his abilities entail.  His friend Adam was the cliche genius that helps him find the answers to his abilites.  In the end though, he was a loveable character so I couldn't hold the cliche status against him. The most fascinating characters in this book were the more mysterious secondary chracters - Courtney, the little red head girl, Thomas and Jackson's father.  I look forward to learning more about these characters in the next two books.

The one thing that I didn't enjoy about this book was the romance.  Jackson and Holly's relationship lacked emotion and intensity.  Holly's character was nice enough not well developed which made the interest between the two of them seem rather one sided.

All in all, I really enjoyed this book and look forward to the next two installments in the trilogy.

Nat

My Favorite Band Does Not Exist by Robert T. Jeschonek

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Description for the book:

“Being trapped in a book can be a nightmare – just ask Idea Deity.  He’s convinced that he exists only in the pages of a novel written by a malevolent author … and that he will dies in chapter 64.  Meanwhile, Reacher Mirage, lead singer of the secret rock band Youforia, can’t figure out who’s posting information about him and his band online that only he should know.  It seems to both teens that someone is pulling the strings of their lives… and they’re not too happy about it.  With a national magazine preparing to expose Youforia and chapter 64 bearing down like a speeding freight train, time is running out.  Will Idea and Reacher be able to join forces and take control of their own destinies before it’s too late?

School of Rock meets Alice In Wonderland in this fast-paced, completely unpredictable novel of alternate realities, time travel, and rock ‘n’ roll.  If you band does not exist… do you?"

The description doesn’t lie.  It is a fast-paced, action-packed story that volleys back and forth between the two characters, Idea and Reacher.  There’s also another book within the story called Fireskull’s Revenant that both the characters are reading.  A few chapters in it does occur to you that there’s a parallel between the book you’re reading and the book they’re reading. And eventually Idea and Reacher realize that too.

Jeschonek has come up with a brilliant idea here (no pun intended).  I’d like to add that elements of the story also reminded me of a certain Brad Pitt movie that shall remain nameless lest it give away too much about the book.  It’s definitely one of the more creative stories I’ve read, and to be perfectly honest it was kind of nice to take a break from reading about angels, dragons or elves.  Instead I was introduced to this guy over here, Fireskull, a guy with a perpetually flaming head as you can see, who loves war and torturing his army.   Despite that gruesome bit of detail, he was rather entertaining.

Reading this reminded me of authors like Terry Prachett and Neil Gaiman* and their propensity for creating bizarre worlds, outlandish characters and ridiculous names. In my opinion, that's high praise.  So if you’re in the mood for something different, definitely try this.  Though be aware that it may take some concentration to keep up with who’s who and what’s what as the author does scramble realities frequently.  Have fun!

~ Bel

* Good Omens being one of my favorite books  :-)