Quickie Novella Review: Goddess in Time

Goddess in Time
by Tera Lynn Childs
Oh. My. Gods Novella 

As a descendant of Greek gods, Nicole has attended the Academy alongside other students with magical powers on a Greek island. Life is pretty perfect—except for the fact that she was sentenced to stay there because of a childhood prank that also resulted in her parents' banishment. When Nicole discovers a book that teaches the forbidden magic of time travel, she knows she must take a chance to right her wrong. With the help of her friends Troy and Phoebe, Nicole sets off on a quest that will take her from the heights of Mt. Olympus to the ocean depths of Poseidon's home and to the bowels of Hades. Can she mend her mistakes? And is changing the past, what she really wants? The past and future combine in thrilling, unpredictable ways—especially when Greek gods are involved! (Description from Goodreads.com)

I was so happy when I finally got to read Nicole's story! Not knowing who her Greek God ancestor was had been driving me crazy with speculation. I loved who it turned out to be, too. Very clever TLC, very clever. It was neat to read a whole story from Nicole's perspective, too. It really fleshed her out into more of a fully-faceted character and made me feel more for her.  I truly loved diving back into this world and my only complaint was that this novella was too short! I hope there's more coming soon!! 

Full Disclosure: Purchased for my Nook 

Blog Tour - Endless

 

I am happy to be participating in the blog tour for Amanda Gray's ENDLESS today.  Not only will I be posting my review of the novel in a few days, but today I actually have a guest post from Amanda Gray! So, I know you all want to know what Endless is about, right?

Jenny Kramer knows she isn’t normal. After all, not everybody can see the past lives of people around them. When she befriends Ben Daulton, resident new boy, the pair stumbles on an old music box with instructions for “mesmerization” and discover they may have more in common than they thought.

Like a past life.

Using the instructions in the music box, Ben and Jenny share a dream that transports them to Romanov Russia and leads them to believe they have been there together before. But they weren’t alone. Nikolai, the mysterious young man Jenny has been seeing in her own dreams was there, too. When Nikolai appears next door, Jenny is forced to acknowledge that he has traveled through time and space to find her. Doing so means he has defied the laws of time, and the Order, an ominous organization tasked with keeping people in the correct time, is determined to send him back. While Ben, Jenny and Nikolai race against the clock -- and the Order -- the trio discovers a link that joins them in life -- and beyond death.

Amanda Gray believes in magic and fantasy and possibilities. She is a team of two bestselling authors who live only miles apart but have never met in person. They talk on the phone and are the best of friends and between them have written more than a dozen novels and novellas and have had their work appear on television.

The two authors who use Amanda Gray as a pen name graciously took the time to answer a few questions for me today! After reading their answers, I'm even more anxious to finish the book and report back to you all... it sounds so good. Check it out:

What type of fascinating things did you discover in researching Romanov Russia?
We didn't know very much about the princesses other than Anastasia, and learning about the rest of the family was at the same time wonderful and heartbreaking.  They were so close and in so many ways a typical family that simply met with a tragic, tragic end.

Endless features "mesmerization." 
What other types of "spiritualism" do you find the most intriguing?
We're especially interested in psycometry. Holding an object and knowing something about the person who owned it or held it before.  There's so much outside the realm of our current understanding.  It's lovely to still have so much mystery in life.

For more information about Amanda Gray and Endless:
Endless blog tour page
Goodreads
Amazon

Infinityglass

Infinityglass
by Myra McEntire
Hourglass, book three

No time like the present.
No time in the present.
No time left. 

From the moment the Hourglass group violated the rules of the space time continuum to rescue a murdered loved one, time has been in flux. People from other centuries slide into our time, intruding into our space, threatening our world.

Frantically seeking a way to turn back this tide, the Hourglass begins a search for the legendary Infinityglass, tracking it to the city of New Orleans, a place where the past rests easily with the present.

Quiet, reliable Dune, the group's favorite geek, is selected to travel to the Crescent City and somehow retrieve the renowned object.

But there's a problem.

Because the Infinityglass is not an object, it's a person.
A beautiful, headstrong dancer named Hallie, a girl so enticing Dune can't take his eyes off her.

And time is not on her side. (Description from Amazon.com) 

I love this series.  

They are fun, romantic, and while time travel doesn't always make sense in general, at least here it seems clear enough on the surface, and there are rules set in place so that there are consequences if things are not done properly.  

But... back to the swoony-ness!  Dune.  Ah, Dune.  He was very hot (and smart!! Which I love...) in this book.  Even better, I really wanted to BE Hallie. She was cool, confident, smart...and yet, totally human.  She was a kick-@ss character.  

The setting.  New Orleans. *sigh* Every book I read set there just makes me want to get on a plane immediately.  I really need to see N'orlens soon.  SOON! 

I'm sad that this was the final book in the series, but I was satisfied.  I hope to read more from Myra McEntire someday.  

Full disclosure: Borrowed from my Library 

Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children - Paperback Edition

Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children

by Ransom Riggs

 

A mysterious island.


An abandoned orphanage.


A strange collection of very curious photographs.



It all waits to be discovered in Miss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children, an unforgettable novel that mixes fiction and photography in a thrilling reading experience. As our story opens, a horrific family tragedy sets sixteen-year-old Jacob journeying to a remote island off the coast of Wales, where he discovers the crumbling ruins of Miss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children. As Jacob explores its abandoned bedrooms and hallways, it becomes clear that the children were more than just peculiar. They may have been dangerous. They may have been quarantined on a deserted island for good reason. And somehow—impossible though it seems—they may still be alive. 

(Description from Amazon.com)

While I first read this book in February 2012, I was lucky enough to be contacted by Quirk Books with the offer to review a paperback copy of the book.  Not only was it really cool to revisit the story which is built around these great creepy historical photographs (see below), but the paperback copy now has some new great things included!

The new paperback copy of the book has even more creepy photographs included, plus an author interview with Ransom Riggs... AND the first chapter of the upcoming sequel, Hollow City (expected publication date is Jan 14, 2014).  I loved getting an inside peek at how Riggs developed the story and a little hint at where it will be going.  After reading the first chapter of the new book, I can't wait to read it! 

Trust me, if you haven't checked out this book yet, you should.  This is the perfect semi-creepy, slightly magical, but still historically set realistic story for readers aged tween and up.  I guarantee you will be as sucked into the story as I was, eagerly turning the pages to find the next intriguing photographs and trying to place them into Jacob's mysterious tale.

Full disclosure: Paperback copy received for review from publisher

The Wells Bequest

The Wells Bequest 
by Polly Shulman
Companion to The Grimm Legacy 

Publication date: June 13, 2013

Leo never imagined that time travel might really be possible, or that the objects in H. G. Wells’ science fiction novels might actually exist. And when a miniature time machine appears in Leo’s bedroom, he has no idea who the tiny, beautiful girl is riding it. But in the few moments before it vanishes, returning to wherever—and whenever—it came from, he recognizes the other tiny rider: himself!

His search for the time machine, the girl, and his fate leads him to the New-York Circulating Material Repository, a magical library that lends out objects instead of books. Hidden away in the Repository basement is the Wells Bequest, a secret collection of powerful objects straight out of classic science fiction novels: robots, rockets, submarines, a shrink ray—and one very famous time machine. And when Leo’s adventure of a lifetime suddenly turns deadly, he must attempt a journey to 1895 to warn real-life scientist Nikola Tesla about a dangerous invention. A race for time is on! (Description from Amazon.com) 

I LOVED The Grimm Legacy. The idea of a library that houses object, fairy tale objects even!, that can be lent out to the public. OMG, I would have died to have this be a real thing...to work there, AWESOME! In fact, here's a snippet from my review: 

I loved this book...really loved it. I borrowed it from the library, but I think I'll be purchasing this one so that I can read it again. As a Librarian, I was tickled pink with both the setting and premise of this book. As a fantasy lover, the plot rocked. While I was reading, all I could think was that when I'd been a tween this probably would have become my absolute new favorite book. 

To say that I was both stoked and utterly nervous to read a companion book was sort of an understatement. I wasn't quite sure that Shulman could recreate the fabulous experience I had reading the first book...and yet, I think I might have enjoyed this one EVEN more!! 

You all know that I love science fiction.  This second book delves into all sort of science fiction wonders, centering mostly around H.G. Wells and Nikola Tesla. Time travel, cool robots, electricity, and pneumatic tubes... I really loved how Shulman was able to incorporate all of these science/tech-y things without making it too overwhelmingly hard for a reader to understand.  

There's time travel, danger, death ray threats, romance, and the coolest Library EVAH! Check it out.  Really, stop by your library and CHECK IT OUT! 

PS - Ever seen the Syfy show, Warehouse 13? If you like these books, you'll like the show, I promise. I just discovered it and I've been devouring its artifact-y goodness for the last three weeks! 

Full disclosure: Review copy received from SLJ 

Anxiously Awaiting and a Cover Craving!!

Infinityglass

by Myra McEntire

Hourglass, book three

 

Publication date: July 9, 2013

 

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? (description from Goodreads.com)

 

I LOVE this series and these books have some CRAZY amazing covers. I cannot wait for this book to come out! It is already on my pre-ordered list. 

This Week's Library Loot (2)

Library Loot is a weekly event co-hosted by Claire from The Captive Reader and Marg from The Adventures of an Intrepid Reader that encourages bloggers to share the books they’ve checked out from the library. If you’d like to participate, just write up your post-feel free to steal the button-and link it using the Mr. Linky any time during the week. And of course check out what other participants are getting from their libraries!

 

My Library Loot:

Rebel Heart

by Moira Young

Dust Lands, book two

 

Sapphire Blue

by Kerstin Gier

Ruby Red Trilogy, book two

 

Merge and Disciple

by Walter Mosley

 

So, that's what I picked up at my Library this week... did you swing by yours?

What's On My Hold List?

Welcome to the November 2012* edition

of

"What's on My Hold List?"

*I just realized I never did an October edition...*face palm* MY BAD!!*

 

One of the most beautiful things about working in a Library is that I have the ability to put lots of things on hold and read them *before* I buy!! These are some of the books that I'm currently waiting for, though I may buy one or two of them after reading, as well.

 

Notorious Nineteen

by Janet Evanovich

Stephanie Plum, book nineteen

 

Rebel Heart

by Moira Young

Dust Lands, book two

 

Sapphire Blue

by Kerstin Gier

Ruby Red Trilogy, book two

 

Tim Gunn's Fashion Bible

by Tim Gunn

 

 

Bad Yeti

by Carrie Harris

Kate Grable novella

 

Breathless

by Sophie Jordan

Firelight novella

 





You can click on each title to go to their Amazon page for a description...

So, these are the books I'm waiting anxiously to get my hands on...what are you waiting for??

Timepiece

Timepiece

by Myra McEntire

Hourglass, book two

A threat from the past could destroy the future.
Kaleb Ballard was never supposed to be able to see ripples--cracks in time. Are his powers expanding, or is something very wrong? Before he can find out, Jonathan Landers, the man who tried to murder his father, reappears. Why is he back, and what, or whom, does he want?

In the wake of Landers's return, the Hourglass organization is given an ultimatum by a mysterious man. Either they find Landers and the research he has stolen on people who might carry the time gene, or time will be altered--with devastating results for the people Kaleb loves most. Now Kaleb, Emerson, Michael, and the other Hourglass recruits have no choice but to use their extraordinary powers to find Landers. But where do they even start? And when? Even if they succeed, just finding him may not be enough ... (description from Amazon.com)

Kaleb. Kaleb. Kaleb. Need I say more? If you've read the first book in the series, Hourglass, then I'm sure, like me, you were already half in love with Kaleb.  *THEN* Ms. McEntire had to blow me out of the water by starting this book off with a scene of my piratically-hot Kaleb in an actual pirate costume.  Oh.My.God. I had to fan myself a little while reading.  *Swoon*

Aside from the return of some rockin' romance, some awesome time travel and some amazing plot twists that keep readers on their toes, I cannot tell you how much I appreciated the change of narrator in this book. I loved Emerson and I still do, but Kaleb holds a special place in my lusty thoughts, I mean heart...

Again, I could not put this book down! There were heartbreaking moments, there were spots where I couldn't stop grinning... there was a passage I loved so much that I tweeted it:

From p. 197

"Maybe." The word caught in my throat. How did she see the man that I wanted to be so clearly, instead of the ugliness that was really there?

"Why don't you believe me?"

...and it has another killer ending that is just making me want book three NOW!! Myra McEntire has found a truly devoted fan in me.  :)

Full disclosure: ARCs received from NetGalley and Egmont for review


The Future of Us

The Future of Us
by Jay Asher and Carolyn Mackler

Josh and Emma are about to discover themselves--fifteen years in the future

It's 1996, and Josh and Emma have been neighbors their whole lives. They've been best friends almost as long--at least, up until last November, when everything changed. Things have been awkward ever since, but when Josh's family gets a free AOL CD-ROM in the mail, his mom makes him bring it over so that Emma can install it on her new computer. When they sign on, they're automatically logged onto Facebook . . . but Facebook hasn't been invented yet. Josh and Emma are looking at themselves fifteen years in the future.

Their spouses, careers, homes, and status updates--it's all there. And every time they refresh their pages, their futures change. As they grapple with the ups and downs of what their lives hold, they're forced to confront what they're doing right--and wrong--in the present. (description from Amazon.com)

To be totally honest, I did not really like this book. I had expected to love it, but it just never really worked for me.  In the first couple of chapters I was totally into the whole nostalgia thing...I loved flashing back to my high school self...but as the story moved on, it just never grabbed me. 

I thought the concept was really cool, but I didn't really connect to either character. The plot didn't seem to move enough for me.  I liked the ending, but knew exactly where it was going almost from the start. 

I just felt, eh, about most of this book.  :/
Did any of you love it?

Anxiously Awaiting...Yesterday!

Yesterday

by C.K. Kelly Martin

Publication date: Sept. 2012

THEN: The formation of the UNA, the high threat of eco-terrorism, the mammoth rates of unemployment and subsequent escape into a world of virtual reality are things any student can read about in their 21st century textbooks and part of the normal background noise to Freya Kallas's life. Until that world starts to crumble.

NOW: It's 1985. Freya Kallas has just moved across the world and into a new life. On the outside, she fits in at her new high school, but Freya feels nothing but removed. Her mother blames it on the grief over her father's death, but how does that explain the headaches and why do her memories feel so foggy? When Freya lays eyes on Garren Lowe, she can't get him out of her head. She's sure that she knows him, despite his insistence that they've never met. As Freya follows her instincts and pushes towards hidden truths, the two of them unveil a strange and dangerous world where their days may be numbered. Unsure who to trust, Freya and Garren go on the run from powerful forces determined to tear them apart and keep them from discovering the truth about their shared pasts (and futures), her visions, and the time and place they really came from.

Doesn't this dystopian time travel sound creepy?!  Love the concept! I'll definitely be keeping my eye out for this one in the fall... :)

Anxiously Awaiting...Sapphire Blue!!!

Sapphire Blue

by Kerstin Gier
Edelstein Trilogy, book two

Publication date: Oct 30, 2012

Gwen’s life has been a rollercoaster since she discovered she was the Ruby, the final member of the secret time-traveling Circle of Twelve. In between searching through history for the other time-travelers and asking for a bit of their blood, she’s been trying to figure out what all the mysteries and prophecies surrounding the Circle really mean. At least Gwen has plenty of help. Her best friend Lesley follows every lead diligently on the Internet. James the ghost teaches Gwen how to fit in at an eighteenth century party. And Xemerius, the gargoyle demon who has been following Gwen since he caught her kissing Gideon in a church, offers advice on everything. Oh, yes. And of course there is Gideon, the Diamond. One minute he’s very warm indeed; the next he’s freezing cold. Gwen’s not sure what’s going on there, but she’s pretty much destined to find out.


I am so excited that there is finally a publication date for this book in the US! I loved Ruby Red and cannot wait to see how the story continues!! I'm a little sad they changed the cover style, but oh well...

Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children

Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children

by Ransom Riggs

A mysterious island. An abandoned orphanage. A strange collection of very curious photographs.

It all waits to be discovered in Miss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children, an unforgettable novel that mixes fiction and photography in a thrilling reading experience. As our story opens, a horrific family tragedy sets sixteen-year-old Jacob journeying to a remote island off the coast of Wales, where he discovers the crumbling ruins of Miss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children. As Jacob explores its abandoned bedrooms and hallways, it becomes clear that the children were more than just peculiar. They may have been dangerous. They may have been quarantined on a deserted island for good reason. And somehow—impossible though it seems—they may still be alive. (description from Amazon.com)

This was a deliciously creepy book.  It was not the type of scary that you get from watching a slasher movie...it was more the Alfred Hitchcock type.  Not only did the author come up with an interesting and somehow believable way tohave humans with paranormal powers exist, but also ways to have them remain hidden from the majority of the world. The true power of this book was that it was almost ordinary in its fantasticalness (yes, I just made up that word...forgive me, please). 

The most intriguing thing to me and what truly made this book work in the powerful way that it did, was the inclusion of the historical photographs.  That they images were actually from real life, whether manipulated in real life or not, just added another layer of mysterious authenticity to the story. 

I cannot wait to see what happens next.  I do hope that there is a follow-up book planned!

Book Trailer - Tempest by Julie Cross

The Tempest
by Julie Cross

Publication date: Jan 17, 2012

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– 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.

Ooooh! I love a good time travel adventure.  Doesn't this sound good?

Torn

Torn
by Margaret Peterson Haddix
The Missing, book four

Still reeling from their experiences in Roanoke in 1600, Jonah and Katherine arrive in 1611 only moments before a mutiny on Henry Hudson’s ship in the icy waters of James Bay. But things are messed up: They’ve lost the real John Hudson, and they find what seems to be the fabled Northwest Passage—even though they are pretty sure that route doesn’t actually exist. Will this new version of history replace everything they’ve ever known? Is this the end of time as we know it? With more at stake than ever before, Jonah and Katherine struggle to unravel the mysteries of 1611 and the Hudson Passage...before everything they know is lost. (description from Amazon.com)

I really enjoy this series. There is such a great blend of historical facts and suspenseful action. In this particular volume, the author does note that she took some liberties with the historical facts to make them fit her vision for the story better, but no matter the changes, this is still an awesome way to spark a reader's interest in different historical periods. I, for one, have gone and looked some things up after reading each book!

I really enjoyed how Jonah and his sister, Katherine, really got to know each other better in this book. It was wonderful to see their relationship grow. I'm still very, very curious as to who J.B. actually is...I have my suspicions, but...I'm hoping that the next book might reveal more!! I can't wait to read it.

Full disclosure: Audio book received to review for SLJ

Cover Craving...

Timepiece
by Myra McEntire
sequel to Hourglass

Publication date: June 12, 2012


SOOOOO Gorgeous... love this cover. Can't wait to read this one, either! :)

Revolution

Revolution
by Jennifer Donnelly

BROOKLYN: Andi Alpers is on the edge. She’s angry at her father for leaving, angry at her mother for not being able to cope, and heartbroken by the loss of her younger brother, Truman. Rage and grief are destroying her. And she’s about to be expelled from Brooklyn Heights’ most prestigious private school when her father intervenes. Now Andi must accompany him to Paris for winter break.

PARIS: Alexandrine Paradis lived over two centuries ago. She dreamed of making her mark on the Paris stage, but a fateful encounter with a doomed prince of France cast her in a tragic role she didn’t want—and couldn’t escape.

Two girls, two centuries apart. One never knowing the other. But when Andi finds Alexandrine’s diary, she recognizes something in her words and is moved to the point of obsession. There’s comfort and distraction for Andi in the journal’s antique pages—until, on a midnight journey through the catacombs of Paris, Alexandrine’s words transcend paper and time, and the past becomes suddenly, terrifyingly present. (description from Amazon.com)

A long time ago, I read Jennifer Donnelly's A Northern Light. It was great, one of those books that reminds me exactly why I love historical fiction, even if I never seem to want to admit it. When Revolution came into the library, I thought, oh yeah, I'll want to read that eventually and listened to patron after patron after patron come in and tell me how they absolutely loved it. It wasn't until just recently, though, that we got in the audio book and I decided, "hey I never actually read that, so guess I can listen to it instead!"

This book was an amazing pleasure! This is one of my new favorite books. I laughed. I cried. I cried. Oh yeah...I cried. This was one of those books that I would listen to on the way to work and then have to sit in the car for an extra couple of minutes to let my face become less splotchy before running in...and it was sooooo worth it. This was one of those books that had me making excuses to get back into the car.

Aside from a fantastic story with breathtaking emotional upheavals, the historical vividness was mesmerizing, and the blend of contemporary and historical settings was amazing. Donnelly is one hell of a writer. I loved learning more about the guitar and music in general. I loved the influx of scientific facts. I loved all of the familial relationships that were explored. I loved the romance. I loved it all.

This book officially earns a coveted GOLD STAR!





For those of you audio book listeners, this was also a great book to experience in audio format. The narrators were great. There was a sprinkling of guitar music and the lyrics were almost sung. It was engrossing and thoroughly engaging. Very well done.

Absolutely recommended to music lovers, history lovers, romance lovers, readers who love exploring difficult family relationships, readers who love to read about causes, and those who enjoy light time travel. Ummm, basically everyone!

In My Mailbox - September 18, 2011

In My Mailbox is a weekly meme, hosted by Kristi at the Story Siren, inspired by Alea of Pop Culture Junkie. Every week bloggers can share what they received in the mail or at the bookstore or at the library. The goal is that everyone can be exposed to more books this way!

From the Library:

Stepping on Roses: Volume 1
The Unwanteds by Lisa McMann


Rocket Girls: The Last Planet by Hasuke Nojiri


The Dark Hunters: Volume 3
The Dark Hunters: Volume 4

On My Nook:

Radiant Desire by Inara Scott
Frost Moon by Anthony Francis
*Thanks to Netgalley!*

Birthday Goodies!!:

Hourglass by Myra McEntyre
*Thanks to my lovely husband!!*

I also pre-ordered Scott Westerfeld's Goliath (signed!) and Maureen Johnson's The Name of the Star for my birthday. I CANNOT wait until they come in. I'm dying to read both!

A wonderful birthday week, book wise! Did you get anything great this week?

Ruby Red

Ruby Red
by Kerstin Gier
Ruby Red Trilogy, book one

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. (description from Amazon.com)

I loved this book! With romance, time travel, adventure, betrayal, jealousy, secrets, and humor...this book hit all the right notes for me!

I am a huge fan of well done time travel books and this one was really intriguingly done. I love the science based bloodline of travelers. They are still not fully sure of how everything works...and there's a prophecy. Gier really put lots of little details into both the process and the periods that are visited. I love to delve into the little bits of everyday life that really show a time period...especially through clothing. I am obsessed with picking up tidbits about period dress and this book had some great details. I think what I loved most in that respect was that not only did she focus on Gwyneth's disguises, but how many details she revealed about mens' clothes in past times!!

Every time Gwyneth and Gideon giggled over each other's outfits, every snarky comment back and forth, every...well, I can't reveal it all! Anyway, I loved how believable Gwyneth and Gideon were. Gwyneth, her mother, and her aunt knew about the traveling gene in their family, knew that they did not know it all, and still Gwyneth muddled through her time travels brilliantly. When she first meets Gideon and he disdains her lack of training, but then comes to know her and they become friends, everything felt very natural. This is no starry eyed instant connection. There's even a time twist!

When betrayal, jealousy, and secrets throw them for a loop...a time loop, in fact, some big revelations are made. My only complaint about this book - it ended with such a great cliffhanger, that I want book two, Sapphire Blue, immediately!!

*Side note - I also love the cover. It's beautiful and even more lush in person!*

Full disclosure: Copy received from publisher for review

The Emerald Atlas

The Emerald Atlas
by John Stephens
The Books of Beginning, book one

Kate, Michael, and Emma have been in one orphanage after another for the last ten years, passed along like lost baggage.

Yet these unwanted children are more remarkable than they could possibly imagine. Ripped from their parents as babies, they are being protected from a horrible evil of devastating power, an evil they know nothing about.

Until now.

Before long, Kate, Michael, and Emma are on a journey to dangerous and secret corners of the world...a journey of allies and enemies, of magic and mayhem. And—if an ancient prophesy is correct—what they do can change history, and it is up to them to set things right. (description from Amazon.com)

This book opened with a bang for me...feeling a lot like the beginning of Lemony Snicket's A Series of Unfortunate Events. Three children abandoned to one horrific orphanage after another... three siblings, resourceful and loyal...

Then, there was a slight slow period a few chapters in, but I pushed through and boy am I glad. As the story unfolds, there are such brilliant moments of loyalty, bravery, friendship, and familial love. Stephens builds an interesting and believable fantasy world around three awesome and devoted siblings.

Kate, the oldest, smart, loyal, forgiving and responsible. Michael, the middle sibling, even smarter, obsessed with dwarves, wants nothing more than the safety of his sisters and the chance to see his parents again someday...oh yeah, and if he could meet a dwarf that would make his life complete! Emma, oh Emma...she was my favorite of the bunch! Emma is brave, loyal to a fault, quick to feel any emotion to the fullest, and devoted to her older siblings. Emma's spunkiness was balanced by her emotional growth as she gets separated from Kate and Michael, meets a surrogate father figure, reunites with her family, and realizes she has a true destiny.

The world of The Books of Beginning was really great because, yes there are dwarves, evil monsters, and spirits, but it also felt like our world. It was the best kind of blend of real life and fantastic elements. You could truly believe that these children just stumble upon a town that no longer exists in the real world, but disappeared into a magical mist.

With great time travel twists, The Emerald Atlas starts off a promising new fantasy series. I'm really excited to read the second book. I cannot wait to see how the three children pursue their destiny, hunting for the other Books of Beginning to keep the world safe. It should be an epic journey.

2011 Debut Author Challenge title