reading update - people from England time travel?

Ruby Red by Kerstin Gier

My Take:
Honestly speaking, I was more hooked by the cover of the book than by the first chapter. It took me at least two before I warmed up to the main character. I've found that a lot of YA writers write mature characters, at least to some extent. But Gwyneth is 17 and she actually acts that age. Once I got used to her quirky self doubt, yet strong determination, I was down with her. And by the end of the novel she kind of rocked my socks off. I loved her. I love that this book takes place in England. And I REALLY love Gideon, her potential love interest and time traveling partner.
The thing I didn't love is the end. Why? It ended and the story wasn't done. As in, there's a hook.
But, (there's always a but) the costumes in the book are fab. There's danger, mystery, and serious romantic tension.


What They Say It's About:

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.

You Shouldn't Read This If:

You can't stand books that end with a hook. But if that's the case, pick it up when the next installment comes out.

You have no fashion sense and you're a country-ist. (England + to die for outfits = awesomeness . . . unless that's not your thing.)

You're illiterate. For obvious reasons.

Go Forth And Read!

reading update - time travel anyone?

Hourglass by Myra McEntire

My Take:
A book a day. That's the goal, at least. But lately I've been having a hard time finishing. I don't know if I'm getting pickier as a reader, or YA lit is kind of stinkin' it up. Either way, I needed a good read something fierce. And I found exactly that in Hourglass by Myra McEntire. 
This book hooked me from the start. The main character is quirky, funny, and full of personality. Her antics kept me turning page after page. I would say this is a character driven book, but I'd be doing the tension of the plot a injustice. Each plot turn had me on the edge of my seat, wishing I could read faster and faster. There was a complex weave of time-traveling subplots that came together almost seamlessly in the end. Basically, it's good stuff.



What they say it's about: 

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.

You shouldn't read Hourglass if: 
You only pick up high fantasy paperbacks, and you haven't showered in over a week. If that's the case, Hourglass won't be the book to float your boat.
You're my Mom. There's kissing involved.  And since you couldn't stomach the first Twilight, I'm pretty sure you can't take Hourglass.
You're illiterate. For obvious reasons.

If you don't fall into any of the categories above, than this is the book for you.

Go Forth and Read!