An intense time-travel adventure!
341698
I have adored every one of Ryan Graudins books, so when I saw that she had a new one coming out the choice of whether or not to pick it up for review was a no-brainer. All of Graudins books are so completely different that I never know what to expect with her. This newest book is a time-traveling sci-fi adventure!

What Fed My Addiction:

Time-traveling adventures.
This book handles time travel incredibly well. It doesnt gloss over the science of how it would work, but it doesnt go into overwhelming detail either. Plus, there are exciting trips to historical events like the sinking of the Titanic! (And I kind of loved Graudins explanation of how stealing from the past makes senseunder very specific circumstances.) Add to that all of the complexities of the characters having to make sure they don't change history and you get some pretty intense time-traveling!

No secondary characters.
While it might seem like Farway is the star of the show (and he is in some ways), we get POVs of all of the major charactersFarway, Imogen, Gram, Priya and Eliot. Instead of feeling overwhelming, I appreciated getting to know all of the secondary characters better. (Plus, we got to learn things from Eliot that we wouldnt have known otherwise!) I felt connected to all of the characters in the book this way.

The romance.
We had one romance that started up before the book started and another that we got to hope for as the book went on. And no triangles! I adored Priya and Far together.
The twistsand that ending! Once you find out whats actually going on in this book, things start to get truly exciting! I won't say anything more than that.

What Left Me Hungry for More:

Bit of a slow start?
While there was definitely some mystery being built up in the first half of the book over who Eliot is and why shes interested in Farway, Ill admit that I wasn't completely engaged until we started to get a few answers. (I wouldnt go so far as to say I was bored, but I was waiting for something more.) About halfway through the book we discover something major is happening that affects absolutely everyone in the book, and that kicked the plot into high gear and majorly raised the stakes, though, and from there on out the story was phenomenal.

Doesnt exactly feel like YA.
The characters are 17, but they didn't really feel 17 to me. They were all a little too expert at their fields and their personalities felt older as well (with the possible exception of Imogen, who seems a little younger in her insecuritiesthough I think shes actually the oldest). They are out of school, so maybe you could consider it New Adult sci-fi? (But New Adult has a lot of connotations that don't really fit this book.)

This book delivers intense time travel adventures that will keep you on the edge of your seat. I give it an easy 4/5 Stars.

***Disclosure: I received this book from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. No other compensation was given and all opinions are my own.***
4616464
"2000?" appealed to me from page one because I am a fan of time-travel. You are instantly pulled into this mysterious world that Sandra paints for us beautifully. It soon becomes apparent that the story is deeper than just time-travel. Any one that loves suspense and adventure will love this book. It is also great for anyone that wonders about things both spiritual & earthly. It is definitely one that you cannot put down. I am fascinated that this book is an interpretation of a dream the author had! "2000?" is a awesome read that I reccomend to anyone that wants a thrilling, yet uncomplicated read that is really a page turner.
2293280
What a nifty  piece of time traveling!  I wasn't sure how it was going to be pulled together, but, getting there was exciting.  I'm looking forward to the sequel.
2320476
This is only about the fifth time travel novel that I've read, but I must say that Towards Yesterday provoked thoughts that I would write down if I were writing a letter to my sixteen year-old self as an adult.  This book reminds one of how quickly things can change!

I found the book rich in description, orienting me in the time travel atmosphere.  The characters seemed believable and interesting; even though in one instance, I found one association of two of the characters a little puzzling.

As the story progressed, I found that the pace picked up and had me eager to read the next chapters, even though I had to quit and go to bed, so I could go to work the next day.

I loved the electronic cover of this book.  Striking!

I know that Towards Yesterday is the writer's first novel, and if I had one piece of advice, it would be to have someone read the book looking for typos--not a lot, but enough to be distracting to a reader.  I loved his use of vocabulary.  A fair number of words needed looking up on my trusty kindle, but it was just about right.  It expanded my knowledge without becoming overwhelming or slowing the story to a crawl.

I hope that Paul continues to write books and am looking forward to his next book.  Thanks for a very enjoyable read! :-)
3392109
If you enjoy a suspenseful science fiction novel involving time travel, then I highly recommend In the Present Tense!

The story begins in 2020, when the protagonist of the novel, twenty-five-yearyear-old Miles Lawson, wakes up in bed married Ana Espinosa, a girl he knows from high school. The zinger is that Miles thinks hes seventeen-years-old and in love with his love with his high school boyfriend, Adam. How did Miles wind up like this? Time travel. Or is it?

Without giving away plotlines or spoilers, as the story progresses, we catch glimpses of Miles, Adam, and Ana all at different points in their lives. (As an aside, I appreciated the diversity of the main characters.) Its through these glimpses that we gradually are able to put the pieces together the mystery behind Miles time travel. We also learn the backgrounds of these three characters and the demons each of them has faced.  Nothing is as it seems. As a reader, I felt like I was peeling back layers of onion with many revelations uncovered with each layer. The narrative unfolds slowly and picks up in the middle chapters. It was at the midpoint that I couldn't put the novel down. I held my breath, wanting to know what happened next. It was that suspenseful. Carrie Park does a masterful job in interweaving the elements time travel, mental illness, romance, angst, mystery, and suspense all in one riveting ride. The end of the novel left me wanting more.
268338
I love time travel stories, and this one is quite good!  It certainly makes you think about what could happen if you happened to change history either on purpose or by mistake!

The ending is also unusual, and very satisfying.  Worth the read!
399769
Loved this original twist on a time travel story.  During a hurrican in Florida, Ronnie is hurtled back in time to eighteenth-century London and occupies the body of a real woman.  She must learn how to survive the "witch hunt" mentality of her cruel brother while she tries to find a way back home.  How did this happen?

Her best friend Steph faces peril of a different kind--the wrath of a killer storm.  She gathers a small group together and tries to keep them all alive. The book is filled with nailbiting tension and kept me reading well into the night to find out what happened.  Recommended!
390313
Amazing time travel adventure, second of the series. Could be read as standalone, but I would personally recommend that you read the first book (In Times like These) first.
4702496
Gold Star Award Winner!

Previously published as GIDEON THE CUTPURSE

Peter feels he has been brushed off by his father yet again--and he has been. He's been waiting for his birthday treat for months, but his father always has business meetings and is too busy to spend time with him. His mother is off working in Los Angeles, far away from Peter and his father in London. The morning Peter and his father fight about it again, Margrit, the Au Pair, takes Peter with her to visit her friends out in the country.

These friends have a daughter, Kate, who is about Peter's age, twelve. Kate's father takes the two of them, plus Kate's dog, Molly, to the lab where he works. Kate and Peter end up chasing Molly through the halls--a small thing that ends up being very important.

One minute, they're running through the halls of the lab. The next minute, Kate and Peter, along with an antigravity machine that one of Kate's father's colleagues has been working on, have been transported back in time to a grassy hillside in 1763.

Before long, they've met two very different men of that time. The first is the Tar Man, who steals the antigravity machine, which could very well be the key to getting back to the present. The second is Gideon, an enemy of the Tar Man, who decides to help the two children from the future.

Before long, Kate and Peter are on an adventure, headed to London to recover the antigravity machine and get back to their homes and families. On their way, they will encounter highwaymen, make friends (including Gideon), and learn a lot about that time in history--the good and the bad.

Back in present-day England, Peter's parents are frantic with worry. Kate's father has figured out that the machine has something to do with their disappearance--but when ghostly images of the children appear dressed in clothing from the eighteenth-century, it becomes clear that this can't be shared with the public; who knows what destruction could result from the misuse of time travel technology?

The parallel storylines--the children's quest to get back to the present and Kate's father's struggle to bring them back--go together quite nicely. The jumping back and forth is not as confusing as it could have been, and both parts of the story are extremely well-written. The characters are realistic, the storylines interesting, the history fascinating, and, well, every aspect of this book brilliant! The cover is very unique and will draw readers right in. The story inside will not disappoint them, either! GIDEON THE CUTPURSE is the first in a trilogy, and I can't wait for the next two books!

Reviewed by:  Jocelyn Pearce
2203294
Michael Crichton's TIMELINE (1999) is a fascinating blend of truly interesting science fiction and breathtaking medieval history, and we learn a lot about both realms over the course of this novel. Basing his time-travel on the more recent scientific theory of "multiverses" (i.e. the existence of many universes simultaneously, each one representing a time in the past), Crichton explores the possibilities of using Quantum technology to effectively "fax" people to another time period, for all of its fascinating and disturbing implications.
When a brilliant but extremely arrogant and dictatorial scientist-turned-CEO demonstrates his new "time machine" to an inquiring professor, accidentally stranding him in medieval France circa 1357, it's up to a quickly put-together team of historians to rescue him. They'll be racing against the clock, and fighting truly terrifying foes, in order to bring him---and themselves---back.
In TIMELINE, Michael Crichton does what he does best: take a fascinating scientific premise that is teasingly possible and run with it. He explores it further using a team of well-developed characters for whom we grow to care and root. These characters, who often sport complex relationships with each other, invariably get trapped in their quest and must find a way out of it, while simultaneously solving the original puzzle that brought them together in the first place. It all may be rather formulaic at this point; however, there's no denying that the Crichton formula is one that works, and consistently. From THE ANDROMEDA STRAIN (1969) to JURASSIC PARK (1991), he has the knack for bringing us into a well-realized, brave new world that is based upon complex scientific theory and make us not only understand what is going on, but fully believe that it's happening. The main reason why his novels work so well is because, past all the post-graduate science, he never loses sight of the human stories, and they are the most compelling aspects.  Plus, unlike certain authors (John Grisham comes to mind here), he really knows how to end a story! Michael Crichton has been a gifted genre storyteller for over 35 years now, and TIMELINE follows very nicely in this fine tradition. And it has one killer ending!
HIGHLY RECOMMENDED
3349777
A unique time travel adventure with few of the accepted paradoxes. Author knows how to keep yo u r interest!
4603616
Time travel? Check!  Thriller? Check!  Romance? Check!  Coming of Age? Check!  Cross-genre? Check!

So we have a tale that leaps across boundries with insouciance providing glimpses into potential futures through the eyes of a heavily tattooed, latina foster child on the edge of breaking out of the overburdened social "welfare" system.  She has memories of mother-love overlapped with the horrors of what put her into the system (oh, no, not telling--read for yourself!) made inescapable by her eidetic memory.  Fast-paced, complex (but never to the point of confusion) and surprising, this book was hard to put down.

This is the first of a series and certainly stands well on its own, but I suspect that if you are like me you will be reaching out for the next volume as soon as you finish this one.

I got my copy from Netgalley where one selects what one wants to read and voluntarily review.  As a fan of time travel, the description intrigued me; the book totally hooked me!
2130134
Imagine if the old tales were true, that faeries, pixies, trolls, goblins and ghouls existed. But they actually
coexisted and even thrived with humans. Imagine how different history would be, what technology we
would have now! D.J. Butler has done that, and used his excellent imagination to recreate 18 th & 19 th
century London in his new release: The Kidnap Plot, The Extraordinary Journeys of Clockwork Charlie.
This fantasy for young adult readers quickly pulls you into the life of Charlie, and the adventure he
always wished to have, but was not really prepared for. After seeing his father kidnapped, Charlie enlists
the help of two street kids, a pixie, a kobold, and a troll to help him on a rescue attempt that ultimately
averts international war. This is an exciting and fast paced read with endearing characters and a
fascinating story line that leaves you wanting more. Excellent for both young and young at heart readers!
4536856
What an amazing novel! Thank you for sharing your writing with us. Loved the intricate story weaving. Could not put this book down. This is the way time travel books should be written! Looking forward to the next one!
2925592
In Timeshifters, Mark of the Centipede, author Cara Brookins weaves a compelling tale of young Jordan who goes on a time-traveling adventure and has to not only carry out a mission, but survive it and return to his own present day!

The story is engrossing and has just the right amount of imaginative creatures for a young adult reader to get sucked in. It is also peppered with real-life emotions that make Jordan come alive to the reader, such as his worry for his younger sister and his concern to return to his present time so he can take care of her.

There are also some profound truths in the book, such as the observation about war that takes place while Jordan is time traveling, and how people still fight among each other. It's striking, but not too deep or dry.

Overall, Mark of the Centipede is a wonderful mix of imagination and of real life--just right for a young adult reader. Check it out!
1840378
Overall Review:  Wow.  The Golden Spiral is the perfect example of why time travel--whether possible or not--should not be messed with!  What a ride!  We experience with Abby the horrors of having someone mess with your past--and it is not pretty!  Zo is so angry with her, and you never know where he'll strike next!  The possibilities for change in the past/present/future are limitless and absolutely horrible in the hands of someone as ruthless as Zo!  I loved watching how Abby dealt with everything that was thrown her way--she's a girl who thinks well on her feet, and knows where to turn when she needs help!  I like her as a character because of the fact that everything she does is driven by her need to help others instead of herself.

This book is even better than the first--it is a lovely young adult book, just like its predecessor The Hourglass Door.  There are some vague parallels to Twilight (but not in a bad way) and a super intense cliffhanger, but it's just so much fun!!  Lisa Mangum proves once again that she is a master of tension and delivers a book full of crazy twists and turns that will make your head spin!  Overall rating is 5 out of 5 stars!

Content Review:

PROFANITY: One very mild instance and one moderate instance

VIOLENCE: Some mild and a few moderate instances

SEXUAL CONTENT: A few very mild instances

MATURE THEMES: Mild to Moderate

RECOMMENDED AGE GROUP: 16+

There is one moderate exclamation of profanity (telling a `bad guy' where to go...) and one very mild instance (mentioning a place).

The violence is usually very mild.  It consists mostly of threats, being followed, etc.  There is one moderate instance where a character with a knife attacks two others: One is blinded and the other is killed.  A character plans to kill another to stop him.  A character changes another's past in order to alter the reality and make it awful.

There are some mild kissing moments between two characters.

The mild mature themes include friendship and loyalty.  The more moderate themes include time travel and its' devastating effects in the wrong hands, revenge, mental illness (we see, often, the character who went mad in the first novel, and it is at times a little unnerving), and dealing with overwhelming circumstances.

The Golden Spiral is recommended as a Clean Read for ages 16+!

This review is written by Emily
A Squeaky Clean Reads Book Reviewer

To see more fantastic books reviewed with content in mind, visit us at squeakycleanreads!
2805401
Strong Characters and plot makes for an exciting adventure,leaving you wanting and waiting for more!