My Favorite YA Time-Travel Novels

Happy Friday, bookworms! Today is another day in which I didn't feel like writing/posting a review, but did feel like posting something... so I'm doing another favorites post! You can check out my other favorites posts in a previous posts (for example). 

Here are some of my YA time-travel novels! I actually never used to like time-travel novels, or parallel universe ones (though that's a different topic). But apparently, I've enjoyed most of the YA time-travel novels I've read!

    

    

    

There are others that I've read, like Summer of Yesterday (Triana) and After Eden (Douglas), but I didn't like those as much. Do you have any YA time-travels to recommend? With swoony romance preferred!

Review: Invictus by Ryan Graudin

Invictus by Ryan Graudin

Publisher: Little, Brown Books for Young Readers

Publication Date: September 26, 2017

Rating: 4 stars

Source: ARC sent by the publisher

Summary (from Goodreads):

Time flies when you're plundering history.

Farway Gaius McCarthy was born outside of time. The son of a time-traveling Recorder from 2354 AD and a gladiator living in Rome in 95 AD, Far's birth defies the laws of nature. Exploring history himself is all he's ever wanted, and after failing his final time-traveling exam, Far takes a position commanding a ship with a crew of his friends as part of a black market operation to steal valuables from the past. 

But during a heist on the sinking Titanic, Far meets a mysterious girl who always seems to be one step ahead of him. Armed with knowledge that will bring Far's very existence into question, she will lead Far and his team on a race through time to discover a frightening truth: History is not as steady as it seems.

What I Liked:

I've read all of Graudin's previous books (two with HarperCollins, three with Little, Brown), and I've enjoyed them all. I had no doubt that I would enjoy this new book. It is quite different compared to the others, with the subject matter being time travel, and I'd been looking forward to reading it since the announcement about the book was made. This book got off to a slow start, but I enjoyed it very much!

Farway Gaius McCarthy - better known as Far - was not born in a time that he should have been. His mother was in between time periods when he was born, and nothing could be done about this. Seventeen years later, Far is taking exams to progress in his time-traveling career, and he is expected to pass with flying colors. But something goes wrong, and he is expelled. His expulsion is cruel and unjust, but he isn't out of options. He accepts a position as captain of a ship (which he names Invictus), smuggling rare goods from the past before they are destroyed. The heists go very well, especially with the exceptional crew Far has chosen. But a heist on the Titanic proves to be a disaster when a mysterious girl shows up and demands her way into the crew. Everything seems to unravel with the appearance of this girl, and Far discovers that nothing about his life is as it should be.

Time-travel stories can be hit or miss for me. My favorite series is the Ruby Red trilogy by Kerstin Gier - that was a fun and intriguing series, entertaining from start to finish. Other time-travel stories have been boring and confusing. So I'm always wary of new ones. But when I saw that Ryan Graudin was writing, I didn't really think twice about the content of the story. I trust Graudin's storytelling and I had a good feeling about this book.

From the start, I adored Far. He is confident and a little arrogant, but not in an obnoxious way. There is something entirely endearing about him. He's the kind of hero that you love without having to know why. But there are so many good qualities about him - his persistence, his determination, his fearlessness, his selflessness, his confidence. He has an interesting sense of humor and he is a fun guy to follow. While this story isn't just about him, it definitely wouldn't be the same with him as a lesser character. He is a very fun and well-written protagonist.

Arguably, all of the crew are primary characters. This book is written in third-person POV, and it seems like the majority of the story is told from Far's third-person POV, but the POVs of other characters are common. Gram, the Engineer of the Invictus, is a constant presence. He is incredibly smart and logical, which makes sense since he is the one that does the calculations to perform the jumps in time. Imogen, Far's cousin, is the Historian of the crew. She is responsible for knowing about the details of the historic periods of time (for costumes and such). Priya is a medic, which is kind of necessary since Far gets into scrapes every now and then, on heists.

The newest addition is Eliot, who is the mysterious girl who came out of nowhere on the Titanic. She is very strange and not someone I trusted at any point in the story. Her identity is revealed very slowly, so you're left wondering who she is for a bit in the story (though all is revealed, don't worry). Her plans were unknown to readers at first, even though we read from her third-person POV occasionally. We can't tell if she is friend of foe, but she is a very important character in the story.

There is romance, and I loved it because it is already established romance. Far and Priya are already dating, which is cute. Usually YA stories do the meet-cute thing, in which the two characters meet and go on adventures together. In this case, Far and Priya had already known each other, and started dating, in the early heists (long before problems with time traveling and Eliot arrived). There is NO love triangle. The arrival of Eliot does not signal a love triangle. I promise! There is also another couple whom I shipped (you can probably guess who). No love triangle there either. Far and Priya are the cutest, as are the other couple. Neither romance is very important in the story, though both are there are both are adorable.

The time-travel aspect is not at all confusing or poorly explained. Even if you're not a mathy/sciencey person, you'll be fine when following the explanations and whatnot, when it comes to time travel and anomalies and such. The big conflict deals with a rift, and the author makes sure readers know how and why and what. Things didn't make sense at first, but as the author revealed more and more, things started to come together.

By the climax of the story, everything becomes clear - who Eliot is, why Far is critical to the huge problem, what happened to Far's mother, and so on. Many questions are answered. The end of the story is a little sad at first! Certain things are unavoidable, and so the ending had a bit of a bittersweet tone to it. BUT. It doesn't end that badly. In fact, the ending is hopeful and somewhat of a HEA, even if it isn't truly a HEA. It's a good ending, overall.

This exciting and heart-pounding science fiction novel is perfect for anyone looking for adventure and high stakes. Cute romances and great friendships make the novel even stronger!

What I Did Not Like:

I suppose the only thing that made me a little sad was the ending - but again, it was a good ending overall. I can't say much beyond that. But I do hope that, in the future, the author releases some sort of check-in for some of the characters. There is an epilogue in this book already, but it wasn't enough. (If anything, it was more of a tease than anything else!)

Would I Recommend It:

I love science fiction but often struggle with time-travel novels, but I definitely recommend this book! It is fun and interesting, with high stakes and nonstop action and intensity. I loved following this crew, with their strong bond and friendships. This is a standalone novel so you wouldn't need to worry about waiting for another book to follow.

Rating:

4 stars. I have yet to be disappointed by Ryan Graudin! All of her stories are so unique and different, and there is a lot to love about each book. I can't wait to read what she comes up with next!

Website | Goodreads | Amazon | Barnes and Noble | The Ivy Bookshop

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Waiting on Wednesday (#219): Invictus by Ryan Graudin

Waiting On" Wednesday is a weekly event, hosted by Jill at Breaking the Spine, that spotlights upcoming releases that we're eagerly anticipating.

This week, I'm featuring:

Invictus by Ryan Graudin

Publisher: Little, Brown Books for Young Readers

Publication Date: September 19, 2017

Summary (from Goodreads):

Time flies when you're plundering history.

Farway Gaius McCarthy was born outside of time. The son of a time-traveling Recorder from 2354 AD and a gladiator living in Rome in 95 AD, Far's birth defies the laws of nature. Exploring history himself is all he's ever wanted, and after failing his final time-traveling exam, Far takes a position commanding a ship with a crew of his friends as part of a black market operation to steal valuables from the past. 

But during a heist on the sinking Titanic, Far meets a mysterious girl who always seems to be one step ahead of him. Armed with knowledge that will bring Far's very existence into question, she will lead Far and his team on a race through time to discover a frightening truth: History is not as steady as it seems.

In this heart-stopping adventure, Ryan Graudin has created a fast-paced world that defies time and space.

Author Website | Goodreads | Amazon | Barnes and Noble

All That Glows | All That Burns | The Walled City

Wolf by Wolf | Blood for Blood

Who has two thumbs and has read all of Graudin's books (and enjoyed them too)? This girl! I can't wait to read Invictus. It sounds AMAZING but let's be real, I didn't even need to read the synopsis. ;)

Review: Wayfarer by Alexandra Bracken

Wayfarer by Alexandra Bracken

Book Two of the Passenger series

Publisher: Disney-Hyperion

Publication Date: January 3, 2017

Rating: 4 stars

Source: Review copy sent by the publisher

Summary (from Goodreads):

All Etta Spencer wanted was to make her violin debut when she was thrust into a treacherous world where the struggle for power could alter history. After losing the one thing that would have allowed her to protect the Timeline, and the one person worth fighting for, Etta awakens alone in an unknown place and time, exposed to the threat of the two groups who would rather see her dead than succeed. When help arrives, it comes from the last person Etta ever expected—Julian Ironwood, the Grand Master’s heir who has long been presumed dead, and whose dangerous alliance with a man from Etta’s past could put them both at risk. 

Meanwhile, Nicholas and Sophia are racing through time in order to locate Etta and the missing astrolabe with Ironwood travelers hot on their trail. They cross paths with a mercenary-for-hire, a cheeky girl named Li Min who quickly develops a flirtation with Sophia. But as the three of them attempt to evade their pursuers, Nicholas soon realizes that one of his companions may have ulterior motives. 

As Etta and Nicholas fight to make their way back to one another, from Imperial Russia to the Vatican catacombs, time is rapidly shifting and changing into something unrecognizable… and might just run out on both of them.

What I Liked:

SPOILER-FREE REVIEW. (Unless you haven't read Passenger.)

One-line summary: This book is every bit as fascinating, captivating, and thrilling as its predecessor, and a page-turning, satisfying conclusion to the series.

I was extremely excited when I received this book early for review, but also wary. It's a long book (500+ pages), and the story is at an intense point (from the end of Passenger). I was nervous to read Wayfarer, because there are so many ways that this book could end, and most of them are bittersweet (or just plain cruel). I'm so happy to say that Wayfarer was incredibly engrossing and it ended rather perfectly - Bracken found a way.

This book picks up a little after the end of Passenger. Nicholas and Etta have been separated in time and space. Etta wakes up as a captive of the Thorns, and she meets someone she never thought she'd know. She, Julian Ironwood, and the Thorns set out to secure the astrolabe from Cyrus Ironwood. Meanwhile, Nicholas and Sophia seek help from Rose Linden, only to be turned around several times. Looking for information, the pair accumulate a number of favors they must return. They meet Li Min, a mysterious and secretive traveler who helps them more than once. But Nicholas has one goal, and that is to find Etta. Sophia wants to find the astrolabe. And Li Min knows more than she is letting on. 

I'm still reeling a little, so bear with me as I go about this review. I've just finished the book and I'm in a pleasant state of shock, partial numbness, and total satisfaction. This book... I don't remember my exact expectations, before starting it. Hoping that Nicholas and Etta would survive and be together? In any case, I'm so pleased by what was written, and its delivery.

One thing I do recommend is a reread of Passenger, or checking out some sort of spoiler-filled review or post. Bracken has a spoiler-y graphic available on her website. I wish I had reread Passenger, because besides the ending, I didn't remember a ton of specifics. The good thing was, as I continued to read Wayfarer, I realized that I didn't need to remember too many specifics, because more and more came back to me. At first though, not the case.

One of the best parts of this book was the character development and introduction/development of new and smaller characters that had no or little role in Passenger. For example, I thought Sophia played a bigger role in this book - an enormous role. She is the most important "secondary" character (arguably a primary character? She doesn't have a narrative in the books though). I understood and liked Sophia so much more, in this book. She seems ruthless and blunt and sometimes harsh, but she is so determined and driven. She is someone you want on your side, because she is a dirty fighter.

Julian Ironwood, Nicholas's half-brother, is another secondary character who quickly becomes very important in Wayfarer. He betrayed his grandfather and sought refuge with the Thorns, which is how he and Etta meet. When she wakes up, she tries to escape, and she runs into Julian. Julian is a coward and a runner, but we get to understand him better in this book. He is an idiot and a poor brother, but he learns this and matures a lot, over the course of this book. 

I enjoyed the presence of Li Min and Henry Hemlock. I won't say much on either of them, but both are vastly important in this book, and play critical roles in pivotal points in the story. I didn't love or hate Li Min, but I adored Henry Hemlock. His interactions with Etta were wonderful.

Etta shows her fight and her tenacity in this book! She keeps moving, with grief, guilt, even pain weighing her down. She knows that Nicholas is out there, and she knows that the astrolabe must be found and taken out of the Ironwoods' grasp. Her goals are lofty but she never quits.

The same can be said about Nicholas. He wants to find Etta and never stops hunting for information and leads. He and Sophia travel to so many different places and times, and make various (terrible) deals for information, to find Etta. Finding the astrolabe is important but to Nicholas, finding Etta is everything. Nicholas has such a pure and good heart, such upstanding morals. He's a good guy who considers everything, weighs everything, and questions everything. I liked seeing how his mind worked, and I liked seeing him push through pain and doubt.

Etta and Nicholas are separated from much of the book, so I can't really say much about physical romance, but their relationship is strong through space and time. It's amazing how they never cease thinking about each other, hoping that the other is alright, and fighting for each other. They do interact at points toward the end of the book, I will say that. 

I died emotionally no fewer than seventeen times while reading this book. There were times when I actually teared up (my Goodreads statuses are proof). There were some painful parts in this book! Bracken took me on an emotional roller coaster. But for the better!

I love the varying settings that Bracken takes us through! Between Etta and Nicholas, we are introduced to so many different times and places. The most interesting, in this book, was probably Carthage, 148 B.C. How intriguing!

By the climax of the book, you'll be wondering how on earth Bracken can end this book with something happy or positive. There seems to be no way, with certain revelations about the astrolabe, and a darker force that is at play, and certain deals with devils that are very unfair. But Bracken made the ending worth all of the anguish and agony! I promise. 

What I Did Not Like:

I don't really have much to say here, other than I do wish there had been more Nicholas/Etta interaction! I don't want to spoil anything, but the romantic in me would have loved more interactions. Of any kind. 

Not really a dislike, but I do recommend a Passenger reread, if that one isn't fresh. For example, I read Passenger over a year ago. A reread might have helped, at least initially. After a certain point in Wayfarer though, some things started to come back.

Would I Recommend It:

I highly recommend this book, and series! Time-traveling novels can be tricky, and very messy. I haven't read a ton of them, but one of my favorite series of all time happens to be a time-travel series - the Ruby Red trilogy by Kerstin Gier. I can safely add this Passenger duology to those ranks. This is a wonderful, fascinating, and imaginative series! With a very satisfying ending.

Rating:

4.5 stars. I'm still trying to decide if to round up or down. But rest assured, I loved this book, all 532 pages of it. It is worth the full spectrum of emotions that I experienced! I look forward to reading more from Bracken in the future.

Author Website | Goodreads | Amazon | Barnes and Noble

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Waiting on Wednesday (#183): Wayfarer by Alexandra Bracken

"Waiting On" Wednesday is a weekly event, hosted by Jill at Breaking the Spine, that spotlights upcoming releases that we're eagerly anticipating.

This week, I'm featuring:

Wayfarer by Alexandra Bracken

Book Two of the Passenger series

Publisher: Disney-Hyperion

Publication Date: January 3, 2017

Summary (from Goodreads):

All Etta Spencer wanted was to make her violin debut when she was thrust into a treacherous world where the struggle for power could alter history. After losing the one thing that would have allowed her to protect the Timeline, and the one person worth fighting for, Etta awakens alone in an unknown place and time, exposed to the threat of the two groups who would rather see her dead than succeed. When help arrives, it comes from the last person Etta ever expected—Julian Ironwood, the Grand Master’s heir who has long been presumed dead, and whose dangerous alliance with a man from Etta’s past could put them both at risk. 

Meanwhile, Nicholas and Sophia are racing through time in order to locate Etta and the missing astrolabe with Ironwood travelers hot on their trail. They cross paths with a mercenary-for-hire, a cheeky girl named Li Min who quickly develops a flirtation with Sophia. But as the three of them attempt to evade their pursuers, Nicholas soon realizes that one of his companions may have ulterior motives. 

As Etta and Nicholas fight to make their way back to one another, from Imperial Russia to the Vatican catacombs, time is rapidly shifting and changing into something unrecognizable… and might just run out on both of them.

Author Website | Goodreads | Amazon | Barnes and Noble

Passenger review | Passenger Swoon Thursday

So excited for this conclusion! Plus, the cover is PURPLE. :D

Review: The Girl From Everywhere by Heidi Heilig

The Girl From Everywhere by Heidi Heilig

Book One of The Girl From Everywhere series

Publisher: Greenwillow Books

Publication Date: February 16, 2016

Rating: 2 stars

Source: eARC from Edelweiss

Summary (from Goodreads):

Heidi Heilig’s debut teen fantasy sweeps from modern-day New York City to nineteenth-century Hawaii to places of myth and legend. Sixteen-year-old Nix has sailed across the globe and through centuries aboard her time-traveling father’s ship. But when he gambles with her very existence, it all may be about to end. The Girl from Everywhere, the first of two books, will dazzle readers of Sabaa Tahir, Rae Carson, and Rachel Hartman.

Nix’s life began in Honolulu in 1868. Since then she has traveled to mythic Scandinavia, a land from the tales of One Thousand and One Nights, modern-day New York City, and many more places both real and imagined. As long as he has a map, Nix’s father can sail his ship, The Temptation, to any place, any time. But now he’s uncovered the one map he’s always sought—1868 Honolulu, before Nix’s mother died in childbirth. Nix’s life—her entire existence—is at stake. No one knows what will happen if her father changes the past. It could erase Nix’s future, her dreams, her adventures . . . her connection with the charming Persian thief, Kash, who’s been part of their crew for two years. If Nix helps her father reunite with the love of his life, it will cost her her own.

In The Girl from Everywhere, Heidi Heilig blends fantasy, history, and a modern sensibility with witty, fast-paced dialogue, breathless adventure, and enchanting romance.

What I Liked:

This book was such a colossal disappointment - FOR ME. I recognize that the issues that I had with this book aren't issues that everyone will have. There are a slew of super positive reviews on Goodreads that came way before my review. So there is a very good chance that most people will find this book magical and wonderful and whatnot. But me? No. I will write my harsh negative review in hopes of warning others who have preferences like mine about the things that didn't work for me. 

Aboard the Temptation with her father as Navigator, Nix has been to many places and many time periods. She was born in 1868, but she's been to modern-day New York and deep into the past as well. Her father is searching for a 1868 Honolulu map to be reunited with Nix's mother. But going back to the past, to the mother that died in childbirth, might mean that Nix's existence will disappear. She doesn't know if this WILL happen, but Nix would rather not take the chance. Nix is determined to make it out alive - but there is more at stake than she knows. 

From the synopsis, this book sounds pretty great. Time-traveling fantasy, lots at stake, LINEAR ROMANCE (or so it sounded) -- "If Nix helps her father reunite with the love of his life, it will cost her her own." That makes it sound like Nix has one love (Kash, who was mentioned in the line of the synopsis just before this one); WRONG. See next section.

The best part of this book was probably Kashmir (Kash) - I love him so much, and I ache for him, because he does not get what he deserves (a million pounds of gold, a hot bath, and a girl who loves him and only him). He's charming and intelligent and clever and observant and hilarious. And he deserves better.

I honestly thought I was enjoying this book for a bit, with all the interesting historical facts and settings, the weird tales and myths of Hawaii (once the crew reaches Hawaii). It's clear that Heilig really did her research for the story, and it's well-written in that sense. Take away the negatives that I'll list below, and you've got a story of great world-building. And probably a decent, interesting story. But I REALLY did not like certain things, and those things ruined the book for me.

What I Did Not Like:

I'll warn you now that there may be spoilers ahead. I am too f***ing pissed to even think about screening spoilers in this section. Read at your own risk - but if you hate love triangles, you might want to read further regardless.

LOVE TRIANGLE IN THIS BOOK. And it's not a shy one. The synopsis makes the book sound like there is a linear romance! Kash, Nix, riding off into the sunset (or whatever). I LOVE it when the heroine is in love with and/or slowly falls for her best friend! But that's not quite what happened here.

It's obvious that Kash loves Nix. Soooo obvious. He's a flirt and a tease and so charming and wonderful, but he's totally in love with her. Nix has him so friend-zoned though, although she starts to see otherwise as the book goes on. So that's part of the romance - she's seeing that she actually likes him beyond a friend.

But then the second part of the romance is introduced - Leg 2 of the triangle. Blake Hart is on Honolulu (year 1884 - daddy dearest overshot a little). AS SOON AS the author started going into a detailed physical description of a boy "close to Nix's age", I KNEW that he would show up again and he'd make up a love triangle. Why else do we care about his physical appearance? Right, because the heroine is going to fall for him too. YUP.

It would be one thing if Blake were one of those boys that falls for Nix, but Nix doesn't fall for him. You know, those "love triangles" in which one of the boys is an annoying pesky fly that won't go away, but you know he's the dead leg of the triangle because he's just annoying and the heroine doesn't care about him. But... she does. Don't get me wrong - Blake IS annoying. 

The love triangle represents - wait for it - Nix's choice: Blake is a grounded boy, on the island, a constant guy. Kash is your wanderer, part of the crew on the ship. Choose Blake, you choose a settled life on Honolulu. Choose Kash, you choose the wanderer's life, ever the adventurer. SO F***ING CLICHE. And did I mention that Blake is annoying?

Spoiler -- she kisses them both. This bugs some people, and I know it's a deal-breaker for some. For ME, it just solidified the fact that there is a love triangle, and the type of love triangle that isn't about to go away.

And the ending - HA! The ending is a very clear indication that the love triangle isn't going to go away! We have ALL THREE OF THEM - Nix, Kash, and Blake - in the same space! Going to the same place! Are you f***ing kidding me?! That solidifies the love triangle EVEN MORE - Nix gets to bounce around between the two of them in book two. THIS IS WHAT BOTHERS ME THE MOST ABOUT THIS LOVE TRIANGLE.

All caps are totally necessary. 

I thought the love triangle would turn out to be mild - at one point in the book, it looks like Nix is going to leave Hawaii (and Blake) forever - but that wasn't the case. So I'm ridiculously angry because the synopsis REALLY had me thinking that Nix's "love" would be Kashmir (and maybe it is, but then her "love" part 2 is Blake?). I love Kashmir. I think Blake is a waste of space. Pansy. Idiot. Weak. One-dimensional. A space-filler. The author REALLY wanted a love triangle in this book. 

I want to say that Kashmir is the "real" choice, but let's not get ahead of ourselves. The heroine gives no indication of a preference, of which boy has more of her affection. Honestly the more I think about it, the more I despise Nix. She's not incredibly astute, intelligent, and decisive. Not that everyone has to be but... the fact that she isn't when she could/should be, bothers me. A lot.

Well this review is rapidly turning into a love triangle rant, so I'll switch gears for a second. This book is LONG - nearly 500 pages - and it really felt that way. Usually long books don't bother me! 300, 400, 500 pages never really deterred me from reading - or finishing - a book. But 10% into this book, and I was feeling the length. I dreaded continuing this book; maybe I wasn't in the mood, but this book took forever for me to get into it, and obviously I never really got invested. Or maybe I got too invested, which is why I reacted so badly to the love triangle. 

But anyway, I struggled with this book, especially when I first started reading it. It didn't hook me. It never hooked me. It took me entirely too long to finish this book, longer than it usually takes me. Some parts of it were sooo boring, other parts more exciting.

This book threw me because I thought for a second that I was reading a carbon copy of Passenger by Alexandra Bracken. Both deal with ships whose captains/navigators can take you to different times and locations. Weird, no? I didn't like this one nearly as much as I liked Passenger. 

So, to recap. Love triangle; dumba** heroine; a struggle to get into the story; eerily similar to Passenger by Alexandra Bracken. Mostly - LOVE TRIANGLE with no end in sight. Ew ew ew.

Unfortunately this is a prime example of peer pressure gone wrong - I never would have gotten this book from Edelweiss had a friend not reviewed the book before the book was available from the publisher. I kind of regret ever considering this book! I rarely pick up books based on peer pressure alone - this is exactly why. Go with your instinct/interests, people!

Would I Recommend It:

I so do not recommend this book under any circumstances, especially if you hate love triangle like me, or if ANYTHING I mentioned in the previous section bothered you. If you don't mind love triangles... this is probably going to seem like a jolly good story with lovely world-building and a uniqueness to the locations and whatnot. Otherwise? Steer clear of this one. Far faaaar away.

Rating:

1.5 stars -> rounded up to 2 stars (this is my generosity at its finest, people). I'm rounding up because there is a SLIM chance that I might read the next book, if only to see what happens.  If the love triangle disappears quickly into the sequel, then I'll bite. But at the moment, I refuse to think about continuing with the series. SOMEONE COMFORT ME PLEASE.

Author Website | Goodreads | Amazon | Barnes and Noble

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Swoon Thursday (#145): Passenger by Alexandra Bracken

Swoon Thursday is a hot meme hosted by the fabulous ladies at YA Bound!

- From the book you’re currently reading, or one you just finished, tell us what made you SWOON. What got your heart pounding, your skin tingling, and your stomach fluttering

- Try to make the swoon excerpt 140 characters (or less), if you are going to tweet about it. Use the hashtag #YABOUND when tweeting

This week, my swoon is from Passenger by Alexandra Bracken!

He leaned forward and captured her lips, stealing the kiss himself until she had to come up and gasp for breath. Nicholas pulled her back under, and this time she did let go, only to take his beautiful face in her hands, to let his hands tangle in her hair around her shoulders. If the sky had opened again just then, Etta didn't think she'd feel the storm at all - not when she was caught so deeply in this. Time was tugging her back, insistent and demanding, passing faster and faster, but all she wanted was to stay there, to smell the sea on his skin and press her face to that part of his neck where it seemed to fit perfectly, as if it had been made to hold her and her alone. If there was a place to go where time might forget them, she wanted to find it.

- ARC, pages 333-334

Author Website | Goodreads | Amazon | Barnes and Noble

Read my review of Passenger!

Review: Passenger by Alexandra Bracken

Passenger by Alexandra Bracken

Book One of the Passenger series

Publisher: Disney-Hyperion

Publication Date: January 5, 2016

Rating: 4 stars

Source: ARC sent by the publisher

Summary (from Goodreads):

passage, n.

i. A brief section of music composed of a series of notes and flourishes.

ii. A journey by water; a voyage.

iii. The transition from one place to another, across space and time.

In one devastating night, violin prodigy Etta Spencer loses everything she knows and loves. Thrust into an unfamiliar world by a stranger with a dangerous agenda, Etta is certain of only one thing: she has traveled not just miles but years from home. And she’s inherited a legacy she knows nothing about from a family whose existence she’s never heard of. Until now.

Nicholas Carter is content with his life at sea, free from the Ironwoods—a powerful family in the colonies—and the servitude he’s known at their hands. But with the arrival of an unusual passenger on his ship comes the insistent pull of the past that he can’t escape and the family that won’t let him go so easily. Now the Ironwoods are searching for a stolen object of untold value, one they believe only Etta, Nicholas’ passenger, can find. In order to protect her, he must ensure she brings it back to them— whether she wants to or not.

Together, Etta and Nicholas embark on a perilous journey across centuries and continents, piecing together clues left behind by the traveler who will do anything to keep the object out of the Ironwoods’ grasp. But as they get closer to the truth of their search, and the deadly game the Ironwoods are play­ing, treacherous forces threaten to separate Etta not only from Nicholas but from her path home . . . forever

What I Liked:

This book has so much buzz surrounding it, which can be good and bad. I loved Bracken's Brightly Woven, and Darkest Minds series, and I had a good feeling that I would enjoy this one too. It's just scary when everyone is really excited about reading the book, very few people have actually read it, and you so want it to be amazing! Lucky for me (and others), it WAS amazing.

Etta's next concern is her violinist debut, which she'll perform in a month or so. She's performing in the Met, where her mother works, when she is suddenly whisked away in time, accompanied by a strange girl who was also at the met. Sophia Ironwood, the girl, is a traveler, and so is Etta. Sophia's grandfather, the Grand Master and head of the Ironwood family, has had Etta brought back in time because he wants her to find something that he says her mother stole from him. If she brings it back, he'll let her and her mother go. But Etta - and Nicholas Carter, who commandeered the ship that Etta had to be on to get to Grandfather Ironwood - won't let Ironwood win so easily. Nicholas and Etta will travel between continents and time to find the missing object before anyone else does.

I'm going to be honest - I'm struggling to write this review, because I know I won't do this book justice. I know I'm giving it four stars (4.5 stars, really), but gosh, this book was lovely. It's written in third-person (which I love), occasionally alternating POVs, between Etta and Nicholas. We start with Nicholas, in the beginning of the book, which I thought was interesting.

Nicholas dreams of owning his own ship (preferably SHIPS), and freeing himself from the Ironwood family. Once you get caught in their web, they never let you go - but Nicholas is hoping that this last trip will be his last for them. Carry two women to New York safely, and he's free. But Nicholas has good instincts, and knows something is not quite right, when Etta is confused and lost and has no idea what she is. Nicholas is such an eighteenth-century gentleman - protective, loyal, strong-willed, stubborn, well-mannered - but he is also so much more. His past and his connections with Ironwood haunt him in ways that I won't mention, but it's so sad to see how people treat him.

I really like Etta as well - her first appearance on the ship was PERFECT. We meet her in present-day America, when she is about to play in the Met. She's a violin prodigy, but she's about to discover that she is also a time-traveler, and that her mother kept a whole lot from her. On the ship in the eighteenth-century, Etta is confused and doesn't know what is happening, and immediately jumps to defend herself (something you wouldn't see from an eighteenth-century lady). Everyone on the ship falls for her - but especially Nicholas, who doesn't leave her side, when she meets Ironwood, when Ironwood tells her his terms and threats, when Etta leaves and tries to escape... Nicholas and Etta agree to journey together across time, and probably for the better, because Etta is not a good traveler.

This story was so interesting! Filled with different countries and times, we got to experience a whole range of settings. Bracken really did her research, and every scene felt fresh and unique and different. The jungle one was probably my favorite, as it was a lush setting, but also really defined Nicholas and Etta's relationship (they are so funny!). They have days to find the mysterious object and bring it back for Ironwood, and so they follow clues that Etta's mother left her over time. The clues take them to many places, and Nicholas and Etta get to know each other.

The romance... ahh, it was beautiful. Nicholas is different from Bracken's other male protagonists, like a combination of Liam and North. He's bossy and manly yet gentlemanly and chivalrous. And Etta is like a flame or a constant spark. I loved the relationship growth, how they grew with and into each other, how things developed. This book is nearly five hundred pages long, so you can bet that there is a lot of character development AND romance development. The romance is very slow-burn, although the interest in each other happens quickly.

The climax of this story was so enthralling, heart-pounding, and terrifying! This book ends on a cliffhanger, which made me very sad but also quite hopeful. The cliffhanger is kind of a devastating one, but you know it's going to be not as bad as you think because of a few lines in the very end. Suffice it to say, I NEED Wayfarer, immediately. This ending was cruel!

What I Did Not Like:

I think the ending is what is docking this book's star (or half-star, really). It's a cliffhanger, and a brutal one, at that. Prepare your hearts, readers! And I GUARANTEE you, it's not the ending you might be thinking of. I would never have come up with this ending - and I'm usually pretty good at predicting endings, before getting more than halfway into the book. This cliffhanger though!

Would I Recommend It:

I SO recommend this book! I'm not usually a fan of time-travel novels - I did LOVE the Ruby Red series by Kerstin Gier - but this book was excellent. The time-travel is a bit different, as is the aim of the story. I can't wait to see how everything ignites in Wayfarer - the ending of this book was cruel in several ways. You don't have to be a time-travel or historical fiction to love this book!

Rating:

4.5 stars -> rounded down to 4 stars. Such a gorgeous cover, AND a wonderful story - you must preorder this book! Definitely buy or borrow a copy, you do not want to miss this novel. The hype and buzz is totally justified! Now, someone bring me the sequel, please. PLEASE.

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Waiting on Wednesday (#139): Passenger by Alexandra Bracken

"Waiting On" Wednesday is a weekly event, hosted by Jill at Breaking the Spine, that spotlights upcoming releases that we're eagerly anticipating.

This week, I'm featuring:

Passenger by Alexandra Bracken

Book One of the Passenger series

Publisher: Disney-Hyperion

Publication Date: January 5, 2016

Summary (from Goodreads):

Violin prodigy Etta Spencer had big plans for her future, but a tragedy has put her once-bright career at risk. Closely tied to her musical skill, however, is a mysterious power she doesn't even know she has. When her two talents collide during a stressful performance, Etta is drawn back hundreds of years through time. 

Etta wakes, confused and terrified, in 1776, in the midst a fierce sea battle. Nicholas Carter, the handsome young prize master of a privateering ship, has been hired to retrieve Etta and deliver her unharmed to the Ironwoods, a powerful family in the Colonies--the very same one that orchestrated her jump back, and one Nicholas himself has ties to. But discovering she can time travel is nothing compared to the shock of discovering the true reason the Ironwoods have ensnared her in their web. 

Another traveler has stolen an object of untold value from them, and, if Etta can find it, they will return her to her own time. Out of options, Etta and Nicholas embark on a perilous journey across centuries and continents, piecing together clues left behind by the mysterious traveler. But as they draw closer to each other and the end of their search, the true nature of the object, and the dangerous game the Ironwoods are playing, comes to light -- threatening to separate her not only from Nicholas, but her path home... forever.

Author Website | Goodreads | Amazon | Barnes and Noble

The Darkest Minds | Never Fade | In the Afterlight

I love Alex's books! My first of hers was Brightly Woven - one of my all-time favorites!

Review: Emerald Green by Kerstin Gier

Emerald Green by Kerstin Gier

Book Three of the Ruby Red trilogy

Publisher: Henry Holt and Co. (BYR)

Publication Date: October 8, 2013

Rating: 5 stars

Source: ARC won from a giveaway

Summary (from Goodreads):

Gwen has a destiny to fulfill, but no one will tell her what it is.

She’s only recently learned that she is the Ruby, the final member of the time-traveling Circle of Twelve, and since then nothing has been going right. She suspects the founder of the Circle, Count Saint-German, is up to something nefarious, but nobody will believe her. And she’s just learned that her charming time-traveling partner, Gideon, has probably been using her all along.

This stunning conclusion picks up where Sapphire Blue left off, reaching new heights of intrigue and romance as Gwen finally uncovers the secrets of the time-traveling society and learns her fate.

What I Liked:

Must. Be. Vague. It's always tricky, reviewing sequels, especially conclusion novels. I hate feeling like something I say isn't a spoiler but might actually be, especially to someone who hasn't read any of the books in the series. I shall endeavor to be vague, okay? Hopefully that explains why this review will basically be a bunch of flailing and exclamation points.

Gwyneth Shepherd must figure out, for once and for all, what the Count of Saint-Germain is up to, and who the traitor in the Lodge's midst is. At the end of Sapphire Blue, she finds out that the count put Gideon put to making her fall in love with him (Gideon) - or so she understands. In reality, that isn't the case. But that's what she hears the count say, and Gideon does not correct him. What a predicament! The prophecy is slowly being unraveled, and with or without Gideon, Gwen must save herself, and the secrets of the Guardians.

Wow! What a firecracker of a conclusion novel! I love how Gier writes. I love her writing style, her voice, her crafting of the story. I know this series is German, and that it's translated, but I feel like the voice and the writing style is SO UNIQUE, so distinctly not American, that it totally survived the translations. There is a distinct difference between American authors and European authors, I've noticed. The writing style is definitely different, for one, and in an very, very good way! 

One this (of many) that I really, REALLY love about this book (and series in general) is how funny the book is (the series is). Gwen is such a hilarious character to follow - her inner monologue is brilliant and awkward and funny. Less awkward and more funny, but she's so clumsy and silly and wonderful. I love how funny the characters are. It makes the subject matter - time travel and death and gloom - so much awesomer to read! We're pretending "awesomer" is a word.

The plot is magnificent! Through all three books, the series plot is brilliant. Each book has its own plot, but the overarching plot through the series is great. There is a traitor, and there is a diabolical count, and Gwen cannot trust anyone. There are so many secrets to be revealed, so many truths to be found out. I love how complex the books get (it's time-travel-related, things SHOULD be complex!), but you don't get lost. Gier has an amazing sense of story-telling, especially with subject matter that could easily get confusing, and she makes sure that her readers aren't lost.

The romance. DON'T WORRY. If you read the ending of the second book and was like, OMG NOOOO, it's okay! Don't worry! We all know better than Gwen, that Gideon really does love her. Gwen does wallow in self-pity for a bit (for good reason though - I mean, come on), but eventually, Gideon must tell her the reason why he started avoiding the relationship like never before. It's a very good reason, I promise.

I love the historical foundation of this book. It's so cool, how Gier weaves different pieces of history into this book. Gwen and Gideon travel to many, many different years in the past, and I think Gier does a brilliant job of crafting each historical world, and making them seem authentic. 

This book is the perfect conclusion to a fantastic series! I can't express my love clearly and entirely enough - I love this series. I've loved it even before USA rights were bought to have this book translated. I couldn't even physically read the books (they were in German only at the time), but I wanted to read them and love them. Definitely one of my favorite series of all time! 

What I Did Not Like:

I have nothing to say here ;D

Would I Recommend It:

YES! I would recommend the entire series! Seriously - time-travel isn't one of my favorite genres/subgenres. In fact, I dislike most of the time-travel novels I read (because usually, the authors do a poor job of handling the subject matter, and me who rarely gets confused about much ends up in a hopeless state of confusion and annoyance). BUT, I would highly recommend this series, for the time-travel, for the interesting historical basis, for the humor, for the romance!

Rating:

5 stars. So much love! I've read and re-read the first book (Ruby Red) so many times... and the second book (Sapphire Blue)... and I've already re-read this book a handful of times. Now that's love!

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