Review by Lisa T. Bergren
So it was the cover that caught me first. Have you ever seen something so fascinatingly beautiful? And then when I found out it was time travel, I had to check it out, of course. But not until I got done with Torrent. Because you know how I am about reading the competition before I get done with my own book.
Goodreads.com Summary:
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.
My Two Cents:
*CAUTION: TRYING TO AVOID SPOILERS BUT CAN’T PROMISE SUCCESS*
I thought it was a good, strong novel, with an awesome, multi-layered heroine and mysterious hero. I loved that what Emerson saw weren’t really what she thought they were—but something else entirely; it was a terrific surprise. I loved the connection Emerson had with her older brother and sister-in-law, and the “freak family” she discovers later in the book. Add to that the expanding plot illuminated at the end (I adore a strong antagonist and the XMen) and I’m all-in…I’ll preorder the next book in the series.
What I didn’t like? The love triangle, which I didn’t think was necessary, at least in book one. It just seemed…pushed. And I didn’t understand why they could go and retrieve you-know-who, but not Emerson’s dead parents. Time travel logic makes my brain hurt—undoubtedly, some readers will have issues with River—but I’d be relieved if someone explained this to me. Myra? I’d welcome your explanation so I can stop trying to decipher it! Anyone? Anyone?
Mama Bear Warnings:
Mild profanity, clear sexual draw, sexual innuendo makes this a PG-13 read for me.