Review: Come Back To Me by Mila Gray

Published: June 19^th, 2014

Pages: 373

Rating: 4/5

Source: e-ARC from author 

 Goodreads ~ Amazon 

Home on leave in sunny California, Marine and local lothario Kit Ryan finds himself dangerously drawn to his best friend's sister, Jessa - the one girl he can't have. But Kit's not about to let a few obstacles stand in his way and soon Jessa's falling for his irresistible charms. 
What starts out as a summer romance of secret hook-ups and magical first times quickly develops into a passionate love affair that turns both their worlds upside down.

When summer's over and it's time for Kit to redeploy, neither Kit nor Jessa are ready to say goodbye. Jessa's finally following her dreams and Kit's discovered there's someone he'd sacrifice everything for. Jessa's prepared to wait for Kit no matter what. But when something more than distance and time rips them apart they're forced to decide whether what they have is really worth fighting for.

A breathtaking, scorchingly hot story about love, friendship, family and finding your way back from the edge of heartbreak. (Description from Goodreads) 

*I received this book from the author in exchange for an honest review*

First things first: I don’t normally read New Adult. It’s just a genre that I haven’t really jumped into yet, and in the past, I’ve even swore myself off of it (in a post on this blog!). Problem is, I’m getting old(er), and I’ve found it a little difficult at times to relate to YA characters. NA characters are more my age; thus I relate better to them. I’m (slowly) making my way into reading more NA, but I just wanted to put that out there.

That being said, Come Back To Me was the perfect introduction into NA. I was hooked from the start; heck, I was hooked just knowing that the book was a “military love story.” Basically two of my favorite things. I have a weird thing for books with a military aspect…and I kinda have a thing for military men, too, but that’s a different blog post. I’m pretty sure I was certifiably addicted to this book. I even cried a little at some parts (because there’s some legit heavy stuff). GUYS, WATER CAME OUT OF MY EYES, and all because of this book (that doesn’t happen…ever). I don’t get emotional over books or movies, aside from the Book Thief film; it had me sobbing. Come Back To Me is such a sweet, passionate, emotional roller coaster that all I want to do is ride again.

The story is told from both characters POV, which was a good move on the author’s part. Seeing Kit’s side of the story really added a lot to the story, and I think that’s something that helped keep my attention throughout the book. I love reading male perspectives on falling in love- it’s like getting inside a guy’s head. And who doesn’t love to do that?! Let me also say that Kit’s perspective made some of the love scenes a whoooooole lot hotter. *saucy wink*

 Kit’s just come back from serving overseas to find Jessa all grown up. She’s not the little kid who followed Riley and him around before they enlisted. Kit holds a playboy reputation, but he’s leaving all that behind. After dreaming about Jessa for a year now, Kit’s ready for her to be his. I felt that this, as well as other parts of the story, was a tad cliché. Kit can have almost any woman he wants, but he chooses the one he can’t have. Some parts were predictable, like which character dies in action (can you guess?). But most love stories are a little predictable, simply because they are overdone. I feel like that didn’t distract me from the story, though, and I still managed to really enjoy the love story.

Let me tell you one thing that was totally unpredictable, something I loved about the story: When Kit comes home after the tragedy, he doesn’t immediately fall into Jessa’s waiting arms. They don’t cry on each other’s shoulders. They don’t mourn together. THAT would be predictable. The truth is that they stay painfully separated. And that really played with my emotions, because I wanted them to be together, just like they wanted to be together, but this awful, intangible thing was keeping them apart. It’s all so poetic and beautiful that I almost want to go find a couch to swoon on. 

Come Back To Me is a bittersweet love story that will (hopefully) tug at your heart as much as it did mine. You’ll fall for Kit, and squeal at how perfect Jessa and Kit are together, and even maybe cry a little (it’s very possible). I highly recommend this book to mature teen and adult readers.

*Reviewer Note: This being a New Adult title, there is sexual material included in this book, some of which is graphic/explicit. Because of that, I wouldn’t recommend this title to anyone under 18.*

Blog Tour: Miss Darcy Decides by Reina M. Williams (Review)

Published: January 21^st, 2014 (ADS, Inc.)

Pages: 77

Rating: 4/5

Goodreads

Miss Darcy Decides is a light, sweet Pride and Prejudice novella, book two in the Love at Pemberley series.

While visiting a young woman—who was not so fortunate as Miss Georgiana Darcy in escaping the persuasions of a rogue—Georgiana meets Sir Camden Sutton, whose reputation causes Georgiana to wonder as to his motives. Her wondering soon turns to a different feeling when Sir Camden comes to stay at Pemberley, showing himself to be a very different man than was rumored. While Sir Camden struggles with his past and his commitment to his future, as well as the ill intentions of haughty Caroline Bingley, Miss Darcy must decide whether to listen to others, or the words written on her heart.

Jane Austen spin-offs are my cup of tea. They can be done really well or really badly, and thankfully this one was done very well. It’s the perfect little novella for a road trip or an afternoon by the pool.

I feel like Reina did a great job of staying true to Austen’s original characters. This is something that I feel is relatively important to do. I love the addition of Sir Camden. Georgiana’s true forgiving nature and her ability to see the good in others is amplified in the character of Sir Camden. This sweet little romance is a good reminder that a certain amount of forgiveness and forgetfulness is required to make any relationship work.

Through it was short and sweet, I enjoyed every page of Miss Darcy Decides. We the grown-up side of Georgiana as she begins to make bold decision about what she believes and wants. I’m looking forward to reading more stories from the Love at Pemberley series.

Buy the Novella

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About the Author

Reina M. Williams loves period dramas, sweet reads, fairy tales, cooking and baking. She lives in the San Francisco Bay Area with her two boys, who hope to someday take a research trip to England with their mom.

For more information please visit Reina M. Williams’s website. You can also connect with her on Twitter, Goodreads, and Pinterest.

Review: Some Quiet Place by Kelsey Sutton

Published: July 8^th, 2013 (Flux)

Pages: 331

Rating: 4/5

Source: NetGalley

Goodreads ~ Amazon 

Elizabeth Caldwell doesn’t feel emotions . . . she sees them in human form. Longing hovers around the shy, adoring boy at school. Courage materializes beside her dying friend. Fury and Resentment visit her abusive home. They’ve all given up on Elizabeth because she doesn’t succumb to their touch. All, that is, except beautiful Fear, who sometimes torments her and other times plays her compassionate savior. He’s obsessed with finding the answer to one question: What happened to Elizabeth to make her this way?

They both sense that the key to Elizabeth’s condition is somehow connected to the paintings of her dreams, which show visions of death and grief that raise more questions than answers. But as a shadowy menace begins to stalk her, Elizabeth’s very survival depends on discovering the truth about herself. When it matters most, she may not be able to rely on Fear to save her. (Description from Goodreads)

I heard about this book through the lovely Gabrielle Carolina of Mod Podge Bookshelf, and promoted it a couple times this past year. If you know me at all, you know I don’t really go for the paranormal/supernatural stuff these days, but I decided to take a chance with Some Quiet Place. And I really liked the cover. Ok, that was probably the main reason I wanted to read the book. But have you read the summary (above)?! Hellooo! I fell in love with the idea of the MC having the ability to physically interact with abstract emotions (gosh, I sound like such an art major…I’m totally not an art major). This book seemed dark and intriguing and vague all at the same time, and I had to find out what it was all about.

Just a heads up, I read this several months ago, when it was first released, so correct me if I get any plot details mixed up. My first impression of this book was that the plot was somewhat slow. I felt like it was taking a while for it to get anywhere. This may have been a result of something else: it was difficult (at times) to connect with Elizabeth, as she’s void of emotions. I mean…all I have to say is kudos to Kelsey for taking on the task of developing a character who can’t feel emotions. Bravo! You are brave stuff, Ms. Sutton. Connecting with Elizabeth wasn’t such a huge problem that I had to stop reading or anything like that, but it was a little irksome in the beginning.

Let me just stop right now and say that this book, this book right here, would make a FANTASTIC movie. I would go see it on opening night, which is saying a lot, because I’m not really an opening night-type girl. Hollywood has a tendency to either ace or botch paranormal movies, but as long as they did it right, Some Quiet Place could be incredible on screen. It’s beautifully written and hauntingly dark, and I nearly fell out of my chair when I realized that this is Kelsey’s debut novel. Yes, ladies and gentlemen, debut. As in, first. As in, she’s never published before. Let me have your writing talent, please and thank you.

So if you’re like me and aren’t normally drawn to this genre, please please please give Some Quiet Place a chance. I think that any book that deals skillfully in the topics of human emotions will hold many parallels to how we naturally react, and the same is true for Some Quiet Place. There’s also a bit of beautiful symbolism written in, which is something I always enjoy.  It’s an unforgettable debut, one that will intrigue you yet trouble you in the eerie little corners of your mind.  

Blog Tour: King (Books of the Infinite #3) by R.J. Larson (Review, Guest Post, and Giveaway)

Tour Schedule

Published: 2013 (Bethany House)

Pages: 352

Rating: 4/5

Goodreads ~ Amazon

Akabe of Siphra is certain his people are insane. 

Why have they made him a king? 
What, in the name of peacetime boredom do kings do?

Frustrated by a lengthy silence from his Creator, the Infinite, Akabe decides to prove himself as king by undertaking a monumental task, his own lifelong dream: Rebuild the Infinite’s temple in Siphra. 

But Akabe’s impulsive decision sweeps him into a storm of controversy. The Infinite’s enemies join forces in Siphra, and beyond, conspiring to destroy the emerging temple—and to kill their king and his mysterious new queen.

I don’t read much fantasy. That said, I’d never read any of the previous books in the Books of the Infinite series before (what is it with me reading the third books in series nowadays?! This has happened several times recently). In fact, I’d never even heard of any of the books. But when I heard about King and then got the chance to read it, I was definitely on board.

R.J. Larson did something that I don’t see done every often: She combined fantasy with Bible stories. And I absolutely loved it. At times the Biblical aspect was hard to make out, but at other parts the allegory was very clear. Aside from the Chronicles of Narnia (which, in my opinion, is more symbolic than allegorical), which other book series mixes Scripture with the fantasy genre? None that I can think of. I really enjoyed this aspect of King, and am eager to read the first two books (Prophet and Judge) to see how they follow this trend.

The entire story was very fast-paced. At times I even felt like it was too fast-paced. One page Akabe is looking for a wife, and the next page he’s married. Whoa! I would have liked to see some more character/relationship development happen, but it wasn’t crucial. I don’t really have the right to say anything about character development, as I picked up the third book without reading the first two. *sheepish grin*

Mentioning that, if you haven’t read the first two books, it’s very easy to pick up on what’s going on. I was confused at points, I will admit. But you can kind of figure out what’s happened before that led to the events that take place in this book. All in all, I really enjoyed King. It kept my attention and impressed me. I was very intrigued with the world in which Larson set her story (especially the mythical animals, like the destroyers and scalns!). I highly recommend this book to teen readers as well as mature middle grade readers (as long as they can handle some war action/violence).

Quick Content Review: *may contain spoilers*

Language: None

Violence: Moderate (battle action)

Sexual: None

Excerpt:

A hired servant brought cups, then filled them with juice from a metal pitcher beaded with moisture. They all waited until the king lifted his cup. Following his lead, they drank.
        Ela couldn't help draining her juice, despite its tartness. Let Tamri and Prill frown at her appalling manners—she was thirsty. Finished, she looked for the servant, but he’d vanished.
Beside her, little Barth grumbled, “Mine tastes sour.”
        Akabe grimaced at the pitcher left in their midst. “True. The aftertaste is bitter.”
        Aware of an unpleasant icy burning around her lips and down her throat, Ela flung aside her cup. “Majesty…!”
        She wrenched Barth’s half-empty cup from his small hands. He already looked sick.
        Matron Prill threw down her own cup and said the word Ela feared to voice.
        “Poison!”

Guest Post with R.J. Larson:

What are the differences in the writing processes of devotionals and fantasy? Was it a hard transition to go from writing womens' devotionals to writing fast-paced, action-packed fantasy novels?

The best devotionals relate to the reader on a friend-meeting-friend basis, never lecturing or preaching. Ideally, devotionals are short single-themed insights into our spiritual walks as humans dealing with the Lord, and devotionals are often arranged by topics in collections written by multiple authors. Sometimes an entire volume of devotionals is dedicated to a single theme: Marriage, a deeper walk with the Lord, raising children, or individual topics, such as grief or relationships.

By design, devotionals minister to their readers with a brief, vivid story—often drawn from the author’s own experience—and one verse that will remain with the reader as a life-application. Devotionals also finish with a brief prayer.

Despite their simplicity, devotionals do require research, particularly with regard to the Scriptural application and with any fact-checking if the story is referenced from another source.

By contrast, novels of any genre, can deal with multiple themes, and many verses from the Scriptures. For me, the transition from writing single-themed devotionals to the multi-layered busyness of fantasy novels was easy. I love complexity on every level in writing!

Details delight me, and the research is a joy. I also love mentally walking into my characters’ world and staying there. People fascinate me and often, it was difficult to restrain myself while writing devotionals. Quite often, I had to cut most of what I wrote in order to remain within the 300 or so words designated for most devotionals, so the big sprawling storylines allowed by my 90,000 word novels was no problem.

Now that I’ve finished writing KING, and after three-plus years of writing Biblical fantasy, my question to me is… Can I ever return to writing devotionals?

Hmm… Perhaps a collection of Biblical fantasy devotions is in order!

About the Author…

R. J. Larson is the author of numerous devotionals featured in publications such as Women’s Devotional Bible and Seasons of a Woman’s Heart. She lives in Colorado Springs, Colorado, with her husband and their two sons. Prophet marks her debut in the fantasy genre.

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Review: Parallel by Lauren Miller

Published: May 14^th, 2013 (HarperTeen)

Pages: 432

Rating: 4/5

Source: Library

Goodreads ~ Amazon

Abby Barnes had a plan. The Plan. She'd go to Northwestern, major in journalism, and land a job at a national newspaper, all before she turned twenty-two. But one tiny choice—taking a drama class her senior year of high school—changed all that. Now, on the eve of her eighteenth birthday, Abby is stuck on a Hollywood movie set, miles from where she wants to be, wishing she could rewind her life. The next morning, she's in a dorm room at Yale, with no memory of how she got there. Overnight, it's as if her past has been rewritten.

With the help of Caitlin, her science-savvy BFF, Abby discovers that this new reality is the result of a cosmic collision of parallel universes that has Abby living an alternate version of her life. And not only that: Abby's life changes every time her parallel self makes a new choice. Meanwhile, her parallel is living out Abby's senior year of high school and falling for someone Abby's never even met.

As she struggles to navigate her ever-shifting existence, forced to live out the consequences of a path she didn't choose, Abby must let go of the Plan and learn to focus on the present, without losing sight of who she is, the boy who might just be her soul mate, and the destiny that's finally within reach. [Description from Amazon]

I was really intrigued with the idea of this book when I first heard of it, because the concept of parallel worlds isn’t used much in YA literature. Or any type of literature, as far as I know. Of course, we Whovians are somewhat familiar with it, as the writers of Doctor Who have meddled in it occasionally. Still, I was super eager to see how it was approached in this book.

Now that I’ve read it, I have to say that it was kind of confusing. Not the parallel world aspect, necessarily, but rather the switches between Abby’s life and her parallel’s life. It all got a little muddled for me when Abby’s parallel would make a decision that would affect Abby’s life, yet because Abby’s parallel was a year behind, it changed things the next day for Abby, and so on and so forth. It was hard to keep up with, the dates and consequences of different actions and all that. In the end, it all started to make more sense, but there were definitely times when I was utterly lost in the science of it all. If it weren’t for the help of Abby’s smart-pants friend Caitlin, who always ended up explaining away the confusion (not only for Abby but for me as well!), I’m not sure what type of review I’d be writing right now.

I feel like this book does a fantastic job of showing how our actions can have long-lasting consequences. Our actions today affect our tomorrow, and that’s something Abby really had to come to terms with. Unfortunately, it doesn’t always work out all peachy for us like it did for Abby.

So I know I’ve harp on this issue way too much recently (at least it seems that way), but here I go again. High school drama. I’m sick of it. No more, please. While I didn’t like that aspect of the book, I almost feel like it was poked fun at in Parallel. I mean, a drawing for a parking space in the school parking lot? How can you *not* laugh at that? Also, because of the year-long gap between Abby and her parallel, it was almost like she was in high school and college at the same time. I enjoyed the entrance into college life (without having all the NA sexual mess and language). I wish more YA books would be college-geared while leaving out all the mature content.

One thing that kind of irked me was the way the author casually threw in some “God” stuff. It didn’t really contribute to the novel. I’m not saying it should have been left out, but the way it was used seemed contradictory and pointless. For example: Abby and Michael are at his apartment, drinking beer (illegally, for the record) and Michael starts cracking some suggestive comments. Next thing ya know, he’s taking her to some candle-lit church service. Um, what? If you’re going to include God in all this, let’s do it respectfully and whole-heartedly, shall we? Either that or not at all.

Ok, now for something I absolutely loved. Abby + Josh. Ohmigosh, guys. Cutest romance ever! It wasn’t insta-love. It wasn’t hot and romantic. It was cute, somewhat awkward, and totally realistic. I loved their relationship to pieces…and Josh was so adorable in that geeky-but-attractive way. *sigh* More, please!

Another thing I liked was Caitlin’s and Abby’s relationship. They were such close friends, and it almost torn my heart apart when they had their big fight. They had the friendship we all wish for, and it was great seeing that come to life in a YA book.

So long story short, I loved Parallel just as much as I thought I would. There were some things that confused or irritated me, but no book is perfect, right? Except maybe the one I’ll write someday (*wink*).

Quick Content Review: *may contain spoilers*

Language: None

Violence: None

Sexual: Mild (Abby seems to have some moral standards when it comes to sex, though there are some mentions/suggestions of sexual situations)

Review: The Program by Suzanne Young

Published: April 30^th, 2013 (Simon Pulse)

Pages: 408

Rating: 4/5

Goodreads ~ Amazon

In Sloane’s world, true feelings are forbidden, teen suicide is an epidemic, and the only solution is The Program.

Sloane knows better than to cry in front of anyone. With suicide now an international epidemic, one outburst could land her in The Program, the only proven course of treatment. Sloane’s parents have already lost one child; Sloane knows they’ll do anything to keep her alive. She also knows that everyone who’s been through The Program returns as a blank slate. Because their depression is gone—but so are their memories.

Under constant surveillance at home and at school, Sloane puts on a brave face and keeps her feelings buried as deep as she can. The only person Sloane can be herself with is James. He’s promised to keep them both safe and out of treatment, and Sloane knows their love is strong enough to withstand anything. But despite the promises they made to each other, it’s getting harder to hide the truth. They are both growing weaker. Depression is setting in. And The Program is coming for them. [Description from Amazon]

I was very excited about The Program when I first heard about it and couldn’t wait to read it. I’ve had little interest in reading any other books by Suzanne Young, but I can honestly say I enjoyed her writing style. I was unsure about The Program when I first started it, because it seemed very dark (which it is) but the story, the characters, and the idea of a suicide epidemic really intrigued me and before long, I was hooked.

I found this book rather different from other books of the same genre. For instance, usually hatred towards the antagonist (The Program, in this case) is developed, but in this book, it was immediate. Sloane hates The Program for what it does to hurting people. This hatred had to be reignited after she went through The Program, though, because her memories (her hates and likes) were erased. Another example of it being different is that the love interest (James) is introduced immediately rather than having a relationship develop over the span of the book. More often than not, a love relationship develops over the entire book, but this obviously wouldn’t have worked in this case. We’re given brief flashbacks of the development of James’ and Sloane’s relationship, though, throughout the book. I’m really glad the author included these, because otherwise, I’m not sure I’d have been convinced of their “mad” love for each other.

I’m a dystopian nut, and memory erasing is an idea I really love to read about. It’s a core aspect in one of my NaNoWriMo novels, and something I’d really like to play around with in future novels. So the idea of The Program really interested me.

I found it ironic that in order to rebound suicidal depression, The Program took Sloane’s memories; yet in doing so, it killed her in a completely different way. Someone who’s had their memory wiped or been through The Program (called a “returner”) has to rewrite their lives. They know nothing about themselves or who they used to be. It’s like being reborn. Some things are familiar, but anything linked to their past that might have caused the initial depression is taken from their minds. Maybe not absolutely scientifically possible, but an interesting (though morbid) idea nonetheless.





Now. For the characters. Oooooh goodness. For starters, I was a little irritated with how the parents were portrayed. I felt like all of them were portrayed as ignorant, robotic, and stupid. I mean…really? So, that’s that. My second irritation was James. Now, Sloane says over and over how she loves his cocky spirit, but honestly, it got on my nerves. The guy’s an arrogant, hormonal douche bag. He seems bi-polar when he meets Sloane again after being in The Program. One minute he’s flirting with her (in his own cocky way) and the next he’s spewing insults. And then it’s explained later on that he was just “afraid of getting hurt.” Bad excuse, buddy. Bad excuse.

Anyway, there’s my rant. I liked Sloane’s character, though she was a bit clingy and desperate when it came to James. She’s snarky, though, and I liked that about her. Realm was another one of my favorites. I liked him soooo much better than James. He seems to respect (and even love) Sloane more than James did. He was mysterious, yet he had all the answers. He wanted what was best for Sloane; he wanted to protect her. I would have loved to see Sloane and Realm end up together, but that wouldn’t have worked for the book. Besides, there’s always book 2, right? (Ya hear that, Suzanne?)

I ended up really enjoying The Program. I sped through those 400 pages pretty darn fast, so that tells you how much I liked it (slow readers FTW!). There were some character issues that irked me, as well as some rather mature content (see Quick Content Review below), which results in four stars rather than five. That said, I highly recommend The Program to mature teen readers/adults.

Quick Content Review: *may contain spoilers*

Language: Moderate (Several b-words, a few f-words, etc.)

Violence: Moderate (mention of teens committing suicide in various ways- poison, slitting wrists, drowning, etc.)

Sexual: Heavy (Characters casually sleep together; some heavy kissing).

Blog Tour: Tournament of Chance by S.G. Rogers (Review + Tens List + Giveaway)

Published: September 28^th, 2012 (Musa Publishing)

Pages: 273

Rating: 4/5

Goodreads ~ Amazon

In the Kingdom of Destiny, King Chance decreed any female be she high or low born may earn a place at court by winning an archery competition known as the Tournament of Chance. Although no commoner has ever won before, this is Heather’s year. To prevent her from winning the tournament, however, King Chance will stop at nothing. The king does not yet realize Heather of the Jagged Peaks will be the spark that ignites a revolution — in time. [Description from Goodreads]

Heather is a spitfire, backwater girl who knows how to wield a bow and arrow. She’s always dreamed of living in the ornate palace she visited as a child, and if she wins the Tournament of Chance, she can fulfill that dream. But when the tournament turns into an uproar, little does she know that she’s about to be swept into a mission much more daring and significant than her own.

I’m not really one for fantasy, so it’s all the more surprising that I liked this book. I wasn’t sure about it at first, but as the story progressed, I got more and more engrossed in it. It grew on me, you could say. I felt like the plot has many layers that continued to be pulled back and revealed, and each one delighted me more than the last. And each plot twist was completely unexpected. That’s probably one of the things that kept me hooked throughout the story. Every chapter held something new…dragons, trolls, volcanos, time travel.

I didn’t completely connect with Heather, but I loved her bravery, her stubbornness, and her independence. Her character, as well as her fiery red hair, reminded me of Merida from Brave.  Dane, in all his superiority and moodiness, was actually rather attractive as a character. He was like a medieval Mr. Darcy type, and I kind of liked that. I might even steal that kind of character someday for a novel, because it would be awfully fun to write someone like him. I found the rest of the crew funny and entertaining, especially Gumm the troll. The fairies, despite the way they were portrayed, were a favorite of mine, too.

I did have some minor qualms, though. The whole “dragon transformation” and use of magic seemed a little corny at times. Ok, maybe all the time, but I tried to not let it bother me. On the bright side, S. G. Rogers completely developed her world of Omaria, which I really appreciated. Her observance to detail and consistency made the book that much more impressive.

When it comes down to it, Tournament of Chance is a very-well done fantasy. I loved the combo of action and romance, and the plot twists kept me coming back for more. I would recommend this to older teens as well as middle-grade readers in a heartbeat. It’s a fun, adventurous tale that will keep you laughing the whole way through.

Quick Content Review: *may contain spoilers*

Language: Mild (Only a few minor words)

Violence: Mild (action violence)

Sexual: Mild (A kiss or two)

~~

Author S.G. Rogers shares her top ten favorite movies with us:

Favorite Flicks by S.G. Rogers

I adore movies. Movies that combine serious with comedic moments tend to rise to the top of my list, but sometimes very serious and ultra-silly movies do too. Here are ten of my all-time favorites:

1) The Great Escape (1963) – Irrepressible humor and indomitable spirit in the face of horrific circumstances. I hope nobody ever tries to remake this brilliant film.

2) Airplane! (1980) – An absolutely ridiculous movie riddled with sophomoric humor.  Right up my alley.

3) The Three Musketeers (1973)/The Four Musketeers (1974) – Two films, I know, but inseparable. Michael York plus swordplay sets my little heart aflutter.

4) Oklahoma! (1955) – Corny but classic, with great music.  Gordon MacRae was a hunk of man, might I add.

5) Star Trek (2009) – The bit between McCoy, Kirk, Uhura, and Captain Pike as Kirk fights his allergic reaction to an inoculation is pure filmatic genius.

6) Battlestar Galactica (2003) – This pilot for the mini-series had it all.  Twists, turns, subtext, conflict… and Jamie Bamber. 

7) White Nights (1985) – The scene in which a Russian defector (Mikhail Baryshnikov) realizes his plane is being forced to land in the U.S.S.R. always gives me goosebumps.  Awesome dance sequences, too.

8) Oliver! (1968) – Shucks, who doesn’t adore a movie about an adorable orphan who wants to be loved? Fabulous musical numbers and star performances.

9) Aliens (1986) – This film falls into the end of the serious range, but it does have some funny moments – particularly amongst the mercenaries.  If you don’t break a sweat when watching this movie, you lack sweat glands.

10) Howl’s Moving Castle (2004) – Almost every Hayao Miyazaki film is wonderful, but the fabulous and fashion-forward Wizard Howl has a particularly memorable flair. His character is flawed in a painfully self-centered way, but Howl comes around in the end. The animation is astounding in its beauty, and every time I watch this movie, I enjoy the journey.

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Timeless by Alexandra Monir

Published: January 11^th, 2011 (Delacorte Books)

Pages: 304

Rating: 4/5

Goodreads ~ Amazon

When tragedy strikes Michele Windsor’s world, she is forced to uproot her life and move across the country to New York City, to live with the wealthy, aristocratic grandparents she’s never met. In their old Fifth Avenue mansion filled with a century’s worth of family secrets, Michele discovers a diary that hurtles her back in time to the year 1910. There, in the midst of the glamorous Gilded Age, Michele meets the young man with striking blue eyes who has haunted her dreams all her life – a man she always wished was real, but never imagined could actually exist. And she finds herself falling for him, into an otherworldly, time-crossed romance.

Michele is soon leading a double life, struggling to balance her contemporary high school world with her escapes into the past. But when she stumbles upon a terrible discovery, she is propelled on a race through history to save the boy she loves – a quest that will determine the fate of both of their lives. [Description from Goodreads]

When death steals the joy from Michele’s life, the last thing she wants to do is go live with her stiff grandparents in far-off New York City. The fact that they don’t want her there doesn’t make it any better, either. But then she discovers that the grand old house holds things that can transport her back in time to visit her relatives- and a certain dashing young gent that seems to show up everywhere in her life.

That’s when things get a little more complicated.

Thanks to Doctor Who, I’m constantly intrigued with the concept of time travel. The River of Time series really delivered, and I eagerly moved on to Timeless. There were several things I liked about it, though I can’t say it beats all else I’ve read in the genre. The characters, especially Michele, were difficult to connect with. Her reactions and responses seemed suited for a girl younger than her. In addition, Timeless lacked the usual intensity and peril that fills YA books nowadays, which didn’t make me like the book any less but made it feel a bit more juvenile. Because of those two points, I’d recommend this book for younger teen or tween readers. It’s no doubt, though, that mature readers could easily enjoy it as well.

I was surprised at the accuracy and preciseness of the history aspect. When I heard the book was written by a singer/songwriter, I had my doubts about how in-depth and accurate the historical facts would be, but it’s apparent that Alexandra did some thorough investigating beforehand. I loved that Michele traveled to different time periods- sometimes it gets monotonous when the time-travelling only involves one place in history. Each visit in time showed the reader a peek of the culture and tradition during that particular time period, and I loved that as well.

Now, I know others have raved on Phillip, Michele’s love interest, but I really didn’t find him that attractive. He was…perfect. Loving, gentle, honorable, and musically talented, all wrapped up in one handsome, dark-eyed package! Sounds nice, eh? I don’t go for the perfect type, though. I liked the romance between them mainly because they couldn’t be together (since they live in different time periods). I’m eager to see how they fix that little problem in Timekeeper (#2).

One thing I didn’t particularly enjoy was the writing style. It felt like I kept being told what was happening instead of letting me, the reader, put it together myself. Also, the science of the time traveling seemed kind of ridiculous and not quite believable. It’s tricky to make time travel seems believable, but some people have pulled it off nicely. Timeless? Not so much.

So while I can’t say it’s the best that I’ve read in the time travel genre, I did enjoy the story, particularly the romance and history aspects. I feel it might be more suited for readers on the younger end of the spectrum; I know I would have loved it more if I were a little younger. Either way, all qualms aside, Timeless is definitely an enjoyable read-something I much enjoyed myself. I wouldn’t put too much expectation into it, though. A fun read, but not one to be taken too seriously or looked at with too critical of an eye.

 

Quick Content Review: *may contain spoilers*

Language: None

Violence: None

Sexual: Mild (Some kissing. Two characters contemplate sleeping together, but decide against it.)