Cassie James's Blog: Itz All About Books!! - Posts Tagged "time-travel"

Future Threat by Elizabeth Briggs

My rating: 5 of 5 stars



Thanks to Albert Whitman and Company for giving me an ARC, It doesn't change my opinion on this book in any way.


I was really excited to read Future Threat by Elizabeth Briggs because I absolutely loved the first book. Elena's story has intrigued me from the very beginning, her adventures never stopped exciting me and Future Threat was a spectacular sequel. I wondered how Future Threat could match it's predecessor but it actually surpassed it on the scale of awesomeness.
Another day another adventure. Elena, Adam and Chris are sent thirty years into the future to recover a team of travelers -which includes the son of the owner of Aether Corporation- who were out of contact.
It is quite different from the first book in many ways but no less enjoyable. Elena is one character that is easy to love and fall for, Adam is just too freaking adorable albeit his tendency to keep secrets and Chris is just Chris <3. New lovable characters are introduced. While they cannot replace the space Trent and Zoe left in my heart (They are irreplaceable), they are awesome and I really love them.
The action is Future Threat was engrossing and left me on the edge of my seat. The main characters have changed in many ways, all of them still bearing emotional scars from the events of the previous book.
Future Threat is full of twists and turns that left me scared of the fate of the protagonists each time they made a decision because there is a lot more to lose this time. This installment in the series is full of time travel, it really explores how easy it is to screw up the lives of a lot of people with a single stupid decision.
Future Threat has a perfect ending that resolved most of the mystery and all my questions and gave us a glimpse of a happy and hopeful Adalena( That's my ship name for Adam and Elena). Filled with action, adventure, mystery, murder, time travel, romance, corporate espionage and cool technology, I can definitely say Future Threat has it all and is utterly perfect.
This is a SciFi book like no other, It manages to be distinct enough to be a special masterpiece. Elizabeth Briggs has made me a huge fan of her work with this bewitching series of hers, I can't wait for the next book. I gladly recommend this book to anyone who loves fantastic SciFi filled with adventure and a touch of romance.




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The Hands of Time by Michelle Madow

My rating: 5 of 5 stars



I received an ARC of this book from the author or publisher in exchange for an honest review, this doesn't in any way influence my thoughts or opinion of this book


This series has come a long way, and I have been with it from the very amazing beginning. The Elemental series has been a favorite of mine and it was bittersweet to let it go.
It started with action as usual. Nicole made a decision that while it sucked she had to do it, I totally understand why she did. From there on, it was a wild thrilling ride of nonstop heart pounding action, adventure and intrigue.
I won't spoil it too much but a lot of events happened, old characters coming back, new interesting characters introduced, danger as usual for our protagonists, lots of portal travelling, a trip to the Underworld etc.
The Hands of Time has it's usual treats of monsters, romance, sorrow, drama and Greek gods. I absolutely loved this book and it was very nice to see how everyone ended up. Really sad and heartbreaking things happened but while I'm not entirely happy at the events themselves, I respect the way it was handled.
Michelle Madow once again proves that she is a wordsmith capable of weaving a fantastic tale of magic, adventure, romance and action. I will always love the fast pace of her writing, it always keeps me on my toes. I can't wait for her next book Collide.
The Hands of Time is a perfect ending to the bewitching Elementals series.



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Sparks of Light by Janet B. Taylor

My rating: 5 of 5 stars



Thanks to the author for providing an ARC in exchange for an honest review, This doesn't in any way influence my opinion on it.


Sparks of Light is a thrilling sequel to Into The Dime. Just as intense, active, romantic, suspenseful and magical as it's predecessor. From the synopsis, I knew I am in for a wild marvelous ride. A lot of interesting developments took place, some I saw coming and some I couldn't but still loved. The writing was superb and easy to flow with. Sparks of Light is definitely what I could have hoped for after Into The Dim. It begins with a bang or as Hope said "Decapitation" (Yeah you definitely want to read that). It's been two months since the previous book and a lot has happened, Hope becoming a little bit more badass with training, Mac adopting a cat (or as I like to call her hellcat), Hope remembering more and more things from her childhood, Dealing with the PTSD Sarah has after her ordeal in the past. I love the pace Sparks of Light has, it made reading it easier to follow. A lot of aspects about the book made a lot of sense and the combination of so many things was awesome. The dual timeline is also another part of this book that made it more lush and rich. The characters have had a lot going on for them and I loved the way it reflected in their character development. From the beginning it started with action and epic interactions among the group. I must say, One thing that makes this series work so well is the characters. They just have this amazing chemistry that makes every scene very enjoyable especially Bran and Hope, their feelings for each other are so sizzling hot and intense I could have sworn I felt the heat. Hope is really quite more mature and grounded in this book (Not that I didn't absolutely adore her in Into The Dim) and that development is the character was a huge plus. During a Scottish festival, Bran surprises everyone with a surprise visit along with new information about his psychotic mother. This leads the group to travel back in time to 1895 to try spoiling Celia's machinations, I really love the time traveling aspects of this series. It just so good, Janet B. Taylor definitely knows her stuff. The 1890's is not fun at all, seriously. Despite the beautiful splendor of 'society', It's full of racists, sexists, bigots and homophobes. But it does have some good parts, It was entertaining seeing the reaction of the characters to the atmosphere of things. Fun stuff happened during their stint to the past, an ambush , banishment to an insane asylum (You get to meet some really intriguing people) and many more interesting events. Sparks of Light is definitely a great follow up to Into The Dim, I am glad I got to read this. Hope and Bran's story is one captivating tale every reader needs to know. After that explosive ending, I certainly can't wait for the next book in this series. Janet B. Taylor has weaved a majestic masterpiece full of action, fun, romance, time travel, suspense and splendid characters.

P.S: BEWARE!! You're not going to be able to put this book down, It is unputdownable. That's just how good it is.



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The Last Magician by Lisa Maxwell

My rating: 5 of 5 stars



Thanks to the publisher for providing an ARC in exchange for an honest review, This doesn't in any way influence my opinion on it.


The Last Magician is the second book from Lisa Maxwell I've read and she has once again outdone herself. From the very beginning, I could tell this was gonna be a great read. Her writing style just keeps getting better and better and that definitely paid off. This is definitely a formidable YA Fantasy duology. From the amazing characters to the action, the magic, the worldbuilding, the descriptions, and just about everything else in The Last Magician is tremendously well portrayed.
Esta is an amazing character who is a talented thief and a Mageus(People who can use magic) who can also manipulate time. She is complicated, intriguing and quite interesting, This makes her a character that is very captivating to read about.
Harte and Dolph, the other main characters is another factor that I love about this book. Harte and Esta have a hot and intense chemistry, I love the scenes between them. I can feel the intrigue. Esta's trials in maneuvering the past and try to keep everything together while working towards her goals is one thing I find very interesting.
The dual timelines made it have an interesting conclusion. This book is extremely addicting, the mysteries and puzzles is enough to keep you up at night until you've read the whole book and figured everything out. The many POV's made it an even more interesting and encompassing read. I am glad it's kind of long because it gave me the chance to fully savor the world. The Last Magician has so many deliciously wicked twists and turns that left me gasping in shock. Lisa Maxwell certainly knows how to build tension up and flawlessly deliver.
The parts leading up to the ending were beautifully written and smartly crafted and the ending itself is an explosive event full of revelations I certainly never saw coming. This has got to be one of the most well written books I have read and words aren't enough to explain just how good it is and how much you NEED to get it. But I can 100% assure this book is unlike any you've ever read. I can't wait for the captivating conclusion to this epic series.
Full of action, magic, romance, mystery, tension, time travel and badass characters, The Last Magician is one book every YA reader must have.

P.S: You will not put this down,I mean it.



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Draekora by Lynette Noni

My rating: 5 of 5 stars





I have loved the Medoran Chronicles ever since I read Arkanae. The whole series is a thrilling ride if fun, It was with great excitement I began Draekora. It was everything I expected and more. Draekora is undoubtedly the best book in the series so far, Every single aspect about it is just perfect. It began with action, Alex and the gang trying to prove whether Jordan's brother was alive or not. The storyline then gravitated to what is the most portion of the book, Meya. Alex goes to Meya to train under the tutelage of Roka, Zain and Kyia.
Her adventures in Meya(both past and present) is one of the most compelling storylines this series has had not only because it has to do with badass training, time travel, bonding with a Draekon(Dragon), and other treats but because it reveals the origin of some characters and answers to many questions I've had so far.
Alex is one of my favourite book characters and she once again pleased me in Draekora, Her tale just keeps getting better and better. There are so many little plots that made Draekora good. The beginning was engaging enough for it to be a great start to the story and it carefully inched towards Alex's travel to the past where the majority of the action took place. Seeing Aven with new eyes was very enlightening and it gave new depths to a villain that was already intriguing enough. I like a well fleshed villain and this series definitely delivers, We get to see what his original motives were and the catalyst that catapulted him into his road of doom. Though it does suck that he used to be such a great person, Draekora definitely humanizes (pardon my pun) him in a way we haven't seen before. Meeting Roka, Kyia and Zain before they are the people they are in the future was awesome. There's this youthful vibrance to their demeanor that's obvious in their camaraderie, It was really fun seeing them relate to Alex as peers though I still loved their more grounded character in the future.
Niyx is a fabulous surprise I didn't see coming. If I was told a new character will be introduced that I will fall head over heels for, I would have never believed. At first I was hesitant to like him but just like Alex I eventually fell for his charm and it was nice that he wasn't exactly who he was portrayed to be. The absence of Alex's main gang was certainly felt but I didn't mind too much because we got relationships and friendship's equally awesome and epic.
Character wise, Alex made a lot of achievements and improvements in her sojourn through time. She's not only stronger, badass, smarter, faster and wiser, She's more committed. Not that she wasn't committed to the cause before but her time in the past revealed a lot of things that makes defeating Aven a pivotal endgame that HAS to be achieved. I'm really loving who she's being and can't wait to see more of her in the further books.
The most delicious part of this book surprisingly came from the Draekon or as we call them Dragons. The specie was totally unexpected but a really welcome addition to the series and their floating islands Draekora is just simply amazing and beautiful. Alex bonding with the Heir of the Draekon is just brilliant storytelling, it lead to a lot of interesting developments. I certainly can't wait to know what befell the Draekon further into the series.
The book might be mostly in the past but is no less a phenomenal installment in the series.
With that crazy action filled ending, it's clear that big things are coming and a major war is looming. With the signs that Graevale (Book 4) is getting back to common ground (Alex at Arkanae) while still having more than a few surprises, I can't help but eagerly await more books in this five star series. Lynette Noni's books are definitely a must get for everyone.

P.S: That cover is so beautiful it makes me want to take a long extended vacation in Draekora.




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No Good Deed by Kara Connolly

My rating: 5 of 5 stars



Thanks to the publisher for providing an ARC in exchange for an honest review. This doesn't in any way influence my opinion on it.



No Good Deed by Kara Connolly is definitely one of the best debuts I've read in 2017. Gripping and thrilling right from the beginning, it never disappointed till the end.
Eleanor Hudson, an Olympic Archery aspirant (who is way too good with a bow) gets sent back 800 years into the past through a series of unfortunate events. Stuck in a time and place that isn't hers, Ellie is forced to maneuver her own way through a world which she knows little about. A terrible misunderstanding brings her through the path of the fierce protector/Knight Sir James who takes her under his wing and keeps her away from the villainous and dramatic Sheriff of Nottingham and his fascinating Captain Henry Guilbert. But Ellie soon realises that to survive, She has to take matters into her own hands. Through a series of misunderstanding, she is mistaken for a boy and decides to take on the moniker of Robin of the Hood (Robin Hood) and protect those she can from the Sheriff.
Ellie is such a fascinating character every thing about her is intriguing. Her thinking, the way her mind works, her brilliance, her ability and her willingness to put herself in harms way to protect people, everything made her such a unique and fleshed out character. I also like the fact that the book doesn't also totally ignore the fact that she's stuck in a time that isn't hers. The other characters make the book even note good, James is such a delight to read about. From when he's being protective, flustered, badass and even annoyed, He's always keeping me entertained. Much is such a useful character, without him their story wouldn't be awesome the way it is. The band of Merry men, Will, Little John and even Alan-A-Dale were very welcome additions to the storyline. Henry Guilbert is another character I really liked, From the beginning I knew there was more to him than his initial introduction and I'm glad I was right. The Sheriff of Nottingham makes a good villain that's easy to hate but i loved that twist before the end because I didn't see it coming and it elevated the story in a way that the Sheriff couldn't. There is a lot of humor in it that just had me laughing out loud at many points, mysteries too that kept the tension going. I really loved that ending because it tied up the story in a very nice final way.
No Good Deed is a thrilling adventure of great writing, impressive characters, crazy cool action, some romance, time travel and a little bit of magic. Kara Connolly has written an impressive book that every reader would find an absolute delight.

P.S: That cover is so beautiful!!



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Future Lost by Elizabeth Briggs

My rating: 5 of 5 stars



Thanks to the publisher for providing an ARC in exchange for an honest review, This doesn't in any way influence my opinion on it.


Future Lost is the last book in this thrilling and exciting series. It's really amazing reading Future Lost as it's so clear that they are not the same they used to be from the beginning. Their experiences have changed them fundamentally and the journey it took them to get to the point they are was a long and hard one.
They've all been trying to move one with their lives and focus on making their future the best version it could be, going to school, taking care of family, working on cures and being there for each other. But Elena unfortunately gets roped back in when Adam is once more entangled with Aether. He persuades them to send him to the future so he can figure out how to make his genicote safe, Elena finds out after he's gone and doesn't return at the right time. She angrily stormed Aether and made Vincent Sharp send her after Adam to get him back.
But the future is worse than any version they could every imagine, Because it's literally become a post apocalyptic dystopia riddled with zombies (or as they call them, Infected), deserted cities and Militias. Everything has changed and Elena is going to have to fight now more than ever to save Adam and the world from this horrible future.
Future Lost is as exhilarating and fast paced as ever ass Elena and Adam breezed through different timeliness trying to stop a devastating future. Elizabeth Briggs knows how to make the thrill intense, the twists and turns during their journeys kept me on the edge of my seat. Time Travel has always been a big aspect of this series and I'm glad to see it hasn't lost that.
Elena and Adam's relationship is strained in Future Lost but that's life, no relationship is perfect and without hurdles. The process of them finding their way back to each other and repairing their connection was so worth all the pain and angst, I believe it will make their love all the more powerful as it has withstood so much.
The revelations, twists and turns before the ending of Future Lost were so much and hit so hard it made me dizzy, the author certainly knows how to turn up the dial. Surprising developments, unexpected villains, vivid and lush descriptions and return of some interesting characters made the road to the end so amazing.
The ending itself left me speechless and amazed as it was not only ingenious but a perfect way to end the cycle, It was not what I expected yet everything. Lovers of the series are going to be very satisfied by the end.
With it's usual thrilling fast pace, dizzying action, crazy twists and turns, top notch writing, time travel, romance, adventure, SciFie tidbits and a breathtaking coved, Future Lost is a must read for everyone.



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Olympian Challenger by Astrid Arditi

My rating: 5 of 5 stars



I received an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review and this doesn't in any way influence my opinion on it.



Olympian Challenger by Astrid Arditi is a pleasant surprise, I hardly read YA Greek mythology but the few I've read have been amazing including this one.
Hope Diaz is a teenage girl that has had to be the caretaker of her mother who has dementia. Hope had to mature quickly and take charge of her life.
It all changes for her when she and some other kids her age and magically transported to Mount Olympus and told they're very distant descendants of the Greek Gods.
Not only that, they have to enter a competition that can have only one champion who will be the champion of the Gods and be granted one wish.
Hope at first rebels and tries to find her way back home to get to her ailing mother, but when she finds out about the time dilation and the fact that she can save her mother, she decides to stay and try her best.
From the large pool of competitors, 24 are chosen for sponsorship by the major gods who will compete at the final 10 trials. Hope makes friends, enemies, finds out things about the gods that reveal their sinister core.
Part of what makes this book amazing is the pace and the action, the words flow so easily and it's nice to devour. The mesmerizing details of the action, trials, magic and squabbles between the gods themselves entertain to no end.
Hope makes for an amazing heroine as she's selfless, loving, brave and quite magical.
Sometime in the book, powers originating from the divine ancestors are bestowed on the competitors and I certainly loved how that plays into the story.
It's a story of friendship and love as much as it is bravery and strength.
Hope grows closer to a lower god Keiron a son of Hades despite his father's consternation and disapproval. Theirs is a connection fraught with misunderstandings and doubts but the draw and pull is undeniable and it's great to watch them find their way to each other and realise they're stronger together than apart.
Hope's two best friends Amy and Gabriel are also great characters with interesting storylines.
The moments before the ending are thrilling and exhilarating as they ended what has been a phenomenal story in a way that's both satisfying and will still leave readers wanting for more.
Astrid Arditi is a talented author with lush and rich writing that has forged a book that is not to be missed, lovers of YA have to read this book.
I wholeheartedly recommend it, you will not regret it.



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Stolen Time by Danielle Rollins

My rating: 5 of 5 stars



I received an ARC of this book and it doesn't influence my thoughts on it.




Stolen Time has a very interesting premise. I was captivated when I saw it and this book absolutely delivered. Time Travel has always been one of my favourite genres.
Stolen Time begins in 1913, Dorothy is about to get married to a man she does not love. Dorothy and her mother Loretta are so to speak, Scammers. They lie, scheme and steal from people. On the behest of her mother, Dorothy is being married off to a rich bachelor. Desperate to be free from this life and escape her gloomy future, Dorothy flees on her wedding day with nothing but her wedding dress and a heartfelt locket in her neck.
Ash is a time traveler. Well not always, he used to be a soldier during World War II but he was recruited by Professor Zacharias Walker who came from the future with plans to make the world a better place with the help of Ash and some other individuals. Ash reluctantly agreed and everything was going swimmingly well until the Professor leaves one day on his personal time machine and never comes back.
Ash, Zora (the professor's daughter/team mechanic), Chandra (the team Medic) and Willis (their guardian) search high and low for the Professor with Ash being to one to sojourn through time with their sole remaining time machine The Second Star.
On one such occasion Ash mistakenly lands in 1913 in a clearing outside where Dorothy is to be wed.
The fleeing bride sees him and seeing a golden ticket out, wheedles her way onto the time machine despite Ash vehemently disagreeing. Although it's totally crazy and reckless, going with Ash had a sense of rightness that propelled Dorothy into her destiny.
Ash unaware of his stowaway, lands in their homebase in October 2077, New Seattle.
The future is a grim place for most of the world is in ruins, earthquakes, tsunamis and floods have reigned true.
The time machines the Chronology Protection Agency (The name the team is given) uses are powered through EM. Exotic Matter, is a substance from the outer rim of the black hole MWG2055, the first black hole discovered in our galaxy. It has properties that protect normal matter (humans, ship and all) from the anil. The Puget Sound anil is a massive Wormhole that was discovered to be able to be used to travel backwards in time.
Travelling through the anil gives out visions of things that have happened in a person's life and things that are yet to happen. One such vision plagues Ash, his murder in the stabby hands of a white haired lady. This prevents him from ever forming a connection with any girl outside that of their team.
Their team was handselected by the Professor and his wife as capable people on their various fields whose disappearance will not alter the course of time. From different times and different cultures, this ragtag group forms a powerful bond.
After inadvertently bringing Dorothy to the future, Ash has no choice but to integrate her with his group. Dorothy who grew up learning to trust no one and depend on only herself finds that she yearns to in this group.
Altercations with gangs, deadly hurdles through time ensues and Dorothy strives to prove herself while fighting her attraction towards the snarky Ash.
They will have to race through time with time being the enemy itself.
They will change things or die trying.
I love the many twists and turns in this book, some I saw coming, some I did not.
I commend Danielle Rollins for the way it is smoothly written, the pace is so perfect is easy to read
The SciFi aspect are marvelously explained and gives a through view and feel of the world. The action, slow burn romance, and shenanigans are top notch.
The ending wasn't really surprising and I called it like a million chapters back but it was epic nonetheless.
I happily recommend Stolen Time, SciFi fans will not be disappointed. I can't wait to see what's next for these characters.



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Touching Time: The Kairos Files by K.S. Hall

My rating: 5 of 5 stars



I received an ARC of this book from the author and this doesn't influence my opinion on it.



I expected Touching Time to be good and omg it's so freaking amazing. Time Travel is a favorite genre of mine, no matter how it's executed, through magic or science, I always love it.
I am glad this book joins my list of favorites. The terminology, writing, descriptions and world building is so top notch.
Touching Time is about Grace who is a Kairos -which means Time Traveler-. She's had experiences but never really understood what it was until a fateful encounter crosses her path with Dante another Kairos who introduces her to their enchanting world.
Their world is complicated as it is beautiful, the Kairos are at war with a differing society of Kairos called the Vagaries. They're basically the bad guys, they're involved in nasty business and used their powers for nefarious purposes. The Kairos duty is to stop them and correct time.
Travelling is not too complicated, they're born with it and it's like vanishing, concentrating and then reappearing in a particular period.
Touching Time excites with amazing and adventurous jaunts through time, plus the mystery of the Vagaries makes a very compelling read.
Grace's eventful life gets even more exciting when an impromptu jump through time leads her to a magical dagger that just might change everything.
There's so much to love about this book Grace's relationship with Dante which is hot! Dante is like so amazing, I LOVE him, Grace's ability to always stumble into trouble at unfortunate times, her familial ties to this new mysterious world.
Grace's journey is buoyed by the supporting and great members of the Kairos, Jacob, Scarlet, Liam, Bruce, Matthew etc and her ever steadfast best friend Jillian. K.S. Hall has woven an enchanting world.
Touching Time ends on an amazing cliffhanger that has me excited for what's coming because it looks like it's gonna be mind blowing. I happily recommend Touching Time to YA Paranormal fans, it's a nice addition to the Genre.



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