Fantasy Buddy Reads discussion

This is a Buddy Read for A Rip Through Time by Kelley Armstrong starting on February 27, 2025.


Happy Reading!

This looks fun!

Series schedule:
1. A Rip Through Time (Feb 27)
2. The Poisoner's Ring (Mar 27) [link]
Short: Cocktails & Chloroform
3. Disturbing the Dead (Apr 27) [link]
Short: Schemes & Scandals
4. Death at a Highland Wedding (May 27) [link]
5. Author has finished writing book 5! No title or updates and of course not scheduled, but FYI.

I can't find any information of if her A Stitch in Time series is in the same universe--anyone know?

Availability?

I haven't read the Stitch in time series, but based on reviews it sounds like that one is more Gothic romance based and A Rip Through Time is more mystery focused. So likely not related, just with a lot of overlap. Armstrong does tend to recycle ideas between series.

Thank you for that information!

Started... MC sucks at hiding weird situation... I hope her employer / future partner learns the truth soon, so we can be done with the charade...

On chapter 8 so far, 15% in...

past 50% and happy with the developments... so many questions about the time travel aspects, and how many / if any will mirror the Outlander series in any way...

I just started this today. I haven't gotten very far yet. Good to know that you're happy with the developments.

Things are just smoother once my early hopes are met... (view spoiler)[ enough of the truth is out about Mallory's situation, that the focus can be on the investigation, most of the time... (hide spoiler)]

Nirkatze wrote: "This looks fun!

Series schedule:
1. A Rip Through Time (Feb 27)
2. The Poisoner's Ring (Mar 27) [link]
Short: Cocktails & Chloroform
3. [book:Distu..."

Speaking of book 5, I found/visited the author's FAQ page on her website where she mentioned that, and saw she had a "School Report FAQ" and clicked it... it's an FAQ of questions she regularly gets by kids writing school essays/etc... I thought it was cool that that was there and that some of the answers were funny...

https://www.kelleyarmstrong.com/PDFs/...

Starting this one. Hope to have an update tonight.

I liked it... altho I feel like the MC's personal mystery is half the mystery of the book...

I assume future books will be more the MC helping solve historical crimes more...

I’m only on chapter 9 but I’m loving it so far. I do love this author so I’m not surprised I like this one.

Great... my history with the author has been hit or miss, but mostly hit...

I started with Women of the Otherworld, back in the day, and that's where most of my misses happened...

Eventually gave Cainsville a try and loved it... Nadia Stafford, too, at some point in between on Hoopla, I think...

This is my 4th Armstrong series, afaik...

I am 63% in and enjoying it so far too :)

Finished and I really enjoyed it! Historicals are not my favorite but this one was solid and not boring lol (view spoiler)[It made sense Findley was the baddie with his history with Katrina and the shit she pulled that made him look bad. I didn't love the ending, nothing is resolved at all about the time travel. Is her grandmother dead? I found the early days of modern forensic science interesting too. Looking forward to the next! (hide spoiler)]

I've read up to chapter nine and I'm liking it. I like the way it shows how she keeps reaching for her phone, but of course it isn't there. That would probably be a hard thing about being sent back in time. Not having information at your fingertips. Then there are the little things like the Tylenol and the cleaning supplies. I've read a lot of historical books and I never thought about the lack of having spray bottles to clean with. It would be hard not to just automatically say modern words and phrases too.

Finished! I loved it. I’m not usually a police mystery person but I was addicted. I might start the next one early.

Diana Stormblessed wrote: "Finished! I loved it. I’m not usually a police mystery person but I was addicted. I might start the next one early."

At the end of the audiobook there is a preview for the next and I was driving when I finished and didn't think, I started listening and I got a few minutes in and was like STOP lol

Ann-Marie wrote: "Diana Stormblessed wrote: "Finished! I loved it. I’m not usually a police mystery person but I was addicted. I might start the next one early."

At the end of the audiobook there is a preview for t..."

I stopped it. I can’t do previews because I’m not gonna wanna stop and if I’m gonna start a book I’m gonna finish the whole freaking thing. 😂

Same, 99.99% of the time

I don't normally but I was driving and didn't want to swap audiobooks and it was just a few minutes and yeah, I am looking forward to the next :)

Ooh, happy to hear this. I think I'll probably eye-read, so I'll be a few days late.

Tammie wrote: "I've read up to chapter nine and I'm liking it. I like the way it shows how she keeps reaching for her phone, but of course it isn't there. That would probably be a hard thing about being sent back..."

I started yesterday and am really enjoying so far. Agreeing with Tammie--I really like all the very realistic little details--the things we don't even think of which we habitually rely on in modern times. The MC even thinks once about how blending in is going to be harder than she thought--not just lacking knowledge of events or language, but even physical actions which may be out of time. Through Chapter 10 now, (view spoiler)[And she just realized going home isn't going to be as easy as finding her spot of origin. Definitely see how the whole mystery of how this happened is a big part of the book--but I do also think the MC should be more concerned with finding out who tried to kill her... not only could they try again, but if she keeps worrying about Catriona once she vacates her body, she could be leaving her rather defenseless.

But yeah... what's up with Mallory's body back in her own time while we're at it? And poor Nan... I hope that time isn't flowing at the same rate back home...

I also really liked the opening Note, about the author's research and amateur historian details. I'm loving all the little details, so it definitely paid off! (hide spoiler)]

Oh, and also finding it interesting comparing to the other Time Travel books this month. Definitely thinking this one wins the realism prize as compared to Joseph Bridgeman.

Nirkatze wrote: "Oh, and also finding it interesting comparing to the other Time Travel books this month. Definitely thinking this one wins the realism prize as compared to Joseph Bridgeman."

I wanted to buddy read the Joseph Bridgeman series too but decided not to read it right now because I didn't want to read two time travel series at the same time. I could just see myself getting them mixed up. Are you liking that one too? I plan to read it later.

That's why I alternated "wanna be grimdark" with time travel :)

Ann-Marie wrote: "That's why I alternated "wanna be grimdark" with time travel :)"

Was definitely thinking of you at that time. ^_~

Tammie wrote: "I wanted to buddy read the Joseph Bridgeman series too but decided not to read it right now because I didn't want to read two time travel series at the same time. I could just see myself getting them mixed up. Are you liking that one too?..."

I think I'm enjoying it more than the other folks. It has a very different feel than this book so far--more looking at the rippling consequences of time travel while this seems to be focusing on the historical fiction aspects. The MC is... subtly self-centered in a way that makes him less likeable than otherwise, but which I've been finding interesting.

Through Chapter 29 and really loving this--will probably just bully through to the end. (view spoiler)[Really glad that Mallory has at least one person who knows the truth--Isla was a good candidate for belief too. I really hope we see more of her going forwards in the series.

I did really enjoy the agonizing way that everything Mallory did, on top of Catriona's past, just kept going downhill. There's more I could unpack there, but not feeling it. Like on the philosophies of forgiveness and trust, and how far to go and when to even tell...

I guess my worry about a murderer being after Catriona was somewhat misplaced. Seems like she'd earned it several times over. But I am definitely worried at what havoc she might be wreaking in Mallory's body on the other side...

At some point in the series, she's going to have to come out to Gray... but I'd also love to see Gray meet the real Mallory, maybe have a rip bring him forward...

Meanwhile, I'm having fun theorizing--if the killer came backwards with Mallory, that puts a whole new spin on Evans's torture--it must've been to find information about this time period. And another likelihood--that Evans was chosen because he recognized the killer when the killer didn't know who he was. Tortured for the information he needed to blend in. Most likely, someone at the boardinghouse. Which of the randy young men was most likely? The puncher? The porno? The unaffected reader? Or someone from Evans' newspaper crime beat? Maybe even Finlay, who has been acting strange--maybe not just around Catriona? I feel like it has to be someone who Mallory has met. Finlay seems like the best option, actually... but the'd he'd be a pretty cool character, to be right there without letting any sign show? (hide spoiler)]

Nirkatze wrote: "Through Chapter 29 and really loving this--will probably just bully through to the end..."

I'm worried about the same thing. (view spoiler)[What's Catriona doing in Mallory's body? I really want to know what is happening there.

You're theory about the killer torturing Evans for information is a good one. I didn't think of that. (hide spoiler)]

I accidentally spoiled info about Present Day... all I'll say is it's explored... I think in book 3...

Timelord Iain wrote: "I accidentally spoiled info about Present Day... all I'll say is it's explored... I think in book 3..."

You do that a lot!

I think it was in a review... not a wiki this time...

Ann-Marie wrote: "Timelord Iain wrote: "I accidentally spoiled info about Present Day... all I'll say is it's explored... I think in book 3..."

You do that a lot!"

I WANT TO KNOW... also... some series I read because I spoiled the big plot twist and want to experience it... like Kara Gillian... I stuck with that series past book 1 because I knew a demon apocalypse happoned around book 5...

Chapter 35 (view spoiler)[Yay! Seems like the Findlay theory is holding serious water. I'm surprised Mallory hasn't thought it "out loud" yet after analyzing and dismissing MacCreadie--but then, she hinted at the "link" and to say it too early in text will be spoilers. Gotta save it for the dramatic moment. (hide spoiler)]

Chapter 36 LOL (view spoiler)[
Isla's a chemist.
Mallory's a housemaid.
Together, they solve crimes.

In the squalid streets of Victorian Scotland, where murder walks the streets at night and no woman would be found alone, they have each other.

Just meta fun here.

And okay, she said Findley. Any more delay would've made her look incompetent. (hide spoiler)]

Ann-Marie wrote: "Timelord Iain wrote: "I accidentally spoiled info about Present Day... all I'll say is it's explored... I think in book 3..."

You do that a lot!"

I’ve learned not to open his spoilers until I’m done with everything 😅

Diana Stormblessed wrote: "Ann-Marie wrote: "Timelord Iain wrote: "I accidentally spoiled info about Present Day... all I'll say is it's explored... I think in book 3..."

You do that a lot!"

I’ve learned not to open his sp..."

I don't mind spoilers 99% of the time so I am fine with it, I was just teasing him :)

Timelord Iain wrote: "Ann-Marie wrote: "Timelord Iain wrote: "I accidentally spoiled info about Present Day... all I'll say is it's explored... I think in book 3..."

You do that a lot!"

I WANT TO KNOW... also... some ..."

I will go looking for spoilers if I am hate reading a book so I can decide if I want to continue or throw in the towel, an example of me throwing in the towel after doing this is Yellowface, terrible book filled with terrible characters!

Finished this yesterday and loved it! (view spoiler)[I love it when I guess the culprit just early enough that it's not too obvious! Well schemed. And I'm glad that the scene when Mallory was telling him to "look around in the crowd" was brought up again--that scene especially I was thinking of how if it was Findley he was a pretty cool cucumber there with the acting.

And I also really liked Mallory's conflicted feelings after dealing the killing blow... her killer definitely deserved it, but Findley? The end reveal, that it had actually been Evans's idea, that he had egged him on... that's heartbreaking. All that promise, thrown away... It also makes a lot of sense, that Evans was there when the killer swapped. I'd been wondering how they met up for him to kidnap Evans in the first place. And so quickly.

But "gone"? I'm hoping that means he was just... in the ether. Thinking of Catriona in Mallory's body, the more we get to know about her... yeah, that would be horrible. Especially for Nan.... But I can see it kind of making sense too... I mean, as much as anything makes sense when the author gets to make up the rules. But anyway--if this is all happening in the past, then technically... Mallory could be returned to the same moment she left in the future. And yeah, it probably won't happen until Catriona dies....

I am SO GLAD that everything is out in the open with Gray, but also SO PISSED that it seems like we're going to miss the scene when they reveal everything to MacCreadie!! Like, how rude is that!! That'd better be the opening scene of the next one. Gray being put on the spot with whether to tell MacCreadie or not though--hah! Good for him to get a bit of the other side of the equation, and see that it isn't as black and white for Mallory. (hide spoiler)]

I listened to the opening in the preview at the end of this audio and you will be disappointed I think :(

Not necessarily... previews tend to skip prologues/etc, and don't quite match the final product, in my experience... focus on a scene they think will entice you to buy, basically... setting up the main plot of the next book...

We'll see, basically, when we start it for real...

Ann-Marie wrote: "I listened to the opening in the preview at the end of this audio and you will be disappointed I think :("

GRRR!!!!
I will cross my fingers but hold a hammer with the other hand.

On a plus note, I convinced mom to give this book a try--really hoping this is another hit with her... She read the first Time Police book and really enjoyed it, as well as Frogmorton Farm--which apparently has a magical horse. She was more willing to accept time travel and the Time Police shenanigans than a magical horse though, lol. In her words "The Time Police books seem more plausible. I had to pretend that the magical horse was just a delusional psychiatric aid."

...."plausible" is not how I'd describe the Time Police, but OK.

Time Travel is real, the government is just hiding it from us, NIRKATZE... or should I say, Pepe Silvia?!?

LOL