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Showing posts with label Time Travel. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Time Travel. Show all posts

Monday, June 12, 2023

In This Moment by Gabrielle Meyer (Review)

In This Moment by Gabrielle Meyer

Having read a lot of time travel novels, I found this one to be quite original. A new favorite series!


Book Details:

Title: In This Moment (Book 2 Timeless Series) by Gabrielle Meyer
Category: Adult Fiction, 400 pages
Genre: Historical Romance, Historical Fiction
Publisher: Bethany House Publishers
Release date: May 2, 2023
Content rating: G

Book Description:

Maggie inherited a gift from her time-crossing parents that allows her to live three separate lives in 1861, 1941, and 2001. Each night, she goes to sleep in one time period and wakes up in another. Until she turns twenty-one, when she will have to forfeit two of those lives--and everyone she knows in them--forever.

In 1861, Maggie is the daughter of a senator at the outbreak of the Civil War, navigating a capital full of Southern spies and wounded soldiers. In 1941, she is a navy nurse, grappling with her knowledge of the future when she joins a hospital ship going to Pearl Harbor. And in 2001, she's a brilliant young medical student, fulfilling her dream of becoming a surgeon.

While Maggie has sworn off romance until she makes her final choice, an intriguing man tugs at her heart in each era, only complicating the impossible decision she must make, which looms ever closer. With so much on the line, how can Maggie choose just one life to keep and the rest to lose?


My Review:
Reviewed by Laura Fabiani

As soon as I saw this book, I wanted to read it. Time travel with a twist? I'm in. So I promptly bought the first book When The Day Comes, and I loved it! And you know what, I loved this second book in the series even more. If there is a third book, based on the ending of this one, I know it's going to be even better, because, with each new book, the author adds a new element to the time travel plot. In case you're wondering, each book is a stand-alone novel with no cliffhanger endings. 

Having read a lot of time travel novels, I found this one to be quite original. The main character Maggie simultaneously lives three different lives in three different time periods. She falls asleep in one time period and wakes up in another, but only until she turns 21 at which time she will choose which time period to continue her life for the rest of her days. This adds an element of suspense to the story because we become so invested in all three of her lives that we wonder how she will choose when she has so much to lose in her other lives! I loved this fantastical element of the story.

I must applaud the author for skillfully writing about Maggie's life in each time period with all the challenges Maggie faced. What impressed me was how in each time period, Maggie is authentically herself, yet also a woman of that particular era, understanding the societal expectations and what is to come because of her foreknowledge of the future, yet not being able to change history. There aren't many books that surprise me in the historical fiction genre but in both books, I was surprised at the strong emotions I felt and at the twist in the endings. So well done.

If you like time travel, time-slip, and time-crossing novels, with strong characterization, unpredictable plots, and good historical settings, this one adds novelty to this popular genre. Highly recommended for a fun satisfying read.

Disclosure: Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for sending me this book for review. I was not compensated in any other way, nor told how to rate or review this product.




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About the author:


Gabrielle lives on the banks of the Upper Mississippi River with her husband and four children. As an employee of the Minnesota Historical Society, she fell in love with the rich history of her state and enjoys writing historical and contemporary novels inspired by real people, places, and events. The river is a constant source of inspiration for Gabrielle, and if you look closely, you will find a river in each of her stories.

When Gabrielle is not writing, you might find her homeschooling her children, cheering them on at sporting and theatrical events, or hosting a gathering at her home with family and friends.

Connect with the author: https://gabriellemeyer.com/


Monday, December 28, 2020

Swept Away: A Time Travel Romance by Kamery Solomon (Audiobook Review)


Swept Away is a time travel adventure romance centered around treasure hunting, pirates and secret societies.

Audiobook Details:

Written by: Kamery Solomon
Narrated by: Rhiannon Angell
Series: Swept Away Saga, Book 1
Length: 11 hrs and 23 mins
Unabridged Audiobook
Release date: 2018-06-18
Publisher: Kamery Solomon
Content Rating: PG-13 for violence, some mild sexual scenes (not explicit)

Book Description: 

Dead men tell no tales...

For more than 200 years, the Treasure Pit on Oak Isle has baffled treasure hunters, engineers, and the common man alike. When Samantha Greene arrives, she finds her estranged father has spent years funneling energy and finances into the endeavor, finding nothing.

When an accidental death occurs in the pit, fulfilling the prophecy that seven lives must end before the treasure can be found, the search kicks into high gear, with more than one party vying for the secrets that lie below. Finding herself the closest to the treasure anyone has ever been, Samantha throws herself into the work, landing among the coveted prize. Just as she's about to discover what's truly hidden beneath the island, the pit begins to flood with ocean water, sweeping her away despite her attempts to swim to the surface.

Upon awaking, Samantha discovers that, not only did she not drown, but the year is 1695—one hundred years before the Treasure Pit was even discovered. Carried off by the pirate Tristan O'Rourke, a rouge Irishman with more than his share of secrets, she soon finds that there is much more than she realized in play. Will she discover the secrets of Oak Isle, or will an unexpected love keep her from finding out the truth? Will she ever make it back to her own time? Perhaps the real question is this; will she want to? 

My Review:
Reviewed by Laura Fabiani

Swept Away is a time travel adventure romance centered around treasure hunting, pirates and secret societies. The beginning is a little slow as we get to know Samantha and we experience the loss of her parents with her. That was a bit heavy for a time travel romance. Once she travels back to the medieval ages and meets Tristan, the adventure truly begins. I wasn't crazy about the Greek gods part of the story, the occult scene unnecessary, but I thought the book was fun and a quick read. I listened to the audiobook and I thought that Rhiannon Angell does a good job but not always great with the accents. 

Although this is the first book in the Swept Away saga, the ending is satisfying and can be considered a stand alone. In other words, no cliffhanger ending. And it was pretty clean, without bad language or explicit sex scenes.

I enjoyed this novel and thought it was a good book to escape into, but I won't be continuing the series. There are so far 6 books in the series.

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About the Author:


#1 Bestselling Genre Author, Kamery Solomon, has been delighting readers with her God Chronicles series, featuring modern day adaptions of Zeus, nominated for Book of the Year and Cover of the Year, Poseidon, Hades, Adrastia, & Exoria. Kamery has also wooed her readers with her #1 bestselling fantasy novella, Forever, and her contemporary favorites, Taking Chances and Watching Over Me. Her most recent blockbuster series and #1 bestseller in Time Travel Romance, The Swept Away Saga, has had readers captivated on the high seas of romance and adventure! Kamery lives with her beautiful family in the White Mountains of Arizona and can often be found singing something from a Broadway musical with her siblings.



Tuesday, June 2, 2020

Daughter of Time by Sarah Woodbury (Review)


Daughter of Time by Sarah Woodbury

I was in the mood for a good time travel story so I dug this one out of my book stash on Kindle.


Book Details:

Book Title: Daughter of Time by Sarah Woodbury (Book #1)
Category: Adult Fiction,  335 pages
Genre: Historical Fiction / Time Travel
Publisher: The Morgan-Stanwood Publishing Group
Release date: March 19, 2011
Content Rating: PG + M (There's some kissing, marital abuse, and some violence from battle scenes)

Book Description:

Time travel to medieval Wales ... A medieval man with an uncertain destiny, Llywelyn, the Prince of Wales, faces treachery and deceit at the hands of friends and foes alike ...

A modern woman with a troubled past, Meg's life is in tatters when she slips through time and into medieval Wales ...

Only by working together can Meg and Llywelyn navigate the shifting allegiances that threaten the very existence of Wales--and create their own history that defies the laws of time.

My Review:
Reviewed by Laura Fabiani

I've had this book on my Kindle and have wanted to read it for quite a while. So when I was in the mood for time travel and pure escapism, I decided to read it. Although its original book cover paints this book as a romance, and yes, there is romance, it's truly more the story of the imagined life of Llywelyn, the last Prince of Wales. So this new book cover is better suited to the story.

I enjoyed Daughter of Time very much, especially Meg and her toddler Anna's journey through time. Actually, little Anna was one of my favorite characters. She and Meg end up traveling to the 13th century and get found by Llywelyn. Yes, Meg and Llywelyn fall in love but a lot of the romance is off-screen so this makes it different from most time travel romances out there. 

The medieval politics, as expected, was filled with treachery, land wars, and a battle-scarred hero. Sometimes, it was a little hard to follow. But lovers of medieval historical fiction will enjoy learning about Welsh history. The ending was unexpected, not a cliffhanger, but certainly, an exciting segway to the next book in the series.

For fans of time travel and chivalrous medieval tales, Daughter of Time is a great start to a fun series set during a pivotal period in English history.


Disclosure: I bought this on Amazon. I was not told how to rate or review this product.


About the Author:



With over a million books sold to date, Sarah Woodbury is the author of more than forty novels, all set in medieval Wales. Although an anthropologist by training, and then a full-time homeschooling mom for twenty years, she began writing fiction when the stories in her head overflowed and demanded that she let them out. While her ancestry is Welsh, she only visited Wales for the first time at university. She has been in love with the country, language, and people ever since. She even convinced her husband to give all four of their children Welsh names.


Sarah is a member of the Historical Novelists Fiction Cooperative (HFAC), the Historical Novel Society (HNS), and Novelists, Inc. (NINC).


She makes her home in Oregon. Visit her at https://www.sarahwoodbury.com/.

Tuesday, December 17, 2019

Blue Girl on a Night Dream Sea by Ginny Fite (Review and Giveaway!)


This is the second book I read from this author and once more, I enjoyed Ginny Fite's writing. Unlike the other book, this one has elements of fantasy.

Book Details:

Book Title: Blue Girl on a Night Dream Sea by Ginny Fite
Category: Adult Fiction, 274 pages
Genre: Suspense/Paranormal/Time Travel
Publisher: Black Opal Books
Release date: September, 2019
Tour dates: Dec 2 to Dec 20, 2019
Content Rating: PG-13 + M (There are no explicit sex scenes but an implied threat of rape; there is some rough language)


Book Description:

Sometimes the last person you save is yourself. Elena must take her city back from terrorists. Hana must save her tribe from the wrath of a ruthless king. They’re stronger together. The problem is they’re 4,000 years and 6,000 miles apart. Wounded during a terrorist attack, NYC police commando Elena Labat wakes from her coma aboard a Phoenician boat on the Mediterranean Sea to find a young girl lashed to the mast. The girl is Hana, who has trekked across Bronze Age Lebanon with Danel to prevent a king from destroying her tribe. Elena knows she must save Hana. And Hana must escape the barbarians who abducted her before she can find Danel and go home. Slipping in and out of unconsciousness, Elena teaches Hana everything she can, protecting her from barbarians, a priestess, and a king. But Elena’s family needs her, and she can’t stay in the past. Hana will have to succeed on her own.

My Review:
Reviewed by Laura Fabiani

Last year I read Ginny Fite's well-written political thriller No End of Bad. I was excited about this new novel of hers that was described as a thriller with time travel elements. I love time travel and I thoroughly enjoyed this novel. Although, I think I should clarify that this book could be better describes as timeslip, rather than time travel, and it has a dual timeline setting of modern New York City and ancient Lebanon (Mesopotamia). It was actually two stories that don't really converge although there is a connection.

I was so impressed at how Fite can write so well the modern thriller with the police procedurals as commando Elena Labat works with her team to stop the terrorists who have invaded the city; and then alternate to the ancient world of Hana who must bravely leave her tribe and venture into the unknown, until she finally comes into the city of Sidon with its exotic marketplace, goddess temple and cruel king. These two settings alternated with each chapter, and throughout my reading I wondered what the connection was.

I enjoyed both stories but because I love historical fiction, I did like Hana's story and its characters better. The time slip part is short and occupies a small part of the story. A reader can see this part of the story as fantasy or as part of Elena's subconscious effort to deal with the devastating effects of the terrorist attacks and her way of healing herself.

Whatever the case, I enjoyed Blue Girl on a Night Dream Sea, and I look forward to reading more from Ginny Fite.


To read more reviews, please visit Ginny Fite's page on iRead Book Tours.




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About the Author:


Ginny Fite is an award-winning journalist who has covered crime, politics, government, healthcare, art and all things human. She has been a spokesperson for a governor and a member of Congress, a few colleges and universities, and a robotics R&D company. She has degrees from Rutgers University and Johns Hopkins University and studied at the School for Women Healers and the Maryland Poetry Therapy Institute. Her three murder mysteries, Cromwell’s Folly, No Good Deed Left Undone, and Lying, Cheating, and Occasionally Murder, are set in the rolling hills of Jefferson County, West Virginia. No End of Bad, a thriller, was released in June 2018. She resides in Harpers Ferry, WV.

Connect with the Author: website * facebook * twitter



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Ends Dec 27, 2019




Friday, December 6, 2019

The Me in Memory by Aspen Bassett (Review)



This is the sequel to A Penny Lost, which I read last year and loved. Check out my thoughts on this second installment of the Penny Lost trilogy!

Book Details:

Book Title: The Me in Memory by Aspen Bassett (Book #2)
Category: YA Fiction, 263 pages
Genre: Urban Fantasy
Publisher: World Castle Publishing
Release date: Nov. 4 2019
Content Rating: G (There's some kissing and some mild violence)

Book Description:

It’s been one month since Penny Grace traveled through time with Stranger, the hottie from next door. One month since she changed the course of the future, developed mysterious control over a dark force, and somehow got erased from time... Now, not even her own sister remembers her.

Penny feels the daily sting of not belonging in her own home, so when Stranger asks for help in preventing his brother Jack's death, she jumps at the opportunity.

But their simple rescue mission soon turns impossible when a darkness named The Shadow offers Penny an impossible choice: win her family back by taking down The Void and restoring the natural timeline, or save Jack and ensure the world’s collapse.

Not one to trust a threat, Penny decides to find The Void herself and demand help. Only now The Void is masquerading as a human with no intentions of risking his freedom to save a dead man. Secrets pile up between Penny and her Stranger as she struggles against an inevitable sacrifice.

If Jack lives, Penny dies. If Jack dies, Penny loses everything.


My Review:
Reviewed by Laura Fabiani

After reading the first book A Penny Lost, which I loved and which had a cliffhanger ending, I was anxious to get my hands on this second book. I think if you haven't read the first book, a reader could be lost as there is not much back story included, therefore it's best to read the first book which sets the stage for everything. And yes, this book also has an open ending with questions still unanswered. So I'm assuming (and I hope!) there's a third book on the way.

In the first book, Penny and Stranger were sucked by a black void and transported back in time. Stranger had no memories at the time. But now they have been back for a month. Stranger has his memories back but Penny has been erased from history, hence her family does not know she even exists. They want to go back in time to fix this and to save Jack, Stranger's brother. On a side note, I wish Stranger would have told Penny his name rather than try to have her guess. He was fine as Stranger when he didn't know his own name but once he did, I just thought it was weird to keep calling him Stranger.

Penny can see auras in the form of colours. This makes her quite unique. As in the first book, I found this made the story different and fascinating. In The Me in Memory, we now learn more about the Void and the Shadow. I must admit, the whole plotline that revolved around these entities was hard to follow. It didn't always make sense to me. However, as I progressed further into the book, I could see where the author was going with it. The friendship between Penny and Stranger deepened. The historical aspects of the time travel were interesting. I thought Penny's sister Dinah was annoying and I wasn't always sure who's side she was on. Perhaps this was done intentionally to build up the suspense. She did grow on me by the end of the book.

Overall, this was a good sequel, even though it didn't grip me as much as the first book did. Sometimes this happens with the middle book in a trilogy. Penny seemed a little too superhuman in her emotions. She brushed off very hard situations too easily. I didn't feel her losses as deeply as I felt Stranger's.  

This was entertaining and fun to read. I recommend this series for lovers of time travel fantasy novels. And I look forward to seeing how this story continues and ends. What will Penny have to do to make things right? Will her life ever be the one she most desires? Can't wait for book 3!


Buy the Book:



Meet the Author:


Aspen Bassett works at a library, telling stories and suggesting books. When she's not working, she's usually sipping hot cocoa and wondering what would happen if she had superpowers. She's been published in multiple anthologies including Oomph: A Little Super Goes a Long Way and Inaccurate Realities.

Aspen grew up learning about chakras and auras and the true power of imagination which slips into her writing whether she intends it to or not. In college, when she wasn't busy working on her degree in Creative Writing, Aspen also got her certificate in Women's Meditation (basically general energy work). Now, she's working toward a diploma in Integrated Healing Arts with a certificate in Hypnotherapy.

Connect with the Author: Website ~ Twitter ~ Facebook ~ Instagram


Friday, October 4, 2019

Springback (Ring of Time: Book 1) by Jana Miller (Review and Giveaway!)





I have always been attracted to books about time travel, so when I came across Springback about a teen who had the ability to rewind time, I knew I wanted to read it.


Book Details:

Title: Springback (Ring of Time: Book 1) by Jana Miller
Category: YA Fiction, 323 pages
Genre: Speculative fiction
Release Date: July 5th, 2019
Publisher: Independently published
Content rating: G


Book Description:

Ever since discovering her ability to rewind time seven years ago, Chloe has been reaching—reaching for a worthy use of her ability, reaching for redemption from her past, and reaching for the kind of validation she’ll never find as long as she has to keep this secret.

By the time she’s sixteen, Chloe has decided that rewinding is not a gift at all, but punishment for her part in the tragedy that has shaped her life. And when she discovers that Jake, a careless senior in one of her classes, possesses the same ability, she has no idea what to do about it or whether she can even trust him. But then other rewinders reveal themselves, and Chloe finds that there’s much more to her own story than she’s ever imagined.

Secrets of the past combine with rivalries of the present to set off a series of painful events and impossible discoveries, and soon Jake and Chloe find themselves in a race to piece together a puzzle of ancient relics, family feuds, and strands of time as they seek to defuse the threat not only to their powers but to her family and the fabric of time itself.


My Review:
Reviewed by Laura Fabiani

I have always been attracted to books about time travel, so when I came across Springback about a teen who had the ability to rewind time, I knew I wanted to read it. Springback was fun and the concept of rewinding time was truly cool.

Chloe discovers her ability to rewind time but keeps it a secret. Something traumatic happened to her as a child and she wants to go back in time to rectify it, but no matter how much she tries she cannot rewind that far back. Then she discovers others who can rewind too and this leads to discovering the history of her family. Along with this, there is an enemy who wants to control time. Chloe along with her newfound friends need to stop this person before her actions become fatal.

I enjoyed this book with its fun concept and plot. The author deftly brought to life the concept of rewinding time and it was mind-boggling to see how this affected the characters' lives. Imagine you forgot to do something important so you rewind time to two days ago to get it done but doing this will erase all that actually happened during those two days, even the great stuff? How do you keep track of what happened and what you erased? Loved this!

Chloe and Jake were well-developed characters in the story. I would have liked for the villain to have been less one-dimensional and better developed. I wanted to know why she was so bent on controlling time, what motivated her to the point of being so evil, even going against her own daughter. I also wanted to know more about the ring of time and why some people had this ability to rewind time. What was the purpose?

Despite this, I found Springback refreshing, a clean fun read that would appeal to the younger teen. The themes are not dark or too heavy. They deal with friendship, sibling attachment and letting go of guilt. Although this is book one of the Ring of Time series, the novel has a satisfying ending. 



Excerpt


I asked Jake all the unanswerable questions I’d been asking myself. I wished I had pumped Leah for more information, but then she may have gotten suspicious and beaten me to the rewind.

“Well,” Jake said after I’d dumped all my questions on him, “only one way to find out.” He pulled out of the parking space and I stared at him until he explained, “You have to talk to her. Ask her.”

I swallowed. “But—but what if she’s not…on our side?”

He glanced at me before turning out of the parking lot. “Our side? Are there sides I should know about?”

“I don’t know,” I muttered. I’d started imagining evil time manipulators and crazy cults, and I was regretting never digging deeper into research about time manipulation. I had no idea if there were sides; I just knew this was weird. Maybe there was no way to prove it, but I was sure Leah had rewound me before. What could we have said in previous conversations that she didn’t want me to remember?

“Well, either way, you need to talk to her,” he said.

I sighed. “I know. But if something goes wrong, or it seems like she’s going to…do something, you’ll have to rewind.”

“Why me? I can’t go back as far as you can. And I won’t even be part of the conversation.”

“I can’t do it because I’m still in my repeat, so unless it’s later than the point where I went back from, I can’t rewind again.”

“Wait, what?”

I realized I’d rewound over the first time I’d explained this to him. “I won’t be able to access the cords again until—”

Suddenly, I was hit with a wave of vertigo as Jake let go of the steering wheel and then grabbed it again, swerving as he pulled over abruptly. He braked so hard I lurched forward and was snapped back by my seatbelt.

“Sorry!” he exclaimed wildly. “Sorry, that was really bad.”

I pressed my hand to the side of my head, a dizzy headache pounding against my temples. Too many rewinds today. “What happened? You rewound? What—?”

He pressed his forehead against the steering wheel, obviously far dizzier than I was. “I panicked. She said you’re not supposed to be able to do it.”

“Supposed to do what? Who—Leah said that?” This was trippy to say the least. It was like he’d gone forward in time without me, even though I knew he’d just done the same thing I had done today; I just didn’t remember it.

He lifted his head, eyes closed, cradling it with his hands. “Yeah. She said nobody but her family is supposed to be able to manipulate time—”

“Her family?” There was a whole family of rewinders I’d never known about?

“Actually, she said something about two families, and how only her family is supposed to do it because they were chosen.” He squeezed his eyes tighter. “Man, those cords really have a kick now. This is way worse than usual.”

“Wait, Leah said something about being chosen?”

He squinted at me. “Yeah. For the gift.”

“Like, the gift to rewind?”

“She called it pulling time, but yeah. Her family was chosen to rewind.”

I closed my eyes, thinking. “How can anyone be chosen? Wouldn’t just having the ability make us chosen?”

Jake just laid his head back against the headrest and raised his hands and shoulders in a slow-motion kind of shrug.

 “Okay. Well, what else did she say?”

He looked over at me. “That she needs your help.”



About The Author:




My six siblings and I were raised by artistic parents in mountain towns, and after surviving thirteen years in the Valley of the Sun, I now live in Colorado (my dream come true!) with my fun-loving husband and our five weird kids! I’m a work-from-home mom, editor, and now author. Until this year, writing a novel has always been in my top three “pie in the sky” dreams—along with running a marathon and being in a Broadway musical, which I don’t actually expect to ever happen.

I love art, decorating, chocolate, theater, words, trees, photography, and the ocean. Occasionally I make music videos with my sisters or my kids, but most of the time I can be found cleaning my house (or avoiding cleaning it), driving kids around, or watching The Great British Baking Show and then baking brownies.





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Ends 10/31/19
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Giveaway Details:
Open only to those who can legally enter, receive and use an Amazon.com Gift Code. Winning Entry will be verified prior to prize being awarded. No purchase necessary. You must be 18 or older to enter or have your parent enter for you. The winner will be chosen by rafflecopter and announced here as well as emailed and will have 48 hours to respond or a new winner will be chosen. This giveaway is in no way associated with Facebook, Twitter, Rafflecopter or any other entity unless otherwise specified. The number of eligible entries received determines the odds of winning. Giveaway was organized by Annette K. Larsen and sponsored by the author. VOID WHERE PROHIBITED BY LAW.

Sunday, September 9, 2018

A Penny Lost by Aspen Bassett (Book Spotlight & Giveaway!)


Last April, I read and reviewed A Penny Lost and loved it. I can't wait for the sequel. This is an entertaining time travel YA novel, and you could win your own copy. Just scroll down to the giveaway and enter.


Book Details:

Book Title: A Penny Lost by Aspen Bassett
Category: YA Fiction, 232 pages
Genre: Urban Fantasy
Publisher: World Castle Publishing
Release date: Jan 13, 2018
Tour dates: Sept 3 to 14, 2018
Content Rating: PG (There's a kiss and some mild violence)

Book Description:

Penelope Grace, usually forgotten under the shadow of her twin sister's perfection, tries her hardest to hide her freakish ability to see into anyone's soul.

Until she senses an unusual energy like a human-shaped void in the universe. When Penny investigates the source, she gets tossed through a crack in time along with the cute boy next door. The Void follows them through history, increasing the dangers as if testing Penny. But what is it testing for? And why does it claim to know her better than even she knows herself? Even as Penny searches for answers, she must fight to survive the tragedies of both the past and future in order to get back home.
​

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Meet the Author:

Aspen Bassett works at a library, telling stories and suggesting books. When she's not working, she's usually sipping hot cocoa and wondering what would happen if she had superpowers. She's been published in multiple anthologies including Oomph: A Little Super Goes a Long Way and Inaccurate Realities.

Aspen grew up learning about chakras and auras and the true power of imagination which slips into her writing whether she intend it to or not. In college, when she wasn't busy working on her degree in Creative Writing, Aspen also got her certificate in Women's Meditation (basically general energy work). Now, she's working toward a diploma in Integrated Healing Arts with a certificate in Hypnotherapy.

Connect with the Author: Website ~ Twitter ~ Facebook ~ Instagram

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Ends Sept 22, 2018

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Wednesday, May 30, 2018

Out of Time (A Ray Lafayette Novel) by Thomas William Lowrie (Book Spotlight and Giveaway!)


Today I'm spotlighting a historical fiction novel that plays with the concept of time travel to bring readers an original story. Check out the book description. It makes me want to read this book! Scroll further down to enter the giveaway for a chance to win a copy and a $5 Amazon GC.

Book Details:

Book Title: Out of Time (A Ray Lafayette Novel) by Thomas William Lowrie
Category: Adult Fiction, 264 pages
Genre: Historical Fiction, Military and War
Publisher: Mindstir Media
Release date: December 4, 2017
Tour dates: May 28 to June 22, 2018
Content Rating: PG-13

Book Description:

Well, here I go again. All alone except for this suitcase of mine. I’m headed for a new place with new people. Not so bad considering it’s 1944. Lots of guys are in my shoes. We’re in the middle of World War II. Still not so bad. I’m a fireman in the Army Air Corps whatever they’re calling themselves these days. Once again, not bad at all. But I was born in 1963. There’s the bad part.

I was not born with the name Ray Lafayette, but that’s what they call me. I didn’t have kids or smoke a pipe. Hell, I didn’t even like coffee. I do now.

I was born into a different life than this, one with a lot of attachments. Now I carry my life in one bag. One really important bag.

In this time, people call me pal or buddy or sir, good lord they call me sir all the time.

I have friends in this time, and they are the best but do they know me like they think they do? Simply put, NO! Would they die for me? Every bit as much as I would die for them.

To say these folks are tough or strong is an understatement. Superhumans? I don’t think so. They were ordinary people in extraordinary circumstances. I didn’t have heroes before this. I didn’t understand them until now.

Since this event has started, I have experienced many things I can’t explain. There is only one other person who has any knowledge of my situation, and I can’t find him. The last words from him were vos non unum, you are not alone.

There was a time I missed all the things that made my life easier as I thought. Here I have no cell phone, no internet, no rock music, no almost anything. As bad as that sounds, I’m not sure if I want to leave here.

To follow the tour, please visit Thomas William Lowrie's page on iRead Book Tours.
​

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Meet the author:



Thomas William Lowrie is a WWII writer and author who has published two military novels, He Was and Out of Time.
​
He has lived outside of Las Vegas most of his life, but his best memories are of the days fishing in South Texas. Summer vacations were the best. That is also where he found his best friend and wife, Tina. He could not have done any of this without her. Of course, Ray pecking at his brain for years had something to do with it too.

Connect with the author: Website ~ Twitter ~ Facebook ~ Pinterest

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Ends June 30, 2018


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Thursday, April 5, 2018

From the Future With Love by Alison McKenzie (Review)



If you're looking for a fun time travel tale with romance, friendship and family themes, then this will be a satisfying good read.


Book Details:

Book Title: From the Future With Love by Alison McKenzie
Category: Adult Fiction, 296 pages
Genre:  Romance / Time Travel / Science Fiction
Publisher: Acorn Independent Press
Release date: Aug 4, 2017
Content Rating: PG-13 for language
​
Book Description:

An invite from her best friend to spend the summer in Scotland, and celebrate her twentieth birthday, is just the thing Robyn needs to put some positivity back in her life. On the long drive from Devon, she is strangely drawn to a man she finds collapsed and bleeding in the middle of a wheat field. There is something about this dark-haired, dark-eyed stranger that’s more than mysterious. The last thing Robyn expects is to become entangled in a romance before even crossing the border, but she feels an inexplicable connection, and perhaps Shay, feeling it too, or due to his bang on the head, starts dropping hints about life in another time.

 From the Future, With Love is a love story with a time-travelling twist, and a reminder that today’s actions have future consequences.

My Review:
Reviewed by Laura Fabiani

I'm always drawn to books that feature time travel and usually it's about travelling back into the past, however this book features a hero from the future, 2000 years in the future to be exact! And his world is a little dystopian. Although there are also scenes of travelling to the past, this book was different from the other time travel books I read because of the futuristic component, and I liked that.

Robyn needs a change in her life. Her university major is not working out, her mom has turned into an alcoholic to drown out her sorrows after Robyn's dad passed away and her best friend has moved to Scotland where she is undergoing physical therapy to recover from a serious car accident. Robyn decides to make an impulsive move from England to live in Scotland to be closer to her friend and on the way there has a strange encounter with three men, one of whom is Shay, from the future.

Robyn becomes romantically involved with Shay, who is not only different but also keeping a secret as to why he has travelled to her time period. What ensues is an entertaining tale about family, friendship, second chances, love and following your heart's desire.

I enjoyed this story because it was so much more than just a romance. McKenzie truly captured the importance of family and friendship in her debut novel. Robyn was a feisty character with a good heart who loved her best friend and needed to find her purpose in life. The story started out strong, lagged a little mid-way and then ended with a great twist at the end. It was a bittersweet and lovely ending. There were occasional f-bombs and religious expletives, which I thought were not necessary. The love scenes were tame and not explicit.

If you're looking for a fun time travel tale with romance, friendship and family themes, then this will be a satisfying good read.

Disclosure: Thanks to author for sending me this book for review. I was not compensated in any other way, nor told how to rate or review this product.


But the Book:


About the Author:


Heralding from a mix of Scottish and Germanic ancestry Alison McKanzie was never going to surrender completely to convention. Excelling at English Language and Literature in an otherwise uneventful school career, it is no surprise that she would eventually be drawn to writing a novel, only how long it took her to come to this conclusion.

Immersing herself into marriage and raising my two children, not to mention a thirty-five-year nursing career kept her occupied until such times as they flew the nest and she suddenly found the luxury of time on her hands. 

Imaginary worlds and situations, that are realistic enough to create that ounce of belief they could be real, led her to a blueprint for the books she has written so far. From the Future, with Love, is her debut novel.

Connect with the Author: Website


Sunday, January 28, 2018

Halley's Casino by Mark JG Fahey (Review and Giveaway)


Both Sandra and I read Halley's Casino and loved its fun adventure. See what we both thought of this first book in a trilogy and enter the giveaway to win your own copy!


Book Details:

Book Title: Halley's Casino by Mark JG Fahey
Category: Adult Fiction, pages
Genre: Science Fiction / Time Travel
Publisher: Mark JG Fahey
Release date: Jan 25, 2016
Tour dates: Jan 8 to 26, 2017
Content Rating: PG-13 + M (No profanity, readable for all ages 12 and up, pure fun and witty story)

Book Description:

Halley’s Casino is set in 1986. 26-year old Nebula Yorker (Neb to his friends), is patiently awaiting the return of Halley’s Comet. He is about to discover that the world is not what it seems.

Upon the arrival of Halley’s Comet, Neb is confronted by a mysterious stranger who literally swoops out of the night sky. What happens next will change the course of Neb’s life and that of all he befriends.

This stranger (Mr. Tict) reveals to Neb that Halley’s is not a comet at all, but an Intergalactic Casino that has been posing as a comet for countless years. Mr. Tict is the Concierge of the Casino and he has come back to Earth to recruit Neb as his assistant.

What happens next is an eye-opening experience for young Neb that no one on Earth can imagine. It can only be explained by watching old Star Trek reruns, while eating cheese sandwiches and drinking hot chocolate. From androids with attitude to a vast assortment of alien beings and historic individuals, with a touch of time travel from ancient Babylon to 1757 London and back to Rome of 12 BCE, Neb soon learns that his past, present and future have always lain in the stars above.

It’s a rock and roll ride chock full of chaos, a formidable nemesis, drama, satire, humour, death and new beginnings, with revelations that Neb never saw coming.

Even John Lennon is amused!

Starting out on a quiet evening of star gazing, Nebula Yorker finds himself caught up in the most extraordinary time travel and planet saving adventure of a lifetime.

And that’s only the beginning of what is to come.


My Review:

Reviewed by Sandra Olshaski


As soon as I read the quote at the beginning of this book I was drawn in. While not a sci-fi fan I love time travel - this novel is a perfect balance of the two genres.

Nebula Yorker ("just call me Neb") is stargazing in 1986 California, waiting for Halley's Comet, and thinking about his parents, who mysteriously disappeared in the Amazon. What he experiences is Halley's Casino – an intergalactic casino disguised as a comet! Upon boarding it Neb's life changes forever. Eventually his nagging, lingering questions about his father and mother are resolved, too.

This is a highly entertaining, funny read, with a creative plot, filled with a few earthlings, many androids (some with attitude) - "ladies and gentlemen and bisected species." John Lennon and the Stones, make "appearances" in this cleverly-crafted, somehow familiar atmosphere for Star Trek fans. It’s the same but different!

I appreciate the author's attention to detail as shown in the description of Archibald Tict (from the Casino who becomes Neb's friend and mentor) a five-foot man hailing from 1707 England with pure white hair, a black tuxedo and bowtie, intense red shoes equipped with anti-gravity hopper inserts that cushion his feet. I could visualize him!

The author reminds us that the ever-present problem with time travel is being tempted to change history and/or in the words of a time traveller in the novel, "you can keep going back, though not at the same instant or you might bump into yourself." Wow!

I highly recommend this exciting, fast-moving, excellent blend of time travel and science fiction!


My Review:
Reviewed by Laura Fabiani

Halley's Casino is a fun adventure that is a good mix of sci-fi, time-travel and comedy. From the first page down to the last, I was entertained and never bored. It was unpredictable, funny and filled with memorable eccentric characters.

The story opens up with a scene of a young man named Nebula Yorker (I just loved that name) who was out in a field in the middle of the night looking out through his telescope for Halley's Comet. An event that happens only every 75 years. But Nebula was in for a surprise when, instead this comet turns out to be an intergalactic spaceship casino that picks him up and takes him on an adventure that changes his life.

Author Mark JG Fahey has a vivid imagination as he puts together a plot full of surprises that will delight fans of Star Trek, Rock 'n Roll and time-travel. The book has a smooth flow, is filled with tongue-in-cheek humor, and is just plain fun to read. A feel-good book that is perfect after having read a heavier dramatic book or if you need a light read that will make you smile throughout. I think Halley's Casino would make a great movie that would garner fans rather quickly.

It's also a clean read with only one crude word (sh*t) on the first page and then that's it. I really enjoyed this book that won 3rd place in World's Best Story contest. It's the first book in a trilogy and I look forward to reading the second book Marine, which sounds like another super fun adventure. Even though it's part of a trilogy, the ending is satisfactory with no cliffhangers. It stands well on its own.

Oh, and Fahey is a Canadian author who lives but two hours from me. I hope to meet him someday!


Buy the Book:



Meet the Author:


Mark JG Fahey is not an alien, contrary to what you may have heard, though he swears he has been to space. Mark has dabbled in various undertakings throughout his illustrious career, from on-air hosting/reporter/stand-up comic to messenger for the Prime Minister of Canada. Mark also holds a degree in Restaurant Services. His family and friends can attest to his excellent cooking skills. Born in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada, Mark was raised and still resides in Aylmer, Quebec, Canada. Halley's Casino is the first book in the Halley's Casino trilogy.

Connect with the Author: Website ~ Twitter ~ Facebook ~ Instagram

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Wednesday, July 26, 2017

The Unexpected Gift of Joseph Bridgeman by Nick Jones (Review)


This book is one of the best time travel novels I've read and reminded me a little of The Time Traveler's Wife, except this book made me laugh. And I mean laugh-out-loud belly laugh. I'd find myself bursting into spontaneous laughter at some of the scenes. It's been a long time since any book did that for me.

Book Details:

Book Title: The Unexpected Gift of Joseph Bridgeman: A Time Travel Adventure (The Downstream Diaries Book 1)
Author: Nick Jones
Category: Adult Fiction, 456 pages
Genre: Time Travel
Publisher: Createspace
Release date: May 2, 2017
Content Rating: PG-13 (for language, lots of f-words)


Book Description:

Meet Joseph Bridgeman, a reclusive insomniac with a weakness for ‘The Beatles’ on vinyl and a constant headache. When his annoying accountant suggests hypnotherapy might help him sleep, Joseph accidentally discovers he can time-travel and things get a little complicated.

With the help of Vinny, a local record shop owner, Mark, his old school friend, and Alexia Finch, his hypno-time-travel guru, Joe sets out to change the course of his life. He needs to get back to 1992, the year his world fell apart, the year that Amy, his sister, went missing. The only problem (apart from his clothes disappearing) is that the further back he goes the less time he gets to stay there. Can Joe master his new-found gift before time catches up with him?



My Review:
Reviewed by Laura Fabiani

I'm always looking for good time travel stories and this novel intrigued me from the book cover to the back cover blurb. I began reading it not knowing what to expect and began smiling as I dug into it. I love discovering Indie gems and this book turned out to be one. It's one of the best time travel novels I've read and reminded me a little of The Time Traveler's Wife, except this book made me laugh. And I mean laugh-out-loud belly laugh. I'd find myself bursting into spontaneous laughter at some of the scenes. It's been a long time since any book did that for me.

This is not the sci-fi kind of time travel. Joseph, is a regular guy. He's become a reclusive, having lost his business, living without purpose and affected by traumatic events in his past. The reader feels for him and the author slowly builds his character as we begin to piece together how Joseph got to the sad state he's in. When Joseph accidentally discovers he can time travel, he now tries to adjust to this new gift and the possibility that he can now travel back in time to find his little sister who disappeared at the fair when they were children.

This was not only a fun book to read but I found that the author created a brilliant plot with complex characters and emotional situations. Joseph is an anti-hero who has to overcome emotional barriers to take action in his life. He lives with guilt and remorse and this has nearly destroyed his life. He has to get past his reclusive lonely state and enlist the help of others. The author peels back the layers of his life through flashbacks. I loved the cultural references to the 90s interspersed through the book.

I couldn't help but like Joseph and the other characters too. The scenes between him and his sister were so endearing and touching. The author skillfully blends action, intrigue, time travel and comedy to bring us a unique and original story. I couldn't put this book down and read snippets of it every free moment I had! It was unpredictable, funny, sad, romantic and utterly satisfying to read. The only thing I would have preferred would be less f-words and bad language.

If you love time travel or just a very good story that propels you all the way to a great finish, pick this one up. It's one of the best books I've read this year.

Disclosure: Thanks to the author for sending me this book for review. I was not compensated in any other way, nor told how to rate or review this product.


About the Author:


Nick Jones was born in Stratford-Upon-Avon, Warwickshire, England in 1972. His debut novel ‘The Whisper of Stars’ was released in April 2014. He can usually be found in his garden studio, working on his latest mind-bending idea, surrounded by notes and scribbling on a large white board. He loves movies, kindness, gin and vinyl.

Connect with the author: Website

Tuesday, July 18, 2017

The Shield (The Finder Series Book 1) by C.J. Bentley (Review)



This is time travel and historical fiction at its best.

Book Details:

Book Title: The Shield (The Finder Series Book 1) by C.J. Bentley
Category: Middle Grade Fiction
Genre: Time travel / Historical fiction
Publisher: Clink Street Publishing
Release Date: July 18, 2017
Content Rating: G


Book Description:

People lose their belongings. That is a fact of life. It can happen by accident, but sometimes it can happen when you put them in a very safe place and forget where that safe place is. Not many people are good at finding them again. A young, gutsy girl with a kind heart, who's searching for her own identity growing up in the 1960's, just happens to be very good at finding things. Can she be the one to help return whatever is lost – anywhere and at any time – to its original owner? With the help of a beautiful, yet mysterious wise woman and a chivalrous knight she does just that. She finds and returns his shield, lost in battle, which unbeknown to her holds a secret that is important to his King, the safety of the Kingdom and the life of the daughter of his best friend. The Shield is the first story in The Finder Series, taking our heroine on extraordinary journeys back in time. Her first adventure takes place in Medieval England in 1340 where she meets King Edward 111, his wife Philippa and their son, who will later become the Black Prince.

Buy the Book:



My Review:
Reviewed by Sandra Olshaski

This is an excellent middle-grade fiction featuring time travel and historical fiction, my two personal favourites.

A girl "10 years and 4 months old" is narrating. Sometimes she's known as Rebecca, sometimes Peggy, or Eleanor, depending on her whimsy of the week. She's feisty, forthright, a leader of her group of friends and apparently, a person who finds things. The author writes as a 10-year-old very successfully!

On a beautiful English summer day in 1962, our heroine finds a wooden shield in a "beck" or creek. (I didn’t know what a beck is so checked it in Webster's. It's a British word first used in the 14th century – how appropriate.) The shield is old and Rebecca/Peggy/Eleanor wants to examine it more closely at home in the family garage. While doing so, a knight in armour, speaking old English, suddenly appears. This knight, Sir Kay, is aware that he is in a different time – "I know we are in the wrong time for me, but the right time for you…..I was waiting for you…..My Lady!" The knight and our heroine seamlessly travel from the 1960's back to 1340 and so the exciting adventure escalates. The shield (Sir Kay's) and what it contains are important to the security of the realm. She becomes friends with 10-year-old Edward, the future Black Prince.

The author evokes 14th century England by the use of language, clothes, tapestries, the rushes on the floors and the ancient weaponry. Rebecca/Peggy/Eleanor finds herself dressed in the style of medieval times in "a long, pale blue wool dress....with gold buttons and braiding."

The scenario is creative, the action fast paced and well written. This is Book 1 so more time travel and historical fiction is in store for readers - something to anticipate!

I highly recommend this MG book for young teens and adults alike. You won't be disappointed.

 Disclosure: Thanks to Rachel Gilbey from Authoright Marketing & Publicity for sending me this book for review. I was not compensated in any other way, nor told how to rate or review this product.


About the Author:

Originally heralding from the North of England, C.J Bentley has travelled extensively and enjoyed living in a variety of countries across the world from Dubai to Doha, Qatar and now the countryside in the South of France. A background in teaching and childcare she has always enjoyed creating adventure short stories. However, it was when she became a grandma and with her grandchildren growing up that she discovered that books seemed to contain only stories of vampires, zombies and farts that she decided seriously to take matters into her own hands and put pen to paper which today she calls The Finder Series.

Connect with the Author: Website ~ Facebook ~ Twitter  




Friday, December 30, 2016

Until We Meet Again by Renee Collins (Review)


Book Details:

Title: Until We Meet Again by Renee Collins
Category: YA Fiction
Genre: Time Travel / Romance
Publisher:  Sourcebooks Fire
Published: Nov 3, 2015
Hardcover, 336 pages
Content rating: G

Book Description:

Country clubs and garden parties. The last thing Cassandra wants is to spend the summer before her senior year marooned in a snooty Massachusetts shore town. Cass craves drama and adventure, which is hard when she just feels stuck.

But when a dreamy stranger shows up on her family's private beach, claiming that it is his property-and that the year is 1925-Cass is swept into a mystery a hundred years in the making. As she searches for answers in the present, Cass discovers a truth that thrusts Lawrence's life into jeopardy. It won't matter which century he is from if he won't live to see tomorrow.

Desperate to save the boy who's come to mean everything to her, Cassandra must find a way to change history… or risk losing Lawrence forever.

Until We Meet Again is tragically beautiful with twists you won't see coming."-Martina Boone, author of Compulsion and the Heirs of Watson Island trilogy

"A beach house, a mystery, and time-travel love make Until We Meet Again a romantic, engaging read."-Deb Caletti, National Book Award Finalist for Honey, Baby, Sweetheart

Buy the Book: Amazon  ~  Barnes & Noble



 My Review:
Reviewed by Laura Fabiani

I love time travel stories, so I was super pleased when this book showed up unexpectedly in my mailbox. I read this one earlier this year and loved it, but never posted my review, so here it is. If any of you are YA fiction fans, especially of time travel, this one is well worth the read.

Cassandra is 17 and reluctantly spending the summer with her mom and stepfather at his beach house. She's angry, bored and restless. When she meets a stranger one evening on her house's private beach during a party, he seems to stir up something in her. It turns out Lawrence is actually from 1925. As they figure out how to spend time together, they both realize that their interactions cause a ripple effect through time and change people's existence.

Their growing love is doomed but worse yet, Cassandra does some research and discovers Lawrence is to be murdered in two weeks time. They try to figure out how to prevent this from happening. At this point I'm racing through this book because I'm dying to know what happens. There are unexpected twists and I was pleased with its realistic ending. It was also refreshing to read a book that was not a trilogy in the time travel genre.

I found this book thrilling, suspenseful, romantic and unique. The contemporary beach setting from Cassandra's world with the Gatsby-era 1920s glamour of Lawrence's world made the time-travel element exciting. Their double-dilemma of not being from the same century and knowing one of them was to be murdered added danger and suspense to the plot. The story alternates from both Cassandra and Lawrence's point of view, which was great. The author succeeded in capturing the voices of both the characters, one contemporary and the other from the past.

I think this book would translate well into a movie. I also like the book cover. It suits the story so well. This was a satisfying read, a captivating story that was perfect to escape into.

Disclosure: Thanks to the publisher for sending me this book for review. I was not compensated in any other way, nor told how to rate or review this product.

 About the Author:



Renee Collins grew up on a beach in Hawaii. Sadly, she never met anyone from the past on those shores, but she did go on to get a degree in History, which is almost the same. She currently lives in Colorado with her family. Visit her at www.reneecollinsauthor.com.

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