Library of Clean Reads: 2012 Time Travel Reading Challenge

Showing posts with label 2012 Time Travel Reading Challenge. Show all posts

Saturday, December 22, 2012

Kid Konnection: The Keeper's Calling by Kelly Nelson

The Keeper's Calling by Kelly Nelson
Walnut Springs Press
ISBN: 978-1599928449
Published Feb 20, 2012
Trade paperback, 312 pages

My daughter and I really enjoyed reading this fun time-travel adventure story. We got hooked right from the beginning when 16 year-old Chase Harper finds, in a cave, a counter that looks like a pocket watch. He touches the dials and gets transported to 1863 where he meets Ellie Williams. In time, Chase discovers what the counter can do and that it had once belonged to Ellie's grandfather. The story is well-written and suspenseful and we were loving it until we got to one part. More on that later.

The author does a great job of showing us both Chase's teen world in 2011 and Ellie's world in the wilderness of Utah territory in 1863. Both Chase and Ellie evolve as characters as the plot intensifies and danger follows them as enemies want the counter. Suspense keeps the story moving at a rapid pace and we both wondered where it would lead.

Both my daughter and I liked the main characters. The story is told from Chase's point-of-view and the author (who has four kids) captures the teen's voice very well. The story was humorous too when both Chase and Ellie each had to adjust to different time periods. My daughter bursts into laughter several times. The blend of adventure, suspense, and romance is well-done and makes for an exciting read.

A little over half-way into the book, however, there is a chapter where Chase is summoned by the Master Keeper and Chase discovers that he is the Keeper or Protector of the counter and that there is a war going on between two magical dimensions. The Master Keeper is a sorcerer and seer and he has control over Chase. At this point, my daughter and I stopped reading the novel. We do not read anything that dabbles in spiritism, such as with witches, sorcerers and their black magic. (Deut 18: 9-13) We were disappointed that a Christian author would include this and did not expect it.

Looking through the rest of the book, we noted that there was no more mention of the sorcerer throughout the rest of the story, so we finished it. We liked the ending. It was satisfying, although it did not answer any of the questions about how Chase and Ellie would be affected by the outcome of the war. But my daughter and I didn't care about this aspect. This is the first book in The Keeper's Saga, and we have decided not to read the others because of the spiritistic element. Apart from that one scene, we enjoyed this as a time-travel adventure book.

Note: There is some violence in this book during fight scenes and one gruesome scene of finding a dead body. There is also a scene with a powerful sorcerer who controls a character's mind.
I will count this book toward the following challenges: A-Z Book Reading Challenge

Reviewed by Laura

Disclosure: Thanks to Amy Orton from Walnut Springs Press for sending me this book for review. I was not compensated in any other way, nor told how to rate or review this product.

Every Saturday, Booking Mama hosts a feature called Kid Konnection—a regular weekend feature about anything related to children's books. If you'd like to participate in Kid Konnection and share a post about anything related to children's books (picture, middle grade, or young adult) from the past week, visit Booking Mama.

Thursday, August 23, 2012

Overseas by Beatriz Williams

Overseas by Beatriz Williams
G.P. Putnam's Sons
ISBN: 978-0399157646
Published May 2012
Trade paperback, 464 pages

After reading a few rave reviews, I was excited to dig into this novel. It has all the elements I love in a story—time travel, historical fiction, suspense and romance. I was hooked as I started reading the first atmospheric scene which takes place in the early morning shadows in France during WWI, until I got to page 6 and was jolted back to the present where f-bombs began raining down so hard I didn't know where to run for cover. After chapter two, I stopped counting. Some of the characters used the f-word in almost every sentence. C'mon, was that really necessary? I can easily skim over a few f-words, but this was excessive. Thus began my struggle with this book. Apart from the profanity, I had a few other issues with the story.

Kate Wilson is a Wall Street analyst who meets the dashing British billionaire Julian Laurence at a business meeting. He is attracted to her, falling in love with her almost instantly. This baffles Kate until she discovers that he is actually Julian Ashford, a celebrated war poet and infantry officer who mysteriously time-travelled from France of 1916, where he supposedly died at war. But Julian is keeping a dangerous secret from the past from Kate and is overprotective of her, until it all comes to a head and Kate believes she must travel back to the past to save him.

The premise is wonderful, with a love that transcends time and space, and actions that Julian and Kate take to keep it alive when there are factors that threaten their very existence. The problem is that the danger or threat was never too real to me because the secondary characters were underdeveloped and overshadowed by the romance. Yes, the romance. I felt like I was reading a Harlequin romance novel where the hero and heroine just can't get enough of each other and every scene is permeated with kissing and sex talk. Now, don't get me wrong, I enjoy romance as much as the next girl, and I loved Julian's old-fashioned chivalry, but if the editors would have cut 100 pages and reduced it to 350 pages, I think it would have been less romance-laden and felt more like I was reading fiction published by Penguin. It is said that less is more. And it certainly would have made their timeless love more powerful rather than cloying at times.

Williams is a good writer, though, and one could easily mark the difference between the modern men and their speech versus Julian and his poetic expressions of love to Kate. The story alternates between the past and the present, a technique which really worked for this story. It initially builds the suspense, but then midway it lags in the present and finally merges with the past toward the end. I would have liked more scenes in the past (they were the ones I enjoyed the most) and more on Kate's impressions with being hurtled back to France during WWI. The whole time travel aspect was okay, but I feel it could have been explored a little more.

I had high expectations for this book, and I was disappointed. I felt the story could have been so much more, with a better developed plot. However, I know that there are other bloggers who loved it, so you may want to check out their reviews as well.

Note: This book is rated P = profanity for lots of f-words and religious expletives. Rated S for sexual content and sex scenes.

I will count this book toward the following challenges: Time Travel Reading Challenge

Reviewed by Laura

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

Thursday, August 16, 2012

Trophy: Rescue by Paul M. Schofield

Trophy: Rescue by Paul M. Schofield
Galactic Publishers
ISBN: 978-1468132267
Published Feb 17, 2012
Trade paperback, 304 pages

This novel is the second book in the Trophy Saga, an action-packed sci-fi story that I enjoyed just as much as I did Trophy, the first book in this series.

The story continues from where the first one left off. The setting takes place 500 years in the future, where mankind is under the authority of the New Victorian Empire, with ten women Guardians who are the custodians of CENTRAL—a massive computer government that rules the Earth and the colonized Solar System. However, mankind is on the brink of extinction because of a genetic mutation and the only solution is to travel back in time through the Keyhole to transport genetically sound humans from the past. But the New Victorian Empire is not the only one interested in going back to the past, so is an underground rebel organization bent on eliminating the Empire's rule.

Once again, as in the first book, the author has a vivid imagination and he succeeds in transporting me with his brilliant world-building. I could easily picture the futuristic space crafts, the Solar stations such as Europa Plus, Io Station and Mars, the Montana mountains, forests, and fauna back on the Earth, and the powerful and fascinating human mind to animal link. The author's love for animals shines through, and I thought this combination of both Earth scenes and space ones was a great balance that made the story and setting believable and exciting to me. The scenes involving the mission in the Montana region and the confrontation with the grizzly bear were heart-pounding!

The villains from the first book don't play a big role in this book, but Lieutenant Janet Rogerton, Pilot Kolanna, Star-Commander Abigail VanDevere, and the androids Martin and Panther are back in the action. I loved the plot twists, and especially the scenes with Martin and Panther. New characters are introduced, such as Doctor Eng and Marco Sanchez, who I liked immediately. I hope to see more of him in the next book. Sometimes it was hard to keep track of all the characters (two of them have dual names and personas). The Guardians have no names but are identified as numbers, and they all sounded alike, except for Guardian I, who had the features and disposition of a wise American-Indian, and Guardian V who plays a crucial role in the rescue mission.

The editing was much better in this book, allowing the author's storytelling skills to come through in a well-paced, and well-written story. Some of the dialogue is still awkward, though, because it's still used as a means to explain the story and action. This could be resolved with the use of inner dialogue and backstory, cutting redundant dialogue and building more tension.

The first book hinted at a love interest between Janet and Martin, but nothing romantic happens in this book, not even a longing glance, so that the dilemma Janet mentions to Kolanna about her and Martin didn't seem realistic to me. I hope the author chooses to explore this in the next book (Marco Sanchez could very well demonstrate it!) as it would add the missing element of life in the Victorian Empire—eros love and family life.

If you like sci-fi stories, I suggest you start with the first book. The ending to this one is very open and the third book should prove even more interesting, as much more is at stake. I can't wait to see where the author takes the story, and I look forward to reading it!

Note: This book is rated C = clean read.
I will count this book toward the following challenges: Time Travel Reading Challenge

Reviewed by Laura

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

Wednesday, June 13, 2012

Dreamspell by Tamara Leigh

Dreamspell by Tamara Leigh
Self-published e-book
ASIN: B007MDF8OG
Published March 18, 2012
Kindle edition, 298 pages

If you love time travel, historical fiction and a clean romantic escape, this is the book for you! It's a combination that's not easy to find, but Tamara Leigh, an accomplished mainstream author has pulled it off. The minute I saw the book cover and read the synopsis I just had to read it. However, this book is currently only available as a Kindle e-book, so in my eagerness to read it no matter what, I downloaded the Kindle app on my android phone and read the book on it. It was so worth it! And it opened up my appetite for reading e-books.

Dr. Kennedy Plain is a sleep disorders specialist who is dying from an inoperable brain tumor. Her chemo treatments have left her weak, emancipated and without her once luxuriant hair. She discovers through her research on sleep deprivation that she can time travel through her dreams, and ends up in the 14^th century medieval England, where she becomes embroiled in a plot to save two boys from their seemingly murderous uncle. This uncle is Lord Fulke Wynland, the man she first encounters and eventually falls in love with, changing the course of his and her history.

There is no doubt about it, I am Tamara Leigh's newest fan. Her writing, plot and character development, and the ability to weave a believable storyline with a fantastic ending won me over. This is a romantic tale but without the bodice-ripping super perfect swooning heroine and debonaire hero who irritate me in romantic novels. When I read a romantic story I want my characters to be people I can relate to, flawed and suffering, vulnerable and brave, smart but prone to make mistakes. That's what I found in this book. There were times when I found Kennedy to be a little too clueless for an educated woman, but the dialogue, witty comebacks and funny moments made up for it.

At times, this was an emotional read because every time Kennedy is pulled back to the present, she is closer to dying. The scene when she is lying in her mother's arms is so touching it made me cry. I raced to finish this book, and when I turned the last page of the epilogue, I thought that this was one of the best self-published books I have read. If you're looking for a great summer read, for a world to escape into, look no further. Dreamspell will take you away.

Note: This book is rated C = clean read.
I will count this book toward the following challenges: Time Travel Reading Challenge

Read an excerpt on Tamara Leigh's website!

Reviewed by Laura

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.

Sunday, December 11, 2011

We love travelling back in time...

That's why we are participating in the 2012 Time Travel Reading Challenge, which is being hosted right here on Library of Clean Reads! If you'd like more details on the rules, to scroll through a list of time travel books and to join this challenge, please visit the sign up post.

Both Sandra (my review partner) and I will be participating at the Great Adventure level, that is reading 4 - 6 books. Here is what I plan to read for this challenge.

Waterfall: Book 1 of The River of Time Series by Lisa T. Bergren
Cascade: Book 2 of The River of Time Series by Lisa T. Bergren
Torrent: Book 3 of The River of Time Series by Lisa T. Bergren
The Other Elizabeth by Karleen Bradford
Doomsday Book by Connie Willis
Mariana by Susanna Kearsley
The Winter Sea by Susanna Kearsley

Here is what Sandra plans to read for this challenge:

Blue Bells of Scotland
Heatherfield
A Traveler in Time
Kindred
The Reluctant Time Traveler
The Mirror

Saturday, December 10, 2011

Time Travel Reading Challenge 2012 - Sign Up

I'm really excited to announce that I will be hosting the 2012 Time Travel Reading Challenge! Alyce who blogs at At Home With Books introduced this challenge two years ago and has now passed it on to me. This is one of my favorite genres, and I hope you will join me in discovering other great time travel books. I've kept it really simple. You need to read only one book if you join at the first level, so why not try it? I am aiming to read at the second level: 4-6 books

Rules:

Challenge runs from January 1, 2012 to December 31st, 2012. You can join anytime.
Books from other challenges count as long as they are about time travel.
Books can be children's, middle-grade, YA or adult fiction.
Write a post and link it below including the URL to that sign-up post.

Levels:

Surprise Trip: 1 to 3 time travel books.
Great Adventure: 4 to 6 time travel books.
Fantastic Journey: 7 to 9 time travel books
Mind-boggling Voyage: 10 to 12 time travel books.

Linking your reviews is optional but I encourage it so that we can discover what time travel books you've read and I can add them to the growing list that Alyce started. Here is the Link Review Page.

Not sure what to read? Here is the list to give you ideas. Please note that Library of Clean Reads is not endorsing any of these books as we have not read all of them and cannot vouch that the content is clean. For those we have read, we will include a link to our review. If you know of other time travel books not mentioned here, please leave me the title in the comment section.

A Handful of Time

by Kit Pearson (Laura's review)
A Knight in Shining Armor

by Jude Deveraux (and others)
A Shortcut in Time

by Charles Dickinson
A Swiftly Tilting Planet

by Madeleine L’Engle
A Time to Remember

by Stanley Shapiro
A Traveller in Time

by Alison Uttley
A Wind in the Door

by Madeleine L’Engle
A Wish After Midnight

by Zetta Elliott
A Wish in Time

by Laurel Bradley
A Wrinkle in Time

by Madeleine L’Engle
Angel Time

by Anne Rice
Beauty

by Sheri S. Tepper
Beyond the Highland Mist

by Karen Marie Moning (and others in the Highlander series)
Blackout

by Connie Willis
Blue Bells of Scotland

by Laura Vosika (part of the Blue Bells Trilogy)
Cascade: The River of Time Series by Lisa T. Bergren
Catch the Lightning

by Catherine Asaro
Charming the Highlander

by Janet Chapman (and others of the Highlander Trilogy)
Doomsday Book

by Connie Willis
Dragonflight

by Anne McCaffrey
From Time to Time

by Jack Finney
Green Darkness

by Anya Seton
Gunpowder Empire

by Harry Turtledove
Heatherfield

by M. Jean Pike
If I Never Get Back

by Darryl Brock
Kindred

by Octavia Butler
Kingdom of Shadows

by Barbara Erskine
Lady of Hay

by Barbara Erskine
Making History

by Stephen Fry
Many Waters

by Madeleine L’Engle
Mariana by Susanna Kearsley
Mr. Was

by Pete Hautman
My Dirty Little Book of Stolen Time

by Liz Jensen
Now and Then

by Jacqueline Sheehan
Once Upon a Rose

by Judith O’Brien
Outlander

by Diana Gabaldon (and all of the other books in the Outlander series)
Pirates

by Linda Lael Miller
Replay

by Ken Grimwood
Return of the Highlander

by Sara Mackenzie
Ruby Red by Kerstin Gier
Seasons in the Mist

by Deborah Kinnard
Singing the Dogstar Blues

by Alison Goodman
Slaughterhouse-Five

by Kurt Vonnegut
Somewhere in Time

by Richard Matheson
The Anubis Gates

by Tim Powers
The Accidental Time Machine

by Joe Halderman
The Box of Delights

by John Masefield
The Cross Time Engineer

by Leo A. Frankowski (and others in the Adventures of Conrad Stargard series)
The Death of Sleep

by Anne McCaffrey (not exactly time travel, but the character goes into cold sleep and wakes up after an unusual amount of time)
The Door Into Summer

by Robert A. Heinlein
The Emerald Atlas

by John Stephens
The Forgery of Venus

by Michael Gruber
The Hero and the Crown

by Robin McKinley (time travel as a minor part of the plot)
The House on the Strand

by Daphne du Maurier
The Kingdom of Ohio

by Matthew Flaming
The Legend MacKinnon

by Donna Kauffman
The Mirror

by Marlys Millhiser
The Other Elizabeth by Karleen Bradford (Laura's review)
The Prisoner of Azkaban

by J. K. Rowling
The Reluctant Time Traveler

by Lynda Eymann
The Restaurant at the End of the Universe

by Douglas Adams (book 2 in a series)
The Rose Garden by Susanna Kearsley (Laura's review)
The Shroud of the Thwacker

by Chris Elliott
The Time Machine

by H. G. Wells (Laura's review)
The Time Traveler’s Wife

by Audrey Niffenegger
The Time Travelers

(The Gideon Trilogy) by Linda Buckley-Archer (Laura's review)
The Well of Lost Plots

by Jasper Fforde (book 3 in a series)
The Winter Sea by Susanna Kearsley (Sandra's review)
Three Days to Never

by Tim Powers
Time and Again

by Jack Finney
Time Cat

by Lloyd Alexander
Time Enough for Love

by Suzanne Brockmann
Time Traveler’s Never Die

by Jack McDevitt
Time’s Arrow

by Martin Amis
Timeline

by Michael Crichton
To Say Nothing of the Dog

by Connie Willis
Torrent: The River of Time Series by Lisa T. Bergren
Trapped in Time

by Ruth Chew
Tuck Everlasting

by Natalie Babbitt
Waterfall: The River of Time Series by Lisa T. Bergren
When You Reach Me

by Rebecca Stead

Authors with multiple time travel books:

Linda Buckley-Archer
Janet Chapman
Jude Deveraux
Barbara Erskine
Leo A. Frankowski
Diana Gabaldon
Lynn Kurland
Madeleine L’Engle
Anne McCaffrey (some of the Pern books)
Karen Marie Moning
E. Nesbit
Susanna Kearsley
Harry Turtledove
Hollie Van Horne
Laura Vosika
Connie Willis