Title: All Our Yesterdays
Author: Cristin Terrill
Series: All Our Yesterdays, book #1 of 2
Publisher: Disney Hyperion
Publication Date: September 3, 2013
Source: ATW ARC Tours
Purchase: Amazon |
Barnes & Noble
"You have to kill him." Imprisoned in the heart of a secret military base, Em has nothing except the voice of the boy in the cell next door and the list of instructions she finds taped inside the drain.
Only Em can complete the final instruction. She’s tried everything to prevent the creation of a time machine that will tear the world apart. She holds the proof: a list she has never seen before, written in her own hand. Each failed attempt in the past has led her to the same terrible present—imprisoned and tortured by a sadistic man called the doctor while war rages outside.
Marina has loved her best friend James since the day he moved next door when they were children. A gorgeous, introverted science prodigy from one of America’s most famous families, James finally seems to be seeing Marina in a new way, too. But on one disastrous night, James’s life crumbles apart, and with it, Marina’s hopes for their future. Now someone is trying to kill him. Marina will protect James, no matter what. Even if it means opening her eyes to a truth so terrible that she may not survive it. At least not as the girl she once was.
All Our Yesterdays is a wrenching, brilliantly plotted story of fierce love, unthinkable sacrifice, and the infinite implications of our every choice.
Time travel novels are usually the bane of my existence. I love the idea of time travel itself, but most novels tend to drop the ball when it comes to executing the concept. The explanation for how it works, why it works, etc., becomes too convoluted and confusing, and little to no actual time travel actually happens. At least, that's usually my experience. There have been a few exceptions, but
All Our Yesterdays surpassed them all.
I haven't stopped thinking about this book since I finished it on Saturday. And I read the entirety of the novel in one sitting. I had the house to myself and I took the opportunity to
devour this book, and it was definitely time well-spent. Also, it's a duology. Yeah, those are kind of becoming a thing, and I'm not complaining. It removes the whole issue of "middle book syndrome" and means you get the whole story in just two books. Now, if only they could release the books a little closer together. *sigh*
This story was very character-driven, and if you know my preferences at all, you know that's a biggie. Characters can make or break a story, but this is especially true where time travel books are concerned because they tend to focus a lot of time and energy on the time travel aspect itself, and the characters are never portrayed to their fullest, which results in me never getting attached to them. And if I never develop a connection to the characters, if I don't care one iota what happens to them, you've lost me. Luckily for this story, I cared an awful lot what happened to the characters, maybe too much...I went to sleep thinking about them and I woke up thinking about them, and days later, I'm
still thinking about them.
I love how the relationship between the cellmates Em and Finn is portrayed and how it evolved, the fact that they didn't like each other all that much in the beginning, but they later became friends and close confidantes because of their situation. On the other hand, we have Marina and James, who've been best friends and neighbors for years. These characters are all tied together, for better or worse, and somehow, the responsibility of saving the world from destruction, from chaos and war, has ended up in their hands. I really can't say too much about it for fear of giving everything away -- even though it's not like you won't figure it all out on your own pretty early on -- but suffice it to say, these characters felt so real, their relationships so plausible, and my empathy for them only increased as more and more of their story was divulged.
The book may have essentially been character-driven for me, but the plot was also very fast-paced and intense, with the present-day action spanning only three or four days. There were lots of flashbacks to provide a background for Em and Finn, whose timeline is four years in the future from when we meet Marina and James, but that same technique wasn't really necessary to explain the circumstances for the latter pair. The story alternates between Em and Marina's perspectives, with one set of characters knowing full well the ramifications of time travel and the other set woefully ignorant. The author really understood where she was taking this story from the beginning, the way she manipulates the events and characters...and even the reader a little bit.
The time travel concept in this novel isn't totally unprecedented. There is a machine, aptly named
Cassandra after the mythological soothsayer, and there are alternate timelines and paradoxical events. But some aspects of it are unusual, at least to me. For example, the idea that time is not linear, that it might be sentient and decide which events remain fixed and which events can be altered...those are not concepts I've seen in time travel before, at least not in YA versions. And because of this, it actually made a lot more sense to me than how I've seen it explained before, maybe because it wasn't made out to be this ultra complex idea but rather a vague one.
The concept and explanation, the character development, even the romantic elements...this is what I was looking for in all of those other time travel novels. Sacrifice is a major underlying theme in this book, and it made for an intensely emotional read, not to mention an absolutely engaging one.
All Our Yesterdays is an impressive debut, and I wholeheartedly pronounce that Cristin Terrill is an author to watch and this novel is a definite must-read!
Rating: 
About the author:
Cristin Terrill is a young adult author and aspiring grown-up. She grew up semi-nomadic and graduated from Vassar College with a degree in drama. After getting her masters in Shakespeare Studies from the Shakespeare Institute in Stratford-upon-Avon, she lived in London, Austin, Boston, and Washington, DC while working as a theatrical stage manager. Now she writes and leads creative writing workshops for DC-area kids and teens. All Our Yesterdays is her first novel.
Find Cristin:
Website |
Twitter |
Facebook |
Goodreads |
Tumblr
Friday, July 26, 2013
Official Cover Reveal: Secret by Brigid Kemmerer
You guys! I can't even begin to tell you how excited I am to help reveal the cover to the next book in Brigid Kemmerer's Elementals series! It's Nick's book, and if you read his novella earlier this year, you know shocking things are coming!!! Without further ado, behold, the cover to Secret, the fourth full-length novel set in the Elementals world:
Nowhere is safe. Not even home…
Nick Merrick is stretched to the breaking point.
Keep his grades sky-high or he’ll never escape his hometown.
Keep his brother’s business going or the Merricks will be out on the street.
Keep the secret of where he’s going in the evenings from his own twin—or he’ll lose his family.
Keep his mind off the hot, self-assured dancer who’s supposed to be his “girlfriend’s” partner.
Of course there’s also the homicidal freak Quinn has taken to hanging around, and the Elemental Guide counting the hours until he can try again to kill the Merrick brothers. There’s a storm coming. From all sides. And then some.
Nick Merrick, can you keep it together?
Publication Date: January 28, 2014
From Kennsington Books, ISBN: 0758294379
Brigid Kemmerer is the author of The Elemental Series, about a family of four brothers who control the elements, and their battle with those who want them dead. Storm, Spark, and Spirit are available now wherever books are sold. To read the novella introducing Nick’s story, be sure to check out Breathless available as an e-book only from major e-book retailers.
Find Brigid:
Website | Blog | Twitter | Facebook | Goodreads
Brigid is seriously one of the nicest authors I've ever had the chance to meet and interact with. And she writes about one of the hottest group of brothers I've had the pleasure of reading about. So, whenever the opportunity arises to help her out with something, I am so there. =)
So, what do you think? Excited to see that there's a girl predominately featured on this one? I know I was! That's pretty much how I pictured Quinn. The only thing -- and this is minor -- is that it doesn't appear to be the original Nick on the cover, which makes me a little sad 'cause dude was hawt! But seriously, these books are such a good time, that there could be a monkey's butt on the cover, and I'd still buy it. I mean, I'd probably buy it in ebook form 'cause it'd be seriously awkward to read a book with a monkey's butt on the cover out in public, but you get what I'm saying. ;0)
I'm happy that even though the publisher changed the cover, they didn't change it so much that it doesn't match the other books. That tactic is really starting to peeve me and will result in me purchasing nothing but ebooks pretty soon. Which is really sad because I love having the pretties on my shelf.
Are you a fan of the series? Will you be picking up this next installment? Which brother is your favorite? Inquiring minds want to know!!!
Review: Truth or Dare by Jacqueline Green
Author: Jacqueline Green
Series: Truth or Dare, book #1
Publisher: Poppy/Little, Brown BFYR
Publication Date: May 14, 2013
Source: finished copy courtesy of Paper Lantern Lit
Purchase: Amazon | Barnes & Noble
It all started on a whim: the game was a way for Tenley Reed to reclaim her popularity, a chance for perfect Caitlin “Angel” Thomas to prove she’s more than her Harvard application. Loner Sydney Morgan wasn’t even there; she was hiding behind her camera like usual. But when all three start receiving mysterious dares long after the party has ended, they’re forced to play along—or risk exposing their darkest secrets.
How far will Tenley, Caitlin and Sydney go to keep the truth from surfacing? And who’s behind this twisted game?
Set against the backdrop of Echo Bay, an isolated beach town haunted by misfortune, Truth or Dare is a highly charged debut that will keep readers in suspense from beginning to end.
I always dreaded the game of Truth or Dare when I was younger. It never ended well for me. And the same is true for the girls in this book. But we'll get to that in a moment.
I like mysteries and thrillers and revenge stories. It's one of the reasons I'm still watching Pretty Little Liars. I didn't read the books, though. I read the first book in The Lying Game series by the same author, and I vowed no more. Those books just weren't on my level. Obviously, the story is interesting enough or I wouldn't still be watching the show. But I'm constantly screaming at all those pretty girls to just go tell someone in a position of authority what the heck is going on. And it's one of those mysteries that just gets more mysterious and complex as it goes.
The same could be said of Truth or Dare. It's an intricately woven story, full of secrets and deceptions, and it definitely kept me guessing. No dirty laundry remained un-aired. No skeleton remained in its closet. And no stone was left unturned as the girls tried to discover who was behind the dares. I'm usually really good at guessing who the culprit is early on and enjoy watching as the characters search for clues, but this time around, I was just as stumped as them until something happened and I just knew. The writing was clear and concise and the book read more mature than that series I mentioned earlier, and that just aided in keeping me in the dark for so long.
I generally like to know more than the characters do. So, when a character knows something that I don't and then takes it to the grave, it leaves me feeling a bit agitated. Especially when said character was on the verge of revealing this information, only to meet their untimely death. I call foul. What kind of ploy is this and why must you make me suffer so?
The suspense wasn't the only thing I liked about the story. The setting was the secluded town of Echo Bay, during it's Fall Festival. A festival which had previously been cancelled due to the mysterious deaths of three girls, dubbed the Lost Girls. If that doesn't set the mood for an eerie story, I don't know what would. The deaths weren't technically linked to the festival, but I usually attempt to avoid activities that lead to mentions of a curse and the like. But, hey, who am I to judge? Not the judgey people of Echo Bay, that's who.
I think I would have rather this book been a stand-alone. The story was just dark and intense enough to keep me reading, but that ending kind of rubbed me the wrong way. I mean, you get your answers and you move on. Though the ending wasn't what I would call a cliffhanger, it did leave a lot more questions. Maybe I don't like mysteries as much as I thought? Because the questions and the not-knowing are seriously bothering me right now. I guess that's the sign of a well-written mystery? Like I said, I liked the writing, and I'd like to read more from this author. Just maybe not a mystery because she's infuriatingly good at it.
Be sure to check out my stop on the Truth AND Dare Blog Tour and see how I fared at playing a round of Truth or Dare!
Rating:
Find Jacqueline:
Website | Twitter | Facebook | Goodreads
Thursday, July 25, 2013
Review: All Our Yesterdays by Cristin Terrill
Author: Cristin Terrill
Series: All Our Yesterdays, book #1 of 2
Publisher: Disney Hyperion
Publication Date: September 3, 2013
Source: ATW ARC Tours
Purchase: Amazon | Barnes & Noble
Only Em can complete the final instruction. She’s tried everything to prevent the creation of a time machine that will tear the world apart. She holds the proof: a list she has never seen before, written in her own hand. Each failed attempt in the past has led her to the same terrible present—imprisoned and tortured by a sadistic man called the doctor while war rages outside.
Marina has loved her best friend James since the day he moved next door when they were children. A gorgeous, introverted science prodigy from one of America’s most famous families, James finally seems to be seeing Marina in a new way, too. But on one disastrous night, James’s life crumbles apart, and with it, Marina’s hopes for their future. Now someone is trying to kill him. Marina will protect James, no matter what. Even if it means opening her eyes to a truth so terrible that she may not survive it. At least not as the girl she once was.
All Our Yesterdays is a wrenching, brilliantly plotted story of fierce love, unthinkable sacrifice, and the infinite implications of our every choice.
Time travel novels are usually the bane of my existence. I love the idea of time travel itself, but most novels tend to drop the ball when it comes to executing the concept. The explanation for how it works, why it works, etc., becomes too convoluted and confusing, and little to no actual time travel actually happens. At least, that's usually my experience. There have been a few exceptions, but All Our Yesterdays surpassed them all.
I haven't stopped thinking about this book since I finished it on Saturday. And I read the entirety of the novel in one sitting. I had the house to myself and I took the opportunity to devour this book, and it was definitely time well-spent. Also, it's a duology. Yeah, those are kind of becoming a thing, and I'm not complaining. It removes the whole issue of "middle book syndrome" and means you get the whole story in just two books. Now, if only they could release the books a little closer together. *sigh*
This story was very character-driven, and if you know my preferences at all, you know that's a biggie. Characters can make or break a story, but this is especially true where time travel books are concerned because they tend to focus a lot of time and energy on the time travel aspect itself, and the characters are never portrayed to their fullest, which results in me never getting attached to them. And if I never develop a connection to the characters, if I don't care one iota what happens to them, you've lost me. Luckily for this story, I cared an awful lot what happened to the characters, maybe too much...I went to sleep thinking about them and I woke up thinking about them, and days later, I'm still thinking about them.
I love how the relationship between the cellmates Em and Finn is portrayed and how it evolved, the fact that they didn't like each other all that much in the beginning, but they later became friends and close confidantes because of their situation. On the other hand, we have Marina and James, who've been best friends and neighbors for years. These characters are all tied together, for better or worse, and somehow, the responsibility of saving the world from destruction, from chaos and war, has ended up in their hands. I really can't say too much about it for fear of giving everything away -- even though it's not like you won't figure it all out on your own pretty early on -- but suffice it to say, these characters felt so real, their relationships so plausible, and my empathy for them only increased as more and more of their story was divulged.
The book may have essentially been character-driven for me, but the plot was also very fast-paced and intense, with the present-day action spanning only three or four days. There were lots of flashbacks to provide a background for Em and Finn, whose timeline is four years in the future from when we meet Marina and James, but that same technique wasn't really necessary to explain the circumstances for the latter pair. The story alternates between Em and Marina's perspectives, with one set of characters knowing full well the ramifications of time travel and the other set woefully ignorant. The author really understood where she was taking this story from the beginning, the way she manipulates the events and characters...and even the reader a little bit.
The time travel concept in this novel isn't totally unprecedented. There is a machine, aptly named Cassandra after the mythological soothsayer, and there are alternate timelines and paradoxical events. But some aspects of it are unusual, at least to me. For example, the idea that time is not linear, that it might be sentient and decide which events remain fixed and which events can be altered...those are not concepts I've seen in time travel before, at least not in YA versions. And because of this, it actually made a lot more sense to me than how I've seen it explained before, maybe because it wasn't made out to be this ultra complex idea but rather a vague one.
The concept and explanation, the character development, even the romantic elements...this is what I was looking for in all of those other time travel novels. Sacrifice is a major underlying theme in this book, and it made for an intensely emotional read, not to mention an absolutely engaging one. All Our Yesterdays is an impressive debut, and I wholeheartedly pronounce that Cristin Terrill is an author to watch and this novel is a definite must-read!
Rating:
Find Cristin:
Website | Twitter | Facebook | Goodreads | Tumblr
SYNC Summer 2013: Week 9 #syncya
SYNC recently announced the list of audiobook pairings up for grabs this summer, and the program has officially kicked off. Last week's offerings were Grave Mercy and Hamlet. And here's what you can grab through Wednesday of next week...for free!
This week's YA title is The False Prince by Jennifer A. Nielsen, performed by Charlie McWade for Scholastic Audiobooks.
In a discontent kingdom, civil war is brewing. To unify the divided people, Conner, a nobleman of the court, devises a cunning plan to find an impersonator of the king's long-lost son and install him as a puppet prince. Four orphans are recruited to compete for the role, including a defiant boy named Sage. Sage knows that Conner's motives are more than questionable, yet his life balances on a sword's point -- he must be chosen to play the prince or he will certainly be killed. But Sage's rivals have their own agendas as well.
As Sage moves from a rundown orphanage to Conner's sumptuous palace, layer upon layer of treachery and deceit unfold, until finally, a truth is revealed that, in the end, may very well prove more dangerous than all of the lies taken together.
An extraordinary adventure filled with danger and action, lies and deadly truths that will have readers clinging to the edge of their seats.
I still have an unread ARC of The False Prince on my shelf, which was recommended to me by the Scholastic rep at ALA Midwinter 2012 for fans of The Hunger Games. I'm guessing that's because of the orphans having to compete for the role of the prince? Whatever the case, I've wanted to read this novel since I first received it, so I'm excited it's being offered by SYNC this year. And I know the story of The Prince and the Pauper well, though I don't think I've actually ever read the original. Should be a great listen!
Will you be checking out either of these titles? Remember, they're only available through Wednesday, and new titles will be put up on Thursday for download. Other things to note:
To download this week's titles, just click on the image below to be taken directly to the SYNC download page:
I hope you take advantage of this program. I've been doing it for the last couple of years, and I've had the chance to listen to a ton of great audio for free. If you've never tried audiobooks before, it's a great opportunity to do so without the obligation of buying one that you might not enjoy. And if you love audiobooks, well, it's a great time to stock up on some titles you may have missed. Win/win. =)
Wednesday, July 24, 2013
Waiting on Wednesday: Evertrue by Brodi Ashton
"Waiting On" Wednesday is a weekly event, hosted by Jill at Breaking the Spine, that spotlights upcoming releases that we're eagerly anticipating.
This week's WoW selection is...
Author: Brodi Ashton
Series: Everneath, book #3
Publisher: Balzer + Bray
Publication Date: January 21, 2014
Terrified for her survival, Nikki and Jack begin a desperate attempt to reverse the process using any means possible. Even Cole, who they expected to fight them at every turn, has become an unlikely ally — but how long can it last? Nikki needs to feed on Cole to survive, Cole needs Nikki to gain the throne in the Everneath, Jack needs Nikki because she is everything to him — and together, they must travel back to the Underworld to undo Nikki’s fate and make her mortal once more. But Cole isn’t the only one with plans for Nikki: the Queen has not forgotten Nikki’s treachery, and she wants her destroyed for good. Will Nikki be forced to spend eternity in the Underworld, or does she have what it takes to bring down the Everneath once and for all?
In this stunning conclusion to the Everneath trilogy, Brodi Ashton evokes the resiliency of the human spirit and the indomitable power of true love.
After that nasty trick Cole pulled at the end of Everbound, I just have to know what Nikki and Jack are going to do. And even after Cole's deception, I still feel some kind of devotion to him...like he's just misunderstood or something. Gah, I can see why it was so easy for Nikki to fall into him and the Everneath when things seemed so dire and desperate before. January is so. Far. Away. :(
Current Giveaways
A Starry-Eyed Prize Pack!
Subscribe by Email
Follow Via Bloglovin
Follow Jen on Instagram
Jen's Currently Reading
Sabrina's Currently Reading
2019 Reading Challenge
Followers
Search This Blog
Ratings
Twitter
Quotes We ♥
Blog Archive
Labels
About Me
-
starryeyedjen
- I work with numbers by day, and I'm a mommy and avid reader by night. I'm a self-proclaimed Spreadsheet Queen, and I'll read anything you put in front of me. I seriously love all the books! And I adore audiobooks, too!
View my complete profile