Recent Reads: The Time Travel Edition

The Forgotten Sister by Nicola Cornick (2020)

Amy (Robsart) Dudley is married to Robert Dudley, favorite courtier of Queen Elizabeth I.  Amy wants to escape her loveless marriage, but her actions have repercussions that apparently trickle down through the centuries.  In the present day, pop star Lizzie finds herself in a scandal with her best friend and his wife's family, with links to the past.  I wanted to love this book - I love the Tudor era, I love dual-timeline stories - but it was such a mess.  The "past" timeline was really good - I enjoyed learning about Amy and more about a side of the Tudor era I don't normally come across.  However, the "present" timeline was a total dud.  Silly names, convoluted characters and backstories, extraneous details, magical realism that felt gimmicky.  Unfortunately, it brought the whole reading experience down for me.  3 stars

The Memory Collectors by Dete Meserve (2025)

Sometime in the near future, the ability to time travel has been achieved by a large company, allowing people to visit one hour in their past without repercussions for their future.  Unfortunately, while in the past, four "travelers" are stranded for more than their allotted hour.  As they cross paths with one another, they are all forced to take a closer look at this pivotal time in their lives.  I really enjoyed this book!  I loved the fairly new take on the time travel genre.  Seeing how all these seemingly unrelated people and stories were actually quite intertwined was beautiful storytelling - I loved seeing all the connections and how the travelers used their future knowledge to maybe, perhaps change their circumstances from what happened previously.  I have to admit, this book was a lot more introspective than I anticipated - I was expecting a thriller, but it delved more into themes about being present in a moment and how we can create our own second chances.  4 stars

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Recent Reads

When The Moon Hits Your Eye by John Scalzi (2025) 

What would happen if, one day, the moon suddenly became a sphere of cheese, floating in space?  John Scalzi imagines a world reacting to the news that our moon, as we know it, has been replaced by cheese.  From regular people to astronauts to politicians, he takes us through various conversations and events, showing the wonder, fear, and incredulity that such an unexpected event might inspire.  Each chapter moves to a different POV, keeping the story fresh and fast-moving.  At times humorous, heart-warming, and whimsical, this was definitely an entertaining read, even if the conclusion was a bit unsatisfying for me.  4 stars

And Then There Was You by Sophie Cousens (2025)

Chloe feels stuck and unsuccessful in her life, and she's worried about seeing her former best friend, now a successful director, at their upcoming college reunion.  So, she uses a dating service to find an unconventional plus-one for the weekend, hoping to save face in front of her friends.  I love Cousens's books - they are heartwarming with just the right amount of quirk.  Unfortunately, this one missed the mark for me.  I don't know if it's just the books I read, but I am tired of seeing female characters who are always down on their luck, not moving ahead in life, comparing themselves unfavorably to everyone around them.  To a point, I could relate to Chloe, but I also felt exasperated by her situation, and to think she could distract from all that just by bringing a hot date for the weekend was a little heartbreaking.  I also felt no chemistry between Rob (her date) and Chloe (of course, there is a big twist here that I won't spoil!).  I appreciated that the true love story here was quite unexpected, and I'm still looking forward to whatever Cousens writes next!  3.5 stars

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Recent Reads

Long Live Evil by Sarah Rees Brennan (2024)

Rae is dying from terminal cancer when one day she is approached with a mysterious offer - a chance to live by first entering the fantasy world of her favorite book series and retrieving a flower.  With nothing to lose, Rae takes a chance and wakes up as a character in the story, with the world around her feeling all too real.  She's been cast as one of the villains, and she'll have to be truly devious to keep herself from being killed.  I really enjoyed this book!  It took me a little bit to really get into it - the writing is very dense, to create this fantasy world - but the concept is amazing!  A chance to meet some of your favorite characters and experience their world?  Awesome!  As Rae makes it further into the storyline, things are not quite as she expected, and even her own actions will have serious consequences.  I admired Rae's ability to maneuver this world while still being herself, and the cast of characters around her are both terrifying and extraordinary.  I'm excited to see where Brennan takes the story next!  4 stars

Dating After the End of the World by Jeneva Rose (2025)

After spending her childhood unhappily helping her doomsday-prepping dad, Casey left as soon as she could and hasn't looked back.  That is, until a zombie apocalypse surges through the nation and she's forced to return to her childhood home.  There, she finds her father had continued his prepper ways and is now thriving, somewhat, while offering refuge to several other people, including Casey's childhood nemesis, Blake.  This book had a little bit of everything, and I thoroughly enjoyed it!  There's some science fiction, with the zombies, and of course plenty of gore comes along with that.  There's action and drama, as the survivors fight to keep their home safe.  Casey and her father are able to work on their damaged relationship, and I definitely shed some tears there!  And Casey and Blake finally find some common ground and, in working together, love blossoms.  After an explosive ending, I'm hoping for a sequel!  4.5 stars

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Recent Reads

 A Queen's Game by Katharine McGee (2024)

Katharine McGee has fictionalized the lives of three real princesses - Alix of Hesse, Helene d'Orleans, and May of Teck - as they navigate the world of royal romances.  I love historical fiction, especially one that involves royalty, and it's really interesting how intertwined the lives of these three young women were.  As two of them are related to Queen Victoria (who makes some very fun appearances), they know that marriage is their end goal, though it seems like strategy is more important than romance, much to their dismay.  I appreciated that McGee tried to stick to the facts when she could, but there is an entirely invented character that does play a big role in this book.  I felt very invested in the ladies' stories, even going so far as to look them up online to learn more about them - and now I'm even more excited for the second book.  4 stars

The Princess and the Scoundrel by Beth Revis (2023)

Han Solo and Princess Leia get married and embark on a honeymoon aboard the Halcyon, a luxury space vessel.  But for Leia, work is never done, and she and Han become embroiled in a dangerous situation with Imperial forces.  Admittedly, I am not a big Star Wars fan.  I have a basic understanding of some of the stories, but this book came so highly recommended that I wanted to give it a chance.  I definitely felt a little lost when it came to some of the characters, but I was able to follow the story well enough.  I thought Revis did a great job depicting Leia as someone who has to constantly juggle public and private roles, and the relationship between Han and Leia was so romantic, the way they were so tuned into each other.  4 stars

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Recent Reads

 Business Casual by B.K. Borison (2024)

Nova and Charlie are total opposites but find themselves attracted to each other.  A one-night stand isn't enough for the two, but could they really find a way to make it work?  And is that what they really want?  I read the first book in this series a couple years but not the ones in between, so I kind of feel like I was missing something when it came to Charlie and Nova within the friend group.  Charlie is a flirt, but is he really serious about anything?  I enjoyed the parts about Nova opening her new tattoo shop and her reasons for it, but I don't know that I totally bought this relationship.  And don't get me started on that cheesy ending - yikes!  3 stars

The Family Experiment by John Marrs (2024)

In the near future, most people cannot afford to start a family, but virtual children, using AI, are becoming all the rage.  A new reality show follows several families as they raise a virtual child from birth to 18 years in just nine months, with the eventual winner choosing to keep their virtual child or take money to potentially start a family in the real world.  This is another offering from John Marrs that offers an eerily plausible look at the future, and I do appreciate how he ties some of his books into the same universe, with callbacks to other books.  The family aspect of this one is so emotionally charged, and I think many aspects of this story will resonate with readers.  Of course, it wouldn't be a John Marrs book without some shady characters and lots of twists and turns.  I guess my only complaint would be that his books are feeling a little formulaic.  4 stars

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Quick Reviews

 She Wouldn't Change a Thing by Sarah Adlakha (2021)

Maria is a 39-year-old wife and mother, totally overwhelmed by her job and family - until the day she wakes up as her 17-year-old self, unsure of how she got there or how to get back to her family.  She comes to realize that she has a chance to change history, but the change will prevent her from meeting her husband or having her children in the future - how does she make this impossible choice?  I love time travel stories and I was so taken with the premise of this one, but unfortunately, I was left with more questions than answers and it hindered my enjoyment of this book.  We find out that a certain event propels Maria into the past, where she learns she isn't the only one this has happened to.  She then discovers she has been sent back for a "purpose," which to me wasn't super clear - like, if you couldn't figure out this purpose, what was the point?  And also, there's basically no going back, but completing your purpose will change the future you thought you knew.  So, why these people?  Why this purpose?  And since you can't go back to your old life, what is the point of you reliving your life, albeit very differently?  Would certain things still happen, regardless?  And should you (or could you) try to change those things, too?  I didn't care for the bit of insta-love that was thrown in as well.  I did enjoy the connections between the characters and trying to figure out how it would all work out.  Incredible premise, but the execution didn't work well for me.  3 stars

Icebreaker by Hannah Grace (2023)

 

When a college hockey team and ice skating team are forced to share a rink, sparks fly between the captain and the star skater.  Anastasia doesn't have time for a relationship, but will she make room for a new partner?  I have to admit, I'm not quite sure what to think about this one - it's definitely going to end up being 3 stars for me, though.  There were parts I liked - the college setting is one I don't read often, so it was nice to revisit that.  It was way spicier than the cover might make you think (although sometimes it felt like the sex scenes were taking over the story).  The timeline is realistic (no real insta-love here).  But, I did have issues with it.  First off, there were WAY too many side characters to keep track of and after awhile I just stopped caring.  The book is at least 100 pages too long (it's well over 400 pages, there's a lot of repetition in the forming of the relationship between Anastasia and Nathan, and there were plot points that could have been omitted entirely while important ones were totally glossed over).  While it makes sense than Anastasia would be deeply in touch with her emotions after many years of therapy, I felt like the characters were a little too self-aware (and mature, maybe?) for their ages, and there's so much talking at the expense of actual plot.  And don't get me started on that epilogue!  3 stars

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Fiction/Nonfiction Quick Reviews: The Out of this World Edition

The Six: The Untold Story of America's First Women Astronauts by Loren Grush (2023) 

When NASA was first formed, women were excluded because originally only military test pilots were considered for astronaut positions.  In the late 1970s, though, restrictions were lifted and NASA welcomed the first group of female astronauts in its class of 1978 - six women who would overcome great odds to make their mark on the agency and go to space.  Sally Ride, Judy Resnik, Anna Fisher, Kathy Sullivan, Shannon Lucid, and Rhea Seddon were the first women chosen and even if you don't know all their names now, you'll be impressed with all of them by the time you finish the book.  Grush explores the early lives of each woman, how she came to apply to NASA, and of course the time each spent there, culminating with one or more trips to space.  She goes into great detail about the training they went through and the scrutiny and bias they endured.  Grush has a very readable and relatable writing style - often nonfiction can seem dry, but Grush's writing is engaging and flows nicely.  I appreciated the research that went into this book (although she wasn't able to speak to most of the women, for various reasons) and really enjoyed the quotes she was able to find - hearing from the women in their own words was incredible.  At times, the book seemed a little surface level but overall I learned a lot about these pioneering women of space.  4 stars

Eversion by Alastair Reynolds (2022)

A sailing ship in Norway in the 1800s, a zeppelin in Antarctica in the 1900s, a space ship exploring an alien structure in the distant future - what do they all have in common?  Dr. Silas Coade was present at all these events, and in every single one, Dr. Coade and his crew fail terribly.  How do these events keep happening, and how can Coade stop it?  This book was so unexpected - when we first meet Coade, he is the on-board surgeon for a ship trying to locate a mysterious building, called the Edifice.  This journey, like many that follow, will end badly for Coade - but little nuggets along the way will clue you in to the fact that all is not as it appears to be.  I loved the reveal of Coade's true nature and purpose (I hope I'm not being too spoilery!), and I also loved how the author changed up the feel and tone of the story for each iteration (like using language appropriate for the time period).  There are deeper questions about the nature of humanity and its desire to explore and heal and also some meditations on technology and its role in our lives.  A uniquely touching sci-fi story!  4 stars

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Quick Reviews: Time Travel and Time Loops

Twice in a Lifetime by Melissa Baron (2023)

Isla, suffering from depression, anxiety, and panic attacks, trades her life in Chicago for a more slow-paced one in Missouri.  She is surprised one night to receive a text from someone claiming to be her husband, since she's definitely not married.  But, she eventually believes that he is contacting her from the future, one in which they are no longer together.  As they build their relationship over the phone, soon the time will come for them to meet in person - can Isla fix things this time around?  I really wanted to love this book - I'm such a sucker for time travel - it never makes sense to me (and it really doesn't in this book), but I'm always up for it.  However, this book missed the mark for me.  The author gives trigger warnings up front for depression, anxiety, and suicide, and much of the story is devoted to Isla and her mental health.  I know it's important to have issues like this represented in books, but it was very hard for me to read.  At times it almost felt like a checklist of important points about depression and anxiety was used to craft certain parts of the story, and it felt clinical and textbook-y.  I know lots of people have enjoyed this book, but it was just a little too heavy and dark for my personal taste.  3 stars

Maybe Next Time by Cesca Major (2023)

 

Emma, a literary agent, is having a terrible day - something's off with her kids, she's facing a crisis at work, her sister-in-law is acting strange.  Then, she and her husband get into a fight, and when he leaves to take the dog for a walk, he is struck by a car and killed.  To Emma's surprise and confusion, when she wakes up the next day, she's repeating her terrible day all over again, and again, and again.  No matter what she does, she can't save her husband.  I love books that feature a time loop.  Although they can seem repetitive at first, I like watching the characters try to figure out how to get themselves out, usually by making some realization about themselves.  Emma is a very relatable character - she's always on the go, always needing to answer a text or go to a meeting, thinking about what needs to be done next - but she's also very caring and loving, almost to a fault.  My heart broke for her as she struggles with the time loop and losing her husband every night, but I was also happy when she realized that this time could be seen as a gift.  The inclusion of Emma's husband's anniversary letters to her over the years added some much-needed history and context to the story.  4.5 stars

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Fiction/Nonfiction Quick Reviews: The Out of This World Edition

Dead Silence by S.A. Barnes (2022)

An interstellar salvage crew comes across the Aurora, a luxury space liner that disappeared during its first voyage, and they soon find out that something terrible happened to the crew and passengers.  This was a fun read!  Books that take place in space always freak me out a little bit, and this was no exception.  The story is told in a now-and-then format, with part taking place as Claire and her crew investigate the ship and part taking place in present day, after Claire is recovered from the "wreckage."  It does get a bit gory at times, as Claire describes her findings, but the author definitely paints a very vivid picture of the luxury ship.  When we finally discover the reason behind what happened, at first I was a little disappointed, but the more I thought about it, the more I liked it and actually thought it was disturbingly plausible.  Claire is a bit of an unreliable narrator, and the many callbacks to her childhood got a bit dull.  Overall, though, a creepy, very tense sci-fi story!  4 stars

An Astronaut's Guide to Life on Earth by Col. Chris Hadfield (2015)

 

After watching the first lunar landing as a child, Chris Hadfield knew he wanted to be an astronaut.  Although he knew it was a near-impossible dream, Col. Hadfield's drive and determination led him to space three times, and in this memoir, he recounts what it took to get there and what he learned along the way.  This was a really interesting read!  If you have even a passing interest in space and astronauts, you'll probably enjoy this one.  Hadfield describes his training and missions in a way that is easily understandable while never being dismissive of the intensity of either.  For example, Hadfield would practice for months on Earth to complete one particular task in space.  He has a unique perspective on life and lives by certain mantras that may seem counterintuitive to most people - it's important to worry about the small things (be prepared) and don't let your success always be determined by the end product (he wanted to be an astronaut but knowing how slim the chances of actually making it to space are, he wouldn't let it affect his self-worth).  4 stars

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Quick Reviews

 Upgrade by Blake Crouch (2022)

In the near future, gene modification and editing are possible but highly regulated.  Logan Ramsey works for a government agency that fights against illegal gene editing.  During a raid gone wrong, Logan is hit with shrapnel in an explosion and later told he has been infected with a virus.  Soon, he notices both physical and mental changes far beyond his imagination.  His DNA has been rewritten in an "upgrade," but who would do this, and why?  This sets up a fast-moving thriller as we follow Logan and find out the answers to these questions.  I love Crouch's novels; I always find them to be perfectly (and quickly) paced - the reveals keep coming.  You won't want to stop reading anyway, because even though the science-y bits get a little dense, you'll want to know what's coming next and how Logan will respond.  I don't want to give too much away, because it really is a treat to immerse yourself in the story.  It brings up some interesting questions about our humanity and what makes us who we are.  4.5 stars

The Wedding Veil by Kristy Woodson Harvey (2022)

A dual timeline story that focuses on Julia and her grandmother Babs in the present day and Edith and Cornelia Vanderbilt in the past, as the four women forge their own lives, briefly connected by a wedding veil.  I have to admit, I was disappointed in this story.  I was expecting much more of a focus on the wedding veil, its ties to the families, and how they were connected, but there were only brief mentions of it and the connection turns out to be very obvious and poorly executed.  I found myself not caring at all about Julia and her grandmother; Julia is a runaway bride and Babs is trying to move forward in her life after her husband's death.  There were just far too many coincidences and happy accidents, it made the story so unbelievable.  In the past, Edith and Cornelia have to learn to take care of themselves after their husband/father's death.  I was much more intrigued by the Vanderbilt storyline, especially as parts of it take place at the iconic Biltmore, although since it happens over such a long period of time, it felt very scattered.  Overall, the story lacked focus and some of the characters and their situations felt contrived.  3 stars

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Mini-Reviews: Longest on My TBR

Vessel by Lisa A. Nichols (2019)

Thanks to Susie at Novel Visits for the recommendation!

Astronaut Catherine Wells is part of a mission to explore a far-away planet when disaster strikes and the crew is thought to be all lost.  Years later, Catherine returns to Earth, with little memory of what happened, but she has a feeling that something isn't right.  This book was part science fiction, part thriller, and part domestic drama.  Catherine has to adjust back to life at home, knowing she's missed a decade of her daughter's life and her husband started seeing someone else, but she's also tormented by thoughts of her former crew and not knowing what happened to them; in addition, she's experiencing some strange things, like losing hours of her day.  Since this book is so short, the story moves along pretty quickly, although at times that was a detriment.  Scenes jumped forward in time rapidly without enough transition.  I did like the way the author used flashbacks to slowly reveal what happened on the distant planet.  I had a pretty good idea early on of what was going on with Catherine, but it was still interesting to watch how it all played out, especially since there's a lot on the line with another crew heading out into space soon.  3.5 stars

A Fire Sparkling by Julianne MacLean (2019)

 

When Gillian finds a picture of her grandmother looking very close with a Nazi soldier, it opens a floodgate of family secrets that started during WWII.  As her grandmother reveals her story, Gillian feels compelled to learn more.

Although not the most unique WWII historical fiction story I've read in terms of events or angles, A Fire Sparkling had a unique family story at its heart.  It starts with the discovery of a shocking photo, and it moves back and forth in time as the full story is slowly revealed.  I had some issues with this book - I wasn't a big fan of the writing.  It felt overwritten and melodramatic in parts it shouldn't be, and the dialogue was stilted, repetitive, and unnatural.  I didn't really care about the personal issues Gillian was dealing with; I was way more interested in her grandmother's story, and in those sections, the writing seemed to find its way a bit more.  I don't want to give too much away because some of the reveals were just that good, but I will say that this book contained wonderful themes of the strength, courage, and resiliency of women during the war, and it raised questions about loyalty and having to choose between family and country.  3.5 stars

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Time Travel Mini-Reviews

Permafrost by Alastair Reynolds (2019)

Thanks to Greg at Book Haven for the recommendation!

 

If you enjoyed the Netflix series Travelers, then you'll enjoy this novella that has a similar premise.  Decades in the future, humanity is on the brink of starvation.  A group of scientists seek to make a tiny change to history that they hope will save them.  They've discovered a way to transport a human consciousness into the body of another person in the past, and they plan to use that person to carry out their mission.  But they don't anticipate the problems they'll run into, both with the host mind and others who seek to stop them.

This was an amazing story, and I couldn't stop reading it, wanting to know if the scientists would succeed.  At less than 200 pages, the story moves quickly and the action never stops; nothing is unnecessary here.  Although some of the science stuff went over my head, I still thought the story was well-written and engaging.  The characters, both in the past and the future, are interesting.  I'm always drawn to time travel stories, because of the ethics, the implications - it's just fascinating.  This surprisingly heartfelt story is a great addition to the genre.  4.5 stars

Replay by Ken Grimwood (1987) 

 

Thank you to Dani at The Restricted Section for the recommendation! 

In 1988, Jeff Winston dies of a heart attack - and then wakes up in his college dorm room in 1963, with all his memories intact.  So begins a cycle in which Jeff relives these years of this life, only to always die in 1988.  

 

It did take me a bit to get into this book.  The writing is sparse, almost clinical, at the beginning, and transitions between events were practically non-existent.  But, the more I read, the more I got into it.  This was a really interesting take on time travel.  Jeff doesn't know why this is happening to him and he can't control it. So many questions were raised - if you could live your life again, would you do it differently?  Use your knowledge of the past to make a lot of money, have the family you always wanted, find a way to stop devastating events from happening?  But, would it be worth it knowing everything would reset upon your death and revival?  What would that do to your mental state?  For awhile, we follow Jeff through his life cycles, but then another character is introduced that changes everything, and that's where the story gets even more interesting!  I really don't want to give too much away, and I highly recommend experiencing this story for yourself!  4 stars

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Blog Break + Review: Foe

Just a quick scheduling note that I'll be taking a brief break from the blog next week!  I'm hoping to get some fun stuff ready for the coming weeks, so I'll talk to you all in April!

Foe
Iain Reid
Published September 4, 2018

A taut, philosophical mind-bender from the bestselling author of I’m Thinking of Ending Things.

We don’t get visitors. Not out here. We never have.

In Iain Reid’s second haunting, philosophical puzzle of a novel, set in the near-future, Junior and Henrietta live a comfortable, solitary life on their farm, far from the city lights, but in close quarters with each other. One day, a stranger from the city arrives with alarming news: Junior has been randomly selected to travel far away from the farm...very far away. The most unusual part? Arrangements have already been made so that when he leaves, Henrietta won't have a chance to miss him, because she won't be left alone—not even for a moment. Henrietta will have company. Familiar company.

Told in Reid’s sharp and evocative style, Foe examines the nature of domestic relationships, self-determination, and what it means to be (or not to be) a person. An eerily entrancing page-turner, it churns with unease and suspense from the first words to its shocking finale. - from Goodreads

The thing that ran through my mind the most while reading this book was, WTF WTF WTF?!? This sci-fi story is a thriller, but not in the typical action-packed sense.  It's a character-driven, atmospheric, and psychological thriller.

Junior and his wife Henrietta ("Hen") live on a farm in the middle of nowhere.  One day, Terrance, a representative of OuterMore, a quasi-government organization that is researching space exploration, visits their farm and announces that Junior has been entered into a lottery to be a part of the expedition to the space station.  Some time later, Terrance returns to inform Junior that he has been chosen.  The trip could last years, but Hen won't be alone back on Earth - OuterMore will provide her with a very familiar companion.

One of my first thoughts when reading was, well, this seems unfair - Junior didn't ask to be part of this expedition, and now there's a chance he could be taken away from his home?  What if he doesn't want to go?  The lottery process takes so long that it's actually a couple years before Terrance comes back to tell Junior he's been chosen, so now he's been stewing about it for all this time.  Then once he's been chosen, the process to prepare him and Hen for the mission starts, and things get even weirder.

In the midst of all this, we have three major characters.  Junior is the narrator; he's a pretty simple guy.  He loves his wife, loves his home, goes to work everyday.  Hen was not super-likable.  There were several times she attempted to tell Junior how unhappy she is in their life together, how she feels smothered by him, how she wants to see more of the world, but she would never come out and say she wanted to leave him.  And then there's Terrance.  It was hard to know what to make of him, to know if I could trust him.  He's so invested in helping Hen and Junior prepare for the mission, but his methods were strange.

Just when I was wondering how this would all work out, boom - MASSIVE twist I didn't see coming!  It totally changed the way I looked back at the story.  I really liked the ending of the book, too - even though it felt slightly heavy-handed, for me it was the only logical conclusion.  I loved the writing; it was very straightforward, but also had an eerie and ominous undertone to it.  If you're looking for a sci-fi story that's a little different, definitely give this one a try!

4.5 stars

Out Of This World Recommendations

While I personally would never want to go to space, I'm still fascinated by it and love books that are set there.  Here are my recommendations for some awesome fiction books that take place at least partially in space and two nonfiction books about space!

 

These Broken Stars // Good Morning, Midnight // The Martian

 Obscura // The Loneliest Girl in the Universe

 

  

Ask An Astronaut // Astrophysics for People in a Hurry

What are some of your favorite books set in space?

 

Review: The Coincidence Makers

The Coincidence Makers
Yoav Blum
Published March 6, 2018

In this genre-bending novel, there is no such thing as chance and every action is carefully executed by highly trained agents. You’ll never looks at coincidences the same way again.

What if the drink you just spilled, the train you just missed, or the lottery ticket you just found was not just a random occurrence? What if it’s all part of a bigger plan? What if there’s no such thing as a chance encounter? What if there are people we don’t know determining our destiny? And what if they are even planning the fate of the world?

Enter the Coincidence Makers—Guy, Emily, and Eric—three seemingly ordinary people who work for a secret organization devoted to creating and carrying out coincidences. What the rest of the world sees as random occurrences, are, in fact, carefully orchestrated events designed to spark significant changes in the lives of their targets—scientists on the brink of breakthroughs, struggling artists starved for inspiration, loves to be, or just plain people like you and me…

When an assignment of the highest level is slipped under Guy’s door one night, he knows it will be the most difficult and dangerous coincidence he’s ever had to fulfill. But not even a coincidence maker can see how this assignment is about to change all their lives and teach them the true nature of fate, free will, and the real meaning of love.

The Coincidence Makers is so difficult for me to review, because it's hard to find the words to describe it. It's a little bit science fiction, it's a little bit fantasy - and at its core, it's actually a love story.

Guy, Emily, and Eric are Coincidence Makers - they are secret agents who make changes in the world by setting up coincidences.  They're not really "changing" the world - they're nudging things into the places they are supposed to be.  Like, if an accountant is meant to be a famous poet - the Coincidence Makers will orchestrate occurrences to make sure inspiration strikes.  The whole book was such an interesting look at the debate of fate versus free will.  If there are people like this working behind the scenes, is any part of our life really up to us?  Or does it not matter, because they are helping us get to where we are meant to be?

Guy is the main Coincidence Maker we follow.  Before this job, he worked as an Imaginary Friend, which is exactly what you're thinking.   During one of his many stints, he meets another Imaginary Friend, Cassandra, and the two improbably fall in love.  After it ends, Guy resigns himself to a life without love, for himself at least.  As a Coincidence Maker, he's pretty low-level and does a lot of matchmaking coincidences, helping other people meet and fall in love.   After one such assignment, he is next given the task of working on part of a very high-level mission, and his life is sent on a very different course.

When I first started reading the book, I thought the writing seemed simplistic, almost sparse, but the further I got into the book, I began to realize that was actually kind of deceiving.  The writing and the story all got deeper as the book went on - at times I even felt like it was too "smart" for me!

The story was perfectly plotted and paced.  I loved seeing how the Coincidence Makers work, all the planning and precision that goes into their assignments.  As the story progresses and more layers are revealed about Guy's new assignment, I couldn't help but smile.  The creativity that Blum brought to the book, the world-building he incorporated, and the way the ending played out were masterful.  So unique, so original, and such an unconventional love story.

4.5 stars

Science Fiction Mini-Reviews

Obscura by Joe Hart (2018)

In the near future, a dementia-like disease called Losian's is striking Earth's population.  Dr. Gillian Ryan is researching a cure when she accepts a position to study a crew on a space station that's exhibiting similar symptoms.  However, the mission turns out to be not what she expected and she finds herself in serious danger.

This book was part science fiction, part thriller, and part mystery.  When Gillian finds out after she's already in space that they're actually headed to Mars to examine a crew working on a top secret mission, I felt for her - she had no clue she would be millions of miles away from her daughter, who is suffering from Losian's.  During the journey and after they reach the Mars station, there's this pervasive sense that something is very wrong.  It didn't help that Gillian was somewhat of an unreliable narrator (she has an addition to painkillers), so sometimes it was hard to know what was real and who to trust.

The  twists and turns just kept coming, and the space setting really added to the tension.  I thought the mystery got a bit muddled at times, but the pacing of the story was so good and I loved the ending.  4 stars

The Loneliest Girl in the Universe by Lauren James (2018)

Romy has been alone for years on a spaceship speeding away to a potential Earth II since her parents died when she learns that another ship is on its way.

Being alone in space is probably one of my worst nightmares, but Romy seems to handle it fairly well.  Her father taught her a lot about the ship and survival, so even though it literally takes years to send communications back and forth to Earth, teenage Romy isn't doing too bad.  Then, communications with Earth slow and stop, but Romy is hoping she'll get some answers from J, commander of the ship that is joining her mission.  However, strange things start happening and J seems a bit off.

It takes awhile for the real action to start in the story, but I was never bored.  It was interesting learning about Romy's life (although I wish the story of how she came to be alone had been presented a tad earlier), and I think the author did a great job capturing how Romy is a captain of a ship (although not by choice) but still a teenager (forming a crush on J).  This book was more of a thriller than I was expecting, and I loved all the surprises that kept cropping up during the second half of the book.  If you're looking for a space thriller that will give you the creeps and yet still has a lot of heart, this is the book for you.  4 stars

Mini-Reviews: Unconventional Love Stories

How To Stop Time by Matt Haig (2018)

Tom Hazard may look like a typical 40-year-old, but he's actually over 400 years old, due to a rare condition.  As a member of a society of similar people, he knows he must follow the rules of keeping to a quiet life, moving every 8 years, and never falling in love.  But when he meets Camille, he begins to question the life he's been leading.

This book was so much more than just a love story.  In fact, for me, the love story was just a small part.  It's more a character study of this man who has lived an incredible life (he's sailed with Captain Cook, had a drink with F. Scott Fitzgerald, and worked alongside Shakespeare) but who still feels incredibly lonely.  At one time he had a wife and daughter, but to keep them safe, he left.  His daughter, however, has the same condition as him, and he has never stopped hoping he will find her again.

The story is very light on action and plot, and even becomes very predictable in the end, yet I was still taken in by an imaginative look at someone who has experienced so much of history and how it has affected him.  3.5 stars

The One by John Marrs (2018)

Imagine if you could find your soulmate just by taking a DNA test - when Match Your DNA finds your perfect genetic match, you'll live happily ever after.  Right?  In The One, five people send their DNA swab to Match Your DNA, hoping the database will find their soulmate.

This book captured me from the start.  I was totally intrigued by the premise.  The author has come up with such a unique approach to finding love, but could it really be foolproof?  Each storyline explores the "what ifs" - what if you were already in a relationship?  Would you take the test and risk finding out your partner isn't your perfect match?  What if your match is terminally ill, deceased, or even the same gender as you (and you've always considered yourself heterosexual)?  Or, what if your match is a psychopath?  Every storyline is distinctive and interesting

This book was darker than I was expecting, but in the best ways.  It's a thriller, but it also has a lot of heart, and even though I guessed some of the outcomes, I was still surprised many times.  Short, snappy chapters that ended with a bit of a tease kept me reading.  It was such a fun ride and proved that nothing in life or love is a guarantee.  4.5 stars

Mini-Reviews: Time Travel Romances

Back in December, I did a post on time travel romances I've read and enjoyed.  Since then, I've read a couple more, so here are my reviews!

The Dream Keeper's Daughter by Emily Colin (2017)

Isabel has been raising her daughter Finn alone since her boyfriend Max disappeared shortly after she told him she was pregnant.  What she doesn't know is that Max has been pulled back through time, to his ancestor's plantation in 1816 Barbados, and that he's trying to get back to them before he gets caught in the middle of a deadly slave uprising.

This book had a lot going on - not only was there time travel and romance, there were also some supernatural/paranormal elements, historical fiction, friendships, relationships between parents and children, and family secrets.  It worked for awhile, but by the end I was lost and felt the story was dragging on.

I loved the writing; the author had an easy, flowing style.  At the beginning, the pacing was also really good - although some might feel it's slow, I liked the way the story moved back and forth between Isabel and Max's points of view (Isabel wondering if she should have hope that Max is still alive and Max trying to stop the rebellion).  However, the last 100 pages or so didn't work for me.  Isabel's best friend Ryan reveals that he has been in love with her for years, and the drama between the two of them as they decide whether to embark on a relationship was just awkward.  I don't think the story needed this element; I would have been more happy to have the focus on Isabel's conflicting feelings about both Max and her mother, who also disappeared when Isabel was younger. 3.5 stars

The Scribe of Siena by Melodie Winawer (2017)

A neurosurgeon taking care of her late brother's estate in Siena, Italy, is transported back to the 14th century, where she finds herself falling in love with an artist on the eve of the Plague's arrival.

I really enjoyed this book - the writing was absolutely lovely, the characters were fully fleshed-out, and the setting was rich.  Winawer did a great job in setting the scene; the descriptions of 14th century Italy and life at that time transported me to the era.  Beatrice was a multi-dimensional main character - although a neurosurgeon by trade, she also had an interest in history, and when she found herself in 1347 Siena, she adapted very quickly to her new surroundings, even finding herself a job and surprising herself with a lack of desire to get back.  The secondary characters added a lot of heart to the story.

Besides being just a love story between Beatrice and artist Gabriele, there is also quite a bit of intrigue, as Beatrice tries to figure out why Siena will be hard-hit by the Plague, causing the city's downfall.  She and Gabriele are pulled into situations more dangerous than they expect.  My only quibble with the story was that it did seem to move quite slowly at times.  4 stars

Review: Invictus

Invictus
Ryan Graudin
Published September 26, 2017

Time flies when you're plundering history.

Farway Gaius McCarthy was born outside of time. The son of a time-traveling Recorder from 2354 AD and a gladiator living in Rome in 95 AD, Far's birth defies the laws of nature. Exploring history himself is all he's ever wanted, and after failing his final time-traveling exam, Far takes a position commanding a ship with a crew of his friends as part of a black market operation to steal valuables from the past.

But during a heist on the sinking Titanic, Far meets a mysterious girl who always seems to be one step ahead of him. Armed with knowledge that will bring Far's very existence into question, she will lead Far and his team on a race through time to discover a frightening truth: History is not as steady as it seems. - from Goodreads

In the distant future, Farway McCarthy is a student hoping to become a time traveler, so he can explore history.  But after he fails his final test, he is recruited by a shady guy to locate and steal valuable items that were lost to history.  One such mission involves stealing a book from the sinking Titanic, where Far crosses paths with Eliot, a girl with many secrets.  Who is she, and what does she want?  When she finally reveals her reasons for seeking out Far, Far and his team are thrown into something that could affect all of time and space.

I love time travel (although I don't always understand it), and I especially loved the way the author approached it in Invictus.  In Far's time, time travelers are sent back to different times and places in order to record history - can you imagine being able to say you walked with dinosaurs or saw President Lincoln give his Gettysburg Address?  It sounds like the perfect job - one that Far wants desperately.  He assumes he'll get it, too - he's at the top of his class and everyone expects that he'll pass his exam with flying colors.  But he doesn't, which leads him to accept a black-market job as captain of the Invictus, with a crew comprised of his medic girlfriend Priya, historian cousin Imogen, and engineer best friend Gram.

I generally liked all the individual characters, although my one biggest problem with YA is that the teenagers always seem way too smart for their ages.  The characters are all around 18 years old, yet they're able to pilot this ship and plan and carry out missions like it's no big deal.  It's just a little weird to me.  Anyway... there was also some romance going on - I liked Priya and Far's relationship.  It felt real and deep, as opposed to the huge crush Imogen has on Gram.  Her "I like him but I can't tell him" utterings got old, real fast.  She seemed a bit immature.

When Eliot appeared on the scene, I was anxious to find out what her deal was.  I wish the author had gotten to it a bit faster; the reveal was pretty cool, but it took so long to get there and the mystery surrounding Eliot just confused me.  After her reveal, the story became tense and action-packed.  I don't want to give too much away, because it's a really fun but also unexpectedly dark and emotional ride.

I loved Graudin's writing; I've never read anything by her before, and I found her writing to be elegant in a way I don't necessarily expect from YA books.  I appreciated where she went with the story in the end; I think it was risky to have the events play out the way they did, but I was very satisfied with the choices she made.

4 stars

2017 Backlist Reader Challenge: April Roundup

It's time for another round of mini-reviews for the Backlist Reader Challenge!  I think I'm making pretty good progress - I've read 12 of the 26 books on my TBR for this challenge, so I'm about 46% done!

The 5th Wave (The 5th Wave #1) by Rick Yancey (2013)

A teenage girl searches for her brother when they are separated after an alien attack decimates Earth's population.

I'm always up for survival stories like this, whether it's a natural phenomenon like an avalanche or something more science fiction-y, like an alien attack.  I'm always interested to see how people change and adapt.  In this case, Cassie was a great main character - just an average teenager before the alien arrival, she becomes a street-smart, resourceful survivor.  That is, until she meets Evan Walker, and then she becomes a ball of mush more concerned about the chocolate-y color of his eyes. 

I enjoyed the parts of this book that were gritty and intense and emotional - Cassie's desperate search for the last living member of her family, her younger brother, and Ben's indoctrination into an army that he thought would be fighting against aliens, not for them.  Unfortunately, the book suffered a bit when it came to the romance portion, which I felt was unnecessary.  It would have been enough for Cassie to gain an ally without having the two of them fall in love for no reason.

There are lots of POVs in the book, which I liked because it allowed me to see the invasion from many sides.  I didn't think it was confusing at all; it was pretty easy to figure out who was talking.  All in all, this was a good (but not great) and fast-paced read.  3 stars

                                                                                                                      

Bury Your Dead (Chief Inspector Armand Gamache #6) by Louise Penny (2010)

In the 6th installment of the series, Inspector Gamache is in Quebec, trying to recover from a terrorist plot, when he is asked to join a local investigation of the murder of an amateur archaeologist.

This was my favorite book of the series so far.  Three separate story lines kept the pace fast.  The main storyline involved the murder of an archaeologist trying to find the remains of Samuel de Champlain, the founder of Quebec.  It was an interesting mystery and I learned a lot about the tense history between the French and English in Quebec. 

The second storyline brought us back to the murder of the Hermit in Three Pines from the last book.  Olivier had been convicted of the murder, but his partner Gabri was not convinced of his guilt.  Gamache, too, is now feeling uncertain about the outcome of that case, and he sends his second-in-command to Three Pines to do some subtle investigating.  I had a feeling this story wasn't over!  And this time, the outcome is very surprising!

But my favorite parts of the book were the flashbacks to something that happened off-page, between this book and the previous one.  One of Gamache's detectives is kidnapped, and the team finally realizes it is part of a much larger terrorist attack.  I don't want to give too much away, but this storyline was so tense and heartbreaking; I teared up a few times.  There's an underlying sadness that permeates the whole book, as Gamache tries to heal both physically and emotionally.  You can just feel the guilt weighing heavily on him.  5 stars

                                                                                                                                  

 

Maybe in Another Life by Taylor Jenkins Reid (2015)

 

With each book I read of hers, Taylor Jenkins Reid is quickly becoming one of my new favorite authors.  In Maybe in Another Life, two parallel stories take place, sparked by a decision made by Hannah Martin - should she go home with her best friend, or stay awhile longer with her ex-boyfriend?

 

This concept isn't new - there are movies with this plot device and at least one book that I've read (The Post-Birthday World by Lionel Shriver).  But Taylor Jenkins Reid does it so well that I didn't mind it.  Her stories are very relatable and the writing just resonates with me.  It's not over-the-top or too flowery or poetic - it's just straightforward good writing.

The decision Hannah makes sets off two very different paths for her.  Almost immediately, things happen that will drastically change her life.  But, as different as things are, there are some things that remain the same - her deep friendship with Gabby and a thawing of the distant relationship she has with her family in London.

Like with her previous books, the author touches on deep topics - the "what ifs" in life, is there such a thing as a soul mate, and how much of our life is predetermined by fate.  Without giving too much away, I like that each story ends with Hannah in similar yet at the same time very different places in her life.  I think it shows that there are some things we are meant to do, but that in other areas, we choose our own way and could be just as happy with any outcome.  4.5 stars