Review of Time's Twisted Arrow by Rysa Walker

EDIT: THIS BOOK HAS BEEN RENAMED TIMEBOUND AND IS COMPLETE WITH A BRAND NEW COVER YOU CAN SEE HERE.

On Tuesday I hosted the tour for Time's Twisted Arrow, and you can find it here (make sure you check it out because we're giving away a couple copies of the book!) Unfortunately, I was kind of out of it at the time because I had stayed up too late trying to finish the book because it was just so awesome. Then one thing led to another and I was having difficulty forming coherent sentences to write, which is not nearly good enough for this book. So now it's back, finally getting the kind of review that this amazing book deserves!

They weren't panic attacks. Of that, seventeen year old Kate is certain, no matter what the shrink told her parents. But it's even harder to accept the explanation offered by her terminally ill grandmother - that Kate has inherited designer DNA from the time-traveling historians of CHRONOS, who were stranded in the past by a saboteur. Kate knows that her grandmother's story could easily be the brain tumor talking, but that doesn't explain the odd medallion or the two young men - one of them hauntingly familiar -- who simply vanish before her eyes on the subway. It doesn't explain Trey, the handsome stranger who now occupies Kate's assigned seat in trig class. And it definitely doesn't explain why Kate is now in an alternate timeline, where leaders of a previously unknown cult hold great power and are planning a rather drastic form of environmental defense.

In this new reality, Kate's grandmother was murdered at age twenty-two on a research trip to the past, which means that Kate's mother was never born, her father doesn't know her and, for all intents and purposes, she doesn't exist. The only thing keeping her from disappearing entirely is the strange blue medallion around her neck, and the only thing keeping her sane is her burgeoning relationship with Trey. To restore the time line, Kate must travel back to 1893 and keep herself and her grandmother clear of H.H. Holmes, the serial killer who is stalking young women at the Chicago World's Fair. But that choice comes at a price - she'll remember the past few months with Trey, but when he looks at her, he'll see a total stranger.

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For When Words Just Aren't Enough

My Review

When I finished this book, I was trying really hard not to cry. It may have been because of the obnoxious fluorescent lights that had been shining on me for the past few hours as I read this book in one sitting, but I think it's something else. I am SO GLAD that Rysa didn't leave me with a cliffhanger here. I'm pretty sure I'd still be holding back tears, but it would not be joy streaming down my face. It would be bitter, agonizing pain because I wasn't ready to let go of the characters yet.

I'm still not, but at least there was a respectable amount of closure. I'd been worrying a lot as I saw the book coming to a close, and I was really afraid that everything was going to end right in the heat of it all (haha, literally). This ending still has me on my toes, but at least they're firmly planted on the ground instead of ready to chuck my Kindle off of a cliff for leaving me with such a finale.

It wasn't just the ending that was perfect, though. The entire book was just so amazing that I couldn't stop smiling. Most of the time. The times when I wasn't smiling, I was about to break down into tears because I felt so bad for Kate. Like when she got the letter from her father.... yeah that was bad.

And I'm not a crier. I don't think I've ever cried when reading a book, and I can still say that even though I came pretty close this time. This book was just so.... agh! I still can't put words to it even though I've been trying to process everything that happened for the past four days. If that doesn't tell you how incredible this book is, then nothing will.

The most impressive part about this book was how well Rysa Walker handled time travel. While I'm not going to say that I didn't have any questions, this is THE BEST TIME TRAVEL BOOK I'VE EVER READ. I already mentioned that it's the best book I've read so far this year in general, but it's the best book concerning time travel that I've read in my entire life.

I'm not going to lie, time travel is hard. In my opinion, it is one of the most difficult topics to write about because there are so many loose ends to cover that will always leave the reader questioning if they're not taken care of. That's why I was wary of reading this book at first, but Rysa Walker handled it better than anyone else that I know of.

While the time travel was the best part, my favorite part was the characters, especially the two main guys. I am so sick and tired of those idiotic "bad boy" male leads, and this was such a welcome breath of fresh air. Yes, I know, call me a goody two shoes or whatever, but I always go for the good ones in books. Just ask Gabby, it's annoyed her many times before.

Trey and Kiernan, man I love those guys. Both of them, which will probably not end so well for me later on, but I still love them both to death. Especially another version of one of them (yeah, some of you know what I'm talking about). They're just so awesome in so many ways, I can't even handle it!

They both care so much about Kate, and they're not looking to drag her down into their dark and dangerous world like so many other male book characters will. Boys, please just get your own act together before you come messing with these girls because they don't need any of that. I don't care if you "ooze mysterious excitement" or whatever other kinds of wonderful things you bring along with you. It's kind of getting old.

That doesn't mean that Trey and Kiernan are perfect little angels without any other purpose in life other than to stand beside Kate and looking pretty. They definitely have their own stories and problems, but the important thing is that they don't try to hurt Kate because of them. I actually believe that both of them truly love her, so I'm really excited to see how things will turn out.

Couple all of that with a heroine that can actually take care of herself (thank goodness!), one really kick-butt grandma, and a loveable Irish setter, and you've got quite the book on your hands.

Now my only problem with this wonderful package is what it's wrapped in. I know, everyone says not to judge a book by its cover, but for now, they can shove it. I'm judging because I know that's what we, as readers, do. Just looking at the image on the front, it doesn't scream amazing, action-packed, comedy-ridden, romance-filled bundle of adventure like the actual story does. It's just.... brown. And swirly with numbers. My first impression was that it was a historical novel, which is so not true. I hate historical novels, and the blurb just barely managed to snare me long enough to grab it.

Yeah, even writing this I can see how that seems petty, but like it or not, that's how it works. The first thing we see is the cover, and we're going to make assumptions based on it. Luckily, the meat of the package more than compensates for any misgivings I had at the beginning. It could have been wrapped in a paper bag, and it still wouldn't have made any difference in the fact that this book is the best I've read all year.

Rating: ∞ stars

And to wrap it up, here's my favorite spoiler-free passage:

"I looked again at the picture, unsure which bothered me more - that I had been kissed by a married preacher or that he had died more than half a century before I was born."

A copy of the novel was provided for us in exchange for an honest review.