Tag: time travel

ARC Book Review: Every Hour Until Then (Timeless #5) by Gabrielle Meyer

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Rating: ★★★★★
Audience: Historical Romance
Length: 368 pages
Author: Gabrielle Meyer
Publisher: Bethany House
Release Date: May 20th, 2025
Image & Other Reviews on: Goodreads

BOOK SUMMARY:

Gifted with the ability to time-cross between Victorian-era London and World War II Washington, DC, Kathryn faces two lives fraught with danger. In 1938 amid the looming shadow of war, Kathryn is invited to the London Museum as a guest curator to create a groundbreaking exhibit on Jack the Ripper and his reign of terror. As she delves into her grim research, she uncovers a chilling Her own sister is destined to become the Ripper’s final victim decades earlier.

In 1888, in a race against fate, Kathryn is assisted by her handsome childhood friend in hunting down history’s most elusive killer. As they unravel the threads of mystery woven through time, Kathryn must decide if she’ll unmask the murderer history has chosen to hide, forfeiting a life with the man she loves to save her sister.

Bestselling author Gabrielle Meyer presents yet another thrilling time-travel tale of intrigue, loyalty, and romance–threaded with suspense and decisions that could change history.

Thank you to the author and Bethany House for the gifted copy.

OH THIS BOOK.

I admit that this took me a little to get into but that ending?? The romance?? Got me in the FEEEELS. Now, it does seem a little insta-ish, but let it grow on you!! Trust the journey y’all.

My historical nerd self went down many a Jack the Ripper research hole after finishing this book. I love historical books that make me want to research. And I love reading historicals that cover different time periods than I generally come across.

And I adored the FMC, Kate. She was strong willed and learning but always seemed to genuinely be trying to take the next right step and I loved her courage. There were many good twists to the plot that ramped up my engagement as the pages moved. I also really adored the romance. It brought the swoon and the passion and the I would do anything to see you happy vibes that I am all over. We love a a man DOWN BAD.

I think this is easily one of my favorites of this whole series now and I have loved seeing the crossing timelines, family trees and all of the touches of faith too. What an incredible book.

Overall audience notes:

  • Christian Historical Time Travel Romance
  • Language: none
  • Romance: kisses
  • Violence: moderate
  • Content Warnings: murder (off page but crime scenes are detailed), weapons violence, kidnapping

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Book Review: Never a Hero (Monsters #2) by Vanessa Len

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Rating: ★★★
Audience: YA fantasy
Length: 528 pages
Author: Vanessa Len
Publisher: Harper Collins
Release Date: August 29th, 2023
Image & Other Reviews on: Goodreads

BOOK SUMMARY:

This sequel to the contemporary fantasy Only a Monster will take Joan deeper into the monster world, where treacherous secrets and even more danger await.

Despite all of the odds, Joan achieved the impossible. She reset the timeline, saved her family – and destroyed the hero, Nick.

But her success has come at a terrible cost.

She alone remembers what happened. Now, Aaron, her hard-won friend – and maybe more – is an enemy, trying to kill her. And Nick, the boy she loved, is a stranger who doesn’t even know her name. Only Joan remembers that there is a ruthless and dangerous enemy still out there.

When a deadly attack forces Joan back into the monster world as a fugitive, she finds herself on the run with Nick – as Aaron closes in.

As the danger rises – and Nick gets perilously closer to discovering the truth of what Joan did to him – Joan discovers a secret of her own. One that threatens everyone she loves.

Torn between love and family and monstrous choices, Joan must find a way to re-gather her old allies to face down the deadliest of enemies, and to save the timeline itself.

Vanessa Len’s stunning Only a Monster trilogy continues with this second installment, a thrilling journey where a secret past threatens to unravel everyone’s future.

MIDDLE BOOK.

I thought this was a duology?? And I found out it’s not and it showed. At over 500 pages there was no way it needed to be this long.

I LOVED book one and I am currently feeling a bit jaded at how this went. I don’t often feel like a book drags when I’m listening as an audiobook but that was the case here. Because of the results at the end of book one, I felt that this one had to rehash a looot of information to move things along.

And I wish the romance had been more at the forefront. It started off really well and then tapered off and I’m not even sure where things stand at this point. There were some good reveals towards the end, and I will read the third book.

Overall audience notes:

  • YA Time Travel Fantasy
  • Language: moderate – strong
  • Romance: kisses
  • Violence: moderate
  • Trigger/Content Warnings: loss of life, weapons and physical violence, loss of loved ones

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Book Review: The Reigning and the Rule (Surviving Time #2) by Calia Read

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Rating: ★★★★
Audience: Time Travel Romance
Length: 479 pages
Author: Calia Read
Publisher: Self Published
Release Date: November 17th, 2018
Image & Other Reviews on: Goodreads

BOOK SUMMARY:

Étienne Lacroix and I had a fire I thought would never die.
Our love was timeless.
An irreversible decision sent me back to the present day with a family I barely recognize, but I am determined to find a way back to Étienne.
I can survive time. But I can’t survive life without him.
Time bends to no one’s demands, so I must fight with everything I have to return to the past. However, I am terrified that the past I once knew might not look the same, and the man who once called me his surviving trace will no longer be waiting for me.

Time bends to no one’s demands but sometimes love does.

OH THE DRAMA.

I still stand by this series could have probably been one book, maaaaybe two. But I just finished book two and I’m invested enough to see this through to the end.

This did once again, go outside my spice comfort level (didn’t affect my rating but wanted to note). Things once again get steeeeammyyyy. So if that’s your thing, here ya go!

I liked that there was a bit more explanation behind the magic working with Serene as she goes back and forth between time. I like having a general explanation of the rules of the world and this gave me more answers I was seeking. I love the historical aspects and seeing how things continue to change as Serene makes life changing decisions around and around.

That ENDING was wild. I have a million plus questions and NEEEEEED to know where it goes so I’m hoping to get back to finish this series ASAP. This book is a bit long, yet it does have a decent pace that will keep you moving. And if you love high angst moments, this delivers on them.

Ovearll audience notes:

  • Time Travel Romance
  • Language: some strong
  • Romance: multiple open door; high explicit
  • Violence: medium
  • Trigger/Content Warnings: gun violence, near death experiences, loss of life, mentions of domestic abuse

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Book Review: The Serpent’s Curse (The Last Magician #3) by Lisa Maxwell

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Rating: ★★★☆ (3.5)
Audience: Historical Fiction + Magical Realism
Length: 768 pages
Author: Lisa Maxwell
Publisher: Margaret K. McElderry Books
Release Date: April 13th, 2021
Image & Other Reviews on: Goodreads

BOOK SUMMARY:

Evade the serpent.

Heed the curse.

Rewrite the present.

Esta isn’t a stranger to high-stakes heists. She’s a seasoned thief who has no reservations about using her affinity for time to give her an edge, and she’s trained her whole life for one mission: travel back to 1902 New York, steal the ancient Book of Mysteries, and use its power to destroy the Brink and free the Mageus from the Order’s control.

But the Book held a danger that no one anticipated—Seshat, an angry goddess was trapped within its pages. Now that terrible power lives within Harte, and if given the chance, Seshat will use Esta to destroy the world and take her revenge.

Only Esta and Harte stand in her way.

Yet in their search to recover the elemental stones needed to bind Seshat’s power, Esta and Harte have found themselves stranded in time with a continent between them. As Esta fights to get back to Harte, the Order is no longer the only obstacle standing in her way.

Saving Harte—and magic itself—will put even Esta’s skills to the test. And all the while, another danger grows, one more terrible than both Seshat and the Order combined…

BETTER.

I liked this a lot more than book two.

The pacing felt more consistent throughout 800 pages rather than a drag out situation of me trying to pick the book up to continue reading. The first half was definitely slower, with at least a much quicker paced back half. I was hoping for more action overall (it somehow lacked in this area??). There were plenty of new developments for the story at least.

Namely that there was finally a time change!! I’ve been stuck on the fact that the two sets of characters have only been separated by two years so I was excited to have a bigger gap with more opportunity to explore new areas and new/old characters alike. I still have so many questions, and it’s enough for me to want to continue the series.

I loved that some romantic development occurred after 2000 pages of waiting. Good heavens. THEN HARTE HAD TO OPEN HIS MOUTH. He’s my favorite character, easy. That boy has some groveling to do and may have blown the next book wide open. I am really curious to see where the (last??) book goes!

Overall audience notes:

  • YA Historical Fiction + Magical Realism
  • Language: a little
  • Romance: closed door
  • Violence: high
  • Trigger/Content Warnings: loss of loved ones, explosions, weapons violence, incapacitating illness, kidnapping, physical violence, alcoholism, child abuse, racism, xenophobia, suicide ideation

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