‘Times Twisted Arrow’ by Rysa Walker -Book Review and *Giveaway*

Title:

Times Twisted Arrow (The Chronos Files #1)

Author:

Rysa Walker

Published:

October 1st 2012

Genre:

YA Science Fiction

Book Description:

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.

Book Links: Goodreads | Amazon

My Rating:

My Review:

This is a very clever book, despite the criticism that I’ll probably inflict on this poor, defenceless book, I must state that it was extremely smart and must have taken someone with a very bright mind to actually get a book like this out on the paper. (Believe me, I’ve tried. Way harder than it looks!) Now that I’ve complimented the Times Twisted Arrow, I can be mean.

I thought that Kate was very trusting in the beginning of this book. She wasn’t asking many questions or raising any issue. I know that the evidence was right there in front of her with the necklace and her being able to see what others couldn’t, but yeah, she seemed to go along with whatever her grandmother told her.

I’ll admit it’s better than most books, where the main character take FOREVER to believe the what is happening around them. You end up wanting to slap them. I didn’t want to slap Kate at any point in this story.

The relationship with Trey seemed to happen WAY to fast. I mean, Kate fainted in front of him and then he drove her across the country? And believed her when she told him about the time travel? Again, the evidence was there, with the picture disappearing, but the romance side progressed at a faster pace than normal. Although, the romance was to be expected. At one point they were talking about bathroom familiarity. Too much!

While we’re on the subject of romance, I’d go for Kieran! Perhaps a little too pretentious with his ‘Of course, LOVE’ but hey, he did spend a passionate year with her.

Romance is almost a turning point in books for me. Either I like the book or I hate it according to how the romance is written. (Obviously others things to, but I love romance.) Thank goodness Rysa Walker can write good love bits! It was only into the first few chapters that we got a kiss from Kieran and Kate!

I sound like such a pervert. Of course, I’m only interested in the kissing parts because of how its written, kay? (Not.)

I got the impression that the characters in Times Twisted Arrow, were either too emotional and crying over someone they have never met, or complete robots.

Also, and I really hate to say this, while reading a section or two of this book it reminded me of Eclipse by Stephenie Meyer.

(Alright, alright! Stop throwing rocks at me! Let me explain.)

Kate, our heroine, is about to leave to try and save the world (spoilers) and she has one night left with her boyfriend, Trey. They start talking, but then Kate tries to make a move on Trey. Trey tells her that he wants to wait, so he can remember it (Timeline freakiness. Read the book.) Kate starts to cry and has a hissy fit, she feel rejected. Ring any bells? Also, Kate talked in her sleep.

I’m not being unreasonable, because I know there are billions of books out there and nowadays you can’t have a completely new storyline and MAYBE Rysa Walker hasn’t even READ the Twilight series by Stephenie Meyer. I’m just SAYING, it REMINDED me of Eclipse.

Overall I enjoyed it, and if Rysa Walker writes a sequel, I would be interested in reading it! There’s still room for another book if she wanted to go down that route. Maybe she already has a date for book two, three and four.

GIVEAWAY:

This blog is hosting a giveaway for one (1) ebook copy of Time’s Twisted Arrow. Open internationally. All you have to do is COMMENT!

Grand Prize:

$25 Amazon Giftcard and One signed copy of Times Twisted Arrow.

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About Author and LINKS:

Website | Goodreads | Twitter

RYSA WALKER grew up on a cattle ranch in the South. Her options for entertainment were talking to cows and reading books. (Occasionally, she would mix things up a bit and read books to cows.) On the rare occasion that she gained control of the television, she watched Star Trek and imagined living in the future, on distant planets, or at least in a town big enough to have a stop light.

When not writing, she teaches history and government in North Carolina, where she shares an office with her husband, who heroically pays the mortgage each month, and a golden retriever named Lucy. She still doesn’t get control of the TV very often, thanks to two sports-obsessed kids.

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