The Hourglass Door by Lisa Mangum Review

4 out of 5 stars

*This book is in a trilogy*

Just thought you should know.

A quick summary: Abby Edwards is a senior in high school, and she feels her life is, in a word, predictable. She’s had the same best friends for years, her boyfriend is literally the boy next door, she does the exact same thing for her birthday every year, and her parents expect her to go to the University of California along with everyone else she knows. Abby’s life is planned to perfection, but she secretly wishes for a little spontaneity, so when handsome and Italian Dante Alexander appears in her life, she can’t help being attracted. But Dante’s past is full of secrets, lies, and danger that Abby soon gets swept up in.

How’s that for a generic back cover summary? At first, I thought that the only reason to read this book was for the love interest, the charming Dante Alexander. I’ll be honest, the type of romance in these books kind of annoy me, which is why I deducted some points. However, these are the reasons I liked this book as much as I did: 1) The best friend, Valerie, was great, 2) The antagonists were absolutely amazing, almost to the point where I was rooting for them instead of Abby, and 3) There were some historical elements tied in.

I’m just gonna throw this out: there was time travel. If you don’t like time travel (which I usually don’t), still give this book a try. It presents a time machine as a Da Vinci invention, which is an interesting idea that I personally had not heard of.

Overall, the action, tension, and some of the characters in this book are what made it stand out from other modern fantasy/sci-fi YA romances. Reading back, I realized this sounded really critical. Just to clarify, I did enjoy the book and thought the writing was very good. I would definitely recommend it to any high schooler looking for a good romance.

Thanks!

Liv

The Name of the Star by Maureen Johnson Review

4.5 out of 5 stars

First, off, I would like to say that I recently started reading some of Maureen Johnson’s books and I have really enjoyed them. I like how there are random twists and the romance isn't the typical “I’ll love you forever.” That’s definitely not realistic for teenage romances. She also addresses some topics that are interesting, and, in my opinion, a lot more easy to relate to. If I had to describe all of her books in a word, I think I would choose refreshing.

So, a quick summary: Louisiana teen Rory Deveaux moves to London to go to a boarding school on the same day a brutal murder occurs. This murder marks the beginning of a series that mimic the Jack the Ripper killings over a hundred years ago. Rory thinks she sees the man who is the culprit, but she is the only one who can see him. Soon, Rory becomes involved with London’s “ghost police” while also making herself a target for the next murder.

I really, really enjoyed this book. Rory is an interesting, funny character, and her friends are well developed and feel just as important as she does. I’m a sucker for anything historical, and Maureen Johnson did an amazing job of weaving the brutal history into the plot. It was gruesome and paranormal, but it wasn't a story that made me scared to go to bed.  Rory’s romance was cute, funny, and a bit awkward. In other words, it was pretty perfect.

The thing that made me deduct some points was the ending. I don’t know if she is planning on writing a sequel, because it ended abruptly and strangely. It felt like it wasn't quite resolved, and she introduced a new topic within the last few pages. It wasn't irritating, just not very smooth.

I think that this book would be appropriate for teens of the ages 14 and up. It wasn't exactly mature, but it didn't feel directed towards a younger audience. It obviously had some violence and mild romance.

Overall, I would read this book again and recommend to anyone who is looking for an interesting read.

Thanks!
Olivia