Never a Hero by Vanessa Len (Monsters book 2)

SPOILER ALERT! If you haven’t read the first book in the series, Never a Monster, Stop! I don’t want to ruin the story for you.

“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.” - taken from Goodreads.

Joan changed the timeline and now nothing is the same. Neither Nick nor Aaron know who she is or what she has done. Only a few remember what happened in the previous timeline and someone is out to get Joan and the power she has but doesn't understand. With few to help her navigate the world of Monsters, Joan is determined to make things right. But what she soon finds out is that there is someone more powerful who is trying to right the timeline to what they think it should be. Who is Joan up against and what does she discover? 

Book three is expected in 2024.

Visit Vanessa Len’s website.

Fire Walker by Josephine Angelini (Worldwalker trilogy book 2)

SPOILER ALERT! If you haven’t read the first book in the trilogy, Trial by Fire, Stop! I don’t want to ruin Lily’s story for you.

“Two versions of the same world. Two versions of the same girl. Love took them home. Now evil wants them back.”

After being missing for three months, Lily's mother Samantha knew exactly where to find her and Rowan on a snow covered road two towns away from Salem. Her sister Juliet is horrified to see how badly Lily is burned. Juliet seems to be the only one who doesn't know what is going on. When Samantha takes charge, it's the first time in years that Juliet had seen her mother look and act sane. Back at the Proctor house, Rowan has Juliet help him save Lily’s life. Juliet is mystified that her mother seems to know and trust Rowan. Watching him use his magic, she is impressed at the lengths at which he goes to safe her sister’s life. While she is being treated, Lily floats on the edge of reality. With her guard down, Lillian is able to reach her through mindspeak and attempts to plead her case. Everything she has done, she did for Rowan. If she can find a way to rectify the mistake of the Woven, everything will have been worth it. Lillian shares some of her memories with Lily on the promise that she doesn’t tell Rowan. Lily agrees.

When she is sufficiently healed, Lily wakes up and finds that she has been back in her world for over a week. A lot has happened while she was gone, including the FBI becoming involved in what they saw as a missing person case. Everyone, including her father and Tristan were questioned. Her mother came up with a cover story stating that she had forgotten her daughter had gone for radical subcutaneous exposure therapy for her life threatening allergies. It would also explain her appearance except Agent Simms from the FBI isn’t buying Lily’s story. Forced to go back to school, Lily finally comes face to face with Tristan. Having already met Rowan at her house when he tried to come see her, Rowan warns her that Tristan is just like the Tristan from his world. He will be drawn to her because of her magic and willstones. And he is in love with her. Lily begins to block Lillian’s attempts at mindspeak. She still believes that Lillian’s actions are evil and in no way are for Rowan’s benefit.

At school, Lily meets with Tristan before the day begins. He is furious that she has been avoiding him but wraps her in a tight hug. She promises to work for his forgiveness. Breakfast walks by and joins the conversation. The three of them, along with Breakfast’s girlfriend Una, hang out a lunch, amidst all of the stares Lily continues to receive. She has already survived the inquisition the superintendent, principal and school nurse put her through before she could go to class. Tristan asks her who Rowan is and her answer is her holistic life coach. The three of them are interested to meet him but Lily puts them off. She is unable to keep them from meeting when they show up on a Saturday morning with bagels. Rowan and Breakfast hit it off immediately, which annoys Tristan. Lily tells them that Rowan is Native American and Una is interested in his abilities. He comments that she has the same talent that both he and Tristan have. Tristan explodes, saying they are nothing alike. Rowan thought that he wanted to become a doctor. Tristan tells them that his dream died when he was thought to be involved in Lily’s disappearance. He now has a police record and Lily is devastated. Rowan begins dropping hints about the group’s abilities but Lily eventually gets him to stop. The five spend the day together.

Lily converses in mindspeak with Rowan and slips up by saying something she shouldn’t know. She is saved from further questioning when Samantha comes down the stairs. Rowan offers to make everyone dinner. Lily and Juliet each offer to take their mother for a walk to keep her away from their friends. Breakfast suggests they all go after dinner and has Samantha sit next to him. Lily is grateful to Breakfast but he tells her that he has an uncle like her mom. Rowan picks up on the fact that spirit walking runs in his family. The group goes out for a walk. Rowan mindspeaks with Lily and tells her that Tristan loves her but not to push him away. He suddenly stops and pulls Lily behind him. He tells everyone to go home. Lily sees Carrick (Lillian has sent him after Lily to bring her back to their world) and she gives Rowan what energy she has to chase him down. Everyone sees what is happening including her willstones flaring to life. Tristan wants to know where Lily has really been for the past three months.

When Rowan returns after losing Carrick, he and Lily explain to Tristan, Breakfast and Una what is really going on. Rowan knows that Carrick is there for Lily and she will need a coven in her world to help her fight. Her three friends have the ability to become her mechanics and they readily agree. Rowan already has grown willstones for them to bond with and will train everyone to the best of their abilities. The three each bond with a stone and are claimed by Lily.

Will Lillian be able to lure Lily back to her world? Why does she need Lily? What happened when she met with the shaman and began spiritwalking? Can Lily and Rowan be safe in her world? What role will Samantha play in all of this? What happened to Lillian’s Samantha? Will Agent Simms continue to hound Lily about her disappearance? What happens when Tristan finds out about his other self from Rowan’s world? Will Rowan discover Lily’s “betrayal” over mindspeaking with Lillian? Does Lily see why Lillian has done off of the “evil” things that she has done? Can the two of them make a life in Lily’s world or will they be driven apart?

The Worldwalker trilogy will conclude in the fall of 2016 with Traitor’s Pyre.

Visit Josephine Angelini’s website.

Infinityglass by Myra McEntire (Hourglass book 3)

SPOILER ALERT! If you haven’t read the first two books in the hourglass trilogy, Hourglass and Timepiece, Stop! I don’t want to ruin one of my favorite series for you.

“The dead have come back to life. Time has been rewritten. The space time continuum has been damaged. Anyone with the basic time gene could see ripples; imprints of people from the past, which had turned into entire scenes, streets full of people, even buildings. These rips were getting worse.”

The Hourglass will need to locate the legendary Infinityglass if it has any chance of fixing the space time continuum. Jack Landers is still on the loose and now Teague, the supposed head of Chronos, is looking for it as well but for her own purposes. When Lily, who has the ability to locate things, senses the Infinityglass, the member of the Hourglass are stunned. Always believed to be an object, it turns out that it is actually a person, seventeen year old Hallie Girard of New Orleans. She is the daughter of Paul Girard, a dealer of special artifacts on the black market. He uses time travelers to retrieve objects. Hallie would describe her father as a “magical mafia boss”, but never to his face. Girard Industries has many businesses under their umbrella, including Chronos. Paul is the true head of Chronos and Teague is his estranged wife. She has pretty much abandoned her family.

Liam Ballard has sent Dune Ta’ala to New Orleans to further his research on the Infinityglass. Meeting with Paul Girard, he will pose as Hallie’s bodyguard in order to stay close to her. Dune is not happy to find out that he will be staying with Poe Sharpe. Liam reassures him that Poe believed that he was working for Chronos when in actuality Teague was lying to him. Jack Landers also manipulated Poe’s memories. When he realizes the truth, Jack stabbed him. Dune needs to remember that a gravely injured Poe rescued Michael and Emerson from the rip. Liam tells Dune that Poe can be trusted. Dune asks Poe to tell him what Hallie is like. A genius he says who takes college courses on line and dances seriously. Hallie is like her father, you are better if to stay on her good side. Poe warns him to be prepared; Hallie has a sexy way about her and uses it to get what she wants. Poe asks him not to tell Hallie is in back in town. Dune asks if the two of them are together, No, just friends now but the less Hallie knows the better. Teague has lied about everything.

Hallie is not happy to learn that Dune is her new bodyguard, especially since he will have unprecedented access to her. Pulling one of her old stunts, she climbs out of her window and goes to an old bar in the French Quarter. Sipping her drink, she is surprised when Dune comes to retrieve her. The attraction between the two of them is mutual and Hallie attempts to use it to her advantage. She is tired of her father keeping her in an ivory tower and just wants to get out and have a little fun. Dune is worried about keeping his job after her father finds out she left home. Trying to get her out the door, he makes comment about how she could slip past him by changing her appearance. She demands to know what her father has told him. Only that she has “an uncanny knack for appearances.” Suddenly, Hallie morphs her facial features back to their original form. Dune doesn’t react and Hallie is furious. She wants to know exactly who he is. Just then, multiple time rips appear in the bar and Hallie realizes that Dune can see them. They step out of the bar and into the courtyard to escape the noise and talk.

Once outside, Hallie is cold. Dune takes off his jacket and wraps it around her shoulders to keep her warm. She notices that he isn’t carrying a weapon and his flimsy excuses aren’t working on her. Scrambling for answers and a way to get her back home, he confesses to knowing about her transmutation ability. She pushes him for more answers and he reluctantly reveals that he also has time related abilities. She asks if he works for Chronos. No he says and then she remembers hearing her father talking about the Hourglass. He tells her that he is the only person capable of helping her and that he was hired by her father. Being her bodyguard is just his cover. He is like a historian and the Infinityglass is his area of expertise. Dune admits that she is in fact the Infinityglass and he is there to help her. Not knowing enough about her abilities, she doesn’t immediately accept his offer of help. She turns to leave and accidentally walks into a rip. Once inside, her body merges with a man inside. His memories become a part of her. All Dune can do is stand back and watch. Finally, she pushes herself out and the rip closes. Dune catches her before she can fall when she reemerges. Hallie is ready to accept Dune’s help and learn what being the Infinityglass is about.

What powers does the Infinityglass possess and what is their purpose? Will Hallie and Dune be able to figure them out? Do the two of them act on their mutual attraction? How did Hallie become the Infinityglass? What secrets is Teague keeping? How will Teague attempt to use her daughter? Can Dune keep Hallie safe? Will she be able to mend the space time continuum to right the wrongs of Jack Landers?

Even though each book of the Hourglass series is told from two alternating POVs that change with each installment, fans will be glad to know that all six main characters are reunited in this book.

Visit Myra McEntire’s website.

Visit Murphy’s Law, the Official Hourglass Series Website.

Timepiece by Myra McEntire (Hourglass book 2)

"A threat from the past could destroy the future."

SPOILER ALERT! If you haven't read Hourglass, Stop! I don't want to ruin one of my favorite series for you.

Kaleb Ballard’s parents were time travelers, just like his friends Emerson Cole and Michael Weaver. Kaleb’s ability is empathy, to sense emotions of his close friends and those he touches. Now Kaleb and Emerson’s lives have been changed forever by his father’s former partner, Jack Landers. Jack manipulated time to bring Emerson to Ivy Springs, Tennessee after the accident that caused the death of her parents. He also killed Kaleb’s father and stole enough memories from his mother to land her into a coma. Now Jack is on the loose and time travel seems to be in flux.

Only those with the time travel gene were able to see rips; people “stuck in time superimposed on the present”’ but now Kaleb is seeing them as well. On the night that Emerson’s brother hosts a masquerade party at his restaurant, Kaleb sees rips everywhere. When Jack appears with a gun, Kaleb seeks revenge for those he loves and cares about. Jack tells Kaleb that “killing him would be the worst mistake of his life.” The gun fires which breaks a mirror and Jack disappears. Kaleb then notices a man entering the restaurant through a veil. He says his name is Poe and he is there to deliver a message to the Hourglass. Their actions in going back in time to first save Liam Ballard and then Michael have disrupted the time travel continuum. He grabs Emerson, pulls her into the veil with him and threatens to slit her throat. Poe further states that Emerson’s ignorance of the law is no excuse for her saving Michael without suffering the consequences. He slits her throat and tells Kaleb to find Jack Landers in order to have any hope of repairing the damage. If the Hourglass is successful, they can choose which timeline they wish to follow. If Jack isn’t located, time will be rewound and a timeline will be chosen for them. There is a possibility that the timeline could be repaired with no consequences to Liam, Michael or Emerson’s lives. The Hourglass has until midnight on October 31 to find Jack Landers. Poe pushes Emerson out of the veil to Kaleb and she is unharmed.

What has happened to the time travel continuum? Who is Poe working for and what do they want Jack Landers for? Can Jack be found in time? Why would Kaleb killing Jack be a mistake? Will Kaleb’s mother wake up from her coma? Can Kaleb repair his relationships with his father and Michael? And what timeline will the Hourglass choose to follow if they are successful?

The story of the Hourglass will conclude with Infinityglass in 2013.

Once again I feel in love with Myra McEntire’s story. A bit skeptical at first changing POV, I loved Kaleb through all of his faults and becoming is own man. Cannot wait to see where the final book goes!


Visit Myra McEntire's website.
Visit Murphy's Law Coffee, a fan site for the Hourglass series.

Hourglass by Myra McEntire

Life for seventeen-year-old Emerson Cole is more complicated than other people. An orphan, she left boarding school for financial reasons and is back home in Tennessee with her older brother and his wife. Since just before her parents’ death four years ago, Emerson began seeing ghostly apparitions only noticeable to her. After an argument in the school cafeteria her freshmen year, Emerson has been in mental hospitals and on medication. Secretly off her meds, Emerson has learned a few tricks to deal with the people only she can see. Her well-meaning brother has brought in several specialists/quacks to no avail. So when he announces he is bringing in another consultant, this time from the Hourglass a secretive organization, Emerson decides to give it one more choice.

When Emerson first lays eyes on Michael Weaver, the attraction between the two of them is instantaneous. After all the other failed attempts, Emerson finds she is leery of Michael’s promises of help until she realizes that he can see the same things she does. She finds herself pulled to Michael until he tells her to stop researching for information on the Hourglass.  Emerson pulls away and soon both of them are miserable. Michael finally tells her that he is only trying to protect her. She sees the past but he sees the future and he has met the Emerson of the future. He knows how their paths will cross and wants to shield her from knowing too much, too soon.

 

Who is Michael Weaver and why is he so secretive? Why does it seem like there is an electrical charge between the two of them? What is the Hourglass and its purpose? And why does Michael need Emerson to help him travel back in time to stop a murder that should have never happened? Equal parts mystery and romance; join Emerson in her journey to discover not only who she is but who Michael is as well.

This is the BEST book I have read in a very long time!! I loved every minute of it and couldn't put it down. Lots of twists and turns with spine-tingling, nail-biting action at the end. Cannot wait to see what else Myra McEntire writes in the Hourglass realm.