Review/ Wayfarer by Alexandra Bracken

Review/ Wayfarer by Alexandra BrackenWayfarer (Passenger, #2) by Alexandra Bracken
Format: Hardcover
Published by Disney-Hyperion on January 3rd 2017
Pages: 532
Goodreads

All Etta Spencer wanted was to make her violin debut when she was thrust into a treacherous world where the struggle for power could alter history. After losing the one thing that would have allowed her to protect the Timeline, and the one person worth fighting for, Etta awakens alone in an unknown place and time, exposed to the threat of the two groups who would rather see her dead than succeed. When help arrives, it comes from the last person Etta ever expected—Julian Ironwood, the Grand Master’s heir who has long been presumed dead, and whose dangerous alliance with a man from Etta’s past could put them both at risk.
Meanwhile, Nicholas and Sophia are racing through time in order to locate Etta and the missing astrolabe with Ironwood travelers hot on their trail. They cross paths with a mercenary-for-hire, a cheeky girl named Li Min who quickly develops a flirtation with Sophia. But as the three of them attempt to evade their pursuers, Nicholas soon realizes that one of his companions may have ulterior motives.
As Etta and Nicholas fight to make their way back to one another, from Imperial Russia to the Vatican catacombs, time is rapidly shifting and changing into something unrecognizable… and might just run out on both of them.

Wayfarer is the sequel to Passenger by Alexandra Bracken and its just be released this past week so its available to purchase in bookstores and online.

I have to admit I was a little scared going into Wayfarer just because I wasn’t sure I was going to enjoy it like I did Passenger and I have to say I loved it. It actually felt like I was just reading a continuous storyline and perhaps it helped having Wayfarer on hand after finishing up Passenger. I literally had just finished reading Passenger and grabbed some lunch and jumped right into Wayfarer.

Wayfarer picks up right from the ending of Passenger. Right from the get go it was action packed and I had a hard time putting the book down at times. This one was a much faster read then the previous book and that was probably because Alexandra had to build up the story line with details and such and I think that was why I appreciated the story line much more.

So as we know Etta and Nicholas get separated from each other and we find out that perhaps Etta and Julian (Nicholas’s brother) might not actually be dead like Nicholas thinks they are but just stick in time somewhere. They are struggle to get back together before all hell breaks loose so to speak.

I loved how new characters were introduced that made the story line much more and seemed to tie it all in together. Of course they are still traveling through various eras and places much more then in Passenger.

Wayfarer is told in Etta and Nicholas’s points of views which make the story so enjoyable in my opinion. As I was reading it all I kept asking myself is will Etta and Nicholas be able to meet up again before its too late? Both Etta and Nicholas don’t have an easy journey to find each other because along the way there is so many obstacles in their way.

I have to say that I truly do enjoy duologies more then a series and wish there was more of them out there.

I can actually say after reading this book that Alexandra wrapped up all the loose ends and gave the characters the ending that they truly deserved. She wrapped up this duology really nicely. I walked away knowing that there wouldn’t be another book and for me that is a great feeling knowing an author did that without you wondering could there be another book?

I highly recommend this book to any young adult who is looking for a fun and exciting read. Its nice that I took a dip into time traveling and fantasy but there is also a little romance and mystery thrown in which I think just add to the book.

I can’t wait to read more of Alexandra Bracken’s books.

Thank you Autumn for sending me this book to read and review.

Review/ Passengers by Alexandra Bracken

Review/ Passengers by Alexandra BrackenPassenger by Alexandra Bracken
Format: Paperback
Published by Disney-Hyperion on December 6th 2016
Pages: 512
Goodreads

"Expert . . . Passenger succeeds as an adventure, as a romance and as a comparison of cultural norms." -New York Times Book Review
"Riveting, romantic... Fans of Outlander will see so much of Claire in Etta, who holds a smart and headstrong lens to history. I can't wait to voyage through the next volume." -Victoria Aveyard, New York Times #1 best-selling author of Red Queen
"Ambitious and exquisite." -Sarah J. Maas, New York Times #1 best-selling author of the A Court of Thorns and Roses series
In one devastating night, violin prodigy Etta Spencer loses everything she knows and loves. Thrust into an unfamiliar world by a stranger with a dangerous agenda, Etta is certain of only one thing: she has traveled not just miles, but years from home. And she's inherited a legacy she knows nothing about from a family whose existence she's never heard of. Until now.
Nicholas Carter is content with his life at sea, free from the Ironwoods-a powerful family in the Colonies-and the servitude he's known at their hands. But with the arrival of an unusual passenger on his ship comes the insistent pull of the past that he can't escape and the family that won't let him go so easily. Now the Ironwoods are searching for a stolen object of untold value, one they believe only Etta, his passenger, can find. In order to protect her, Nick must ensure she brings it back to them-whether she wants to or not.
Together, Etta and Nicholas embark on a perilous journey across centuries and continents, piecing together clues left behind by the traveler who will do anything to keep the object out of the Ironwoods' grasp. But as they get closer to the truth of their search, and the deadly game the Ironwoods are playing, treacherous forces threaten to separate Etta not only from Nicholas but from her path home forever.

Alexandra Bracken is the author of several young adult books and sadly this is the first one of her’s that I have read. Not sure why I haven’t read her previous books but after this duology I will definitely be checking out her other books.

Can I just take a moment to comment on how beautiful this cover is? You have the New York skyline in the top bottle and a ship in the bottom bottle. The silver font blends in well with the book. Its by far a favorite cover to date.

Before beginning my review I should tell you that its been awhile since I have read a time traveler book and I never got into them so I never continued as it just wasn’t something that interested me. I am not a  historical fiction, fantasy kind of person but after reading this I think I’m hooked.

I thought Alexandra did an excellent job with the writing of each era and what was going on. You can see alot of research went into the book to make it feel real and authentic. It made you feel like you were actually there with Etta and Nicholas.

Passenger is the first book in the duology which I have to say I really liked knowing that it was just this book and Wayfarer.

There are two main characters in Passenger and that is Etta and Nicholas. Etta is from the present day and is a violin prodigy from New York City. Nicholas is a sailor who is from the 18th century, colonial America.

As you can probably tell Etta is thrown from her present world into a world and era she has no idea about which starts off on Nicholas’s ship in 1776. Throughout the course of the book Etta and Nicholas travel various eras and places in history such as 1776 the Atlantic and New York City, 1940 London, 1685 Angkor, 1880 Paris, and then finally 1599 Damascus. It was interesting to read that they could actually go back and forth in time.

In the beginning Etta has no idea what is going on because she has no idea or experience but quickly realizes and learns along the way that this is a matter of life and death and the stakes are high in order to survive.

I must admit that this wasn’t a fast read and it took me awhile to get through the first half of the book and I am happy that I stuck with it because I got to enjoy the book. I thought there was a lot of information at first but then I realized how important it was to the over all story line because clues and details were revealed that made it all work out and make sense.

I really enjoyed the book once I got past that little hurdle and found the book to pick up in pace and I admit towards the end I wasn’t able to put the book down because I needed to know what was happening.

Another thing I loved about Passengers was that it literally ended in a cliff hanger that I didn’t see coming and I think that its a good thing when I book leaves you hanging like that and thankfully I have Wayfarer sitting here so I was able to continue reading it without having to wait.

Check back later on for my review of Wayfarer.

 

 

2017 Netgalley & Edelweiss Reading Challenge

I have to admit that when it comes to reading challenges I pretty much suck at doing them but I am hoping that things will change this year. One step at a time right? One challenge at a time!

I have been on NetGalley since 2009 and Edelweiss for a few years reading and reviewing books. Its such a great resource for bloggers to get access to new and upcoming books. I do have to say that getting accepted for books has been hit or miss on both sites for me. I have discovered though that over the years the higher your feedback ratio score is the better chance you have in getting accepted.

I am sure you are like me and have  logged on to NetGalley and perhaps Edelweiss with the intention of “Just Looking” and then the next thing is you have requested a few books even though your TBR is a mile long? This has happened to me many times and I thought this year I really need to get a handle on that and keep track of the books I have requested and read.

So I am going to take part in the NetGalley and Edelweiss 2017 Reading Challenge that is being hosted by Bookish Things and More. You can click on that link to take you directly to the reading challenge to find out more and how to join.

I am committing to read 50 (Gold)  NetGalley/Edelweiss books this year.

What about you?

First Book Of The Year 2017

It seems like I am always struggling with what I want to read on a normal day so you can image how hard it was for me to pick out my first book that I want to start 2017 with? Do you struggle with that as well?

This is my 4th year doing this and I have decided on:

In one devastating night, violin prodigy Etta Spencer loses everything she knows and loves. Thrust into an unfamiliar world by a stranger with a dangerous agenda, Etta is certain of only one thing: she has traveled not just miles, but years from home. And she’s inherited a legacy she knows nothing about from a family whose existence she’s never heard of. Until now.
Nicholas Carter is content with his life at sea, free from the Ironwoods-a powerful family in the Colonies-and the servitude he’s known at their hands. But with the arrival of an unusual passenger on his ship comes the insistent pull of the past that he can’t escape and the family that won’t let him go so easily. Now the Ironwoods are searching for a stolen object of untold value, one they believe only Etta, his passenger, can find. In order to protect her, Nick must ensure she brings it back to them-whether she wants to or not.
Together, Etta and Nicholas embark on a perilous journey across centuries and continents, piecing together clues left behind by the traveler who will do anything to keep the object out of the Ironwoods’ grasp. But as they get closer to the truth of their search, and the deadly game the Ironwoods are playing, treacherous forces threaten to separate Etta not only from Nicholas but from her path home forever.

The reason I am picking this book is because I was asked to review the sequel and my review is suppose to go up on Friday so I knew I had to read this one first. I started this book Friday night and I am still reading this. I am about half way through it.

What is your first book going to be>