About the Book
The year is 2009.
Nineteen-year-old Jackson Meyer is a normal guy… he’s in college, has a girlfriend…
and he can travel back through time. But it’s not like the movies – nothing
changes in the present after his jumps, there are no space-time continuum
issues or broken flux capacitors – it’s just harmless fun.
That is… until the day strangers
burst in on Jackson and his girlfriend, Holly, and during a struggle with
Jackson, Holly is fatally shot. In his panic, Jackson jumps back two years to
2007, but this is not like his previous time jumps. Now he’s stuck in 2007 and
can’t get back to the future.
Desperate to somehow return to
2009 to save Holly but unable to return to his rightful year, Jackson settles
into 2007 and learns what he can about his abilities.
But it’s not long before the
people who shot Holly in 2009 come looking for Jackson in the past, and these “Enemies
of Time” will stop at nothing to recruit this powerful young
time-traveller. Recruit… or kill him.
Piecing together the clues about
his father, the Enemies of Time, and himself, Jackson must decide how far he’s
willing to go to save Holly… and possibly the entire world.
Review
How many times do I have to eat
my words about gushy Young Adult novels that seem to hold the same old formula
that authors like Francine Pascal, Roald Dahl, Judy Blume, Enid Blyton and J.K
Rowling have done with far more flair and ease. Julie Cross is one to add
to the timeless ranks of these imaginative authors.
Up until now it has been all
zombies, vampires, angels, wizards and family legends so with a stifled yawn; I
roll my eyes at lines on blogs saying “The Next Rowling!” – In
bold curvy letters emblazoned in a sickly pink (usually in a flash of glitter)
– about a girl-meets-boy-story-boy-is-an-angsty-glittery-vampire.
Ok enough of my rantings, back to the review. Firstly (let me quote a line from
the book):
“Erase everything you’ve ever heard about time travel, because it will just confuse you.”
I would be as bold to say this is a “Time
Traveller’s Wife”
for teens, but Time Traveller’s Wife wasn’t read in one sitting nor did it have me
gnawing my nails in suspense (don’t get me wrong I loved Time
Traveller’s Wife).
Time Jumper – that is what Jackson Meyer is. A
genetics experiment conducted in lab (insert Frankenstein laughing) created
this young man and his twin sister. This book pretty much has it all:
Jackson the hot male lead and narrator (about time!), A family so wrapped up in
secrets it would make the Godfather cringe, a lead female character that throws
shoes (Oh YES! Bring on the feisty female who can stand up for herself) and a
great deal of time-travelling.
I was afraid that the worlds would collide and I
would get wrapped up in times, dates and the complicated genetics terms; fear
not reader! Julie Cross sets it out diary style so, you the reader, know the
exact time and date you (and Jackson) are. I fear I am gushing about this
book and oh did I search for the flaws and I thought I had found one but
instead Julie Cross wins you over with Jackson’s need to save the girl he loves
(Insert sigh) and his realisation that no matter when and where he time
travels, Jackson cannot fix everything. This realisation brings on an
ending that had me, the cynic, wide-eyed with grief. WHAT A GREAT
ENDING!
So please ignore my
frantic protests for book two and grab this one for yourself – go on!
About Julie Cross
Julie Cross lives in Champaign, Illinois, United States with her husband and three children. Julie is a YMCA Gymnastics Program Director, which means she works with lots of teenagers, who help to inspire the characters she creates. The Tempest is her first novel for young adults.
Happy Reading All!
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1 comments:
I was not particularly keen to read Tempest because I think, like you, I have gotten the wrong impression of the story from other reviews. You make me want to read it Kelly.
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