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The Chronos Files #1
Time's Twisted Arrow
When Kate Pierce-Keller’s grandmother gives her a strange blue medallion and speaks of time travel, sixteen-year-old Kate assumes the old woman is delusional. But it all becomes horrifyingly real when a murder in the past destroys the foundation of Kate’s present-day life. Suddenly, that medallion is the only thing protecting Kate from blinking out of existence.
Kate learns that the 1893 killing is part of something much more sinister, and Kate’s genetic ability to time-travel makes her the only one who can stop him. Risking everything, she travels to the Chicago World’s Fair to try to prevent the killing and the chain of events that follows.
Changing the timeline comes with a personal cost, however—if Kate succeeds, the boy she loves will have no memory of her existence. And regardless of her motives, does she have the right to manipulate the fate of the entire world?
Kate learns that the 1893 killing is part of something much more sinister, and Kate’s genetic ability to time-travel makes her the only one who can stop him. Risking everything, she travels to the Chicago World’s Fair to try to prevent the killing and the chain of events that follows.
Changing the timeline comes with a personal cost, however—if Kate succeeds, the boy she loves will have no memory of her existence. And regardless of her motives, does she have the right to manipulate the fate of the entire world?
351 pages, Kindle Edition
First published September 15, 2012
3054 people are currently reading
23687 people want to read
About the author
Rysa Walker
76books1,517followersRYSA WALKER is the author of the bestselling CHRONOS Files series. Timebound, the first book in the series, was the Young Adult and Grand Prize winner in the 2013 Amazon Breakthrough Novel Awards. The CHRONOS Files has sold nearly half a million copies since 2013 and has been translated into fourteen languages.
In addition to speculative fiction, she occasionally writes mysteries as C. Rysa Walker.
Rysa currently resides in North Carolina with her husband, two youngest sons, and a hyperactive golden retriever. When not working on the next installment in her CHRONOS Files universe, she watches shows where travelers boldly go to galaxies far away, or reads about magical creatures and superheroes from alternate timelines. She has neither the time nor the patience for reality TV.
If you see her on social media, please tell her to get back into the writing cave.
For updates, check her website: .
In addition to speculative fiction, she occasionally writes mysteries as C. Rysa Walker.
Rysa currently resides in North Carolina with her husband, two youngest sons, and a hyperactive golden retriever. When not working on the next installment in her CHRONOS Files universe, she watches shows where travelers boldly go to galaxies far away, or reads about magical creatures and superheroes from alternate timelines. She has neither the time nor the patience for reality TV.
If you see her on social media, please tell her to get back into the writing cave.
For updates, check her website: .
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 2,697 reviews
February 24, 2022
“History is sacred—like a nature hike. ‘Leave only footprints, take only memories.�
Rysa Walker’s Timebound (The Chronos Files #1) was a fun read. I liked the role of the future historian which is associated with time travel (even though I couldn’t get the image of STNG's Berlinghoff Rasmussen, a purported historian from the 26th century out of my head). I also liked the technology tied to diaries used by time travelers (which included the main character’s (Kate’s) grandmother who was stranded in 1969). Kate needs to use the diaries not only to figure out who killed her grandmother (and prevent this from happening), but also to stay alive herself. Much of the action took place at the World’s Fair (Columbian Exposition) in Chicago in 1893 and that added an interesting background to the story. 3.25 stars.
Rysa Walker’s Timebound (The Chronos Files #1) was a fun read. I liked the role of the future historian which is associated with time travel (even though I couldn’t get the image of STNG's Berlinghoff Rasmussen, a purported historian from the 26th century out of my head). I also liked the technology tied to diaries used by time travelers (which included the main character’s (Kate’s) grandmother who was stranded in 1969). Kate needs to use the diaries not only to figure out who killed her grandmother (and prevent this from happening), but also to stay alive herself. Much of the action took place at the World’s Fair (Columbian Exposition) in Chicago in 1893 and that added an interesting background to the story. 3.25 stars.
January 31, 2015
I have to give kudos to the author for attempting a young adult book about time travel. It's not an easy topic to keep straight.
Three star reviews are the hardest to write for me, because I'm just not sure what there is to say. I liked it. I'm not passionate about it. I didn't hate it. I don't want to kill it with fire. So there's that.
Kate Pierce-Keller meets her grandmother, Katherine, who informs her that she has a time-traveling gene and of the following: Katherine was born far into the future and at that time, society had streamlined the educational process and everyone was born with the ability to excel at one subject (predetermined). Katherine was born a historian, and frequently traveled back and forth in time to study it. Katherine's partner, Saul, was also a historian, only he evidently wanted to change history instead of just study it, and Katherine got stranded in the past, pregnant with twins. One twin eventually 'blinked' out of existence and the other twin, Kate's mother, was deeply angry about it. Katherine then arranged a meeting between Kate's parents because each possessed the time-traveling gene but were unable to time-travel, and she hoped that their child would be able to jump between points, go back in time, and undo the changes that Saul had made.
Now, there are several timeline shifts to deal with but somehow Kate ends up between two boys--Kiernan, who may or may not be a 'bad guy' in the company of someone who stole something from her on the train, and Trey, whom she would have never met in her regular (or what's stated to be her regular) timeline but that she finds herself attracted to anyway. This is the love triangle. It gets complicated. Unfortunately I don't feel any real chemistry between Kate and either of the boys, but maybe that will change a bit in the next book, since there was a lot going on here.
Now, since I gave this just three stars, there has to be something I don't really like about it, right? Yes, but it's really a small collection of little things that just tickle the back of my brain and that kind of built up.
For starters, while Kate wasn't a helpless heroine, girlfriend was way too trusting. With the sheer number of people she shared her time-traveling gene secret with, I couldn't imagine how she wasn't dead halfway through the book. She trusted her grandmother way too easily and she trusted Connor way too easily, too. I was told through the narration that the timeline Kate's grandmother was trying to restore was the 'correct' one, but there was very little evidence to support this other than her word. There wasn't any evidence, other than Katherine's word of course, that things would go back to what Kate saw as reality if she managed to complete one simple task.
Second, there was a lot of repetition. Not because of repeated events, but for instance being told how the CHRONOS key worked and then going through the entire process all over again when Kate tested the theory. Which brings up the whole issue of showing, not telling. Which has been covered. Again and again.
Third, the love triangle. It really seemed forced. Kiernan was like an indication that Kate would be awesome in subsequent books and imagining any romantic interaction between them was kind of really awkward. Kiernan seems like he'll be a cool guy later on, but he didn't have enough face-time here for me to form an opinion of him one way or the other, so once again I'm being told that Kate has a thing for him instead of having the opportunity to learn this for myself. Trey was cool, but really didn't have anything at all to do with the overall I have to change the past to save the future timeline. The conflict seemed mostly to be that if she succeded, he'd never remember her.
Fourth, at times, this novel seemed like it was slamming me on the head with facts and info and historical research. I'm not sure if it was supposed to be advancing the plot or whether the plot was created to teach people about a period in history. I don't mind learning in books (I read a lot of non-fiction and a lot of historical fiction) but I'd prefer that it be done in such a way that I don't feel like I'm being lectured to.
But with all that, I'm not sure I wouldn't recommend it to anyone. It wasn't bad. It was cluttered at parts, but I still enjoyed it overall. I still wanted to read it and I still had a hard time putting it down. It was different, and unique, and I liked those elements. It just wasn't a five-star novel. I might read the sequels, and I might not. I haven't decided yet.
October 11, 2014
Time travel, the Chicago Expo, a Serial Killer, True Love, Hermione’s Time Medallion and uncomfortable shoes. Timebound has all of that and more.
“It would be a lot easier to fix the universe if I could dress like Wonder Woman –or Batgirl.�
I enjoyed this novel it was pretty decently paced there was only one chunk in the middle that seemed to drag on a bit too long but the rest of it sailed by especially once Kate actually went into the past. The characters are fun Kate seemed to have a pretty good relationship with both of her very different parents, but has had an estranged relationship with her grandmother up until now. When her grandmother reveals that she is someone very different than Kate ever even imagined Kate learns she is the only hope to re-establish a time line that has been changed. But what will that mean for Kate and the life she has been living.
I loved the time travel aspect of this and how they reconciled the different futures and the moral conundrum of what is the right or wrong thing to do which timeline should be restored and why. I also liked how it was addressed that people in the new time line wouldn’t remember the others and how Kate and her grandmother could. I fully admit that the time-travel/looping/past/present running into yourself and other items addressed got a little confusing at times. I caught onto the rules later in the book but for about 15% of the book I was confused.
There are a few things in the book I accepted but didn’t love. First is the semi-almost-want-to-be-insta-love triangle with a time travel twist. In the current time line Kate meets a very nice boy who accepts the craziness that she has a necklace that lets her time travel. In the month they spend together they fall hopelessly in love. Now don’t get me wrong I really liked Trey’s character and he is a great book boyfriend. But if Kate fixes the timeline she and Trey will have never met and he will not know who she is. Also, there is the boy Keirnan who warned her on the train just before he kissed her. There is a time line they are in love but is that time line forever gone or hasn’t happened yet.
I could see my dark green hair band, vivid against the skin of his wrist as he vanished, looking like a knight carrying his lady’s favor � a scarf or ribbon � into battle.
I will not dock too many points for this because I liked how it played out and it also didn’t detract too much from the rest of the story. But I mention it because of the insta love and hope that future books in this series don’t dwell on it.
Also they quoted The Princess Bride a lot. I love the Princess Bride, I can quote most of it and I did like a few of the things they added to the book from it. However I couldn’t decide if I liked or hated that it was used to describe a new teenage love. Because let’s face it, Westley and Buttercups love epic/iconic
“What was it Westley said to Buttercup? ‘This is true love � you think this happens every day?’�
I have a hard time picturing a new teenage love as the same. Unless in a future book it comes out that in another time loop they have loved each other for years and that is why when he saw her again it was like an instant shebang and wham I love you.
Even though I talked about the love thing a lot in my review it really wasn’t overpowering in the book. The time travel story and her grandmother from the future were so interesting along with the shifts in the current time line and the growth of a cult like church who wants to bring about an end of days of sorts was captivating and had my full attention. Also the villains and their relationship to Kate made the story all the more intense in some ways.
The ending is not a cliffhanger thank goodness and it was actually very sweet. It wrapped up very well. I enjoyed this and will most likely continue on with the series in the future.
“It would be a lot easier to fix the universe if I could dress like Wonder Woman –or Batgirl.�
I enjoyed this novel it was pretty decently paced there was only one chunk in the middle that seemed to drag on a bit too long but the rest of it sailed by especially once Kate actually went into the past. The characters are fun Kate seemed to have a pretty good relationship with both of her very different parents, but has had an estranged relationship with her grandmother up until now. When her grandmother reveals that she is someone very different than Kate ever even imagined Kate learns she is the only hope to re-establish a time line that has been changed. But what will that mean for Kate and the life she has been living.
I loved the time travel aspect of this and how they reconciled the different futures and the moral conundrum of what is the right or wrong thing to do which timeline should be restored and why. I also liked how it was addressed that people in the new time line wouldn’t remember the others and how Kate and her grandmother could. I fully admit that the time-travel/looping/past/present running into yourself and other items addressed got a little confusing at times. I caught onto the rules later in the book but for about 15% of the book I was confused.
There are a few things in the book I accepted but didn’t love. First is the semi-almost-want-to-be-insta-love triangle with a time travel twist. In the current time line Kate meets a very nice boy who accepts the craziness that she has a necklace that lets her time travel. In the month they spend together they fall hopelessly in love. Now don’t get me wrong I really liked Trey’s character and he is a great book boyfriend. But if Kate fixes the timeline she and Trey will have never met and he will not know who she is. Also, there is the boy Keirnan who warned her on the train just before he kissed her. There is a time line they are in love but is that time line forever gone or hasn’t happened yet.
I could see my dark green hair band, vivid against the skin of his wrist as he vanished, looking like a knight carrying his lady’s favor � a scarf or ribbon � into battle.
I will not dock too many points for this because I liked how it played out and it also didn’t detract too much from the rest of the story. But I mention it because of the insta love and hope that future books in this series don’t dwell on it.
Also they quoted The Princess Bride a lot. I love the Princess Bride, I can quote most of it and I did like a few of the things they added to the book from it. However I couldn’t decide if I liked or hated that it was used to describe a new teenage love. Because let’s face it, Westley and Buttercups love epic/iconic
“What was it Westley said to Buttercup? ‘This is true love � you think this happens every day?’�
I have a hard time picturing a new teenage love as the same. Unless in a future book it comes out that in another time loop they have loved each other for years and that is why when he saw her again it was like an instant shebang and wham I love you.
Even though I talked about the love thing a lot in my review it really wasn’t overpowering in the book. The time travel story and her grandmother from the future were so interesting along with the shifts in the current time line and the growth of a cult like church who wants to bring about an end of days of sorts was captivating and had my full attention. Also the villains and their relationship to Kate made the story all the more intense in some ways.
The ending is not a cliffhanger thank goodness and it was actually very sweet. It wrapped up very well. I enjoyed this and will most likely continue on with the series in the future.
May 23, 2015
I have loved reading this book through out the month! What an incredible story.. can not wait to carry on with this series!
January 28, 2016
I'm just going to jump right into the critique, which I know is going to appear harsher than I intend.
I had difficulty connecting at times with Kate especially in the present day for a multitude of reasons mainly having to do with character development. I was offput by her reckless sharing of sensitive information with her best friend and then with Trey, a stranger she had no reason to trust, who was a bit too pushy in the initial scenes.
Kate and Trey's relationship moved too quickly to the point of being unrealistic, even for teen love, and in many ways was a distraction from the main storyline. The only scenes where I felt his character added to the story were the scenes leading up to and involving their trip to the cultish Cyrist church. I would have preferred if he had been a friend, someone she knew before the shift, someone she would have had reason to trust, perhaps someone with a connection to her best friend. I actually found myself hoping that she'd let Trey go about his life without her upon her return from the past. The depth of their relationship did not compare to the relationship developed between herself and Kiernan.
Another issue I had was that I did not find myself emotionally invested in many of the main characters in the present day. This was problematic in that it didn't build the urgency I should have had for her time travel adventure.
All that said, the parts of the story written in the past kept my attention, were action packed, and enjoyable. The overall premise of the book was interesting and the tie in to the world fair events was pretty cool. The problem is that based on the sections in the past I might have given the book 4 stars but based on the parts in the present I would have given it 1 or 2.
I had difficulty connecting at times with Kate especially in the present day for a multitude of reasons mainly having to do with character development. I was offput by her reckless sharing of sensitive information with her best friend and then with Trey, a stranger she had no reason to trust, who was a bit too pushy in the initial scenes.
Kate and Trey's relationship moved too quickly to the point of being unrealistic, even for teen love, and in many ways was a distraction from the main storyline. The only scenes where I felt his character added to the story were the scenes leading up to and involving their trip to the cultish Cyrist church. I would have preferred if he had been a friend, someone she knew before the shift, someone she would have had reason to trust, perhaps someone with a connection to her best friend. I actually found myself hoping that she'd let Trey go about his life without her upon her return from the past. The depth of their relationship did not compare to the relationship developed between herself and Kiernan.
Another issue I had was that I did not find myself emotionally invested in many of the main characters in the present day. This was problematic in that it didn't build the urgency I should have had for her time travel adventure.
All that said, the parts of the story written in the past kept my attention, were action packed, and enjoyable. The overall premise of the book was interesting and the tie in to the world fair events was pretty cool. The problem is that based on the sections in the past I might have given the book 4 stars but based on the parts in the present I would have given it 1 or 2.
July 25, 2016
I absolutely loved this book and I'm so glad the few criticisms I caught wind of did not deter me from purchasing it. In fact, I honesty haven't read a YA book that I've loved this much since The Hourglass Door series and, before that, The Hunger Games.
(Note: Timebound has nothing in common with those other two series, except that they just hooked me, sucked me in, and fascinated me.)
So, why the love?
First of all, time travel is incredibly difficult to write about. So much confusion, multiple timelines, multiple versions of people running around at the same time, and then there's the whole concept of wondering if time is an infinite loop for people who can go back in time... It's easy to go cross-eyed.
But Ms. Walker pulls it off *fantastically*. Possibly the easiest time travel story I've ever read. And this is her debut novel!
Not only was the time travel really well explained, it was also a pretty unique take on the how's and why's of going back and forth in time. And the Chicago World's Fair was a really fascinating setting.
Secondly, I really enjoyed the characters. All of them. Especially Kate.
The criticism of Kate accepting her role in this time traveling family so easily... I get it, I do. But it didn't hang me up. I just thought "well, girl decided to buck up annnnd here we go!" I'm already suspending reality enough to accept that time travel is possible, so it was no big leap to accept that this 16 year old girl could rise to this challenge and jump right in.
But yes, I enjoyed Kate. She seemed like a mature 16 year old and is no doubt the first heroine I've ever read who took Karate and could really defend herself. She also had all the emotional freak-outs that I would expect.
Katherine was also pretty awesome. I enjoyed her influence in Grandma-mode and loved her naturally suspicious and questioning attitude in young-lady-time-traveler-mode.
Conner was an unexpected but welcome character. I hope he has more face-time in the next few novels, as there will no doubt be sequels and his story needs final resolution.
But the Trey and Kiernan characters... I was expecting a plain ol' love triangle the likes of which crop up in every YA novel nowadays, but no... ohhhh no... Trey and Kiernan's relationships with Kate have promise. The promise of NOT a boring love triangle. My mind is already spinning with how Kate's relationships with these two will shape up in the next installment and I can't think of a wrong answer here.
Which leads me to my third and most important reason I loved this book: It EXCITED me. Seriously, I could not put this book down. I couldn't wait to pick it back up again when I DID put it down. It just WORKED.
The only thing that sucked about this book?
I have to wait god knows how long for the next in the series.
Damnit.
(Note: Timebound has nothing in common with those other two series, except that they just hooked me, sucked me in, and fascinated me.)
So, why the love?
First of all, time travel is incredibly difficult to write about. So much confusion, multiple timelines, multiple versions of people running around at the same time, and then there's the whole concept of wondering if time is an infinite loop for people who can go back in time... It's easy to go cross-eyed.
But Ms. Walker pulls it off *fantastically*. Possibly the easiest time travel story I've ever read. And this is her debut novel!
Not only was the time travel really well explained, it was also a pretty unique take on the how's and why's of going back and forth in time. And the Chicago World's Fair was a really fascinating setting.
Secondly, I really enjoyed the characters. All of them. Especially Kate.
The criticism of Kate accepting her role in this time traveling family so easily... I get it, I do. But it didn't hang me up. I just thought "well, girl decided to buck up annnnd here we go!" I'm already suspending reality enough to accept that time travel is possible, so it was no big leap to accept that this 16 year old girl could rise to this challenge and jump right in.
But yes, I enjoyed Kate. She seemed like a mature 16 year old and is no doubt the first heroine I've ever read who took Karate and could really defend herself. She also had all the emotional freak-outs that I would expect.
Katherine was also pretty awesome. I enjoyed her influence in Grandma-mode and loved her naturally suspicious and questioning attitude in young-lady-time-traveler-mode.
Conner was an unexpected but welcome character. I hope he has more face-time in the next few novels, as there will no doubt be sequels and his story needs final resolution.
But the Trey and Kiernan characters... I was expecting a plain ol' love triangle the likes of which crop up in every YA novel nowadays, but no... ohhhh no... Trey and Kiernan's relationships with Kate have promise. The promise of NOT a boring love triangle. My mind is already spinning with how Kate's relationships with these two will shape up in the next installment and I can't think of a wrong answer here.
Which leads me to my third and most important reason I loved this book: It EXCITED me. Seriously, I could not put this book down. I couldn't wait to pick it back up again when I DID put it down. It just WORKED.
The only thing that sucked about this book?
I have to wait god knows how long for the next in the series.
Damnit.
February 1, 2018
2/1/17 This trilogy is on sale for $1.99 each book for the Kindle version.
I'll admit, I didn't really have high expectations for this one. I hoped for a reasonably enjoyable read and not really much more. I was in for a very pleasant surprise. This story hooked me almost right from the start.
I think time-travel stories typically have elements that if thought about too hard, or considered too closely, logic problems can be found. In my opinion the trick for the author is to tell the story in such a way so that there are not only as few of these as possible, but so that those that remain don't stick out like sore thumbs. In this regard I think this story delivers admirably. If there were any logic issues I didn't want to look for them, I enjoyed being caught up in a very good story that was very well told. I quickly became a very willing and pleased participant in the suspension of disbelief.
The writing is masterful. Enough detail and description so that I felt immersed in the story, but not so much that it slowed the plot. Provided naturally and seamlessly within the telling of the story.
I found Kate to be a believable and likable teenager. Some of her choices are questionable as far as being sensible, but I thought were still genuine for her age.
I enjoyed how the story developed and how the time-travel elements were handled. I found the story unique and imaginative.
There is a bit of a not-really-but-sort-of love triangle, but it fit nicely within the plot.
There's action, danger, and enough playing with time to keep me guessing and twist my brain a bit, but not so much as to become hopelessly lost and confused. It's not easy to write a time-travel story this well, and I am highly impressed.
I listened to the audio version, and the narrator was excellent.
I'll definitely read the next in the series when it comes out.
Other reviewers have commented in more detail regarding the story, and I hate to give much away. So I will end here.
My advice to a reader: if this looks at all like your kind of story don't delay, read it!
I'll admit, I didn't really have high expectations for this one. I hoped for a reasonably enjoyable read and not really much more. I was in for a very pleasant surprise. This story hooked me almost right from the start.
I think time-travel stories typically have elements that if thought about too hard, or considered too closely, logic problems can be found. In my opinion the trick for the author is to tell the story in such a way so that there are not only as few of these as possible, but so that those that remain don't stick out like sore thumbs. In this regard I think this story delivers admirably. If there were any logic issues I didn't want to look for them, I enjoyed being caught up in a very good story that was very well told. I quickly became a very willing and pleased participant in the suspension of disbelief.
The writing is masterful. Enough detail and description so that I felt immersed in the story, but not so much that it slowed the plot. Provided naturally and seamlessly within the telling of the story.
I found Kate to be a believable and likable teenager. Some of her choices are questionable as far as being sensible, but I thought were still genuine for her age.
I enjoyed how the story developed and how the time-travel elements were handled. I found the story unique and imaginative.
There is a bit of a not-really-but-sort-of love triangle, but it fit nicely within the plot.
There's action, danger, and enough playing with time to keep me guessing and twist my brain a bit, but not so much as to become hopelessly lost and confused. It's not easy to write a time-travel story this well, and I am highly impressed.
I listened to the audio version, and the narrator was excellent.
I'll definitely read the next in the series when it comes out.
Other reviewers have commented in more detail regarding the story, and I hate to give much away. So I will end here.
My advice to a reader: if this looks at all like your kind of story don't delay, read it!
December 28, 2015
Rating: 3.25/5
This review can also be found
I love me some time travel! So, naturally, after reading the blurb for Timebound it seemed to be the perfect story for me filled with many timey-wimey goodies.
The story starts off with Kate receiving a medallion from her grandmother. Then the time travel references come in. And then Kate needs to fix the timeline and stop Evil Time Travel Man otherwise Kate will blink out of existence.
Yes, it sounds a bit cliched, but I love these types of stories!
Unfortunately, I do think it could have been refined for a much smoother reading experience. The story itself was awesome; Rysa Walker meticulously planned the plot out, winding everything together in the end.
However, the introduction was so rushed. Kate having panic attacks where everything 'felt wrong' was a huge talking point among the characters, but it would have been great if the story opened with her actually having one of those panic attacks so I could feel the fear and horror instead of just being told about it after the fact.
Then, the first 150 pages were basically the characters sitting around a table and info dumping about time travel. It got a bit overwhelming since it was a lot to take in, and I'm sure there were a few important bits that escaped from my mind due to the amount of information I had to process in such a short period of time.
Because of the big info dumps, it felt so cluttered. I had to go back and reread paragraphs far more often than I should have.
Also there were several instances where something would happen and then Kate recounted it to someone else, which made a few scenes rather repetitive and boring.
However, despite the technical problems I had with the execution of Timebound, I do think I may check out the second book in the series (especially now that the specifics and technicalities of this world are laid down). I feel as though the subsequent books won't be as saturated.
I received a copy of Timebound from NetGalley for an honest review.
This review can also be found
I love me some time travel! So, naturally, after reading the blurb for Timebound it seemed to be the perfect story for me filled with many timey-wimey goodies.
The story starts off with Kate receiving a medallion from her grandmother. Then the time travel references come in. And then Kate needs to fix the timeline and stop Evil Time Travel Man otherwise Kate will blink out of existence.
Yes, it sounds a bit cliched, but I love these types of stories!
Unfortunately, I do think it could have been refined for a much smoother reading experience. The story itself was awesome; Rysa Walker meticulously planned the plot out, winding everything together in the end.
However, the introduction was so rushed. Kate having panic attacks where everything 'felt wrong' was a huge talking point among the characters, but it would have been great if the story opened with her actually having one of those panic attacks so I could feel the fear and horror instead of just being told about it after the fact.
Then, the first 150 pages were basically the characters sitting around a table and info dumping about time travel. It got a bit overwhelming since it was a lot to take in, and I'm sure there were a few important bits that escaped from my mind due to the amount of information I had to process in such a short period of time.
Because of the big info dumps, it felt so cluttered. I had to go back and reread paragraphs far more often than I should have.
Also there were several instances where something would happen and then Kate recounted it to someone else, which made a few scenes rather repetitive and boring.
However, despite the technical problems I had with the execution of Timebound, I do think I may check out the second book in the series (especially now that the specifics and technicalities of this world are laid down). I feel as though the subsequent books won't be as saturated.
I received a copy of Timebound from NetGalley for an honest review.
May 5, 2015
AHHH... Too much information overload. I am in LOVE with the concept and the whole reality. The world building is so strong, I love stumbling into books that turn out better than I thought they were going to be!!!
April 17, 2013
I received this book as a gift. I have to say overall it's good- the plot was engrossing (if a little overly complex) and the writing smooth. However, there were a few annoyances with the characters that stopped this book living to its full potential.
STORY: We step into the shoes of Kate, who suddenly learns of her gift as someone who can use CHRONOS technology and that her grandmother is fashioning a scheme to stop a time-drive take over from Kate's grandfather. Generally I felt the story was well done, and the plot certainly held my interest.
However, there were some shortcomings. The pitch is completely at odds to how the story is presented, which I found very jarring. There wasn't much time to get to know the heroine Kate, as the author seemed much too keen to force the plot out. The plot itself has so many details and nitpicks to work through, which the author tries to address within the story, but I often found my attention drifting in these parts, especially as in the early chapters it's mostly information dumping from Kate's grandmother. A lot of these things could have been broken into smaller chunks and drip fed through the story rather than outlined in bulk so early on.
CHARACTERS: I found this a mixed bag. Kate is a generally likable character, though I didn't feel she had any particularly unique qualities. That wouldn't have been too bad, but there were several points in the narrative where Kate, having clearly stated or reasoned the dangers of an approach to a situation, goes ahead and does it anyway. Rather than come off as impulsive and reckless I felt this made her look like an idiot and it spoiled my enjoyment. Also, whenever Kate is around any 'potential love interest' male character, she seems to undergo a personality change and become a helpless heroine when clearly the author has given her character attributes (like martial arts) which shouldn't make this the case. This annoyed me.
Trey is a bit dull, and there seems pretty much no actual reason for his interest in Kate. A fairly forgettable character.
Kiernan, however, is much more interesting, and it's a shame there wasn't more of him in the story. He actually has his own motives and goals and provides a good unknown element to the story.
Kate's grandmother is also a more interesting character because she has vested interests that aren't in the heroine's interest all the time.
SETTING/ VOICE: The detailed descriptions of the costumes and historical settings were well done and it was easy to picture the scenes. The author clearly did a lot of research here and it shows. Kate's voice comes across strongly in the narrative and it was easy to get into her head.
PRESENTATION: the formatting was okay, but some chapters were in bold type for no apparent reason, and of a different font size. I didn't notice any typos, either. The cover is okay but not particularly striking and if not for reading the pitch it wouldn't have caught my interest.
OVERALL: I enjoyed this book; the setting and plot were intriguing and the writing is solid. However, the characters' motives weren't quite as strong in places and the amount of information dumping did bog the pacing down a bit. If you're looking for a staple fantasy romance, this is a good offering, but look elsewhere if you want more memorable or compelling characters,
STORY: We step into the shoes of Kate, who suddenly learns of her gift as someone who can use CHRONOS technology and that her grandmother is fashioning a scheme to stop a time-drive take over from Kate's grandfather. Generally I felt the story was well done, and the plot certainly held my interest.
However, there were some shortcomings. The pitch is completely at odds to how the story is presented, which I found very jarring. There wasn't much time to get to know the heroine Kate, as the author seemed much too keen to force the plot out. The plot itself has so many details and nitpicks to work through, which the author tries to address within the story, but I often found my attention drifting in these parts, especially as in the early chapters it's mostly information dumping from Kate's grandmother. A lot of these things could have been broken into smaller chunks and drip fed through the story rather than outlined in bulk so early on.
CHARACTERS: I found this a mixed bag. Kate is a generally likable character, though I didn't feel she had any particularly unique qualities. That wouldn't have been too bad, but there were several points in the narrative where Kate, having clearly stated or reasoned the dangers of an approach to a situation, goes ahead and does it anyway. Rather than come off as impulsive and reckless I felt this made her look like an idiot and it spoiled my enjoyment. Also, whenever Kate is around any 'potential love interest' male character, she seems to undergo a personality change and become a helpless heroine when clearly the author has given her character attributes (like martial arts) which shouldn't make this the case. This annoyed me.
Trey is a bit dull, and there seems pretty much no actual reason for his interest in Kate. A fairly forgettable character.
Kiernan, however, is much more interesting, and it's a shame there wasn't more of him in the story. He actually has his own motives and goals and provides a good unknown element to the story.
Kate's grandmother is also a more interesting character because she has vested interests that aren't in the heroine's interest all the time.
SETTING/ VOICE: The detailed descriptions of the costumes and historical settings were well done and it was easy to picture the scenes. The author clearly did a lot of research here and it shows. Kate's voice comes across strongly in the narrative and it was easy to get into her head.
PRESENTATION: the formatting was okay, but some chapters were in bold type for no apparent reason, and of a different font size. I didn't notice any typos, either. The cover is okay but not particularly striking and if not for reading the pitch it wouldn't have caught my interest.
OVERALL: I enjoyed this book; the setting and plot were intriguing and the writing is solid. However, the characters' motives weren't quite as strong in places and the amount of information dumping did bog the pacing down a bit. If you're looking for a staple fantasy romance, this is a good offering, but look elsewhere if you want more memorable or compelling characters,
April 2, 2020
I thoroughly enjoyed this audiobook. There was never a dull moment. It's narrated by Kate Rudd who was fabulous. I can't say much without spoiling it. I can say this book involves: genes, a medallion, time traveling, The Chicago World's Fair, "religion", a family, suspense, a little romance, a cute Irish boy and/or teenager and a serial killer...whew... that's a lot.
I can also say I tried not to think to seriously about the time travel and all the different timelines...I just chilled and enjoyed the story rather than trying to overthink certain timelines.
I'm really surprised that this book doesn't have more ŷ ratings and reviews. It a another hidden gem. I certainly recommend this book.
Still just as good the third time.
I can also say I tried not to think to seriously about the time travel and all the different timelines...I just chilled and enjoyed the story rather than trying to overthink certain timelines.
I'm really surprised that this book doesn't have more ŷ ratings and reviews. It a another hidden gem. I certainly recommend this book.
Still just as good the third time.
April 11, 2018
I'M FINALLY WRITING THIS REVIEW! WOOOHOO!
Timebound was a ride to listen to at work and to even make sure I heard things right on the kindle version. I absolutely enjoyed the time travel aspect of it and the mysterious behind it kept me highly engaged.
Kate was an interesting character. Sometimes I was kind of annoyed by her and when she whined a little.. but overall, she was likable. I loved her grandmother because she was completely awesome in my eyes. Then the whole family thing, journals, medallions, and really cool time traveling that kind of made me think of the movie Jumper. I don't know why that made me think of it.. but it really did.
The book was kind of predictable, especially with the whole world going to end and the "chosen" will only live. Speaking of that, it kind of reminded me of The Circle as well because of the whole brainwashing and how people acted within this entire church.
I also really liked this book because it had dobermans!! I have dobermans!! However, I did not like how they were portrayed mean because dobermans are completely lovable and adorable pets. I love my dogs. So, I was kind of sad about that whole ordeal but whatever.
Overall, it was a pretty interesting book. It kept me intrigued. I liked some characters and didn't like others. After that kind of ending, I need more! I need the second book because I need Trey back in my life. Oh yeah, totally ship Kate and Trey together <3 Please don't let my ship burn!!
Timebound was a ride to listen to at work and to even make sure I heard things right on the kindle version. I absolutely enjoyed the time travel aspect of it and the mysterious behind it kept me highly engaged.
Kate was an interesting character. Sometimes I was kind of annoyed by her and when she whined a little.. but overall, she was likable. I loved her grandmother because she was completely awesome in my eyes. Then the whole family thing, journals, medallions, and really cool time traveling that kind of made me think of the movie Jumper. I don't know why that made me think of it.. but it really did.
The book was kind of predictable, especially with the whole world going to end and the "chosen" will only live. Speaking of that, it kind of reminded me of The Circle as well because of the whole brainwashing and how people acted within this entire church.
I also really liked this book because it had dobermans!! I have dobermans!! However, I did not like how they were portrayed mean because dobermans are completely lovable and adorable pets. I love my dogs. So, I was kind of sad about that whole ordeal but whatever.
Overall, it was a pretty interesting book. It kept me intrigued. I liked some characters and didn't like others. After that kind of ending, I need more! I need the second book because I need Trey back in my life. Oh yeah, totally ship Kate and Trey together <3 Please don't let my ship burn!!
January 17, 2014
Blah. Finally finished. This was just...not good.
Here's what I can be arsed to say about it:
* It takes me 1-2 days to finish a book I enjoy. This took me 2 1/2 weeks.
* Didja read that synopsis? Yeah. Kate doesn't get to 1893 until 75% into the book. So what happens before that?
* A lot of uninteresting, confusing info-dumps. The author goes to great lengths to tell you about how time travel works, but it's super confusing and dry and just plain not fun to read about.
* Some rill rill ridiculous insta-love with a Generic Nice Boy
* MC making painfully stupid decisions. I can forgive a character when they're stupidly brave. This is not even that.
* Uninteresting MC with basically no personality.
* Some attempts at investigating the "mystery", except it's confusing and uninteresting.
* Inexplicable love triangle
* Maybe I'm being too harsh and nitpicky, but people in 1893 did not use the word "cool" as in "neat" or "popular" meanings. Grrr.
Overall, a huge nope!
Here's what I can be arsed to say about it:
* It takes me 1-2 days to finish a book I enjoy. This took me 2 1/2 weeks.
* Didja read that synopsis? Yeah. Kate doesn't get to 1893 until 75% into the book. So what happens before that?
* A lot of uninteresting, confusing info-dumps. The author goes to great lengths to tell you about how time travel works, but it's super confusing and dry and just plain not fun to read about.
* Some rill rill ridiculous insta-love with a Generic Nice Boy
* MC making painfully stupid decisions. I can forgive a character when they're stupidly brave. This is not even that.
* Uninteresting MC with basically no personality.
* Some attempts at investigating the "mystery", except it's confusing and uninteresting.
* Inexplicable love triangle
* Maybe I'm being too harsh and nitpicky, but people in 1893 did not use the word "cool" as in "neat" or "popular" meanings. Grrr.
Overall, a huge nope!
September 27, 2017
What a great ride/read through time and again! I had a few issues while reading, but mostly enjoyed it and couldn't wait to get to the end. Full review to come.
June 7, 2014
When I finished this book, I was trying really hard not to cry. It may have been because of the obnoxious fluorescent lights that had been shining on me for the past few hours as I read this book in one sitting, but I think it's something else. I am SO GLAD that Rysa didn't leave me with a cliffhanger here. I'm pretty sure I'd still be holding back tears, but it would not be joy streaming down my face. It would be bitter, agonizing pain because I wasn't ready to let go of the characters yet.
I'm still not, but at least there was a respectable amount of closure. I'd been worrying a lot as I saw the book coming to a close, and I was really afraid that everything was going to end right in the heat of it all (haha, literally). This ending still has me on my toes, but at least they're firmly planted on the ground instead of ready to chuck my Kindle off of a cliff for leaving me with such a finale.
It wasn't just the ending that was perfect, though. The entire book was just so amazing that I couldn't stop smiling. Most of the time. The times when I wasn't smiling, I was about to break down into tears because I felt so bad for Kate. Like when she got the letter from her father.... yeah that was bad.
And I'm not a crier. I don't think I've ever cried when reading a book, and I can still say that even though I came pretty close this time. This book was just so.... agh! I still can't put words to it even though I've been trying to process everything that happened for the past four days. If that doesn't tell you how incredible this book is, then nothing will.
The most impressive part about this book was how well Rysa Walker handled time travel. While I'm not going to say that I didn't have any questions, this is THE BEST TIME TRAVEL BOOK I'VE EVER READ. I already mentioned that it's the best book I've read so far this year in general, but it's the best book concerning time travel that I've read in my entire life.
I'm not going to lie, time travel is hard. In my opinion, it is one of the most difficult topics to write about because there are so many loose ends to cover that will always leave the reader questioning if they're not taken care of. That's why I was wary of reading this book at first, but Rysa Walker handled it better than anyone else that I know of.
While the time travel was the best part, my favorite part was the characters, especially the two main guys. I am so sick and tired of those idiotic "bad boy" male leads, and this was such a welcome breath of fresh air. Yes, I know, call me a goody two shoes or whatever, but I always go for the good ones in books. Just ask Gabby, it's annoyed her many times before.
Trey and Kiernan, man I love those guys. Both of them, which will probably not end so well for me later on, but I still love them both to death. Especially another version of one of them (yeah, some of you know what I'm talking about). They're just so awesome in so many ways, I can't even handle it!
They both care so much about Kate, and they're not looking to drag her down into their dark and dangerous world like so many other male book characters will. Boys, please just get your own act together before you come messing with these girls because they don't need any of that. I don't care if you "ooze mysterious excitement" or whatever other kinds of wonderful things you bring along with you. It's kind of getting old.
That doesn't mean that Trey and Kiernan are perfect little angels without any other purpose in life other than to stand beside Kate and looking pretty. They definitely have their own stories and problems, but the important thing is that they don't try to hurt Kate because of them. I actually believe that both of them truly love her, so I'm really excited to see how things will turn out.
Couple all of that with a heroine that can actually take care of herself (thank goodness!), one really kick-butt grandma, and a loveable Irish setter, and you've got quite the book on your hands.
Now my only problem with this wonderful package is what it's wrapped in. (EDIT: The cover has recently undergone a re-design, and I have to say, it looks beautiful! They definitely captured the story better with this one.) I know, everyone says not to judge a book by its cover, but for now, they can shove it. I'm judging because I know that's what we, as readers, do. Just looking at the image on the front, it doesn't scream amazing, action-packed, comedy-ridden, romance-filled bundle of adventure like the actual story does. It's just.... brown. And swirly with numbers. My first impression was that it was a historical novel, which is so not true. I hate historical novels, and the blurb just barely managed to snare me long enough to grab it.
Yeah, even writing this I can see how that seems petty, but like it or not, that's how it works. The first thing we see is the cover, and we're going to make assumptions based on it. Luckily, the meat of the package more than compensates for any misgivings I had at the beginning. It could have been wrapped in a paper bag, and it still wouldn't have made any difference in the fact that this book is the best I've read all year.
Taylor
For the original review and more, please visit
I'm still not, but at least there was a respectable amount of closure. I'd been worrying a lot as I saw the book coming to a close, and I was really afraid that everything was going to end right in the heat of it all (haha, literally). This ending still has me on my toes, but at least they're firmly planted on the ground instead of ready to chuck my Kindle off of a cliff for leaving me with such a finale.
It wasn't just the ending that was perfect, though. The entire book was just so amazing that I couldn't stop smiling. Most of the time. The times when I wasn't smiling, I was about to break down into tears because I felt so bad for Kate. Like when she got the letter from her father.... yeah that was bad.
And I'm not a crier. I don't think I've ever cried when reading a book, and I can still say that even though I came pretty close this time. This book was just so.... agh! I still can't put words to it even though I've been trying to process everything that happened for the past four days. If that doesn't tell you how incredible this book is, then nothing will.
The most impressive part about this book was how well Rysa Walker handled time travel. While I'm not going to say that I didn't have any questions, this is THE BEST TIME TRAVEL BOOK I'VE EVER READ. I already mentioned that it's the best book I've read so far this year in general, but it's the best book concerning time travel that I've read in my entire life.
I'm not going to lie, time travel is hard. In my opinion, it is one of the most difficult topics to write about because there are so many loose ends to cover that will always leave the reader questioning if they're not taken care of. That's why I was wary of reading this book at first, but Rysa Walker handled it better than anyone else that I know of.
While the time travel was the best part, my favorite part was the characters, especially the two main guys. I am so sick and tired of those idiotic "bad boy" male leads, and this was such a welcome breath of fresh air. Yes, I know, call me a goody two shoes or whatever, but I always go for the good ones in books. Just ask Gabby, it's annoyed her many times before.
Trey and Kiernan, man I love those guys. Both of them, which will probably not end so well for me later on, but I still love them both to death. Especially another version of one of them (yeah, some of you know what I'm talking about). They're just so awesome in so many ways, I can't even handle it!
They both care so much about Kate, and they're not looking to drag her down into their dark and dangerous world like so many other male book characters will. Boys, please just get your own act together before you come messing with these girls because they don't need any of that. I don't care if you "ooze mysterious excitement" or whatever other kinds of wonderful things you bring along with you. It's kind of getting old.
That doesn't mean that Trey and Kiernan are perfect little angels without any other purpose in life other than to stand beside Kate and looking pretty. They definitely have their own stories and problems, but the important thing is that they don't try to hurt Kate because of them. I actually believe that both of them truly love her, so I'm really excited to see how things will turn out.
Couple all of that with a heroine that can actually take care of herself (thank goodness!), one really kick-butt grandma, and a loveable Irish setter, and you've got quite the book on your hands.
Now my only problem with this wonderful package is what it's wrapped in. (EDIT: The cover has recently undergone a re-design, and I have to say, it looks beautiful! They definitely captured the story better with this one.) I know, everyone says not to judge a book by its cover, but for now, they can shove it. I'm judging because I know that's what we, as readers, do. Just looking at the image on the front, it doesn't scream amazing, action-packed, comedy-ridden, romance-filled bundle of adventure like the actual story does. It's just.... brown. And swirly with numbers. My first impression was that it was a historical novel, which is so not true. I hate historical novels, and the blurb just barely managed to snare me long enough to grab it.
Yeah, even writing this I can see how that seems petty, but like it or not, that's how it works. The first thing we see is the cover, and we're going to make assumptions based on it. Luckily, the meat of the package more than compensates for any misgivings I had at the beginning. It could have been wrapped in a paper bag, and it still wouldn't have made any difference in the fact that this book is the best I've read all year.
Taylor
For the original review and more, please visit
December 16, 2013
Timebound is the type of book I’ve been searching out for years on bookstore shelves and not finding. It’s a time travel adventure that’s more than just a there and back trip. It’s time travel as an ongoing adventure for its characters, and that’s what has always excited and inspired me the most in the genre.
Walker’s world of time travel is a universe of changeable timelines, where your memories or even your existence may be in danger at any moment from the reckless tampering of other travelers. As if these hazards weren’t enough, the protagonist gets thrown into a time already fraught with hazards like 19th century serial killers.
The heroine of the story, Kate, is likeable and engaging. That characteristic of the story alone, made Timebound rise right to the top of my “to-read� list. Not all YA heroines are equal. Some can be hard to relate to, others are just plain annoying. Walker manages to make Kate a believable teenager without overdoing the angst or the girlish sighing that frequently comes from the other contenders in the genre. That probably did the most to keep me engaged once I had been hooked by the premise.
The teen love interests in the story were unique enough from each other to keep the reader (and Kate) guessing as to how things would turn out, and were likeable enough characters in their own right.
The alterations to the timelines do get a bit confusing at times, and there are sections of explanatory dialogue that get a bit lengthy. Time travel as a plot device always involves a fair amount of potential paradoxes and Walker does a good job of addressing the theoretical problems at moments when they are likely to arise in the reader’s mind. The trade off to this is explanations of why those possibilities did not occur. There are times when the characters' choices seem less logical, and more just as a means to advance the plot, but the pacing of the story and the addition of different (or differently aged) characters helps to keep the reader engaged and curious.
There is a saying some of the mechanics in my aviation maintenance shop would employ when asked to explain a particularly complex system. They’d say it ran on FM. (Short for f*ing magic.) Walker’s time travel devices could also fall under the FM category. We get a sense of the future technology involved on a user level but not much functional understanding of the principles or limitations behind it. The in-story parameters we learn sometimes seem to fluctuate as needed for the plot, but if you let yourself get caught up in the story and just enjoy the ride, the irreverence for these rules shouldn’t slow you down too much. If you think about it too hard, I imagine you might get a bit of a brain cramp much like the characters in the book when caught in a time shift without their CHRONOS key.
Overall I had a great time with this read. It was exciting, adventurous time travel with good characters, and while the plot and resolution get a little convoluted and need some unraveling at the end to make sense, I recommend you just dial your “suspension of disbelief meter� up another notch and enjoy the fun.
Walker’s world of time travel is a universe of changeable timelines, where your memories or even your existence may be in danger at any moment from the reckless tampering of other travelers. As if these hazards weren’t enough, the protagonist gets thrown into a time already fraught with hazards like 19th century serial killers.
The heroine of the story, Kate, is likeable and engaging. That characteristic of the story alone, made Timebound rise right to the top of my “to-read� list. Not all YA heroines are equal. Some can be hard to relate to, others are just plain annoying. Walker manages to make Kate a believable teenager without overdoing the angst or the girlish sighing that frequently comes from the other contenders in the genre. That probably did the most to keep me engaged once I had been hooked by the premise.
The teen love interests in the story were unique enough from each other to keep the reader (and Kate) guessing as to how things would turn out, and were likeable enough characters in their own right.
The alterations to the timelines do get a bit confusing at times, and there are sections of explanatory dialogue that get a bit lengthy. Time travel as a plot device always involves a fair amount of potential paradoxes and Walker does a good job of addressing the theoretical problems at moments when they are likely to arise in the reader’s mind. The trade off to this is explanations of why those possibilities did not occur. There are times when the characters' choices seem less logical, and more just as a means to advance the plot, but the pacing of the story and the addition of different (or differently aged) characters helps to keep the reader engaged and curious.
There is a saying some of the mechanics in my aviation maintenance shop would employ when asked to explain a particularly complex system. They’d say it ran on FM. (Short for f*ing magic.) Walker’s time travel devices could also fall under the FM category. We get a sense of the future technology involved on a user level but not much functional understanding of the principles or limitations behind it. The in-story parameters we learn sometimes seem to fluctuate as needed for the plot, but if you let yourself get caught up in the story and just enjoy the ride, the irreverence for these rules shouldn’t slow you down too much. If you think about it too hard, I imagine you might get a bit of a brain cramp much like the characters in the book when caught in a time shift without their CHRONOS key.
Overall I had a great time with this read. It was exciting, adventurous time travel with good characters, and while the plot and resolution get a little convoluted and need some unraveling at the end to make sense, I recommend you just dial your “suspension of disbelief meter� up another notch and enjoy the fun.
December 18, 2017
Eu falei já bastante no vídeo específico do livro. A cada página que passava eu ficava mais e mais envolvido e tô bem ansioso pro próximo. Recomendo!
March 2, 2013
First of all, I have to say it. I loved Time’s Twisted Arrow. This YA book is clever, complex and lots of fun. First of all, Rysa Walker is a fabulous writer, her sentences flowing so beautifully they immediately suck you in. The time travel plot is ambitiously intricate, yet so clearly relayed I had no difficulty following it. It’s hard to believe that this was a debut novel! I am so impressed.
Kate’s growth as a character was incredibly well done. At one moment, she’s your typical skeptical teen, failing to heed other people’s warnings about her safety and even doing what she can to destroy (or more accurately, test the material) of an ancient-looking book her grandmother gave her � trying to rip it, crinkle it, and (I believe) even set fire to it. Yup, I liked this girl. When her world falls apart, she is forced to grow up quickly, and man, does Rysa Walker ever show that character growth well. No, Kate doesn’t become perfect. At first, she breaks down, runs off and, against all warnings, tries to reconnect with someone she knows is lost forever. Yup, she makes major mistakes there. But she learns quickly, and despite the necessity of rapid maturity, she continues to slip back into teenager mode now and again. Very believable. And here’s another bonus, Kate isn’t the least whiney or petty. She’s smart, resourceful, kind and she possesses some pretty unique abilities. I think there was only one moment I wanted to shake her, and for me, that’s pretty good for YA!
This book has the typical YA love triangle, but even that is well done. Hey, the mix-up / double love thing is due to the time continuum and is definitely not her fault. Honest! For once, I felt for the character and the situation she was in and didn’t want to reach through the pages to smack her (okay, I’ll admit I have a problem here, but I love YA even though it torments me so!) And now that I think about it, I really don’t know which boy I’m hoping she ends up with. One is compelling and the other is sweet. Ah, decisions!
If you like YA, are intrigued by time travel, and enjoy ‘teen love�, then I highly recommend Time’s Twisted Arrow. You won’t be sorry!
Kate’s growth as a character was incredibly well done. At one moment, she’s your typical skeptical teen, failing to heed other people’s warnings about her safety and even doing what she can to destroy (or more accurately, test the material) of an ancient-looking book her grandmother gave her � trying to rip it, crinkle it, and (I believe) even set fire to it. Yup, I liked this girl. When her world falls apart, she is forced to grow up quickly, and man, does Rysa Walker ever show that character growth well. No, Kate doesn’t become perfect. At first, she breaks down, runs off and, against all warnings, tries to reconnect with someone she knows is lost forever. Yup, she makes major mistakes there. But she learns quickly, and despite the necessity of rapid maturity, she continues to slip back into teenager mode now and again. Very believable. And here’s another bonus, Kate isn’t the least whiney or petty. She’s smart, resourceful, kind and she possesses some pretty unique abilities. I think there was only one moment I wanted to shake her, and for me, that’s pretty good for YA!
This book has the typical YA love triangle, but even that is well done. Hey, the mix-up / double love thing is due to the time continuum and is definitely not her fault. Honest! For once, I felt for the character and the situation she was in and didn’t want to reach through the pages to smack her (okay, I’ll admit I have a problem here, but I love YA even though it torments me so!) And now that I think about it, I really don’t know which boy I’m hoping she ends up with. One is compelling and the other is sweet. Ah, decisions!
If you like YA, are intrigued by time travel, and enjoy ‘teen love�, then I highly recommend Time’s Twisted Arrow. You won’t be sorry!
February 7, 2018
There is just something about a debut novel that can be so...Just Right!
I seem to be on a bender with Time Travel novels this year. This is my fourth or fifth and I have several more to go. I am going to recommend this one to my friends, family, and reading buddies.
It was that good!
Do you ever think about wanting to change history, or what would happen if someone could? Read this book and see what could happen!
Do you want a "clean" YA story? I can definitely say it is so!
This is the story of Kate, age 16, who has her whole world and life turned upside down in an instant in time.
I cannot tell you how it happens, but Rysa Walker can:, and she does, and she did, and I loved it!
I seem to be on a bender with Time Travel novels this year. This is my fourth or fifth and I have several more to go. I am going to recommend this one to my friends, family, and reading buddies.
It was that good!
Do you ever think about wanting to change history, or what would happen if someone could? Read this book and see what could happen!
Do you want a "clean" YA story? I can definitely say it is so!
This is the story of Kate, age 16, who has her whole world and life turned upside down in an instant in time.
I cannot tell you how it happens, but Rysa Walker can:, and she does, and she did, and I loved it!
November 23, 2024
Re-Read, 11/23/24
This is my third time reading this book, but with it being almost 10 years since my last re-read I was nervous I wouldn't like it as much. Happy to say I still love it! My only thing is that the teen romance is cringey instalove more than I remembered. The time travel plot is still just as gripping and readable though.
Re-Read, 09/23/15
I still loved it just as much this time around. The fear, suspense and mystery still got to me as a reader. To me, that's the mark of a truly good book -- if it can make you feel stuff even when you know how it's going to end! I'm even more excited to read the novellas I've been rationing now, and get Kiernan's side of the story. Also, after Time's Edge I get to find out Pru's story and I'm just so excited! I've never been one to squee or fangirl over a book, even though I'm a huge reader. But with this book series it's like I just can't help myself!!! That ought to give you a true idea of how I feel about it! I literally dance around, talking about the third book's release in a sing-song voice. I think my roommate wonders about my sanity at times, honestly...
Sorry, can't hear you anymore. Too busy freaking out again and if you got something negative to say, I don't wanna hear it! :)
Original Review, 5/01/14
I am one of those people who are kind of obsessed with the possibility of time travel and I absolutely love reading books about it! After reading Timebound, I am still trying to figure out how to make my brain comprehend everything! So many things can go wrong with a time travel book, but this one managed to weave all the threads of plot, the people and the action together in a way that was plausible and exciting. Not to mention, this is the first book in a really long time that managed to capture me so much that I sat down, and basically finished it in one sitting! Another thing that was impressive to me is that it's a debut novel. I cannot wait to see what Rysa Walker does in her future books with this universe that she's created!
We are introduced to Kate Pierce-Keller at the beginning of the book, who splits her time between living with her Dad and her Mom. It's a mostly amicable divorced relationship and Kate gets along decently with both of her parents. Introduce her estranged maternal Grandmother, also Katherine, to the situation and things start to get tense. See, Mom thinks Grandma is a little bit crazy. When she tells Kate that she's inherited the time travel gene and is needed to fix things that have gone wrong in the timeline, Kate thinks her Mom might be right. Then Kate experiences a major shift in her reality, which causes her Mom to disappear from existence, her Dad to be across the country and married to someone else, and she herself doesn't exist either. It turns out her Grandmother was born in the future, and time travelled as a historian. But, Saul, the man she travelled with (who became Kate's Grandfather) wanted to use time for his own gains and began to change things. Kate's Grandma is now training her to fix the timeline, back to the way it was before Saul began creating his own religion, and setting himself up to be a false prophet throughout history. With the help of Katherine, Connor (her assistant), and Trey (a guy she meets along the way), it's up to Kate to pinpoint when exactly everything changed...and turn it back, before it's too late.
So...yeah. Everyone in this book has a reason for wanting the timeline to go back to the way it originally was. Kate wants her Mom and Dad back, Katherine's assistant Connor wants his kids back because they disappeared during a timeline shift, Kate's best friend is now part of Saul's religious cult in this alternate timeline and if they don't outwit Saul her missing Aunt Prudence may never be found. But then there are some cons to changing things back as well: Kate's newfound love Trey won't remember her or their time together, because they never would have met in the original timeline. Kate's Dad is happily married with children in this new timeline, which also won't happen if they change things back. Also, Aunt Prudence just happens to be working with Saul to destroy the universe as they know it - so she's a little bit beyond saving. I loved the chunk of time that the narrative spends with Kate in the past, at the Chicago World's Fair. It explains how she meets Kiernan (the mysterious guy another one of her selves in another timeline has a relationship with - he also happens to be Connor's ancestor), shows her interacting with her much younger, time-travelling Grandmother Katherine, and also gives us a subplot involving a historically real serial killer of the time. It also allows us to meet Prudence, who is slightly crazy and happens to want Kiernan for herself. Oh, the drama! :)
Also, Walker gives some great worldbuilding in regards to the explanation for the Chronos gene, the rules of time travel and the reasons why things work or don't work. I got a pretty clear understanding of what was possible and what wasn't. It was also truly wonderful having a main character that didn't spend half of the book arguing that none of it was possible, she didn't want to save the world, blah, blah, blah! I understand that it might have been more realistic, but I am so sick of the "poor me" schtick in YA books. For once I was just happy to have a heroine kick-ass enough to willingly and easily take on the challenge. She's not perfect and does do stupid things, like seeking out her Dad once she finds out she doesn't exist anymore. But Kate is karate trained, willing to make a difference, has close friends and family, and doesn't mind fighting for what she wants. Such a change - a welcome one! The twists and turns of the plot, and how everyone was connected to each other were fresh and unique. I enjoyed reading this and I'm not going to say anymore to avoid any really large spoilers, but some serious shit goes down at the World's Fair and it ends on a pretty big cliffhanger! As the first series I have been truly excited for in a LONG time, I highly recommend it. I cannot WAIT to read the next one!
VERDICT: 4.5/5 Stars
**No money or favors were exchanged for this review. This book is now available in stores, online, or maybe even at your local library.**
This is my third time reading this book, but with it being almost 10 years since my last re-read I was nervous I wouldn't like it as much. Happy to say I still love it! My only thing is that the teen romance is cringey instalove more than I remembered. The time travel plot is still just as gripping and readable though.
Re-Read, 09/23/15
I still loved it just as much this time around. The fear, suspense and mystery still got to me as a reader. To me, that's the mark of a truly good book -- if it can make you feel stuff even when you know how it's going to end! I'm even more excited to read the novellas I've been rationing now, and get Kiernan's side of the story. Also, after Time's Edge I get to find out Pru's story and I'm just so excited! I've never been one to squee or fangirl over a book, even though I'm a huge reader. But with this book series it's like I just can't help myself!!! That ought to give you a true idea of how I feel about it! I literally dance around, talking about the third book's release in a sing-song voice. I think my roommate wonders about my sanity at times, honestly...
Sorry, can't hear you anymore. Too busy freaking out again and if you got something negative to say, I don't wanna hear it! :)
Original Review, 5/01/14
I am one of those people who are kind of obsessed with the possibility of time travel and I absolutely love reading books about it! After reading Timebound, I am still trying to figure out how to make my brain comprehend everything! So many things can go wrong with a time travel book, but this one managed to weave all the threads of plot, the people and the action together in a way that was plausible and exciting. Not to mention, this is the first book in a really long time that managed to capture me so much that I sat down, and basically finished it in one sitting! Another thing that was impressive to me is that it's a debut novel. I cannot wait to see what Rysa Walker does in her future books with this universe that she's created!
We are introduced to Kate Pierce-Keller at the beginning of the book, who splits her time between living with her Dad and her Mom. It's a mostly amicable divorced relationship and Kate gets along decently with both of her parents. Introduce her estranged maternal Grandmother, also Katherine, to the situation and things start to get tense. See, Mom thinks Grandma is a little bit crazy. When she tells Kate that she's inherited the time travel gene and is needed to fix things that have gone wrong in the timeline, Kate thinks her Mom might be right. Then Kate experiences a major shift in her reality, which causes her Mom to disappear from existence, her Dad to be across the country and married to someone else, and she herself doesn't exist either. It turns out her Grandmother was born in the future, and time travelled as a historian. But, Saul, the man she travelled with (who became Kate's Grandfather) wanted to use time for his own gains and began to change things. Kate's Grandma is now training her to fix the timeline, back to the way it was before Saul began creating his own religion, and setting himself up to be a false prophet throughout history. With the help of Katherine, Connor (her assistant), and Trey (a guy she meets along the way), it's up to Kate to pinpoint when exactly everything changed...and turn it back, before it's too late.
So...yeah. Everyone in this book has a reason for wanting the timeline to go back to the way it originally was. Kate wants her Mom and Dad back, Katherine's assistant Connor wants his kids back because they disappeared during a timeline shift, Kate's best friend is now part of Saul's religious cult in this alternate timeline and if they don't outwit Saul her missing Aunt Prudence may never be found. But then there are some cons to changing things back as well: Kate's newfound love Trey won't remember her or their time together, because they never would have met in the original timeline. Kate's Dad is happily married with children in this new timeline, which also won't happen if they change things back. Also, Aunt Prudence just happens to be working with Saul to destroy the universe as they know it - so she's a little bit beyond saving. I loved the chunk of time that the narrative spends with Kate in the past, at the Chicago World's Fair. It explains how she meets Kiernan (the mysterious guy another one of her selves in another timeline has a relationship with - he also happens to be Connor's ancestor), shows her interacting with her much younger, time-travelling Grandmother Katherine, and also gives us a subplot involving a historically real serial killer of the time. It also allows us to meet Prudence, who is slightly crazy and happens to want Kiernan for herself. Oh, the drama! :)
Also, Walker gives some great worldbuilding in regards to the explanation for the Chronos gene, the rules of time travel and the reasons why things work or don't work. I got a pretty clear understanding of what was possible and what wasn't. It was also truly wonderful having a main character that didn't spend half of the book arguing that none of it was possible, she didn't want to save the world, blah, blah, blah! I understand that it might have been more realistic, but I am so sick of the "poor me" schtick in YA books. For once I was just happy to have a heroine kick-ass enough to willingly and easily take on the challenge. She's not perfect and does do stupid things, like seeking out her Dad once she finds out she doesn't exist anymore. But Kate is karate trained, willing to make a difference, has close friends and family, and doesn't mind fighting for what she wants. Such a change - a welcome one! The twists and turns of the plot, and how everyone was connected to each other were fresh and unique. I enjoyed reading this and I'm not going to say anymore to avoid any really large spoilers, but some serious shit goes down at the World's Fair and it ends on a pretty big cliffhanger! As the first series I have been truly excited for in a LONG time, I highly recommend it. I cannot WAIT to read the next one!
VERDICT: 4.5/5 Stars
**No money or favors were exchanged for this review. This book is now available in stores, online, or maybe even at your local library.**
July 25, 2016
This is the story of a young girl named Kate, who has a gift of being able to go back in time and is recruited by her grandmother, who is from the future but stayed in this timeline and had two daughters. One of the daughters, Kate's aunt, disappeared in the past when she got her hands on one of the medallions that allows them to go back in time. The father of the two daughter's also has this gift and uses it to go back in time for evil and dominance. Kate's grandmother is prepping her to go back in time and change things in order to right a lot of the wrong that is going on and to hopefully find her lost aunt in the process. She has been prepped to go back during the Columbian Expedition World Fair and happened to run into the famous H.H. Holmes, known for his many slayings of young women.
I thought that this book started out grabbing my attention as I have read Devil in the White City and had some knowledge of the World's Columbian Exposition and H.H.Holmes. But then it would lose my interest and tug it back again, and became an endless tug-of-war battle with my attention span.
I thought that it was an easy and campy read and I don't regret reading it. It just felt like another Twilight or Divergent type of series with different locations and different teenagers, but if you strip all of that the pretense seems the same...I want this guy but I can't be with him and I also want that guy but can't be with him, they both want me but I can't decide, and I want to live in this life and save that one or what not...I'm exaggerating a little, I know, but that's what it felt like for me.
Although I thought it was a fair book and I enjoyed it more than the previous books mentioned, I had a very hard time with how easily people believed Kate's story. If a stranger came up to me and told me that they could travel back in time, I would be calling the crazy bin on them. And it struck me as odd that she would just tell anyone as freely as if she stumped her toe. It was this that really lost my interest in the beginning because the fact that time travel seemed more real to me than the fact that others readily believed her (Kate).
The second issue I had was that I could pretty much predict the next books based on the not so very subtle hints that were thrown in, such as the fact that Connor could very well be her own great grandson. I mean if she's been intimate with his great grandfather and he is still so in love with her then the chances seem great that this is the case. The fact that she never questioned it or none of the parties involved never mentioned anything was odd and revealing at the same time...so it was like a sore thumb just sticking out of the book and took way too much of my attention away from the story at times (when they were together or if she was talking to Connor). Also, I found it revealing that she and her friend (Charlayne) both took martial arts together, who are now on different timelines and no longer know each other and the other is part of the Cyrists, really pushed me to believe that it's pretty clear that they are going to end up going head-to-head in the future. I may be wrong about both of them, but it seems too plausible for me.
Finally, I really have a hard time with writers who feel the need to over-explain something that they just brought to our attention with actions. It makes me feel like they don't find the reader to be smart enough to realize what we just read. For instance, and this happened quite often throughout the book, Kate will get upset about something her grandmother or mother says, after a whole chapter of telling us why they are mad in action, but the author has to reiterate something along the lines of..."I feel bad that I am mad at them considering that they just..." and then summarizes the whole chapter that we just read.
Overall, even though my review may sound somewhat negative, I really did enjoy a good deal of it. It just wasn't mind-blowing or over exciting for me for the reason's above, but I didn't hate it. I just probably won't read any of the next ones. I do recommend this for some young adults that don't mind a campy and fun book that at times can be confusing to the point all you can think about is..."Dang, this author really racked her brain to try to cover every angle to the point no one can really understand what is going on" to "Why is she over-explaining every single thing over and over because it is so annoying that I wasn't paying much attention and am now confused or is it that it's just all so confusing?".
I thought that this book started out grabbing my attention as I have read Devil in the White City and had some knowledge of the World's Columbian Exposition and H.H.Holmes. But then it would lose my interest and tug it back again, and became an endless tug-of-war battle with my attention span.
I thought that it was an easy and campy read and I don't regret reading it. It just felt like another Twilight or Divergent type of series with different locations and different teenagers, but if you strip all of that the pretense seems the same...I want this guy but I can't be with him and I also want that guy but can't be with him, they both want me but I can't decide, and I want to live in this life and save that one or what not...I'm exaggerating a little, I know, but that's what it felt like for me.
Although I thought it was a fair book and I enjoyed it more than the previous books mentioned, I had a very hard time with how easily people believed Kate's story. If a stranger came up to me and told me that they could travel back in time, I would be calling the crazy bin on them. And it struck me as odd that she would just tell anyone as freely as if she stumped her toe. It was this that really lost my interest in the beginning because the fact that time travel seemed more real to me than the fact that others readily believed her (Kate).
The second issue I had was that I could pretty much predict the next books based on the not so very subtle hints that were thrown in, such as the fact that Connor could very well be her own great grandson. I mean if she's been intimate with his great grandfather and he is still so in love with her then the chances seem great that this is the case. The fact that she never questioned it or none of the parties involved never mentioned anything was odd and revealing at the same time...so it was like a sore thumb just sticking out of the book and took way too much of my attention away from the story at times (when they were together or if she was talking to Connor). Also, I found it revealing that she and her friend (Charlayne) both took martial arts together, who are now on different timelines and no longer know each other and the other is part of the Cyrists, really pushed me to believe that it's pretty clear that they are going to end up going head-to-head in the future. I may be wrong about both of them, but it seems too plausible for me.
Finally, I really have a hard time with writers who feel the need to over-explain something that they just brought to our attention with actions. It makes me feel like they don't find the reader to be smart enough to realize what we just read. For instance, and this happened quite often throughout the book, Kate will get upset about something her grandmother or mother says, after a whole chapter of telling us why they are mad in action, but the author has to reiterate something along the lines of..."I feel bad that I am mad at them considering that they just..." and then summarizes the whole chapter that we just read.
Overall, even though my review may sound somewhat negative, I really did enjoy a good deal of it. It just wasn't mind-blowing or over exciting for me for the reason's above, but I didn't hate it. I just probably won't read any of the next ones. I do recommend this for some young adults that don't mind a campy and fun book that at times can be confusing to the point all you can think about is..."Dang, this author really racked her brain to try to cover every angle to the point no one can really understand what is going on" to "Why is she over-explaining every single thing over and over because it is so annoying that I wasn't paying much attention and am now confused or is it that it's just all so confusing?".
February 13, 2016
I picked up this audiobook during one of Audible's $4.95 sales. I didn't necessarily choose it because I've seen a lot of great reviews or heard a ton of hype about it, because I haven't. And I was aware that my friend Dana (from Dana and the Books) only gave this 3.25 stars when she read it. But because of Audible's awesome return policy, I decided to give it a shot anyway since I'm such a sucker for time travel. Timebound is the perfect example of why readers/listeners should ultimately make their own decisions about what to read and not solely rely on other people's reviews. Dana and I usually have aligning opinions on most things, but we saw Timebound very differently. It is also great example of a shot in the dark that completely paid off. To me, there are few things more rewarding than taking a risk on an audiobook and having it pay off.
I'm a self-proclaimed "mood reader", meaning that my moods and whims can greatly determine my choice of audiobook and my audiobook experience. I've finally learned to quit fighting these whims and listen to whatever my gut tells me at the moment. That usually means a spontaneous and constantly fluctuating TBR. After finishing Me Before You, I wasn't emotionally ready to begin the sequel, so I decided to go in a completely different direction with Timebound. I liked it immediately, probably because it hit the ground running. There was no dawdling in the beginning and the pace hardly slowed throughout the entirety. This is the first time travel story I can remember that didn't once compare Time to some sort of body of water. Timebound has some very unique characteristics and I found the plot easy enough to understand and follow. More than that, I also found it incredibly intriguing and quickly became invested in it. I formed strong attachments to the characters and came to care about their well-being. This book consisted of a lot of action, with periodic unloadings of information that Dana saw as "dumpy" (dumping a ton of info onto the reader at once), but I didn't mind that so much. I saw it more like "debriefing" than "dumping", since these episodes usually happened after something very eventful. It's true that most authors prefer to let important pieces of plot information be revealed more slowly (and subtly) throughout the plot, but I actually appreciated not being made to wait to get the whole story. This allowed me to focus on what was unfolding at the time. I think that this story's fast pace calls for it in order to not overwhelm the reader during action scenes. However, there were a couple points that bugged me a bit, like how quickly and easily both Charlene & Trey (I don't know how to spell their names. #AudiobookProblems) were to accept Kate's bizarre story of time travel. Those scenes required a little more suspension of disbelief and I felt they should have been more drawn out to be believable. Subtlety may not be one of this author's strongest points, but she did a lot of other things exceedingly well. I really enjoyed how she used well-known historical events, like The Chicago World's Fair in 1893, as a backdrop for the action in the story. I also liked the inclusion of a corrupt cult-like religion run by power-hungry time travelers. That was a nice (and unexpected) addition to the plot. I've already learned that this author has a penchant for throwing wild curve balls. I found this story thrilling in an "edge of my seat" kind of way and I bought the second and third installments before even finishing the first.
Narration review: I was delighted to see that Kate Rudd is the narrator for this series and that is actually what tipped me in favor of purchasing this audiobook. I have heard Rudd's performances before in The Fault in Our Stars and Snow Like Ashes. She is always pleasant to hear and I think she was a great choice to voice the protagonist of this series, also named Kate. If this main character had been voiced by someone else, there is a chance I wouldn't have cared for her quite as much. There were a few times that I was on the fence about liking Kate (the character) due to her questionable decision-making and accute heroine complex. I think a less enjoyable narrator (one with a whiny or annoying voice) could have sent me over the edge into actively disliking the character. Choice of narrator is that important! Rudd has a considerable narration repertoire, so I encourage you to check it out! ♣︎
I'm a self-proclaimed "mood reader", meaning that my moods and whims can greatly determine my choice of audiobook and my audiobook experience. I've finally learned to quit fighting these whims and listen to whatever my gut tells me at the moment. That usually means a spontaneous and constantly fluctuating TBR. After finishing Me Before You, I wasn't emotionally ready to begin the sequel, so I decided to go in a completely different direction with Timebound. I liked it immediately, probably because it hit the ground running. There was no dawdling in the beginning and the pace hardly slowed throughout the entirety. This is the first time travel story I can remember that didn't once compare Time to some sort of body of water. Timebound has some very unique characteristics and I found the plot easy enough to understand and follow. More than that, I also found it incredibly intriguing and quickly became invested in it. I formed strong attachments to the characters and came to care about their well-being. This book consisted of a lot of action, with periodic unloadings of information that Dana saw as "dumpy" (dumping a ton of info onto the reader at once), but I didn't mind that so much. I saw it more like "debriefing" than "dumping", since these episodes usually happened after something very eventful. It's true that most authors prefer to let important pieces of plot information be revealed more slowly (and subtly) throughout the plot, but I actually appreciated not being made to wait to get the whole story. This allowed me to focus on what was unfolding at the time. I think that this story's fast pace calls for it in order to not overwhelm the reader during action scenes. However, there were a couple points that bugged me a bit, like how quickly and easily both Charlene & Trey (I don't know how to spell their names. #AudiobookProblems) were to accept Kate's bizarre story of time travel. Those scenes required a little more suspension of disbelief and I felt they should have been more drawn out to be believable. Subtlety may not be one of this author's strongest points, but she did a lot of other things exceedingly well. I really enjoyed how she used well-known historical events, like The Chicago World's Fair in 1893, as a backdrop for the action in the story. I also liked the inclusion of a corrupt cult-like religion run by power-hungry time travelers. That was a nice (and unexpected) addition to the plot. I've already learned that this author has a penchant for throwing wild curve balls. I found this story thrilling in an "edge of my seat" kind of way and I bought the second and third installments before even finishing the first.
Narration review: I was delighted to see that Kate Rudd is the narrator for this series and that is actually what tipped me in favor of purchasing this audiobook. I have heard Rudd's performances before in The Fault in Our Stars and Snow Like Ashes. She is always pleasant to hear and I think she was a great choice to voice the protagonist of this series, also named Kate. If this main character had been voiced by someone else, there is a chance I wouldn't have cared for her quite as much. There were a few times that I was on the fence about liking Kate (the character) due to her questionable decision-making and accute heroine complex. I think a less enjoyable narrator (one with a whiny or annoying voice) could have sent me over the edge into actively disliking the character. Choice of narrator is that important! Rudd has a considerable narration repertoire, so I encourage you to check it out! ♣︎
April 26, 2020
Bayildimm. Ikinci kitaba isinlancam hemen. Ah ben bilseydim iki tane bey arasinda kalacagini kalbimi hazirlardim aslinda Kate iki kisi arasinda kalmadi da diger kitaplarda bu olacak sinyaller alindi ve muhtelemen sececegi adaydan farkli birini tutuyorum ben. Serinin sonunda muhtemelen asiri duygulancam asiriiii
August 12, 2020
I really enjoyed this book it was a great read with alot going to keep me interested good start to the series this is the book Kate discovered some members of her family can time travel an some of the family can not be trusted with this gift. And it's up to her to fix the problems they have made.
September 18, 2015
Kate thinks her grandmother must be senile when she gives her a glowing medallion and starts talking about time travel. If only it were that easy because what her grandmother was telling her hits home when a murder in the past drastically changes Kate's present. The medallion is the only thing that's keeping Kate tethered to reality. Kate learns that this murder at the 1893 Chicago World's Fair is the beginning of a sinister plot to rewrite world history and that she is one of the few who can prevent this wrong timeline from taking its course with her genetic ability to time travel. Correcting the timeline will come at a personal cost because the one person she's grown close to since the timeline has been altered will have no memory her.
Timebound by Rysa Walker ranks as one of my favorite new time travel books! To begin, our cast is well-developed including minor supporting characters. Kate is a character I felt I could relate to considering everything she goes through. Trey is fun character and I enjoyed seeing where his character was going to go next. Although Connor is a supporting character, he really stole the show for me and I was looking forward to his page time. There is also a bit of a love triangle here and fortunately it's done well. Instead of making me groan and roll my eyes I was dying to know more.
The concept of time travel in this novel is also pretty fantastic. I don't want to spoil too much of how it works, but as you probably guessed it involves the medallion I mentioned above.
Some time travel novels can get super bogged down by all the technical and historical details, but luckily this novel balances everything well and doesn't overwhelm the reader by keeping things moving. I loved all of the historical detail that we get to see, from the women's rights movement, the Chicago World's Fair, to Woodstock.
I can't do this novel justice in my review, but it was a lot of fun and it had everything I could have wanted. I'm can't wait to read the sequel, Time's Edge!
Final verdict:
Timebound by Rysa Walker ranks as one of my favorite new time travel books! To begin, our cast is well-developed including minor supporting characters. Kate is a character I felt I could relate to considering everything she goes through. Trey is fun character and I enjoyed seeing where his character was going to go next. Although Connor is a supporting character, he really stole the show for me and I was looking forward to his page time. There is also a bit of a love triangle here and fortunately it's done well. Instead of making me groan and roll my eyes I was dying to know more.
The concept of time travel in this novel is also pretty fantastic. I don't want to spoil too much of how it works, but as you probably guessed it involves the medallion I mentioned above.
Some time travel novels can get super bogged down by all the technical and historical details, but luckily this novel balances everything well and doesn't overwhelm the reader by keeping things moving. I loved all of the historical detail that we get to see, from the women's rights movement, the Chicago World's Fair, to Woodstock.
I can't do this novel justice in my review, but it was a lot of fun and it had everything I could have wanted. I'm can't wait to read the sequel, Time's Edge!
Final verdict:
June 29, 2021
4,5
Bu seriyanı daha indidən çox sevdim😍(yəni 2ci və 3cü kitabı da çox sevəcəyimə indidən əminəm). Tezliklə davam kitablarını əldə etməliyəm!
Kitabda bir neçə sevmədiyim xırda nüanslar oldu əlbəttə, məsələn, niyə həmişə baş obrazlar 16-17 yaşında olmalıdı, ama heç də o yaşlarda birinin davranmayacağı şəkildə davranmalıdı? İkidəbir bunu düşünüb əsəb olurdum. Digər tərəfdən, kitabdakı sevgi hekayəsi də mənə o qədər real başlamış kimi görünmədi(gedişatı yaxşı idi, ama başlanğıcı yaxşı verilməmişdi).
Bütün bunları çıxsaq, məncə əsər yaxşı yazılmışdı. Ara-sıra güldüyüm, ara-sıra duyğulandığım, daha çox isə həyəcanla nə olacağını gözlədiyim, hətta qorxu hissinə qap��ldığım yerlər oldu. Yəni bu kitabı sevməmək üçün səbəb yoxdu.
Kate bəyəndiyim bir obraz oldu,sevdiklərinə dəyər verən, yeri gələndə önə atılmaqdan tərəddüt duymayan biridir, ki bütün bu macəralara səbəb də onun sevdiklərini qorumaq istəyi olmuşdu. Digər tərəfdən yan obrazlardan Connor olduqca sevimli bir adam idi. Kiernan və Trey isə arasında seçim edə bilməyəcəyim qədər sevdiklərim obrazlar oldu. Hər biri öz dünyasında və öz etdikləri ilə olduqca seviləsi tərəfləri olan obrazlar idi.
Əsər tarixi-fantastik janrdadır və bu baxımdan da anlaşılması çətin gələn yerlər oldu, həmçinin, bəzən kimin nə etdiyini və nə üçün etdiyini anlamaq çətin gəlirdi. Amma son nəticədə çox şey yerli yerinə oturur. Odur ki, sonacan səbirli olub oxumağa davam edin. Son demişkən, əsər elə yerdə bitdi ki, davam kitabın ilk cümləsi üçün dəhşətli həyəcan duyuram😁🙄.
Əsərin mövzusu mənim ən sevdiyim mövzulardan biridir. Zamanda səyahət etmək, zamanda hər hansı bir kiçik dəyişikliyin yarada biləcəyi təhlükələr, həmçinin bu dəyişikliklərin paralel dünyalar yaratması və s. kimi mövzular bu əsərdə işlənmişdi. Və məncə uğurlu alınıb. Yazarın özü də tarixiçidir və bu əsərin təsirini daha çox artırdı nəzərimdə.
Qısacası, oxumağınızı tövsiyə edirəm. Sevəcəyiniz və sizdə yer edə biləcək bir əsərdir❤�
"Zaman çizelgesindeki en ufak bir değişikliğin nelere mal olacağını bilemezsin..."
Bu seriyanı daha indidən çox sevdim😍(yəni 2ci və 3cü kitabı da çox sevəcəyimə indidən əminəm). Tezliklə davam kitablarını əldə etməliyəm!
Kitabda bir neçə sevmədiyim xırda nüanslar oldu əlbəttə, məsələn, niyə həmişə baş obrazlar 16-17 yaşında olmalıdı, ama heç də o yaşlarda birinin davranmayacağı şəkildə davranmalıdı? İkidəbir bunu düşünüb əsəb olurdum. Digər tərəfdən, kitabdakı sevgi hekayəsi də mənə o qədər real başlamış kimi görünmədi(gedişatı yaxşı idi, ama başlanğıcı yaxşı verilməmişdi).
Bütün bunları çıxsaq, məncə əsər yaxşı yazılmışdı. Ara-sıra güldüyüm, ara-sıra duyğulandığım, daha çox isə həyəcanla nə olacağını gözlədiyim, hətta qorxu hissinə qap��ldığım yerlər oldu. Yəni bu kitabı sevməmək üçün səbəb yoxdu.
Kate bəyəndiyim bir obraz oldu,sevdiklərinə dəyər verən, yeri gələndə önə atılmaqdan tərəddüt duymayan biridir, ki bütün bu macəralara səbəb də onun sevdiklərini qorumaq istəyi olmuşdu. Digər tərəfdən yan obrazlardan Connor olduqca sevimli bir adam idi. Kiernan və Trey isə arasında seçim edə bilməyəcəyim qədər sevdiklərim obrazlar oldu. Hər biri öz dünyasında və öz etdikləri ilə olduqca seviləsi tərəfləri olan obrazlar idi.
Əsər tarixi-fantastik janrdadır və bu baxımdan da anlaşılması çətin gələn yerlər oldu, həmçinin, bəzən kimin nə etdiyini və nə üçün etdiyini anlamaq çətin gəlirdi. Amma son nəticədə çox şey yerli yerinə oturur. Odur ki, sonacan səbirli olub oxumağa davam edin. Son demişkən, əsər elə yerdə bitdi ki, davam kitabın ilk cümləsi üçün dəhşətli həyəcan duyuram😁🙄.
Əsərin mövzusu mənim ən sevdiyim mövzulardan biridir. Zamanda səyahət etmək, zamanda hər hansı bir kiçik dəyişikliyin yarada biləcəyi təhlükələr, həmçinin bu dəyişikliklərin paralel dünyalar yaratması və s. kimi mövzular bu əsərdə işlənmişdi. Və məncə uğurlu alınıb. Yazarın özü də tarixiçidir və bu əsərin təsirini daha çox artırdı nəzərimdə.
Qısacası, oxumağınızı tövsiyə edirəm. Sevəcəyiniz və sizdə yer edə biləcək bir əsərdir❤�
"Zaman çizelgesindeki en ufak bir değişikliğin nelere mal olacağını bilemezsin..."
November 17, 2014
Although this book is billed as a YA book, I am one of those that believe a well-written book can appeal to anyone. Because I enjoy time travel books, I was eager to give this one a try. Wow! All ages will enjoy this complex time -traveling plot that carries the main character Kate from the present to the Chicago's World Fair in 1893. It is all because of genetics and a magical medallion that Kate is able to time travel. To tell you more is to get in to the complexity that is part of what book one of this series is about: Why is Kate able to time travel but most others with the time-travel gene and the magical medallion aren't? What are the rules of the medallion? Where can Kate travel to?
Kate must learn all of these things quickly because her grandfather abused his time traveling ability and has split time off into alternate time lines. Her grandmother tells her that she must realign the time line into the correct one. Before Kate even begins, things aren't as easy as they sound. How does she know this is the "right" thing to do? Also, she has become serious with a boy in her new timeline. When she corrects the timeline, he will no longer remember her. Will their love survive this? Will he still love her in the original time line?
This book is definitely plot driven. I had trouble connecting with any of the characters in the first half of the book. During the second half of the book, I developed connections with Kiernan, Trey, and Kate. I hope this was just the normal issue of a first book in a series and that book 2 will be more of a plot and character driven book.
I recommend this to all YA's and adults who enjoy complex plots and/or time travel.
Kate must learn all of these things quickly because her grandfather abused his time traveling ability and has split time off into alternate time lines. Her grandmother tells her that she must realign the time line into the correct one. Before Kate even begins, things aren't as easy as they sound. How does she know this is the "right" thing to do? Also, she has become serious with a boy in her new timeline. When she corrects the timeline, he will no longer remember her. Will their love survive this? Will he still love her in the original time line?
This book is definitely plot driven. I had trouble connecting with any of the characters in the first half of the book. During the second half of the book, I developed connections with Kiernan, Trey, and Kate. I hope this was just the normal issue of a first book in a series and that book 2 will be more of a plot and character driven book.
I recommend this to all YA's and adults who enjoy complex plots and/or time travel.
June 12, 2021
This book was really good it has been awhile since I have read a great time travel book and this one is so well written. I loved all of the characters especially Kate and Trey they both were so well written they fit together so well the romance was so good I hope to read more about them soon. I loved Kate for her ability to adapt and do what she has to and I love her for her tenacity and want to do the right thing. I loved the story it started with normal life of a girl named Kate quickly moved into time related things to her family disappearing and with the timeline being different with her never being born now she needs to fix it meets Trey along the way I really loved how it ended looking forward to reading more.
July 20, 2015
3.7 I wanted to enjoy this book more than I did, but there was so much confusion for me in the way the time traveling was written. I feel like a lot and yet nothing happened at the same time. I definitely want to read the second book, because I enjoyed the story overall and I'm curious where it goes from here. I really enjoyed Kate as the main character. I look forward to learning more about this world and hopefully the time travel portion gets less complicated to understand. I believe it will because by the end of the book it was already making more sense. I do recommend this book, but I just wanted something more I think.
February 22, 2015
I reread this book and holy schnikes, it's even better the second time around!! All the minor things really popped out this time through and it was even more amazing! Rysa is an absolute genius the way she portrays time travel. I love Kate as a heroine!
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