Hourglass

Hourglass is an incredibly engrossing novel! I enjoyed every single aspect of it: plot, characters and writing.

Emerson is an awesome female MC: she isn't one of the fantasy novel girls that stands back waiting for a hero. She is more than willing to dive headfirst into any situation and fight for herself. I loved her personality and gumption! Not to say, of course, that she isn't willing to accept a partner in crime. Immediately upon meeting Michael Weaver, sparks ensue. Their chemistry and interaction was awesome. I also appreciated that Myra McEntire didn't pull the whole insta-love nonsense. My girl Emerson won't have any of that - it takes her a little time to follow trust with attraction.

The plot was intense...I'm a big fan of show more time travel/science fiction and I love the way it was handled in this book. The combination of that along with the other abilities (like seeing ghosts) made for a very captivating plot. Emerson lives with her supportive brother, who tries to get her some answers about her ghost-seeing abilities from the mysterious Hourglass organization (that's where Michael comes in). Unfortunately, she ends up getting sucked in to a whole mess of complications - a death from the past that shouldn't have happened, jealousy, and even a traitor amongst the new friends she thought she was making.

The twists and turns in this novel will take you on one heck of a wild ride - one I definitely recommend! This definitely stands apart from most of the other YA debuts. I can't wait for the as yet untitled sequel in 2012! show less

It’s no secret around these parts that I love time travel novels, but I have to admit that Hourglass started off quite slow for me. I think a lot of this had to do with Emerson, or Em, the main character. Em is often bratty, oblivious, and sarcastic in a mean way. She tends to alienate the people around her, and only really has one friend at the start of the novel. These traits are understandable, given her history–her parents died before the book began and she’s been institutionalized for her ability–but it doesn’t make her character any easier to read about on paper. Once we met some other people in Hourglass, things definitely picked up and more of Em’s good traits–like her intelligence–came to the surface.

I really show more loved the sibling dynamic between Em and her brother. Sibling stories are my favorites, and while the relationship between Em and her brother is different than most since he’s her legal guardian, it’s easy to tell how much Thomas and Em love and rely on each other. For part of the story, Em’s brother is out of the picture, but it was clear to see how much Em really cared about her family and friends.

The actual time travel in Hourglass isn’t quite my favorite system of time travel that I’ve read, but it seemed complicated enough to be realistic(well, as realistic as we get when we talk about time travel), but simplistic enough to wrap my brain around. There’s definitely some real theories in Hourglass, which I found interesting. Despite one of the plot points being terribly convenient, I didn’t mind or even notice until after I finished reading. Em realizes early on in the story she can time travel with Michael, the agent from Hourglass she meets first. It’s a pretty simple system(though a little more complicated than that), and their experiences were exhilarating and heart-pounding.

And talk about twist I didn’t see! If you’re read my reviews before, you probably know I don’t mind predictable plots because I tend to see twist pretty early on in the story. Well, there’s really two major twists in the story I can think off of the top of my head, and while I saw one very early, the other took me by surprise. We’re talking jaw-on-the-floor type of reaction, and what made it even more perfect was that once it had been revealed, it was a twist that made sense. Hourglass toyed with my emotions and my mind, and at the end I thanked the book for it.

However, there were a few things that bothered me in Hourglass. One was the tension between Em and Michael. Because their basically two halves of a time travel pair, there’s an attraction to each other right away. This is explained in the book as being a normal thing for people with this abilities, which, okay, I get. But that doesn’t mean I as a reader buy their chemistry. They had never really had to work on that, and I lost out as a reader because of that. I want to see the slow-burn stuff up to attraction, not just BAM, these characters like each other. I will say I thought Hourglass did a good job of not making this annoying insta-love, but it does sort of border on that. The second thing was that there’s a hint of a love triangle I thought was totally unnecessary. show less

Someone please pinch me. I'm pretty sure I've died and gone to book heaven and, if Hourglass is what I can look forward to, I'm not coming back! Wow, just wow. I apologize in advance for all the rambling that will ensue. This book is so fantastic, so amazing, that I just cannot seem to express exactly how much I loved it. I'll try though, for you.

First of all, there are the characters. Emerson Cole takes her rightful place among my all time favorite female characters. She's sassy, she's fiery, and the best part is that Emerson isn't taken in by bedroom eyes and vivid smiles. Oh sure, she might notice them. However if you want to be a part of Emerson's life, you'd better be prepared to hold your own on the battleground of wit. The snark show more that comes out her mouth so naturally cracked me up, and I loved the chemistry between her and the other characters. Then there is Michael. Smooth, put together, and off limits for Emerson. The tension between them just crackles deliciously. Finally, and my favorite, the beautifully broken bad boy, Kaleb. This boy is a mess, but wow does he own it. In this humble reader's opinion, he is the only person who can stand their own next to Miss Emerson Cole.

The Science Fiction portion of Hourglass comes into play in Emerson's unique ability. She can see ripples from the past, and it's not doing her any favors in the normalcy department. I could definitely see that Myra McEntire had done her research on time travel. Everything that is presented is completely plausible, and as a regular reader of Science Fiction I found that amazing. In fact, this whole story is blended together so perfectly, so seamlessly, that I could almost believe I'd be walking down the street and come face to face with Emerson, or any one of her unwanted guests. Truth be told, the web that is woven in Hourglass is one that I wasn't able to pull out of, and I really didn't want to.

I know I'm rambling now, so I'll finish off with a last thought. I have read over 100 books so far this year, and sometimes they start to blend together. However, after finishing Hourglass, I am reminded that there are gems out there that stand out. Myra McEntire has written a stunner of a novel. Complete with realistic characters, gorgeously blended science fiction and paranormal elements, and one heck of a story line, this is a book that you need to read. Buy it. show less

First and foremost, Hourglass is not a ghost novel. The synopsis and first few chapters make Hourglass appear to be a novel that features ghosts, but I want to make it clear that this is not the case. I usually pass by ghost novels and I don't want anyone who avoids that type of thing to miss out on this book. Hourglass is definitely more science fiction that paranormal fantasy and much of the novel is one surprise after another. It was a very enjoyable book to read.

Weeks before Emerson's parents died, she began seeing what she believed to be ghosts. Eventually, it got so bad that she was committed. Years later, she's come home to live with her brother and his wife. Her brother hires the Hourglass to try to find out why Emerson can see show more these "ghosts" and how to make it stop. Michael, a consultant for the Hourglass, can see the same "ghosts" Emerson can see. They are also inexplicably drawn to each other, but can't be together because of professionalism and other reasons Michael's not quite willing to share.

Emerson has had a bad life these past few years. Things do not get easier for her in this novel. While I loved the story, I found it sort of difficult to empathize with Emerson. The emotional pull just wasn't there. I wanted her to succeed in things, but only really so that the story itself moved forward. The same can be said for Michael and the relationship between the both of them. Whether it happened or not did not concern me. I think they were a little too "meant for each other" for my taste. When Michael's friend Kaleb appears in the novel, I immediately wanted him to be with Emerson.

I could say so much more about Hourglass, but the entire book is like one big spoiler. Without revealing anything, as the surprises make the story as addictive as it is, I can only say that Hourglass is a wonderfully unique surprise. As each piece fell into place, I became more and more drawn into the story and hoped it would never end. Luckily, Hourglass seems to be the first in a series. I can't wait to read more. show less

I do not even know where to start with Hourglass. I have been putting off writing this review for months because this book is just filled with win. I have been really stumped as to how to my feelings for this book into words. If I could, I would just write a review that would say “Buy this book it is full of awesome. Everyone must buy it. ADJKAJGKAJGKDL It’s awesome.”, but that would not be super helpful.

In April, I did a post for the ten reasons why you must buy this book. I think that I’m going to use that as a basis for my review so this review is not just BUY THIS BOOK. So let me start off by talking about the characters in this book. I felt that all the characters in this book served a purpose and were all well defined show more characters. Every character that we met had their own personality and traits. The characters were extremely well written. Let’s start with Emerson Cole, the main character. I loved her. She was snarky, kick-butt and different. She was strong and able to stand up for herself, even when everyone thought she was crazy because of her visions. Also, she can kick-butt. Seriously, she has brown belt to prove it. And I love girls who can kick-butt because I truly wish I was that badass. And she is snarky. I love snark. It makes me laugh and Em did make me laugh. Emerson was one of those characters that got stuck in my head after I finished reading the book. She was just one of those characters with a really strong voice that will stick with you. And then there are the boys in this book. I just have to mention them. So first we have Michael Weaver who is a very mysterious guy. He works for a mysterious agency and knows more about Em than Em herself does. Basically, I was smitten by him the first time we met him and ended up loving him more as the book went out and we learned more about Michael. And then ther was also Kaleb, the other boy in this book who I really loved. Kaleb is Michael’s friend and works with Michael and is just as hot as Michael. But they are too completely different boys. Kaleb was in my opinion adorable. At times I felt really bad for him and just wanted to give him a hug. He was probably one of my favorite characters in this book. He was flawed and dealing with issues but was still able to be strong. I like that. And the romance. Boy. The romance could have gone crazy wrong but it was perfect. The build-up and the sexual tension was all spot on perfect. I was at points literally screaming for them to just kiss already, which I love. I just loved the romance.

Okay, so now I want to talk about how amazing the plot of this book is. Seriously. I did not really know what to expect when I started this book. It sounded like it might be just another paranormal teen book with a girl who sees visions and stuff. But what I got from Hourglass was none of that. I can truly say that this book was something new. Hourglass was seriously a breath of fresh air. I really liked how it blended paranormal elements such as the visions with some more scifi elements such as time travel. It was all mystery, action, paranormal, and wibbly-wobbly timey-wimey stuff wound up into a big ball of awesome. I really really liked the balance between all those elemts. It truly finds a perfect balance between the two and creates this amazing story. And this story kept me on the edge of my seat. I did not know what was going to happen next. I was constantly being blown away by the plot. Twists and turns that took me by surprise. The last quarter of the book, I swear I was just sitting there reading with my mouth wide open because I was literally blown away. I did not expect the story to go in certain ways it did. And I just want to say that Myra McEntire has been added to my list of evil genius authors. There is this huge amazing twist in the book that will literally leave you in shock. I was blown away that she had actually did that. You will know the part I’m talking about when you read the book because you will be sitting there reading the book, dumbfounded that that event just actually happened. Boy, is that an amazing and horribly mean twist.

I really do not know what else to say. This book is just full of win. Myra McEntire has written a beautiful, stunningly awesome debut. It is hard to fathom that this book is her debut novel because it is just so stunning. The writing is beautiful and she has created this whole world were Em and her friends live and do some crazy things. Myra McEntire excuted the plot so brilliantly and is now an evil genius in my book. She literally kept me flipping pages as quickly as possible. Plus, she is also a Whovian. A reference to Doctor Who in your book has me in love with your book forever. Just saying. I am literally blown away by how amazing this book is. Everyone needs to pick up a copy of this book and read it as soon as possible. I mean who would not want a copy of this beautiful book on their shelf? The cover is just as beautiful as the words inside of it. Hourglass is probably one of my favorite books of 2011. Hourglass is an amazing debut that is a must read because it has a little bit of something for everyone. show less

Emerson Cole began to see people that weren't actually there right before her parents passed away. Relying heavily on the ghostly visitors attire to discern if they were real or an unwelcome "blast from the past". Emerson's condition caused numerous embarrassing situations, as well as her eventual admittance to a mental hospital.

The Emerson we meet in Hourglass has come a long way since she was a ghost seeing patient at the local loony bin. She seems like any other teen girl, but really she has just learned to keep her visitors a secret from her family and friends. She lives with her brother and his wife who both seem to easily accept Emerson's affliction. Even going so far as to recruit people claiming they can help her, but show more unfortunately they are just frauds. Then Em's brother hires Michael who works for the secretive organization called The Hourglass. Emerson feels like she finally found someone who can truly understand and help her. What Michael eventually reveals Em never saw coming.

I have to start by saying this is NOT a ghost story. I've seen it referred to as a "time slip" novel. Call it what you want, but what this book should be called is full of awesome! I was craving something unique and different. Hourglass fit the bill perfectly. Having had bad luck with other time travel novels, I was worried I wouldn't be able to get into this one. Not the case at all. I grieved for this book when I finished the last page. It was that good!

What debut author, Myra McEntire, brings to the YA genre is truly refreshing. Protag Emerson is just amazing. She is 100% smart ass with some of the best dialogue I've ever seen grace the pages of a book. I loved her moxie, and her ability to kick some serious ass. Em is just the beginning of what I loved about Hourglass. This book starred such an array of well-developed characters and relationships. Even though I loved all the amazing characters, the aspect I appreciated most about this book was the dialogue. This author has a writing style that is uniquely her own. I can't even think of an author who is similar. It gives her a definite edge that makes her writing stand out among other authors in this genre. AND it isn't dumb downed! I can definitely see this series appealing to teen and adult readers alike.

Now I can't review this book without talking boys. There are two serious hotties in Em's world. Michael and Kaleb. Oh boy, oh boy, oh boy. I don't even know where to being. They both bring something special to the table. I'd be hard pressed to choose a favorite. For the reader who is anti love triangle, please don't let the mention of two boys scare you off. This book doesn't go the expected route when it comes to the romantic relationships. Yet another reason I love this book! The angst was practically nonexistent.

Hourglass is a delicious mix of romantic and sci-fi elements. The plot was fast paced and packed with twists and turns. The dialogue was witty and smart. Talk about a page-turner! I am madly in love with everything this author has created. I don't think a series, let alone author debut, has ever impressed me more. Only complaint is the next book in this series won't be out for an entire year :( I will be anxiously awaiting more of Emerson's story! show less

I'm going to be completely honest. I'd heard a lot of wonderful things about Hourglass, and that made me think that I probably wouldn't like it. Let me explain... any time I hear a ton of great things about a book, it almost always ends up falling flat for me. Either I can't relate to the characters or the pacing is off or the plot just flat out sucks. However, Hourglass was a fantastic read, and I can't wait for the sequel. I fell in love with all of the characters, other than the bad guys, which I hated once I figured out they were bad. There were a ton of surprises in the book, and as hard as I tried, I couldn't predict the plot. As someone who can usually guess where a book is going, I was pleasantly surprised to find out that I had show more no idea what would happen in this novel. I also loved that the book was near Nashville, TN, in a small town called Ivy Springs. I LOVE NASHVILLE! It's a fantastic city, and I haven't read many books that are set there. Myra McEntire is my new hero.

The novel starts out a bit slowly, but Emerson is a very intriguing character. She's sarcastic, witty, funny, and charming. I really loved reading about things from her POV. She's not pansy, and she can take care of herself. She has a brown belt in Martial Arts training for Christ's sake! Don't mess with her. She may be little, but she can still kick ass! She's had a rough past, but she doesn't really whine that much. She goes back and suffers from guilt some, but we all do that when someone we love dies. She is a strong character, though, and she does what she has to do to make things right.

I would have liked to have seen more of Lily and learned more about her, but hopefully we'll get to learn more about her in the sequel. She was interesting, and a terrific friend to Emerson. She stood by her no matter what, and it's hard to find a friend like that, especially in high school.

Michael. *swoon* The second he said he preferred professional baseball, I knew I'd found my new book character soul mate. Now if he'd only been a Cubs fan instead of a Red Sox fan, he would have been perfect. I do like the Red Sox, but my heart is with my Cubbies. I digress... Michael was a terrific character and extremely selfless. He was trustworthy, kind, patient, brave, and understanding. I loved his interactions with Emerson, and the way he took care of all of his friends. He's just an all around great guy. They really need to make one of him in real life. Or several. I'd appreciate that. Only, we need to add a Cubs fan gene to the mix. I mean I love my Cubbies, but let's face it, no one is going to be a fan of a team that never goes to the World Series without it being a genetic condition. Wow, I'm really off topic right now.

Kaleb was a wonderful addition to the book, and he mixed things up a lot. You can tell that deep down he's a good guy, but he's suffering, so he makes some terrible mistakes. He really care about his friends, though, and I really liked his ability. I'd like to see more of him in the next book, too.

Thomas and Dru are the most likable parent figures in the world. Thomas is Emerson's brother, and Dru is his wife. They are supportive and kind to Emerson, and I simply loved them. They also were present a lot in the novel, and I enjoyed that. I like it when we don't have to read about phantom parents all the time. Spices things up a bit, don't you think?

The first half of the book focuses on explaining the complicated world that McEntire has created. The time travel thing is a little science-y and confusing, but over all, McEntire leaves out enough details that it didn't give me a headache. I think I grasped the concept just fine, and I am no science whiz. The beginning moves a little slowly, but because of that I was able to gain trust in Michael and the rest of the Renegades right along with Emerson. Also, there is no insta-love. I hate insta-love, and I really appreciate it when an author takes the time to make a relationship develop instead of using love as a plot device. McEntire handled the relationship thing gracefully, and the connection between Michael and Emerson grew organically throughout the book. Nothing felt forced about it. It was easy to believe that they were best friends who just happened to fall in love with each other.

The second half of the book is filled with mysteries, surprises, and a lot of tense moments. There's not much "action" in my mind because there is not really any fighting. However, there is a lot going on, and the climax and big reveal are intense and shocking. I was on the edge of my seat from about page 200 on. The ending wrapped things up nicely, but also left room for a sequel. The world McEntire has created is unique and wonderful. It's a great place to lose yourself in, and I haven't had nearly enough of it. Hourglass is not a book that you want to miss. show less