Time Mends

From my blog http://www.onstarshipsanddragonwings.com/

Blackwell continues to impress with the second of the Timber Wolves series: Time Mends. The world of shifters and seers continues to baffle and enrage, and in Time Mends, Scout has an all new set of revelations to deal with, including a big fluffy arctic wolf.
My mom and I decided to both buy one of the Timber Wolves books and trade them to each so that we could both finish the series. Having book buddies is so much fun :D. The second Timber Wolves book, Time Mends, has more drama for Scout to deal with, and this time it is her life that is on the line. I’ll try not to spoil the first book, but there is some major stuff that happens at the end of the first book, and so avoiding show more spoilers will be difficult. It would probably be best for you to read my review of the first book and read it first :D.
Goodreads | Amazon
Title: Time Mends
Author: Tammy Blackwell
Pages: 269 pages
Genre-ish: Urban (rural?) fantasy
Rating: ★★★★☆ - solid second book, not quite as awesome as the first
Setting: Scout is from a rural town, Timber, that seemed perfectly normal. In the previous book, she found out that shifters (coyote and wolf) exist, as well as seers. A large number of her friends and family have been revealed as one of the two, which has led to graduation being only one of the highlights of Scout’s life recently. There is also some time spent in Romania….
Premise: The previous book, Destiny Binds, ended with a tragic accident that has left Scout horribly mauled by a shifter and heart broken. Shifters, however, are genetic, not created by being bitten like the myth says. That makes it very strange when Scout starts having some strange… symptoms… and very inconvenient since various very powerful people really don’t like who they think she is.
Strengths:
Blackwell has an addictive writing style, and she continues to be fantastically skilled and witty openings, dialogue and action scenes.
In many books, the death of a loved one would be saved for some dramatic trilogy finale, so it is interesting how Blackwell keeps the plot captivating despite the very dramatic end to the previous book.
I really love the dream scenes that Scout has, and find that they give a needed break from the stress and drama of the main plot line.
The secondary characters of Time Mends are freaking fantastic, and I absolutely adore Talley and her development in this book. I really love the example that Blackwell is providing by showing that heavier female characters can be awesome, beautiful and loved by the popular guy. I think this trend should be continued in other novels more often.
I love nerdy references, and there were so many :D.
Weaknesses:
I’m sure I’m a hopeless romantic, because I hate any hint of disloyalty after a character has been all “I’ll love you forever, mushy mushy mushy.” There are some good points about being able to love two people at the same time, etc, but really, there can be a book without a love story. Time Mends just insisted on still having love drama even when the first love interest is gone….
I got lost sometimes. It was weird, I was reading, and then somehow something different seemed to be happening and it would take me a paragraph or two to catch up with what Blackwell was assuming the reader had figured out. I’m all for not holding a reader’s hand, but when it distracts me from the story, it’s not a good quality.
So freaking frustrating! I understand the need for tension to keep a book interesting, but the horrible unfairness of parts of Time Mends just made me want to punch certain awful villains… which just leads to me getting stressed out and needing to put the book down.
Summary:
I was completely wowed by Destiny Binds, and Time Mends had a lot to live up to. It didn’t quite make it, but I still very much enjoyed continuing the series. Blackwell is a very skilled writer, and the books are fast reads. Time Mends explains a whole lot more about the structure of the world that Scout has been flung into, and does a wonderful job of continuing a compelling plot after a major character has been killed off. There were a couple of things that frustrated me, but I still ridiculously recommend the Timber Wolves series to YA urban fantasy fans, because, wow, this indie author knows what she’s doing! show less

Wow, I am even more confused than I was at the end of the first book if that is even possible. Book 1 left me hoping that Alex was still alive. Book 2 has me wondering why everyone is so determined to kill her. Poor Scout is confused and has no idea what is going on around her. Liam's whole part in her rescue has me wondering who and what he really is. Is Alex really dead and will all her friends and brother make it out alive? I have soooo many questions. Yes, the author has made it almost impossible for me to not want to read book 3 immediately. I guess I will be heading to Amazon to find a copy...

For this review and more, pop by my blog - Drugs Called Books

Warning: This review will contain spoilers for the first book in the series. DO NOT read if you haven't read the first!

“Tony Stark over Bruce Wayne, but Batman trumps Iron Man.”
--First paragraph of Time Mends

After the shocking and devastating end to Destiny Binds, I really wasn't sure what's going to happen with this book. Am I going to like it, after having my heart broken and gutted out with the ending of first? But then, I couldn't not read it, you know? I mean, I had to know what happens next!

As it was, I found Time Mends to be a wonderful continuation to the first in the series. I was genuinely impressed with how much I enjoyed the characters, the plot and the show more writing style.

I kept being surprised at how Blackwell created something profoundly different from nowadays YA books out there. I can't really explain where it was that different, only that that's the way I felt. Good different, which is something remarkable in my opinion.

Time Mends centers mostly around Scout coming to terms with Alex's death. Which works wonderfully well, as, you know, I was dealing with his death as well. She's grieving, in a completely human way which made her seem as blood and flesh as you and me. And on top of all her worries, she has to suffer from great pains over her own injury, which makes her lock herself in her room, shut herself from the world and alienate almost everyone who were once close to her - not that I blame her one bit for it.

And that injury? Lets just say it leads to a change. A capital C kind of Change. And with that Change all hell breaks loose. Now she has to deal with her loved one's death, being different, trying to save her best friend, and a pack of the mightiest Weres out there wanting her dead. Yeah, great year for Scout.

The characters all develop wonderfully due to the event that took place of the end of Destiny Binds. They learn to forgive, but not forget. To look pass the blurriness of their pain and anger and see everything through clear eyes. To make what happened be a lesson for the future, instead of letting it hold them back in the past. They all grew so much as people that it was amazing to behold.

Jase and Scout's relationship is strained, to say the least, and the both of them learn the true strength of their bond throughout the course of the book. It was wonderful to see how much they mean for one another, and how much their relationship can take. I have loved their sibling relationship from book one, and I loved it in book two as well. I envy the love and devotion these two share, and the unbreakable bond. It took them time to overcome the hardships, but when they did it was for good.

Charlie and Scout deal with similar issues, and Charlie becoming all... different after what happened doesn't help. His connection to the The Death definitely makes things difficult, especially as you consider Scout's past(?) feeling for the guy. But these two, too, prove their bond is stronger than most.

As for Talley and Scout, they learn more of one another. One of the main points in this book involves saving Talley from the object-like treatment and "trade" she's been subjected to, which lets us learn more about her world and see these two's relationship.

As for romance... despite the lovely quote, said by our darling Alex, there isn't much romance, in this book. And I appreciated Blackwell, and this series, so much more for it, considering what Scout deals with.
She doesn't just jump into the next relationship.
True, we have Charlie. And really, you'll be rooting for him, because Blackwell is that amazing. She makes you think no matter who Scout ends with, you'll approve.
But the romance between these two, or rather "moments", are short, fleeting, and are definitely not the center of the book. Which I, for one, loved.
It made me, again, respect and love these characters even more (yeah, I know - who would've thought that's possible, right?!)

The ending of the book was exciting. A lot of things happen, some of them shocking, some of them I've been waiting for the whole book (such as Scout's wolf's identity. I knew who it was from, like, the first time he was mentioned--I mean, how many white wolves are around, anyway? But I've been looking forward to Scout finding out), some of them just made me want to bit on my nails off.

It definitely made me want to read the next, and sadly last, book in the series. Which, of course, I have already. Look forward to that review!

Bottom line, though, if you haven't yet read the first book in the series, and the second in the series (and the third) you really ought to. This is a MUST READ.

For this review and more, pop by my blog - Drugs Called Books show less

More reviews at: http://www.onstarshipsanddragonwings.com/2012/10/19/time-mends/

Blackwell continues to impress with the second of the Timber Wolves series: Time Mends. The world of shifters and seers continues to baffle and enrage, and in Time Mends, Scout has an all new set of revelations to deal with, including a big fluffy arctic wolf.
My mom and I decided to both buy one of the Timber Wolves books and trade them to each so that we could both finish the series. Having book buddies is so much fun :D. The second Timber Wolves book, Time Mends, has more drama for Scout to deal with, and this time it is her life that is on the line. I’ll try not to spoil the first book, but there is some major stuff that happens at the end of the first show more book, and so avoiding spoilers will be difficult. It would probably be best for you to read my review of the first book and read it first :D.

Title: Time Mends
Author: Tammy Blackwell
Pages: 269 pages
Genre-ish: Urban (rural?) fantasy
Rating: ★★★★☆ - solid second book, not quite as awesome as the first
Setting: Scout is from a rural town, Timber, that seemed perfectly normal. In the previous book, she found out that shifters (coyote and wolf) exist, as well as seers. A large number of her friends and family have been revealed as one of the two, which has led to graduation being only one of the highlights of Scout’s life recently. There is also some time spent in Romania….
Premise: The previous book, Destiny Binds, ended with a tragic accident that has left Scout horribly mauled by a shifter and heart broken. Shifters, however, are genetic, not created by being bitten like the myth says. That makes it very strange when Scout starts having some strange… symptoms… and very inconvenient since various very powerful people really don’t like who they think she is.
Strengths:
Blackwell has an addictive writing style, and she continues to be fantastically skilled and witty openings, dialogue and action scenes.
In many books, the death of a loved one would be saved for some dramatic trilogy finale, so it is interesting how Blackwell keeps the plot captivating despite the very dramatic end to the previous book.
I really love the dream scenes that Scout has, and find that they give a needed break from the stress and drama of the main plot line.
The secondary characters of Time Mends are freaking fantastic, and I absolutely adore Talley and her development in this book. I really love the example that Blackwell is providing by showing that heavier female characters can be awesome, beautiful and loved by the popular guy. I think this trend should be continued in other novels more often.
I love nerdy references, and there were so many :D.
Weaknesses:
I’m sure I’m a hopeless romantic, because I hate any hint of disloyalty after a character has been all “I’ll love you forever, mushy mushy mushy.” There are some good points about being able to love two people at the same time, etc, but really, there can be a book without a love story. Time Mends just insisted on still having love drama even when the first love interest is gone….
I got lost sometimes. It was weird, I was reading, and then somehow something different seemed to be happening and it would take me a paragraph or two to catch up with what Blackwell was assuming the reader had figured out. I’m all for not holding a reader’s hand, but when it distracts me from the story, it’s not a good quality.
So freaking frustrating! I understand the need for tension to keep a book interesting, but the horrible unfairness of parts of Time Mends just made me want to punch certain awful villains… which just leads to me getting stressed out and needing to put the book down.
Summary:
I was completely wowed by Destiny Binds, and Time Mends had a lot to live up to. It didn’t quite make it, but I still very much enjoyed continuing the series. Blackwell is a very skilled writer, and the books are fast reads. Time Mends explains a whole lot more about the structure of the world that Scout has been flung into, and does a wonderful job of continuing a compelling plot after a major character has been killed off. There were a couple of things that frustrated me, but I still ridiculously recommend the Timber Wolves series to YA urban fantasy fans, because, wow, this indie author knows what she’s doing! show less

Originally reviewed at Witchmag's Boekenplank

*May contain some spoilers if you haven’t read the first book*

Immediately after reading Destiny Binds, the first book, I went and bought the next one. I just had to know how the story continued. I still wasn’t sure if what I read was real.I was hoping for some major twist so Alex would still be alive. Sadly, no such things happened and I had to accept that Alex really died. Finally the shock settled in and I liked Destiny Binds even better. And I looked with different eyes to this book. Would there be another hearth braking event? Could I take it? And off I went into another great story. A story that once again I couldn’t let go till the end. This book was even darker, with more twist show more and turns. And I loved every minute of it.

Even though I said this book is amazing, I felt something lacking, if I compare it with Destiny Binds. Cause even with all the greatness, I didn’t feel the same rush, the same urgency to read the next word, to read the next chapter as I felt with the first book. Even though this book was astonishing and I can’t give it less than 5 hearts, I missed that feeling. That feeling of being completely engrossed, that special place in my mind where I go to when I find a story great enough. THAT feeling was missing. I can’t pinpoint any reason for this, there’s nothing that was so annoying I had to put the book away or something like that… I just wasn’t able to reach my special place…

Okay enough about my special place, let’s continue with how I enjoyed the story. Scouts humor made me laugh once again and it was really touching to read how she and her brother and friend manage to reconcile after the terrible happenings of book one. Talking about endings, this time too there’s one hell of a cliffhanger. One that makes it so hard to wait till the next books comes out. Although I’m glad that this will be the last one. I’ll finally know if everything will work out and get some answers to my questions ^^ Cause I got even more after reading this one. So much happened and I’m not even sure why… And I wanna know! I Won’t go into specifics, you’ll just have to read the book for that, it’s totally worth it ;)

There’s only one thing that bothered me a teeny tiny bit. I’d preferred a little more information and details about how Scout deals with Alex’s death. It certainly doesn’t help if she visits him almost every night in her dreams. Dreams that look amazingly real. Like he’s still alive somewhere. That doesn’t really help the whole closure process, does it?

Conclusion

5 HEARTS. Although I liked this book slightly less than Destiny Binds, it’s still one of the best books I’ve read this year. Scout and her great observation skills are back, so there’s enough to laugh throughout the story. There’s also some new and exciting stuff happening and as usual there’s a phenomenal cliffhanger. Which means I’m already craving for the next book. Only minor setback was the lack of information and details on how Scout was able to deal with Alex’s death. I preferred it if it was given more thought. Nonetheless it’s a great read I can recommend to anyone who loves werewolves and all things paranormal! show less

Destiny Binds was an exhilarating supernatural love story that left readers in despair. The loss of Alex was a paramount moment that left readers questioning the future of the Timber Wolves series. Book Two, Time Mends is a mixture of redemption and survival that will transform the series. Blackwell slowly progresses this novel allowing the necessary time for grief and growth following the tragic conclusion of the first novel. Rest assured that this progression is steady and soon readers will find themselves overcoming their own loss to embrace the future for the survivors. As Scout finds herself delving more and more into the world of Coyotes and Wolves; she find the world to be much larger than she had anticipated. As her knowledge show more grows; she becomes more than an observer in this very dangerous world. This second novel is brilliant display of talent from this new author. With each novel Blackwell promises to be a new sensation that readers will crave. I can not wait to see what lies ahead with the release of Fate Succumbs. This is a BOOKWHISPERER RECOMMENDED READ!! show less

This book was awesome! I kept going through periods of 'well, I didn't see that coming!' The book held my interest all the way through and I am so jumping onto the next in this series! Awesome book, Tammy!