A Tale of Two Centuries

My Super Sweet Sixteenth Century #2

by Rachel Harris

Alessandra D’Angeli is in need of an adventure. Tired of her sixteenth-century life in Italy and homesick for her time-traveling cousin, Cat, who visited her for a magical week and dazzled her with tales of the future, Alessandra is lost. Until the stars hear her plea.

One mystical spell later, Alessandra appears on Cat’s Beverly Hills doorstep five hundred years in the future. Surrounded by confusing gadgets, scary transportation, and scandalous clothing, Less is hesitant to live the life of a twenty-first century teen…until she meets the infuriating—and infuriatingly handsome—surfer Austin Michaels. Austin challenges everything she believes in…and introduces her to a world filled with possibility.

With the clock ticking, Less knows she must live every moment of her modern life while she still can. But how will she return to the drab life of her past when the future is what holds everything she’s come to love?

Genres: Young Adult, Time Travel, Romance, Fantasy, Historical Fiction, Contemporary, Historical

326 pages, Paperback

First published August 6, 2013

About the author

New York Times & USA Today bestselling author Rachel Harris writes humorous love stories about girls-next-door and the hot guys that make them swoon. Vibrant settings, witty banter, and strong relationships are a staple in each of her books...and kissing. Lots of kissing. Rachel's books have been featured in USA Today and Glitter Magazine, and her stories have been finalists in the National Reader's Choice Award, the Holt Medallion Award, and The Golden Quill.

For the latest news & exclusive excerpts, visit her website at www.RachelHarrisWrites.com and sign up for her NEWSLETTER: http://eepurl.com/olH75

Reviews

[Rachel · Rating 5 out of 5]

As the author, I have to say I adore this book (*grin*)

[Khanh, first of her name, mother of bunnies · Rating 4 out of 5]

Actual rating: 3.5

"I cautiously take down a pink bikini and hold it against me.
Fear and an intense loathing for the man who created this form of clothing churn in my stomach."

Apparently, this feeling is commonplace to any woman, of any age, from any era.

This book was an unexpectedly pure fun to read. I hate using that word..."unexpected," but the truth is that premise behind this book and its contemporary high school setting is not one that typically appeals to me. This is going to sound like the most backhanded compliment ever, but this was a truly enjoyable, easy to read book despite the fact that it included just about every single high school trope I can think of. Backhanded compliment? Totally, right?

The concept of time travel is for me...iffy. Besides the adult Outlander series, I've rarely encountered a book that does it well, and I was initially wary as I entered this book. Disclaimer: I did not read the first book, and as it turned out, I did not need to. I do not feel that not reading the first book in this series impeded my enjoyment or understanding of this book in any way. This book can be read as a standalone, even if the main character from the first book is prominently featured in this one, as well. The background of the first book is so subtly given to us and Cat and Alessandra (Less)'s history together were so well-explained that I did not feel that I missed anything at all diving into this book headfirst.

I chose to read this one and not the previous book because for me, the premise of a girl from the past going into the present is more intriguing and interesting than a girl from the present going back in time. Hindsight being 20/20 and all that, it is just more fascinating to me to see how a character from history would deal with the modern-day world. And it is so hilarious to see how Less deals with the modern life, from her horror at wearing modern clothing compared to the all-encompassing dresses and corsets she is used to, to her first experience with...a particular piece of underclothing.

"'The string goes where?' I ask incredulously, dropping the garment from my fingers as if it holds the plague.
'You heard me.'
'But surely it is uncomfortable to be lodged…in such a...spot?'
Cat shrugs. 'You learn to live with it.'
That is where my dear cousin is wrong. Despite my agreement to wear modern attire, I certainly do not plan to learn such a lesson."

Less is wonderful, a completely endearing, adorable character, with more complexity and character development than I would have thought in a light novel of this nature. We first meet her in this book when she is suffering from a broken heart due to a betrayal. Less has been a good girl all her life, a dutiful daughter, a loving sibling, a model of propriety...and it has gotten her nothing but heartbreak.

"I believe it was the hope of Matteo I loved more than the man himself. The dream that our union would quiet my growing discomfort with the role and skin I had been born into, the idea that a man could honestly care for me, not out of duty, but for who I was as a woman.
My heartbreak is not over Matteo’s betrayal. It is over the death of that dream."

Frustrated beyond herself, Less is ready to try something new, something like following in her future-day cousin Cat's footsteps. She travels to the future with the help of a mysterious woman, and ends up meeting the previously-known Cat and posing as her cousin. We see modern-day life through her prim, 16th century eyes, we smile at her naiveté, and we cringe at her errors as she learns. Less' speech is extremely formal, perfect for her time, but very out of place in the present. We stay with Less as she learns the basics of modern day life, and tries to live life the way she never has before...with abandon.

Less is beautifully introspective. I loved reading her thoughts as she reflects upon her own character, her own life, her mistakes, and how she views love. I love seeing her as she grows from a prim, reserved Italian Renaissance lady into a stronger one, more confident in herself, more willing to take risks, make mistakes, even if it means getting hurt in the process.

"My faith remains in the truth I have fought so hard for my cousin to believe: the pain of not having [my feelings returned] may be excruciating, and it may not be worth the turmoil of heartache, but choosing to take a chance and living life always is."

Honestly, I didn't find Less completely endearing all the way through. Her insta-love and then love/hate relationship with Austin frustrated me, and her actions towards the latter half of the book made me like Less considerably less (you knew that pun was coming). The latter half of the book was where this book got knocked down for me, otherwise, it would have been a solid 4, maybe even 4.5 stars. She is also altogether too perfect to be truly realistic (with "raw, natural" acting talents, but I enjoyed her character all the same.

This book is not without its faults; I mentioned initially that it was filled with tropes, and it is. There is the bad-boy love interest (with a sad past, of course), the queen-bee bitch (who's more vulnerable than she lets on), the perky best friends, the love triangle, etc.

The most annoying part about this book was Austin. I understand that he needed to be there to help her learn to live life to the fullest, but he was just a jerk most of the time. I don't like the bad-boy act, I don't think a bad past is a good excuse to be an asshole. He is very condescending and patronizing towards Less, he calls her "Princess" in a denigrating manner all the time, and it just really got on my nerves. Their hot and cold relationship frustrated me, and even if she does not like Austin all the time and calls him out on his poor behavior, it was annoying to me to see the excuses Less makes on Austin's behalf.

Overall, still highly recommended for a light, fun read.

[Jenna · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow. I certainly did not expect that ending... Oh, it wasn't at all a bad cliffhanger! It was more! The ending is something you won't see coming.

I absolutely love everything about A Tale of Two Centuries. It's simple, uncomplicated story unravels every teenager hormone left in my system! I swear I swooned and had lovely chills most of the time. And the fact that the MC from the 1st book, Cat, not only made an appearance here but is also a main character in the book still. And her love story continued here as well.

Boy, A Tale of Two Centuries is certainly a tale of two centuries. Time travel in a gypsy and not scifi way is still present, and the "adventure" part is pretty much a requirement...and I think i liked this more than the first book..because both Cat and Alessandra got their happy endings.. And the twist of the story will just sweep you off your feet. And then there are the swoon worthy guy characters, Lucas and Austin... Mostly the source of my giddiness is Austin. As usual, the bad boy image got me! But in fairness, Austin is not the usual bad boy... He just was in a rebellion stage.. And he just needed a certain girl to change that all. I also liked the transformation that happened to Alessandra. Not just physically, but most importantly in her faith and her heart.

Not only did this book amused and entertained me, but this book has all the elements I love in a good book: good story, great characters, good twist, and good conversations plus a dose of lesson too!


Note: thank you Heather from Entangled for including me in the list of people to receive an e-ARC. Thank you to Rachel Harris for creating this oh so wonderful series!

[nick (the infinite limits of love) · Rating 4 out of 5]

Read more of my reviews at Nick's Book Blog.

My Super Sweet Sixteenth Century was quite possibly one of my favorite reads last year. With the way the book ended, I was dying to get back with the adorable characters from the first book. Whenever I step into a sequel, there's always that nagging question somewhere in my mind as to whether the sequel would live up to the brilliance of the previous installment. With this book it seems, I might have been delusional to even have such doubts because Rachel Harris rocked it with A Tale of Two Centuries.

While My Super Sweet Sixteenth Century was Cat's story, A Tale of Two Centuries tells Alessandra's, her dear cousin from Renaissance Italy, story. Less was such a nice and naive girl in the previous book and it was a delight to watch her grow in this one. Behind all that prim and proper exterior lay a girl who craved a wild adventure. Luckily for our dear Less, she meets Reyna, the mysterious gypsy who has the ability to help people magically time travel. Less was such an endearing character. She had this sweetness to her that made her completely loveable. I found myself rooting for the girl from start to finish because she was just too adorable. When she first stepped into the 21st Century, she took some time to adjust to the new culture, technology and lingo. Her trying to learn modern English lingo brought about some hilarious moments in the book. A Tale of Two Centuries was the story of Less growing up. Like I said above, she was shy and naive at the beginning of the novel and Less wanted to mature. Gradually, the reader witnesses her blossoming into a young woman who wasn't afraid to stand up for herself, follow her dreams and voice out her feelings.

Of course, Less didn't grow up all by herself. She had the support of Cat and Austin! Ah Cat! It was so good to be back with this girl. No matter what the situation was, she supported Less and was always there by her side. Their friendship was one of the highlights of the book for me. Plus, we also got to see some revelations concerning Cat in this book which will undoubtedly be developed in the next installment. Austin, the love interest, was such a charming and devilish hero. He sure made me swoon. At one point, I wanted Less to go back to 16th Century Florence, just so I could have him for myself, but then it dawned on me that I wasn't a fictional character and you can imagine my disappointment. Seriously though, the romance between Less and Austin was laden with chemistry and pretty much gave me butterflies in the stomach (Go read that first kiss! I might have combusted because of the swoon-factor!). But sweet kisses and swoon-worthy dialogues weren't the only aspect of their relationship. I loved how the two of them helped each other recognize the people they were hiding behind their surfaces. Austin helped to materialize the passion in Less while Less helped him realize that his life wasn't as bad as he thought it was. So yeah, in a nutshell, I thought their romance was all sorts of adorable and managed to draw a huge grin on my face.

I've mentioned this is my review of My Super Sweet Sixteenth Century, but I'll mention it again in this review as well because it's worth talking about. Rachel Harris has a beautiful writing style. She has the talent to describe scenes in such a way that it's easy to visualize it and feel like you yourself are in that scene. That strength of hers was very much prevalent in A Tale of Two Centuries. Her description of Less' first experiences on the jet-ski, on the roller-coaster and on the theater stage were so vivid that I felt like they were my own experiences. Plus, her writing was fluid, flowed beautifully and held my attention throughout the whole book. There was never a boring moment in this book and it was all very exciting and entertaining. In addition, the book had a lot of humor in the form of Less adjusting to the modern world and Cat's sarcasm. Everything about this book just screamed fun and trust me when I say that you're going to love reading this book. I'm more than excited for the next installment in the series. It's bound to be yet another thrilling read.

Characters that are beautifully crafted, a romance that will have you swooning, a picturesque writing style and a plot that is entertaining from start to finish, A Tale of Two Centuries has it all! If you're glum and having a bad day, read this book and it will immediately cheer you up!

[Erleen Alvarez · Rating 5 out of 5]

For more of my reviews, visit Books For YA!

*An eARC was provided to me by the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

With awesome characters and fascinating plot, A Tale of Two Centuries by Rachel Harris is an amazing time-travelling love story full of adventures, challenges, romance and life lessons. This book is not just a must-read, it's a must-have novel!

In 16th Century, Italy, 2 years have passed since Alessandra saw her time-travelling-cousin-from-the-future, Cat and since then she longed for her very own adventure. That opportunity only presented itself after she learned that her fiance, Matteo was already married to someone else. She was hurt and devastated when Reyna found her so when an offer to go on an adventure was presented to her, she bravely accepted it.

Meanwhile, two months have passed since Cat returned to the present so when Reyna called her telling her that something will be delivered to her house, she wasn't expecting to see her 16th century cousin, Alessandra. Alessandra told Cat her cryptic gypsy message and they decided to start her mission by experiencing the high school life. Her first day was actually quite going well until she met Austin, the gorgeous bad boy who seem to bring out the worst in her(or so she thought).

What do you think will happen when a well-mannered 16th century girl was brought to the chaotic and foreign world of the 21st century? You have to find that out for yourself but there's one thing I can assure you, it is going to be a one heck of an awesome read!

Okay, can I just say how freaking adorable Less is! I mean, I still love Cat and all, but how can Less not be my favorite, she cracks me up with her thoughts. It's really impossible not to love her. She's actually stronger than she gave herself credit for and I love how she finally gained her confidence. It's amazing to see her transformation and I feel inspired to do the same; to throw away all my fears, reach for my dreams and believe that I can achieve it.

But of course, Less didn't acquire all those changes without any help and that's where Austin Michaels came into the picture. He can see right through Less and he challenge her to break out of, what he called, her prim and proper prison and live without thinking of other people, to feel free and alive for once. And did I mention that he's so dang sexy. He makes me blush and I'm glad I'm not Less because I will seriously make a fool out of myself if he's around.

Cat finally let go of her fear to love again and found her own happy ever after with Lucas. All she needed was just a little help from her time-travelling-cousin to make it all happen. I've had so much fun with this book and the ending was totally unexpected. You have to read it to know what I'm saying.
Overall, A Tale of Two Centuries is sublime. This will be at the top of my list of time-travelling books. I would not get tired of recommending this book to everyone.

[Amber · Rating 5 out of 5]

Swoon! I want more!!
Rachel Harris has done it again! A Tale of Two Centuries was everything I could have hoped for in this second installment.

Living in the Sixteenth Century didn't allow the women to perform on stage, or to court whom they chose or even travel unaccompanied. Groomed since birth to be a suitable wife and partner, Allesandra dreamed of doing more. Acting on a stage and being able to make decisions for herself was only a mere vision until Reyna, the gypsy girl grants what only could be dream for Allesandra. Travelling through time and ending up on the doorstep of her future ancestor Cat's front doorstep. Along with the granted wish, there are three signs Less (aka: Allesandra) must watch for as after the third sign is revealed, her travel would end and she would be taken back to Sixteenth Century, Italy.

Allesandra experiences a whole new world in the Twenty-First Century, and new opportunities she could only dream of present themselves. But time is not on this fair maidens side. As she grows fond of the life she is now experiencing and developing new friendships and relationships, Allesandra must make a choice. With the help of Cat, Lucas, and Austin, Less wants nothing more than to set a new path, in this new world with people she has grown to care for and love. With determination and strength, Less makes the toughest choice she had never believed possible.

I cannot express enough how much I love this series. I instantly fell for the first book: My Super Sweet Sixteenth Century, and honestly, I knew without a doubt that Rachel Harris would impress once again in A Tale Of Two Centuries. The story was easy to fall into and captures all the relative responses to what we are so accustomed to. Imagine never seeing a shopping mall, sitting in a classroom, wearing form fitting clothes, a cell phone, going on dates or speaking your mind. What if you were not allowed to chose the man you want to spend the rest of your life with, who you actually loved because society chose for you? I couldn't.

The story is so well plotted, and many unexpected twists presented, that I couldn't not fly through this. The characters and the chemistry were spot on and I absolutely loved Lucas and Austin! Less proved to be a strong female protagonist with a kind heart.

This is the kind of story that I could read again and again. It's a whimsical tale that easily places you inside of those pages. This is a must read for anyone who enjoys time travel, historical fiction, laughter, action and Romance!

Quote;

"It's called a thong," she clarifies with glee, "and by putting the string up there, you avoid ugly panty lines. Trust me, no one wants to see that business." -page 122

[Ronda · Rating 5 out of 5]

Absolutely bloody fantastic!!! 10/10!!!

Book 1 seen Cat transported back to the 16th Century where she has her own adventure and meets her ancestors, one of which is Alessandra, or Less as we come to know her.

Less, in her own book, does the opposite and collides with this century when she returns to her cousin Cat's side. Here, Less has her own story which includes assisting Cat in her love troubles and meeting with the absolutely gorgeous Austin.

What a tale, what a story, what a book and a half!!! I adored Less's story and simply found myself glued to every page. It's not often a book can engulf me to the point where 'real' life is inconvenient and disrupts my reading time but Rachel Harris done it with this one. I really loved the first book but this one has blown me away!!!

Beautifully written, a gorgeous flow and a decision that Less has to make that truly had me gripped... I have to say this is one of my most favourite reads this year!!!

[Jasprit · Rating 3 out of 5]

A Tale of Two Centuries for me was a huge step up from Harris’ debut novel; My Super Sweet Sixteenth Century. I thoroughly enjoyed going back to the sixteenth century with Cat and watching her trying to fit in with everyone else. But when it came to Alessandra coming to Cat’s world I was even more excited.

Once again Alessandra found herself having to go through Reyna’s riddles before being able to return back home. But Alessandra never thought that she would actually end up loving where Cat lived so much that she’d rather stay there forever. Alessandra had lived a rather conservative lifestyle back home, so it was a lot of fun watching Alessandra take in the dramatic changes in the current world. Despite seeing everything at first in horror and shock, it was great seeing Alessandra adapt to everything so well. I adored the strong Alessandra which emerged, who wasn’t afraid to show a bit of flesh, had big bold colours put in her hair and wasn’t afraid to take a risk with bad boy Austin.

Austin was one of those guys who everyone had already made assumptions about; he was the devastatingly gorgeous bad boy that everyone wanted to be with. He had a devilish charm and grin which could make any girl weak at the knees, but never really let anyone in to know him that bit more. I actually fell for Austin’s charms from his very first scene and couldn’t believe how Alessandra held off for so long. I loved the banter between these two characters, Austin was quick to get Alessandra riled up, but she was also very witty with her comebacks, I think as no other girl had done this before to Austin, it’s what drew him more to Alessandra’s character. Also the fact that he thought Alessandra was majorly strung up and needed loosening up a bit, he felt this was his big mission he had to carry out. With everyone assuming that Alessandra should stay away from Austin, especially Cat, it panned out that Austin and Alessandra were exactly what both of them needed to bring out the best in one another.

Overall A Tale of Two Centuries was a super fun read. Rachael Harris certainly knows how to mix it up well with swoony characters, a sweet romance and great character growth.

This review can be found on The Readers Den

[Cindi · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved the 1st book, but I think I loved this one even more. I got 2 couples to swoon over! Austin's a new book boyfriend for sure. If you're looking for a fun flirty read with cute boys & time travel (and who isn't?) this is the book for you.

[Kayleigh {K-Books} · Rating 5 out of 5]

A Tale of Two Centuries Review on K-Books

"I do see the real you, Alessandra. And I think I'm falling for the girl I see."

Right from the moment I finished the first installment in this series I couldn't wait to get my hands on this book. For one who really doesn't like historical novels I adore this series. Rachel Harris really does the impossible in this series and makes a unlikely genre for YA fiction into a must-read series.

Alessandra hasn't been the same since her cousin Cat barged into her life from the future. Now stuck in the 16th Century Renaissance Italy with dreams that could only come true in a time other than her own Alessandra is stuck. But when Rayna, the mysterious girl in the gypsy tent who brought Cat to the past appears she knows she is about to get an adventure of her own. Whisked away to the twenty first century Alessandra can live her dream of being an actress. But how long will she be there? And when she meets the infuriating but gorgeous surfer boy Austin, does she want to go? Time is running out for Alessandra and she may have to leave the only place she has ever fit in.

I love love loved this book. I admit that in the beginning I didn't find it as endearing as I did with My Super Sweet Sixteenth Century. There was just something more relatable and endearing about a twenty first century character in a sixteenth century time. You could relate with Cat and understand why she was the way she was as it is what we would have been acting like if we were suddenly whisked off to the past. However once I got a few chapters in I couldn't put it down. I loved reading Alessandra's story and her actions, especially at the beginning of the book, really made me laugh. I absolutely adore her and her story was full of awkward humor and who doesn't love that?

I adore Austin. As much as I loved Lorenzo in My Super Sweet Sixteenth Century but Austin is my man. I adore him so much. He is arrogant and infuriating and damn right drop dead gorgeous. He is the epitome of the bad boy and I loved him right from the very first moment he came into the book. He is the guy that every girl will want to give him a slap upside the head while wanting to throw themselves at him at the same time.

One thing that I adore about Rachel Harris' books is that her writing style is just so refreshing and great and it makes them such an easy read. You can just get lost in the story without having to think too much about it. I love her writing style and have adored every book of hers I have read, including her Adult Romance novel. I have to say that this is my favourite of Rachel's work so far. It was so easy to just forget the world and everything around you and just get lost in the incredible tale of two times colliding.

A Tale of Two Centuries is a must-read for everyone. It has everything you could possibly want. Time travel, a clash of two centuries that makes it hilarious, a super hot surfer dude, heart-stopping romance and a race against the clock to see what happens. When you are nearing the end you seriously cannot turn the pages... or click the ereader button fast enough. I loved every single moment for it and I cannot wait for the third installment in this series. I want it now!

"I am not without fear, but courage is taking action despite the fear. Knowing what you want, what you are meant to do, and proceeding despite any knots in your stomach or rocks stuck in your throat. It is walking boldly into the unknown with your chin held high... even if it quivers."

[Amy Fournier · Rating 5 out of 5]

I totally loved this book!! I loved Alessandra in the first book, so I was so excited she was getting her own book, and in the twenty-first century with Cat!! This one was every bit as magical and enchanting as the first one, and I loved every bit of it! Not only did I love Cat and Alessandra even more, I adored getting to know Austin, and Lucas too. This was a book that was easy to get lost in and imagine what it would be like to have my own gypsy adventure.

Alessandra is from the sixteenth century and knows very little about the twenty-first century. Yes, Cat explained some things to her while she was back in time in Alessandra's home, but it didn't come close to helping her to understand all of the new technology, clothing, and even talk, that she gets thrown into. I loved watching her try to adapt, and try to fit in. It was a joy to see her get to pursue her love of acting. I especially loved seeing her let go. Be the girl she has been too afraid to let out. Was never able to let out being that it is unacceptable in her time. She finds love, she gets to live out her acting dream, she is able to just be herself and not be afraid to do what she wants for once. She really came out of her shell. More than that, she was able to see clearly the things she didn't when she was back in her own time.

Austin was a bit harder to work his way into my heart. He is the guy who doesn't care, knows he's good looking, has that arrogant attitude... you get it. He decides to make a deal with Alessandra that he will help with their school project as long as she lets him take her on "adventures" to loosen up. Little does he know, that as he is teaching her to let go and not care so much, he figures out that he hasn't cared enough, and has let everything go too much. He also starts to fall for her. This is when we get to know the real Austin. The one who is sweet, caring, charming, and totally swoon-worthy. I loved the Austin that was hidden underneath.

So by now, you know there is romance. It was such a sweet romance too. They were seriously so perfect for each other. It was obvious way before they could see it for themselves. As I was swooning over them falling for each other though, my heart was also breaking thinking of how broken they would be when Reyna took Alessandra back to her own time. It made it so emotional to see their moments together and knowing it could be the last. More than the romance that forms between them, I loved that they each were able to bring out a better side of the other while trying to fight that side of themselves. They compliment each other so well and I fell in love along with them.

This book was so fun. Unlike the first one, where Cat knew of the past and the way things were, Alessandra has no clue about the twenty-first century since it's in the future. She definitely gets a bit of culture shock, and I thought it was really entertaining watching her try to go about a normal day. She does reasonably well with adjusting her speech to that of "modern ways", but she does revert back to her normal ways a lot of the time. There is also a great twist to the ending that had my dying!! It was amazing. I cannot wait for the next book or any of this authors books in general!! Romantic, magical, and fun are the only ways I can describe this series!!

*An advanced copy of this book was provided by the publisher in exchange for an honest review. I did not receive any compensation.

[Christina (Ensconced in Lit) · Rating 5 out of 5]

I read and enjoyed the first book in this duet- My Super Sweet Sixteenth Century while back. I knew at that point Rachel Harris was talented, and that I'd better continue to pick up her books as I suspected she'd only get better with time.

Boy, was I right. I was lucky enough to win this copy in a twitter giveaway. A Tale of Two Centuries takes place a bit after the first book-- and what's wonderful about this book (and I'm enjoying this new trend in YA quite a bit) is that it's a companion novel and a stand alone in its own right. So you can easily pick this one up and read it by itself, but if you've read the first one, it only enhances the second.

In this book, instead of getting the perspective of Cat, the fiery protagonist from the first book, we get to see through the eyes of Less. I think I identified a lot more with Less, and absolutely loved her from the first book, so this even made me enjoy the book more. Less has dreamed of the freedom to choose what to do with her life as well as pick who she should love. Fortunately, Reyna, the gypsy, has heard her plea, and Less gets to journey to the modern world to visit her relative, Cat. Although this world is shocking to her in many ways, at the same time, she is able to do so many things she wasn't in her world. She is able to pursue acting and meets a gorgeous guy named Austin, who makes her (and me) blush. Will she be able to leave all of this behind when the time comes?

I can't say how much I loved this book. I felt like Rachel took all of the parts I loved in the first book and totally enhanced it in the second. Less is a wonderful protagonist, and it was a wonder and delight to see her grow and develop into the person she always wanted to be. And deserved to be. I've always enjoyed watching her interaction with Cat, and we got loads more of that in this book. Some of her mistakes in this world were absolutely hilarious and totally made sense. And finally, Austin is a very swoon worthy guy. I don't usually go for the bad guys, but he's one of the very rare exceptions. You can't help but fall head over heels for everyone in this book.

Overall, the perfect frosting (with depth too!) to my night, and I blazed through it from cover to cover. Everyone needs to read this book and will continue smiling after it's finished for a long time.

[Jen Ryland (jenrylandreviews & yaallday)]

Such a fun book!

Cat's cousin Alessandra completely won my heart in My Super Sweet Sixteenth Century. She's innately sweet and incredibly loyal. A character like that might sound dull, but I found her endearing and charming. In A Tale of Two Centuries, she's also funny -- okay, sometimes unintentionally funny -- as she tries to puzzle out some of the weirder aspects of 21st century life, like our clothing, slang, and popular culture.

When Alessandra enrolls in Cat's Hollywood high school, she meets the infuriating and handsome Austin Michaels, surfer and slacker. I am not always the biggest fan of "gorgeous jerk" characters and found Austin a little moody -- aloof, angry, flirtatious, rebellious, protective. There's an explanation given, which helped. And I did think that Alessandra brought out the best in him.

One of the things I liked most about this story was that it introduced the element of choice. In My Super Sweet Sixteenth Century, Cat pretty much gets transported back and forth in time against her will. In this book, Alessandra knows what happened to Cat, and, after a big life disappointment, decides to try time travel. Then, when she's happily ensconced in her new life, she has to face the consequences of what she's done. I thought it was great that this aspect of each book changed to fit the needs of the main character. Cat didn't have much choice in the first book, but she needed to learn to loosen her control -- to be more trusting and open to other people, while Alessandra needed to learn to gain control -- to stand up for herself and trust her instincts.

While I had an idea about how My Super Sweet Sixteenth Century was going to end, A Tale of Two Centuries (and its Dickensian title) had me in suspense up to the last page. If you're in the mood for a book that's funny and romantic, definitely try these out!

Read the full review and find tons of great YA reviews and giveaways on my blog: Jen @ YA Romantics

I received an e-copy of this book from the publisher for review

[Jana · Rating 5 out of 5]

As some of you know from last year the first book My Super Sweet Sixteenth Century was on my Top 3 books of 2012 and that I've read it at least three times already. If that doesn't show how much I love it, then I don't know what will! :P So of course I was dying to read this as it's about Cat's awesome cousin Alessandra and a bad boy! I was bound to love this book. And you know what? I did. I DEVOURED THIS BOOK.




Alessandra is the type of girl I'd be friends with. She's old-fashioned in an adorable way, sweet and I love how she doesn't realise how funny she is! As she's from the past, reading her reactions about this scandalous present was hilarious and just downright entertaining. Also, this has also proved that I do live in the wrong generation. I'm so much like Less! I both love her and Cat's narration that I just don't know which girl I prefer. :)




As Less is such a sweet and innocent girl, of course she would fall in love with a hot bad boy! Austin is infuriating, cocky and just so sexy I couldn't get enough of him. He's the complete opposite of Less. Another aspect of their relationship that i loved was it grew at a reasonable pace (there's no stupid insta-love here people!) and Austin's challenges for Less was perfect. I love these two so much <3 nbsp="" span="">




Where MSSSC was about a girl from the present who timetravelled to the past, this was about a girl from the past into the present. Both plots are so entertaining, addictive and so so FUN. These are the type of books that I'd pick up if you want something light, funny but with the right amount of depth to it too. I just can't get enough of this series and I thought I couldn't love Rachel Harris more but I was wrong! I heart her even more now for writing Less's story and for creating Austin ;)

[Vendea · Rating 5 out of 5]

No a co, že to asi bylo jedno velké klišé, Less se přizpůsobila moc rychle moderním technologiím a prostě tohle. Pro mě to přišlo v dokonalou chvíli a Less a Austin byli spolu úžasní.

4.5/5*

[♡Julalicious Book Paradise♡ · Rating 4 out of 5]

review to come.

[Jessica · Rating 5 out of 5]

Where do I even start? I first saw this book quite some time ago (I think it was when the cover was first revealed) and I instantly fell in love. I loved the cover, but even more- I LOVED the blurb! All of my favorite elements are in this book: Time travel, magic, Italy, romance, and a hot surfer boy just to name a few. This book is absolutely a bunch of preciousness. Seriously I absolutely adored it. I am so proud to be on Rachel's FlirtSquad because I love helping promote her awesomeness. I also loved reading Taste The Heat, Rachel's adult novel. SO good.

So: let me simplify this for you. Rachel writes it? I read it. End of story. Hands down. It could be about alligators in Taiwan falling in love with monks. If she wrote it- I'd read it. Why? Rachel is a fantastic storyteller for one. She does such a great job with setting- she knows how to give us readers the perfect amount of description, she doesn't overload us with it, and she doesn't skimp on us either. I always feel so attuned to the scenes and I love when I as a reader feel like I am an imaginary character standing right with the others. Secondly, Rachel does a great job with character development. By the end of the book I felt a connection with each of her characters and I was heartbroken it was over because I wasn't ready to stop experiencing their journey with them!

So, A Tale of Two Centuries! I will admit, I hadn't read My Super Sweet Sixteenth Century before this so I was a tad bit confused at the very beginning. So note to those of you who are still with me after me talking about alligators and monks: READ THAT ONE FIRST! It just helps clarify some things. I was still able to jump right in and understand the magical elements, but I was confused when the book was referring to Cat as Patience, etc. Our main character this time around is Alessandra, or Less. We first meet her in sixteenth century Italy and she is eagerly awaiting the arrival of Matteo, the man she is in love with. Their rendezvous does not go according to plan, leaving Less absolutely heartbroken. However, Less is very non-confrontational. Instead of marching up to Matteo and giving him what for, she simply flees, succumbing to her emotions. I really loved Less- she is sweet, caring, and dreams of acting. She is SO much fun to watch once she time travels to modern times. She not only has culture shock, but she has complete century shock! She is not used to how girls dress, how people speak, and how boys and girls don't have chaperones to be together. In turn, Alessandra is very proper and polite, which leads others to believe she's rather uptight.

"Ah. That would be the ill-mannered coachman of my yellow horseless carriage. He requires payment for escorting me from the chaotic theater of etched handprints and strange creatures, but I am afraid my new trousers did not come lined with money." He beeps again. "Any chance you have a deer or a goat lying about?"

A squiggle appears on Cat's forehead. "Deer or goat?"

"Hmm, is that not right?" I ask, pulling on my ear. I was almost certain that was what he said. "He informed me the ride was twenty something- I thought he said bucks. Could it have been ducks?" I scrunch my nose. "Are waterfowl a popular currency in the twenty first century?"


Enter Austin. Oh, boy. Alessandra meets Austin at school and he is a bit of an ass to start. He is condescending and rather rude. School is also not at the top of his priority list. Alessandra is forced to work on a project with him. I think what I love most about Alessandra and Austin's interactions is that they challenge each other. He can see that she longs to let loose and have the courage to express herself. He calls her out on it and for the first time, we see just how passionate of a reaction he gets out of her. She in turn, calls him on his crap- telling him that she doesn't believe for a minute he's as nonchalant and uncaring as he makes himself out to be. Austin then decides to issue her a challenge- he'll do the project, if she agrees to let him show her how to loosen up- to be more like him. However, the more time spent together, the more Austin's carefully crafted façade starts to fall apart. Less gets him to open up and there are times she can see the glimpses of vulnerability in his eyes. Austin is resentful of his father due to a rather large event involving his mother. There was a point where Austin used to take care about school, doing well, and pleasing his family. Those times are long gone, and I think Austin sees a bit of the old him in Alessandra.

I love the change we see in Alessandra. She is no longer the timid, shy, non-confrontational girl we met at the start. However, Alessandra has trouble finding the right balance between becoming a bit more assertive and going wild. Austin realizes this is partly his fault and tells her that he has fallen for who she is already, not the girl she's trying so hard to be. Alessandra however, has never felt more alive than when she has spent time with Austin and she loves that he respects her.

Whew do these two have some serious chemistry! The buildup between them was absolutely delicious and when it finally happened I think I squealed. However, Alessandra's time is not permanent- she was told by the gypsy that allowed her to travel that she would see three signs: at the end of the third she would be back to take her home. Her cousin Cat, gave her a warning about spending time with Austin. Cat has been through this once and knows that her time is limited.

Cat, who you may have already met from My Super Sweet Sixteenth Century, is such a fun character. She is still hurting over what happened at the end of the first novel and is afraid to let someone new in. She clearly has a connection with the new guy, Lucas, but is afraid to act upon it. She is afraid things won't be permanent and that he won't stick around. I can't blame her for one minute for guarding her heart.

However, this is Less's tale of self-discovery and how she realizes that strength doesn't come from others, but lies within.

Overall, this book made me smile so many times- Rachel has created such strong, impressionable characters, a fun and exciting plot, and I cannot wait for the next book in the series!

*Received a copy of this book in exchange for a fair and honest review*

[Jenna D. · Rating 5 out of 5]

Full review available on my blog, Jenna Does Books.

A TALE OF TWO CENTURIES by Rachel Harris is the perfect escape novel for fans of time travel, swoon-worthy romance, brilliant plotting… and just about everything else that makes for an amazing story. In this second installment in her Super Sweet series about time traveling teens, Rachel has managed to take everything good about the first book, My Super Sweet Sixteenth Century, and with it she has woven an even more romantic and well-fleshed out story. I’ll be honest: I loved this book and the characters, Alessandra and Austin, so much that the following review will likely be filled with endless gushing and praise.

While My Super Sweet Sixteenth Century was a whimsically fun tale about the adventures of a 21st Century teen in 16th Century Renaissance Italy, A TALE OF TWO CENTURIES offers a whole new level of time traveling adventures by bringing the 16th Century, Alessandra (aka “Less”), to 21st Century Los Angeles. Pardon the pun, but in this case, “Less” is MORE. More fun than witnessing a modern day teen experience the past is watching a young girl from an earlier time discovering the highly unusual, and oftentimes alarming, modern day world. Few things are more fun than following along with Less as she rides in a taxi for the first time, uses seemingly mundane things such as zippers or… (a’hem)… undergarments… for the very first time or accustoming herself to our modern day language and slang. All her various discoveries were more hilarious and more exhilarating than I had imagined. I found myself even more surprised and entertained by Less’s modern day discoveries than all of Cat’s snarky escapades in the 16th Century – and that’s saying a lot if you’ve read my review of the first book!

…Like I said, “Less” is MORE.

How would a 16th Century girl react if she was forced to face the everyday troubles of a modern teenage girl? A TALE OF TWO CENTURIES has your answer… The obvious care that Rachel took in making the telling of her magical story completely believable is astounding. From the minutest descriptive detail to every word that is spoken – ranging from the feeling of a surf board skimming on the waves to Alessandra’s gradual progression toward a more modern way of speaking – albeit her words are understandably stilted, the slang coming with much difficulty and hesitation. I could only imagine how hard it was to make Alessandra sound like an authentic girl from the past – but Rachel pulls this off with much success! Also, now I am not entirely convinced that Rachel has never before been surfing… ;)

First and foremost, A TALE OF TWO CENTURIES is a romance; a wonderful, sweeping, swoontastic romance of the highest caliber to be found in YA fiction. To make a good romance, you need two likeable main characters that readers can relate to. Who knew that we could find that in a prim and proper Renaissance girl? While Cat is reserved and steadfast in her ways, decked out in her unbreakable armor of snark and sass, Alessandra is reserved and timid, clothed head to toe in layer upon layer of tradition and presumed expectations. Yet buried underneath all those layers is a triumphant songbird who longs to escape her prison. The more assertive and independent “Less” is coaxed out thanks to the roguishly charming Austin. Through clever dialogue, a thrilling series of interactions and “bucket list” worthy experiences/lessons and an unfortunate familial back-story, we learn that this bad boy is much more than he initially appears. Austin is a character that can I already see many future readers crushing on in droves. If I were younger, I would be deeply under his spell… (Ah, who am I kidding, I already am under his spell. Go #Austin!)

I think one of my absolute favorite things about A TALE OF TWO CENTURIES is Alessandra’s uncanny observational skills and the direction they take her in the story. Rare is it that we find a female protagonist who, while certainly “lost” on so many levels, has such a clear head on her shoulders. I think this is most likely due to the period she comes from, when women were seen and not heard, giving her plenty of time to develop such skills.

Although coming from another time and place, Alessandra exemplifies a fear that many teenagers have today: the fear that we will never amount to anything in life. This fear is present throughout the novel, forcing the astute reader to ask the question: What makes a life “complete”? Though I stress that A TALE OF TWO CENTURIES is more “fun” than “insightful”, the book ends on a brilliant note that brings this question full circle.

I would recommend A TALE OF TWO CENTURIES to anyone who enjoys a good romance and even better fiction. Not since I read Bid Time Return (more commonly known as Somewhere in Time) by Richard Matheson have I been so swept away by the occurrence of true love across space and time. With her writing skills as honed as they are already, I eagerly await the next installment in this series.

Standing Ovation, Rachel, for both you and Less.

[Meredith · Rating 5 out of 5]

Rachel Harris has written a touching and heartwarming love story with this sequel to My Super Sweet Sixteenth Century. It is beautifully written, both vivid and descriptive. Alessandra's voice feels authentic, making the reader feel as if they truly have time-traveled to the sixteenth century.

Alessandra is everything you can possibly want in a main character. She is a proper young lady who yearns for more, but feels trapped in her own time. She wants "passion, equality and freedom," all the things women in her time period cannot have. All she has to look forward to is a loveless marriage and a life of propriety and society rules. Until fate intervenes and sends her to the twenty-first century, where her distant cousin, Cat, lives.

There's definitely an adjustment period for Alessandra. Her exploits in the twenty-first century were hilarious. My favorite moment was when she identified a Hooters as an owl shop. It's amusing seeing how Alessandra's sixteenth century mind views the twenty-first century technology, dress and ideals. She's adorably clueless, and so fascinated by simple things - it makes her seem humble and lovable.

So... Austin. Ahhh, Austin. Normally, male characters as cocky as Austin would turn me off. He's just so full of himself in the beginning, thinking he's some kind of bad-boy rebel. But, he's so adorable while teasing Alessandra and her absolute cluelessness makes it that much funnier. So, despite my reservations, Austin won my heart almost immediately. Alessandra's outrage over Austin (she call's him the "embodiment of evil" and likens time with him to the symptoms of an illness) only make you root for Austin even more. He takes the prim and proper lady and turns her into a typical outraged teenager.

The whole time I was reading, I pretty much alternated between laughing hysterically and crying (Sometimes just a few tears, and sometimes lip-trembling sniffles). Honestly, I wish I could go into greater detail here, but I don't want to accidentally go into spoiler territory. Just trust me and make sure you have tissues by your side at all times!

The other couple to take note of in this book is Cat and Lucas. I know you Cat and Lorenzo fans are probably ready to egg my blog for this, but trust me, you'll love how it all turns out for Cat!

The ending was absolutely perfect. My heart was in my throat for most of it, and I was pretty much close to tears the whole time, as well. But it was awesome, amazing, and perfect. Overall (if you couldn't tell from my gushing review), I loved this book so much and I would highly recommend it.

Honestly, before I began reading Rachel Harris' books, I wasn't a huge romance fan. It kinda bugged me... It was too mushy and rainbows and kittens for me - I prefer science fiction, fantasy, paranormal, etc. I liked romance that had vampires in it... Does that count at all? Anyway, I won an advanced eBook of Taste the Heat, Harris' adult romance (published July 8, 2013) from Foreward Lit. Not only is she an amazing and talented writer, but she really pulls you into a world with characters you care about, who feel real and relatable. The romances are always genuine, and the plots are well thought-out. For those reasons, among others, I would recommend Rachel Harris to anyone and everyone - especially to those who want to read romance, but aren't sure where to start.

You can also find more from me on my blog: Pandora's Books

[Leigh Collazo · Rating 4 out of 5]

More reviews at Mrs. ReaderPants.

REVIEW: Boy, am I on a roll with my books lately! The last four or five books I've read have been absolutely fantastic, and A Tale of Two Centuries is no exception. I read this one in one sitting! While for me, it isn't as cute as the first one, I appreciate that these are two separate stories and that Alessandra's story is not the same as Cat's.

There are a LOT of funny moments concerning the way Alessandra reacts to the modern world's clothing, noise, transportation, water, slang, etc. It would be kind of hard to find clothes in Hollywood that do not expose ankles and elbows!

I also enjoyed seeing Cat's struggles with Lucas. That plotline was introduced at the very end of My Super Sweet Sixteenth Century, so it didn't have time to develop. Cat's heart is clearly broken, and I love watching her conflicting emotions about moving on after Lorenzo.

The romance is swoon-worthy once again, though I didn't love Austin as much as I loved Lorenzo for some reason. Less and Austin are great together though! Without a doubt, Rachel Harris is a master at writing romantic scenes that will make readers feel weak in the knees. She creates intense chemistry between the characters, even though in these two books, they go no farther than kissing. Her male leads are exactly what teen girls want to read about: strong-willed, devastatingly hot, and head-over-heels in love with their girls.

So there is going to be a third book in this series, but I have no clue who that might be about. Kendal, maybe? She seems like a very sad person who needs her own gypsy adventure. Or maybe Reyna will bring Cipriano to the present? In all the historical research the characters do, there is no mention of what happened to Cipriano. Or maybe Kendal and Cipriano could get together somehow? No matter, I know I'll be reading #3 as soon as I can get my hands on it!

THE BOTTOM LINE: A fun adventure story with plenty of swoon-worthy romance, A Tale of Two Centuries will be a hit with readers who loved the first one. It is probably not necessary to read these two books in order, but I recommend that if you can read them in order, you should. It will give you a better grasp on Cat's character and her conflicting emotions about Lucas, which is a big part of this story.

STATUS IN MY LIBRARY: On order.

READALIKES: My Super Sweet Sixteenth Century (Harris), Time Between Us (Stone), Smart Girls Get What They Want (Strohmeyer)

THEMES: being true to yourself, standing up for yourself, facing one's fears, following your heart, close sibling relationships

RATING BREAKDOWN:

Overall: 4/5
Creativity: 4/5
Characters: 4/5
Engrossing: 5/5
Writing: 5/5
Appeal to teens: 5/5
Appropriate length to tell the story: 5/5


CONTENT:

Language: mild--damn, ass, bitch and the like--used sparingly

Sexuality: mild-medium--kissing, French kissing, holding hands, some mild innuendo, older man makes a pass at teen girl

Violence: mild; two girls nearly fight, some mean girl bullying

Drugs/Alcohol: medium-high--character steals alcohol and gets very drunk in one scene--realizes consequences and does not do it again
Social issues: absent parenting, mean girls

[Paula Stokes · Rating 5 out of 5]

I was lucky enough to be approached to blurb this book under my historical pen name, Fiona Paul.

At first I was like, "Are you sure you mean me?" Because clearly book-blurbing is a professional endeavor for serious authors and I spend a lot of time still feeling like a fumbling writer-wannabe, much the same way I've had my own apartment for 15 years but still often feel like my parents went on vacation and left me home alone ;)

She said she meant me. But then she didn't send the file. And I was like, "Ah. She came to her senses." But then she DID send it. And I was like "Oh noes, I am super-busy." But then I decided to just peek at page 1, and then 2, and soon 15, and then the page where THE BOY shows up and the next thing I knew it was 0300 and I was almost finished.

In lieu of a proper review (because, as established, I am not proper) here are a few of the tweets I tweeted while I was reading:

Oh, SWOON.


I so needed something to de-stress with and ATOTC is just the ticket :)


Reading A Tale of 2 Centuries and can't stop laughing at how perfect it is. Suspect @RachelHarrisYA is actually a time-traveling Ren maiden.


I've LOL'd like 7 times in the first 150 pages of ATOTC :) I feel privileged to get to read it early.


I'm off to finish reading A TALE OF TWO CENTURIES for blurb :) So far it's hilarious and the boy is DELICIOUS!


ATOTC is a hot kiss wrapped in a bag of kittens wrapped in...something hilarious.


So, as you can see, I loved the book. As you can also probably see, the book is not trying to be deep, serious literature that changes the way readers think about life and history and time travel. As far as fun, fluffy reads go, this is one of the best I've encountered. I can't remember the last time I've laughed so hard or swooned so much.

[Natalia · Rating 3 out of 5]

3 stars
Much like its predecessor My Super Sweet Sixteenth Century, the second installment in this series is a nice and easy time-travel read. It is always the characters that make or break a book for me, and as far as female protagonists go, Alessandra was a good one. A sweet and innocent girl from 16th century, she didn't have Cat's sassiness or sense of humor, but I think I actually enjoyed her more as a MC. But it was funny to watch how she acclimated herself to our modern world and got used to new ways to talk, dress and behave. And the romance definitely had chemistry, even though I didn't quite like the love interest in the beginning.

But at the same time I felt like this book lacked depth. From my experience with the first book in the series, I knew not to expect any, but I kept wishing for it all the same. I wanted a more complex plot and more thrill, because it felt like everything clicked too easily into place. And I'm still confused about how Cat was able to obtain a photo of the painting made by Lorenzo for Alessandra before her wedding, if Cat herself left the 16th century two years before that happened. Or did she find the picture on the internet and made a print of it?

I was pleased with how the story ended and the choice that Alessandra made. It was a hard one, but at the same time I can definitely understand her ;)

I will sure read the next book when it comes out, because I'm curious to see how the situation will play from now on. And I really want to know more about Cat and Lukas, the kind of connection they share and if Lorenzo has anything to do with it.

[Rachel · Rating 5 out of 5]

This magnificent story leaves me metaphorically with a delighted smile and eyes that are shaped like hearts. These hearts relate my love for this beautiful story.

Less was my favorite character from the first book and remains so. I enjoyed seeing her grow, not just in confidence, but also in knowing what she really wants and becoming fully proud of her identity. I love our connection becoming joyful and separate from the world while acting.

“You will always have me. [ … ] It matters not whether I’m here in body or merely in your heart. We are family, Cat.” Pg. 111 of my ARC.

My favorite relationship is the caring one between Less and Cat. A friendship strong and true bonded by more then sharing time-travel magic. Bonded by understanding and determination.

The story was an exciting one. I never read a book featuring a historical person visiting modern day before. Everyone I could hope for resided in this book. There were relatable awkward experiences and enjoyable water activities. The story graces two sweet growing love relationships.

The writing is smooth. I relish every word and moment. I holler with love this story where Less experiences a world anew. Really, her ways of describing the contemporary world were genuine to what I believe would be the view of a 1500’s girl.

In the end, I say thank you Rachel Harris for writing this unforgettable story. I am anticipating the next. Could, maybe, Less’s brother Cipanio appear?

Originally posted at Unforgettable Books

[Evelin · Rating 4 out of 5]

To bolo strašne milé 8D Na začiatku som cítila, že to je pre mladších, ale od stredu a hlavne koniec bol taký romantický a naivný a sladký, že som sa neustále usmievala a vôbec mi nevadilo, že to je také presladené 8D Bolo to veľmi milé a romantické a aj keď tam cítiť niektoré dialógy ako veľmi jednoduché a pre -násťročné dievčatá, veľmi ľahko sa to číta, má to dobrý dej aj postavy, flirty a humor a páčilo sa mi to viac ako 1. diel. Darmo, Alessandra bola mojou obľúbenkyňou už v 1tke, ale tu mala veľký priestor a ja som jej veľmi držala palce, aj sa s ňou tešila. Záver bol skvelý, bola som napätá, ako to nakoniec dopadne, aj keď som mala tušáka. A Austin? Och, to teda je good/bad boy pre mňa 8P Určite si prečítam aj 3ku, ktorá bude viac o Cat a Lucasovi, no tento diel bol dostatočne záverečne ukončený.
Knihu vám odporúčam, je to skvelý diel a trošku vás odpúta od komplikovaných vzťahov v iných Young Adultkách. Ja som sa pri čítaní cítila naozaj príjemne, pobavene a usmievavo 8)

[Dilushani Jayalath · Rating 4 out of 5]

I read this book also a long time ago and definitely loved it. It was a sweet read. Sweet, cute romance that would stay with you. It's one of those books you would red to get over an overly-emotional time kinda book.

[Peggy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Waiting is torture!!! Loved Super Sweet!

[Michaela · Rating 3 out of 5]

V noci dočítané. Nie zlé, dokonca milé a také dievčensky fajn. Hlavne tie opisy bozkov boli také zlaté ...

[Alyssa · Rating 4 out of 5]

***Review posted on The Eater of Books! blog***

A Tale of Two Centuries by Rachel Harris
Book Two of the My Super Sweet Sixteenth Century series
Publisher: Entangled Teen
Publication Date: August 6, 2013
Rating: 4 stars
Source: eARC from the publisher

Summary (from Goodreads):

Alessandra D’Angeli is in need of an adventure. Tired of her sixteenth-century life in Italy and homesick for her time-traveling cousin, Cat, who visited her for a magical week and dazzled her with tales of the future, Alessandra is lost. Until the stars hear her plea.

One mystical spell later, Alessandra appears on Cat’s Beverly Hills doorstep five hundred years in the future. Surrounded by confusing gadgets, scary transportation, and scandalous clothing, Less is hesitant to live the life of a twenty-first century teen…until she meets the infuriating—and infuriatingly handsome—surfer Austin Michaels. Austin challenges everything she believes in…and introduces her to a world filled with possibility.

With the clock ticking, Less knows she must live every moment of her modern life while she still can. But how will she return to the drab life of her past when the future is what holds everything she’s come to love?

What I Liked:

You all know I have sequel terror, right? No? Well, I'm totally afraid of sequels. First books in a brand-new series? Bring it on. Sequels? Not so much. Sequels terrify me for so many reasons: what if I wasn't wild about book one? What if I don't remember most of books one? What if the sequel sucks, and is one of those sophomore slump novels? What if, like most sequels, the sequel ends in a heartbreaking cliffhanger? Should I just wait for the third book (assuming it's a trilogy)? That's actually what I've been doing recently... waiting for the series to finish, then binge reading.

Well, I am thrilled to say that this book did not fall victim to the sophomore/sequel slump! I loved this book - maybe not as much as I loved My Super Sweet Sixteenth Century - but I loved this one nonetheless. Ms. Harris does an excellent job of bringing us back into the series, but keeping us interested in an entirely different world.

Alessandra - "Less" - has been brought to Cat's world, the modern world of Hollywood. The beginning of the novel starts with Less in sixteenth-century Italy. Something absolutely heartbreaking happens, and eventually, Less finds her way to Reyna, and appears in Cat's world. The thing is, in Less's sixteenth-century world, it has been two years since Cat arrived, making Less sixteen. But when Less arrives in Cat's world, to Cat, it's only been two months. So, they're the same age.

In my opinion, Less assimilates beautifully. It is HILARIOUS to watch a girl from the sixteenth century try and become a modern girl. She has to learn to dress herself, to wear more revealing clothing (oh, the thong scene), to go to high school, to avoid falling in love with hot, temperamental boys...

Less is really into acting, if you remember from the first book. She lands the part of Juliet in this play, opposite another swoonworthy guy that doesn't stand a chance. But that's basically what this book is about: Less assimilating, Less going to high school Less hanging out with Austin, Less matchmaking (I'll explain), and Less acting in the play.

I love how Less tried her hand at matchmaking - basically forcing Cat and Lucas together. Cat and Lucas already wanted to be together - especially Lucas - but Cat was scared of being with him, because of her Hollywood status. Thanks to a few nudges from Less, they do start building a more intimate relationship. YAY for that!

Less and Austin is the romance of the story, and I love the two of them together. Austin is temperamental and moody, but he genuinely tries to help Less with high school and work and surfing (oh my gosh...) and the play. He hangs out with her, and eventually, the two of them grow to care about each other. I love them together!

This book has a fantastic ending! I had a feeling it would end the way it did. But Ms. Harris spun this story beautifully, and you could only feel that the ending is perfect, especially for Less. I'm very happy with this book!

What I Did Not Like:

Hmmm, I liked basically everything about this book, because it was an all-around good book. But I feel like it was a tad predictable, in the plot, the romance, the ending... maybe that's just me though. When a new scene unfolded, I knew exactly where it would lead, and exactly how it would fit into the plot. This is nice, but I was never surprised. I like being surprised. Not being surprised can make a story... kind of boring. Not so with this book, but it could have been.

Would I Recommend It:

YES! You can read this book without reading the first book. But I recommend you read both! Ms. Harris's books are fantastic, and this book is no exception. Anyone can enjoy and love this series!

Rating:

4 stars. YAY for an awesome sequel! I can't wait to read the next book - back to Cat!

[Bella · Rating 5 out of 5]

Rachel's debut, My Super Sweet Sixteenth Century was one of the last books I read in 2012. I LOVED it and deemed it one of my favorites of the year. I fell in love with Rachel's eloquent and vibrant style. Her heroine Cat's bright and sassy voice. The beautiful pictures she painted of Italy's landscape, it's people, the food and culture. I felt as if I was there right with Cat. The story was wonderfully lyrical, fun and exciting and at times hilarious.

I fell in love with the characters and I couldn't wait for the sequel. I wanted MORE. Like NOW. Learning it was Alessandra's turn to shine, I was stoked. I adore Alessandra. She is without a doubt the most delightful character I have had the pleasure to read. I was so excited to start her journey and eager to see where Rachel would take it. And I was not disappointed. This story brought me- even days later- absolute joy.

Let me attempt to express how much I LOVED this book. As I mentioned, I adore Alessandra. ADORE. HER. She is such a refreshingly sweet and innocent girl, with aspirations that reach far beyond what her sixteenth century life would allow. This girl dreams BIG. But what I like most about Less (as her "cousin" Cat affectionately calls her), is her fierceness. Sure she has her doubts and weaknesses, and a million questions, but Less has no fear. She made a wish, took a chance, and jumped into Cat's modern world with both feet. Wide-eyed and eager to see what she would find. Despite the cultural and language differences she quickly assimilated herself into the L.A. high school scene and boy did she make a splash.

That's not to say she didn't fumble, become flabbergasted, lose her footing, or panic- and make a fool. Oh she did all of those things. And then some. But with her savvy and fashion forward, and very modern cousin by her side, she takes the plunge and spreads her wings. Her dreams of acting and finding love take her on a wildly fun and fascinating ride.

Opportunity is knocking. The world is at her feet. And with fervor she's taking on it's challenges. Learning from her mistakes. Honing her talent. And love... well, love has a language all it's own. It's much more complicated than Less imagined. And more thrilling than she dreamed.

Which brings me to the aforementioned complication. Austin Michaels. Gorgeous.
I can't even begin to explain Austin. I didn't like him initially. I wanted to hate him. And I wanted to know why he was such an arrogant ass. Why was Less drawn to him? Was he drawn to her the same way? It was all very titillating. And awkward. And charming. Silly. Romantic. And intense.
LESS + AUSTIN = SPARKS. And not necessarily the shooting stars and sparklers kind. These two both have a lot to learn about life, love and each other. And how much time does Less really have to explore a relationship of any sort? Can you imagine teenage angst across the centuries? Such different customs and expectations. It's at times sad. And at other times, laugh out loud funny. I found the entire story captivating, but theirs were the scenes that kept my eyes glued to page, rushing to see where and how far they would go.

Well, I could go on and on. I really could. But the bare bones of this story for me was Alessandra's strength and tenacity. Her willingness to grow and learn. To listen to her heart and follow her dream. And never once lose an ounce of her integrity. She certainly crosses boundaries for a sixteenth century lady, but she doesn't compromise her beliefs. And her loyalty knows no bounds.

While the story focuses on Less and her dreams, we get to spend a bit of time with Cat and Lucas, as well as meet some new and interesting characters. We get to see more of Cat's friends and family. And witness the changes Cat has gone through after returning from her trip across time. I loved that Cat is essentially the same smart and snarky girl from MSSSC. And I love her relationship with Less. They balance each other well.

AToTC has a lot of ups and downs. Misunderstandings. A lot of action and adventure. A lot of smiles, giggles and chuckles, a lot of FUN. A LOT of SWOONING. A few tears. And a lot of real. It's Rachel after all. She always manages to bring real life to the pages. Get ready to open your heart and mind for a most excellent adventure with Less, to a world full of magic and possibilities. Comedies and tragedies. And a lot of thrilling and surprises. A TALE of TWO CENTURIES is my favorite Just-for-Fun YA book of the Summer. It was a total treat.

[Natalie · Rating 3 out of 5]

Nice and relaxing