A threat from the past could destroy the future. And the clock is ticking...
Kaleb Ballard's relentless flirting is interrupted when Jack Landers, the man who tried to murder his father, timeslips in and attacks before disappearing just as quickly. But Kaleb has never before been able to see time travelers, unlike many of his friends associated with the mysterious Hourglass organization. Are Kaleb's powers expanding, or is something very wrong?
Then the Hourglass is issued an ultimatum. Either they find Jack and the research he's stolen on the time gene, or time will be altered with devestating results.
Now Kaleb, Emerson, Michael, and the other Hourglass recruits have no choice but to use their unusual powers to find Jack. But where do they even start? And when? And even if they succeed, it may not be enough...
The follow-up to Hourglass, Timepiece blends the paranormal, science fiction, mystery, and suspense genres into a nonstop thrill ride where every second counts.
When I finished Hourglass I knew there was a sequel planned, but I had no idea it would not be told from our original narrator, Emerson's, POV. Timepiece continues the story of Hourglass, but this time from Kaleb's POV. This was especially fun because Kaleb is a classic bad-boy! To hear his flippant and flirtatious comments throughout had me cracking up.
When we pick up the story, "rips," visions of the past or future, are appearing everywhere and with increasing magnitude and frequency. Not only can Emerson and Michael see them, but now all the member of Hourglass can too. Our hopes that Jack faded out into a pile of goo are dashed when he appears to Kaleb and the gang to taunt them. Add to this list of problems, the Hourglass members are given an ultimatum from Chronos, the infamous powers-that-be, to find Jack Landers and bring him to them. If they don't, time could be altered in ways that wouldn't be so favorable to their members. This could mean life or death for Michael and Liam, and sanity or crazy-mess for Emerson. With this urgent need to find Jack, the team starts to look for a way to find him, and they begin to test out Lily's (Emerson's best friend in Hourglass) powers of location.
In this installment we get to flesh out Kaleb and Lily's abilities a little more. We also get some background on the Hourglass and Chronos organizations. We find out more about Jack and his past as well. So we get some answers, but also a lot of questions.
Getting the story from Kaleb's POV made this a fun read. Here's a sample of his thinking:
Hayrides were the perfect place to make out with a girl and get away with grabby hands. Could always blame it on bumpy farm roads.
"I had no idea how she got that ridiculously curvy body into a skintight golden cat suit, but I was all for helping her get out of it. I leaned toward her. "Meow."
Yes, he's a typical guy and a bit of a jerk at times, but he still had me laughing. He fits the bad-boy persona pretty well: heart-throb good-looks, tattoos, piercings, breaking hearts wherever he goes, but any of us who read Hourglass knows this is just an act (for the most part!). I loved that he has such a big heart even though he doesn't let that secret out to many. We really do get to see the softer side of Kaleb, and I couldn't help but fall him! Lily was also a big part of this story, and I really enjoyed getting to know this sassy, confident girl. She is all about saying it like it is! While Kaleb and Lily were the main focus in Timepiece, we do get quite a bit of Emerson and Michael. I was delighted that their romance is still going strong and they seem closer than ever. My one complaint with this book is that at first I had a hard time remembering some of the paranormal aspects, like what rips were and how some of the abilities of the members worked. A bit more recap would've helped me. I sorted some of this out by flipping through Hourglass. I guess this is just one of the drawbacks of having books releasing a year apart from each other.
While most of the important issues are wrapped up and no main characters are left dangling, we are left with an abrupt ending and a lot of questions. I look forward to the answers coming in Infinityglass.
Thank you to Netgalley and Edgmont USA for allowing me to read this.
I think I couldn't enjoy this book partly because I remember next to nothing from Hourglass and didn't have the time or patience to reread it again, and partly because I didn't much care for Kaleb's character.
Too many rules. There are way too many rules about time traveling, and I couldn't keep all of them straight. For the first half of the book, I was just wondering, Who's Dune? Who's Nathan (actually, I still am not too sure who Nathan is). What's duronium? When did Michael and Em get their rings? Who the hell is Poe? Too many characters, too much going on. Too much of everything, with the exception of an engaging plot. It's a cheap trick, I'm starting to think, to take away lives easily by changing time. It's redundant, and frankly, boring. The same problem can't keep popping up every ten pages; the point of a story is for the people to hurdle barriers and meet new ones. Also, the way McEntire tells the story wasn't particularly interesting, either. The "climax" at the end lasted about five pages, while there were about a couple hundred pages of Kaleb and Lily running around from place to place discovering new things in massive info dumps. Seriously, this is how the climax went down:
Kaleb: He has my girlfriend! I'll kill him! Lily: Aahhh I'm scared. Kaleb: He has my girlfriend! I can actually see it happening now! I'll kill him! Jack: *evil laughter* Kaleb: Ohmygod where did you come from! What do I do now!? Lily: I was too stupid to lie before, but I am now because my boyfriend told me to! Jack: *more evil laughter* Teague: The answer to all your problems--me--is here! Lily: *suddenly gets smart and strikes deal with Teague that Teague is too stupid to see through* Kaleb: We're safe! But Em and Michael are gone :( Em and Michael: We're here! Everyone: Yaaaay!
If you do not have the reaction of "wtf" to my summary of the last part of this book, I beg you to explain it to me. Because I fail to understand what the big deal was, if everyone was just going to magically appear (not kidding, they really do). There is no thought-out resolution. Everyone. Just. Appears. And the cliffhanger? Come on. It's so soap opera-like that I cringed. Jack is a failure of a villain. I mean, "rotten to his core?" Come on. The explanation of why he was doing everything was rushed, so I came away going, okaaaaaaay, and I should care about this why?
Kaleb seemed to be a shortcut of explaining all the emotions of the characters so McEntire wouldn't have to actually describe them. Maybe if she'd bothered to write more according to how the others interacted with Kaleb instead of how Kaleb was feeling what they were feeling (mega-confusion, right?), I would've felt more connected to the story. I didn't like the main character of this story. Not at all. He is, of course, the reformed bad boy with a drinking problem, tats, and piercings all over the place, as well as an unhealthy libido that is what attracts him to Emerson's best friend, Lily, in the first place. He also is so full of rage and desperation that it blocks out anything interesting about him. Half the time, he's ranting about his anger and sadness, and the other half he's waxing poetic about Lily. In other words, he seems like your average teenage girl (minus the lusting after Lily thing).
Don't even get me started on their relationship. Three quarters of it was comprised of Kaleb talking about Lily's smell or how she looked. Their more emotional reasons for liking each other were painfully shallow. Just because a guy is desperate and self-destructive does not make him attractive! If I met a guy like Kaleb who tried to cop a feel when I was clearly uninterested, in addition to his constant rage over everything, I would scream and run. Really. So no points to Lily, even though she was clearly McEntire's attempt at a kickass female character. I totally rooted for her in the beginning, but when she started showing off that lacy camisole and touching Kaleb's face (lots of face-touching), I was out of there.
There's more I could say about this book, but that's it for now. I don't think I really like much about it, although I did enjoy the descriptions of the rips. I love the concept of time travel, especially when the characters go to different centuries or places, but and the series in general has none of that appeal. However, I will say that the characters aren't as stupid as some of the ones I've read. Which is why I gave the book 2 stars. I may also have been so confused by information overload and all the different places they were running to that I might not have even realized they were being stupid.
I think I've given up on this series, but that's no reason for you to! I'm sure if you've read Hourglass recently, this book will be much more enjoyable.
I do love this cover very much, despite the fact that it's very deceiving. It should show Kaleb punching through a door instead.
This review also appears on my blog. Thank you to NetGalley for giving me a chance to read and review this book.
Surely, I’m not the only one who gets those oh-noes-butterflies in her stomach when starting a sequel. But, it’s exactly how I felt when I opened the first page of Timepiece. I always wonder what will become of my much loved characters; in this case, I shouldn’t have worried. You see, this story is in Kaleb’s point-of-view and as the resident bad boy of Hourglass, let’s just say he makes for an interesting read.
One of the many things I loved about the first book was the way Myra developed Emerson’s character. Emerson was multi-faceted and believable in both her despair and in her strength. Myra does the same thing with Kaleb in Timepiece. Because we get to read his point-of-view, we get to see the layers of hurt and loneliness that he disguises so well. Although he has a tough exterior, there are surface cracks that are clearly visible when Lily is introduced to him. I have such a soft spot for the bad boy who meets his match, and Lily is Kaleb’s perfect match. Their verbal banter will make you smile and the will-they-won’t-they moments will be maddening in the best possible way.
I promise that you will hold your breath when you read the action filled plot because the stakes are higher than ever in this sequel. There’s also a scientific logic that Myra’s built into her plot that the geek in me loves and appreciates. Because for me, science is magic.
Now for all of my fellow Team Michael-ers, please don’t worry. Yes, it’s Kaleb’s story but there’s plenty of Michael and Emerson to keep us happy. And there are new characters who kept me guessing their motives late into the night.
If you love time travel, appreciate a romance that is slow building and filled with snarky banter and a plot that makes you think wait, I know what’s coming next only to find out that you’re dead wrong, well, you will adore Timepiece. I know you will. Go on and enter the giveaway below and see if I’m right.
This time the story is from Kaleb's point of view, what makes the novel interesting and slightly different from the first one. I liked the romantic part as well and I found the plot engaging.
Since Hourglass had Emerson’s viewpoint, this one is from Kaleb’s side. I have to admit I like reading from Kaleb’s viewpoint simply because he’s sarcastic. His little conversations with Lily make me laugh out loud. He teases her endlessly and she does the same to him. Yet there’s an underlying softness about him. You witness a more vulnerable side to him, especially when he brings up the past about his mother. He’s a good man and he can’t help but feel overshadowed by his best friend Michael.
We see more of Lily in this one. Not necessarily taking a backseat like in Hourglass anymore, she comes with the time traveling gang and has the ability to seek others out. This is quite useful since they need to stop Jack from ripping up the space time continuum before everything disappears.
I’ve always enjoyed the concept of time traveling and always know there’s someone who wants to mess it up. In this case Jack Landers is in the way. He’s done something so bad that rips are being seen over and over again. And I can’t help but try to figure it all out. I really wish some questions were answered, but there wasn’t. There’s just more questions. How frustrating! I’m guessing Myra McEntire wants to keep her readers on edge, because I know I certainly am waiting for the next installment in this series.
Sorry Kaleb, aber das mit uns... wird leider nichts. Den ersten Teil fand ich super, ich mochte Emerson und ihre Perspektive war gut zu lesen, ich habe mich schnell und gut eingefunden. Der Perspektivwechsel in Band 2 zu Kaleb war unheimlich schwierig. Ich kam in die Geschichte nicht rein, fand irgendwie alles zu verwirrend und Kaleb war mir als Nebenfigur auch deutlich sympathischer. Erst gegen Ende (die letzten 50 Seiten oder so) taute er langsam auf und ich bekam einen Zugang zu ihm. (Wäre Buch drei auch aus seiner Perspektive, hätte ich noch Hoffnung, aber anscheinend muss ich erstmal rausfinden, wer Dune ist. Der hat sich mir noch nicht wirklich eingeprägt. Aber das betrifft ja auch nicht dieses Buch.) Schade. Wirklich schade.
PS Für eine Reihe über Zeitreisende wird hier ziemlich wenig durch die Zeit gereist. Oder meine ich das nur?
Kaleb takes over from Emerson to narrate Timepiece. After Emerson and her friends changed history to go back in time to save Kaleb's father from death they caused a disruption in the space time continuum to. Their actions catch up to them, when Kaleb and the Hourglass gang receive a warning from a man named Poe to find Jack Landers and repair the natural order of things. If they fail they'll be killed.
-The first half of the book is spent on Kaleb's man-pain, his mummy and daddy issues, his jealousy over Michael and his flirty and sarcastic ways. The rest of the book has Kaleb and co run round in cirles in trying to locate Jack and find out more about Chronos. Jack pops up now and then to say something cryptic or just to talk BS - it was all so boring. Jack was a mildy intriguing villain in the first book but he's now become a flat, uninteresting character that has daddy issues..ugh.
-A lot of the plot was confusing - there was random talk of veils, rips, continuums, Duronium, Poe, TPTB, exotic matter and Chronos. It was all nonesensical and all over the place. I don't even think the author knew what was going on most of the time.
-I couldn't stand Kaleb, he was an awful narrator. I like flawed guys, but I didn't find Kaleb's particular flaws endearing AT ALL. He was the typical 'bad boy' who drank, slept around and was constantly sarcastic. Naturally his douchebag ways was all to hide his inner 'man-pain'. I've read this character a thousand times and at first it was great but now it's just annoying and cliched. Kaleb's constant strops with his dad and Michael just made him seem like a sulky brat. He had a great childhood, a great home and a loving dad but he acted like he was so hard done by. I know he had problems but the ones he had (to me) weren't enough to excuse his poor attitute and behaviour. When I'm reading, I draw on my own life experiences so I'm put off when I read about characters that have so much good going for them yet refuse to see it because they're so busy wallowing about the few problems they do have. The only time I tend to excuse characters for poor behaviour/attitude/self pity is if they have absolutely nothing going for them or if I think they've changed enough. Kaleb didn't change enough for my liking and the little change he did go through only occured because things started to look up for him, i.e falling for Lily, clearing the air with his dad and his mum recovering. I would have respected him more if he became a better person when things were still bad for him.
-I wasn't impressed with the romance between Lily and Kaleb. The only reasons he even seemed to like Lily was 1) she 'believed in him' and 2) her looks - he kept going on and on about how sexy she was. Their relationsip was shallow and predictable. I'm not convinced of Kaleb's love for Lily when it wasn't all that long ago when he thought he loved Emerson. How am I meant to believe in the depth of Kaleb's feelings when he so easily falls in and out of love??
-Kaleb's BFF, Micheal is too bland, too perfect and a bit of a Gary Stu but I personally like that over Kaleb's character. I can understand why some readers would like Kaleb better as a love interest, there's a lot to be said for a 'reformed' character but I personally didn't like Kaleb's character and journey.
-Emerson was tolerable in Hourglass but I thought she was a right little cow in this one. She goes around punching everyone but as she's small and a girl everyone thinks it's cute rather than violent. I hated how much she felt sorry for herself and was all woe is me. And I also got sick of how many times she said y'all - it made her sound like an old woman. Even though she was largely unlikeable in this one, I still would have preferred her POV over Kaleb's.
I somewhat enjoyed the first book but this one was quite a bit of a let down. I wasn't impressed with Kaleb and I thought the plot was far too muddled. I'll consider reading the final book if Emerson goes back to narrating.
I am not in the "book swoon" club. I am not a romance-driven reader. I am also not a big fan of books in which teenagers decide they've met the Love Of Their Lives, but that's probably because I'm grateful everyday that I don't have to live with any decisions that I made when I was that age. (I also think it sets young readers up for disappointment, but that is a topic for another day...) So, why am I reviewing a book that many readers view as straight-up-romance? Because I think it's about a lot more than hormones.
I really, really, really enjoyed this second book in the Hourglass series. Kaleb was my favorite character in the first book; I know that Michael is the one we are supposed to lust after, but ... nah. (For the record, Emerson grated on me at times, too. Maybe I am just a cranky old lady.) Kaleb, on the other hand, intrigued me, because I knew there was more to him than the stereotypical "bad boy." So, once I sorted that Kaleb, not Emerson, was narrating Timepiece, I was all in.
At the beginning of Timepiece, Kaleb has not changed; he still sees *most* girls as sexual objects to distract him from his pain. I'm not sure why that surprises readers (and judging by some of the other reviews I've read, it does...), especially the self-professed swooners. Sauce for the goose but not the gander? But I digress... Kaleb is not a long-term actions > consequences thinker. Not to get all academic-y, but learning about actions and consequences is part of the emotional developmental that we have live & learn through in order to grow into our adult selves. Kaleb's progression through this stage is complicated by the tragedy of his life. No, this is not an excuse for his behavior, but an attempt to understand him.
I've read reviews that judge Kaleb harshly for his coping mechanisms of choice; my guess is that those readers have no understanding of how strong the desire to escape grief--even momentarily--can be. People do extreme things to avoid feeling grief and pain. Perhaps that's why I connected to Kaleb in the first place. I'm not excusing Kaleb's propensity for hooking up and/or drowning his sorrows. I just think it's a realistic portrayal of grief, grieving, and growth. Therefore, I was delighted that Kaleb was jolted out of his numb / dumb approach to relationships (no spoilers about who or how here, but if you read Hourglass, I'm sure you can probably guess the who), and that he was willing to take the risk of growth. And if the growth results in romance, I'm OK with that. ;-0
UPDATE: I should have re-read my review before our D13BC meeting this month. I had forgotten all the things I liked about the book (as described above). The meeting did, however, help me to parse out some of the things in the book that didn't work as well for me. I stand by my statement that Kaleb & Emerson's voices are too similar. I also left our meeting feeling Ms. McEntire tossed in under-developed-wikipedia-like-science-timetravel-factoids into a novel about relationships. Don't get me wrong: I love a good paranormal novel. Even paranormal with romance (as long as the romance isn't the primary motivation). Timepiece left me wishing for a lot less paranormal, and--dare I say it?--more romance!
More time traveling awesomeness for all of us who loved Hourglass? Hell yeah! True this one wasn't as awesome as Hourglass was in my opinion, but it was still a solid, and fast paced, sequel. No "Sophomore read lull" for this series.
The main difference in this installment is that Kaleb Ballard is the narrator instead of Emerson. The thing is that I loved Hourglass mainly because of Emerson, she was a very kick ass heroine and having her gone as main character was a little weird and sad. The good thing is that we get a man's POV! And Kaleb is a sweet heart, a player but with a golden heart (go figure). The dialogue is hilarious. He is a good replacement if there ever was any, I just wonder if the next installment is going to be told from a different character's POV... I think being inside Ava's mind would be very interesting for the next installment if we don't go back to Emerson. Crossing my fingers!
One of my favorite lines in the book:
The romance was steamy. Kaleb's romantic interest is very ballsy and I liked her. It was very different from Em and Michael's romance story. This one was playing more with the line between love and hate. It was great all on it's own, though it isn't something we haven't seen before.
Now the plot is as juicy, and confusing, as ever. It is fun trying to reason the time rips, and all the time related mess that is going around our characters. Emerson's actions in Hourglass have consequences, and I can't wait to see how it all pans out. I am rooting for a happy ending. In this book the characters are looking for something that is supposed to answer all their prayers and solve all their problems, an Infinity Glass. The ending is a cliff hanger type of ending, someone falls bleeding and leaves us with a creepy mysterious message in the process. Dum dum dum!
Faults with the book: I missed Emerson. I went into the book thinking that it was still her show, so it caught me off guard when Kaleb started narrating, and then I thought he was only going to narrate for a couple of chapters and then we would have Em back, but no such thing happened. What I would have liked to see is multiple points of view, that would have sent the novel to the next level. Then I think I would have given it a 5 star, maybe. And this may have been only me, probably was, but there are so many characters in this series with so many weird names that I sometimes had to do a double take on who exactly was being talked about or mentioned.
As a sequel to Hourglass this one was solid and entertaining. It didn't disappoint and it didn't bore me, which was my biggest fear. I read it in like a day, so there is hope for this series and it's next installment still!
2020 I feel like I related better to Kaleb's point of view than Emerson (although the first couple of paragraphs were a bit of a shock since I had expected her pov). And I think that is because she isn't as sarcastic as Kaleb is. Plus, she struggled so much with her boy crush and figuring out who she liked the most that I didn't enjoy the first book as much. Kaleb certainly has his own romantic issues, but he seemed more focused on trying to become a man that his father respected (and seriously, his father was kinda terrible with pushing Kaleb away) that he seemed more interesting to me than Emerson does. Even with the sarcasm, you really understand that he cares about people, though; more than the average person does, for sure. He wants to make everyone happy. He'll take people's pain, if he can, just so they don't suffer as much or as long. Honestly, reading people's emotions is a super cool power.
2018
And, thankfully, we get more Lily this book! She was such a good addition to the previous story, but even though she was supposed to be Emerson's best friend, we didn't really get to see much of her. Or see much of her power. However, in this one she is not only Kaleb's main love interest, but she has her own kickass superpower that she begins wielding with ease (against her abuela's advice, however).
This one did get a bit confusing though. Because Jack, the bad guy in the previous story, actually doesn't seem that bad compared to certain others in the story (I'm going to not go into much detail because of spoilers). But I couldn't tell if I was rooting for them to get to Jack. Or if I was more concerned that they wouldn't get the guys that seemed to be good guys, but were apparently bad guys. It was all very confusing.
I'm going to be honest and say upfront, I had a not of a hard time getting into this at first. I'm not sure if it was because the story was being told from a different perspective than the first book or what the issue was.... but after a little getting used to kalebs voice, I got sucked in. This story was not at all what I was expecting, but I ended up really enjoying myself. I am still interested and curious where #3 will take us. So many unanswered questions. Again, I have to note that scientifically, I don't know if any of this adds up.... so, if that end of things is what you are looking for, this is probably not for you. On the flip side, if you are looking for a fun, fast paced young adult series to read, this is it!
3.5 stars (for me .5 stars deducted for slow start up)
Cover Impressions: I really do like this cover. It is simple, clean and effective.
The Gist: In this sequel to Hourglass we switch to Kaleb's point of view and learn more about his emphatic powers. Jack Landers is still on the lose and time rips are becoming more frequent, and real, than ever. Against this backdrop, The Hourglass is issued an ultimatum, find and deliver Jack, or face an alternate timeline that could destroy its members.
Review: This book was not easy to get into. I read Hourglass quite a long time ago and, despite re-reading my review and checking this site I still found it very difficult to remember exactly what had happened and what we had previously learned about Rips and Time Traveling. I was pretty confused for at least the first 50 pages or so.
I was also unimpressed with the we-hate-each-other-so-much-you-just-know-we-are-going-to-end-up-together romance that I have seen over and over again. And, of course, Kaleb becomes a one woman gal practically over night. Because, as we all know, bad boys are only bad boys until the right girl comes along!
I did eventually come to like Kaleb and I got sucked into the story once it got going. The ending was a little unsatisfying but, that is par for the course for middle book in a trilogy (this is a trilogy right? Someone correct me if I am wrong). I do feel kinda like. in the end, nothing was accomplished in this book that couldn't have been achieved in a short story or novella.
I am beginning to think that time travel books are just not for me. It seems like cheating to be able to benefit from the shock value of killing off characters only to cheapen it by changing time/bringing them back to life. There also tend to be long-winded explanations of how time travel works and complicated materials and/or circumstances required. Timpiece had both of these.
Overall, I was underwhelmed by Timepiece. There wasn't really anything wrong with the writing. The characters were enjoyable enough. The plot moved at a decent pace. I guess there just wasn't anything that stood out as GREAT and this (coupled with my Time Traveling issues) left me lukewarm at best
Teaching/Parental Notes:
Age: 13 and up Gender: Female Sex: Mentioned but not described Violence: knifeplay, gunplay Inappropriate Language: None Substance Abuse: Underage drinking
Timepiece won't be released until June 2012 so it seems way to early to write a full review but since I did manage to snag an ARC copy at ALA (or I should say my hubby snagged me a copy - xoxo!) I feel like I have to at least let you know how amazing it is and how much it lives up to the the first book in the series - Hourglass.
First thing, there is a change in narration. This is Kaleb's book all the way. When I first heard this I was thrilled. I love male POV's and Kaleb definitely has some baggage to explore. However, I loved Emerson too and the series seems to hinge so completely on her that I was a little nervous. No worries! While I did miss Emerson's POV, Kaleb more than makes up for it.
Yes….yes….ladies for the swoon factor but he really is a very complex character with more involvement in the whole Hourglass mythology than previously thought.
Myra delves further into the world of of time travel, villains and romance and sets up a conclusion for book 3 that has me pondering at least several different potential outcomes. I had mentioned in my Hourglass review & it holds true for TImepiece, Myra never uses time travel as an excuse to move her characters into certain situations. It is integral to the plot.
The biggest twist is something that I don't dare spoil but it had me squealing with delight. It was *something* that I personally saw clearly in Hourglass but didn't dare to hope for but Myra went for it!
You'll just have to wait to see what I'm talking about……..put Timepiece on your pre-order list pronto! More detailed review to come closer to the Timepiece's release date.
Timepiece was just as great as Hourglass if not better. Loved that this was in Kaleb point of view since he was one of my favorite charactes in Hourglass. I loved him even more. Fans of Emerson and Michael will be pleased to know that they're in this and as adorable as ever. The plot is non-stop action, the sci-fi/ time travel was such a blast to read about and I loved learning more about everyones gift. The writing pieces everything so perfectly. Fans who enjoyed the first book will want to read it's sequel. Loved!
(Arc provided by Netgalley and Egmont USA Publishing)
Read the ARC, which was loaned to me by a friend. And all I can say for now is WAY TO GO Myra McEntire! Was so surprised to discover that Kaleb narrated this second book in the HOURGLASS series. Loved it. Since the novel isn't coming out until June, 2012 I will wait to update my review until then. But let me urge everyone to get their hands on and read HOURGLASS asap!!! and add TIMEPIECE to your "to-read" list. This series will completely suck you in. Oh, and isn't the cover just gorgeous??? The designer nailed it!
Obwohl Teil 1 schon, keine Ahnung, vielleicht vier Jahre her ist, kam ich gut wieder in die Geschichte rein. Wenn ich mich nicht täusche, wurde Band 2 aus einer anderen Perspektive geschrieben, die von Kaleb.
In diesem Teil ging es viel um Emotionen und was sie bedeuten, wie man mit ihnen umgeht. Dafür war die Perspektive von Kaleb perfekt, kann er doch die Emotionen von anderen fühlen.
Natürlich gab es am Ende einen bösen Cliffhanger, da muss wohl Band 3 direkt am Wochenende gelesen werden.
A suspenseful, action packed sequel, laced with with sizzling Southern romance, and plenty of snark, Timepiece took everything I loved about Hourglass and upped it a whole new level. Narrated from my favorite character from this series, Kaleb, this book is packed full of humor, plenty of time traveling action and plot twists that kept me holding on to this book until I finished it. Not that I wanted this book to end either. Myra has created these characters I've come to love, worry about and care for. She's also created an incredibly enticing world, and engaging plot line that leaves me wanting more.
Oh Kaleb! I completely adored Kaleb in Hourglass, and fell in love with him even more in Timepiece. There's something (okay a lot of things) about this boy that I love. He's that southern gentleman who knows how to say all the right things, is down to earth, fun, and has this incredibly tough ulterior, though on the inside he's a little soft around the edges. I say that in a good way, because in Timepiece we get to see Kaleb in a different light than how we saw him through Emerson in Hourglass. That softer, more breakable part of him is what got to me the most. Okay, maybe it also made him a little bit more resistible, not to mention his inner dialogue and the things he says and does. His narration is spot one, and I loved that one moment he could have me feeling sorry for him and the next moment snort laughing over something he said.
The romance is sizzling in this book! I'm not just talking Michael and Emerson's ability to short out electronic devices when they kiss. This is after all Kaleb we're talking about, and the petite, fiery Lily who knows how to handle him and put him in his place. I'll admit that some part of me still secretly wanted Emerson to choose Kaleb over Michael. Not that Michael and Emerson don't make a lovely couple, because they do. I was rooting for Kaleb to have someone like Emerson, but that was until Lily came into Kaleb's picture. From the moment these two met it's tension, fireworks and a whole lot of snark and saying it how it is. You guys know how much I love that. These two are seriously awesome together, and I'm sure Kaleb would say their relationship is like an atomic fire ball.... see my interview with Kaleb here to know why I referenced that.
Myra's writing is once again incredible. She makes everything around me disappear while I'm reading her books. It's not just the getting lost in her books that I love, but reading about her characters, uncovering the mystery of Jack Landers, and all that's going on, and reading about the rips and time travel abilities that some of the characters have. I also love that Myra doesn't just tell me about her series's time traveling and the costly effects it has on some of the characters, she also shows me. I love that when an author is able to both tell and show me what's going on. That adds to some of the books suspense with what happens in Timepiece.
I'm totally fascinated by Myra's world, and all that is going on there. Let me just say, there's a lot that happens in this book! I highly recommend picking this book up! It's definitely a perfect read for a lazy afternoon by the pool, floating on the river or hanging out inside with AC running.
I think that Timepiece along with Hourglass are both books that many readers will absolutely love. Unfortunately I am not one of those readers. The Story fell completely flat for me. I think that the story line for this series is fun and creative so I was hoping that I would enjoy this book more than I did its predecessor because of Kaleb's voice. He was the only thing that I liked about Hourglass, he was funny and cute. I did like Timepiece a smidge more than I liked Hourglass because of him and Lily. they were much more entertaining for me than Emerson and Michael. Every time Em and Mike, as they are mainly called in timepiece made an appearance I would cringe. I cannot stand those two! Even with Kaleb being the main voice instead of Emerson I was still unmoved. All of the characters were very one dimensional. There was very little to them. I find that the books that I absolutely love are very character driven and this was anything but. The story also had more holes than swiss cheese. The The Hourglass pack are working against evil in the form of Jack and i think also "The powers that be". At the end of Hourglass I was left wondering who the hell these Powers That be are and after finishing Timeiece, I am still wondering. I think that they are Chronos but who or what Chronos is still evades me even though it was a big part of this book. Furthermore, I have very little idea of what the hourglass does even though it is the central plot of the series. I know that they teach kids about their powers but other than that I have no clue what the purpose is. A lot of the story felt very forced and convenient. Such as the Veils to time travel. Whenever it seemed that there was a sticky point in the plot it felt like a veil was just thrown in to get past the sticky point with very little effort. They were everywhere. The ending was rushed and once again felt thrown together in an attempt to tie up loose ends which we as readers were left an abundance of anyways. Overall I would not be reading this again or recommending it to others. On a side note I would just like to say that "I wanted to unzip my skin and pull her inside" was the creepiest line that I have ever read. It would have been perfect for a serial killer book or a severely deranged main character but for what is supposed to be a tender and sexy between Kaleb and Lilly it was just plain terrible!
An e-copy of Timepiece was provided by the publisher via Netgalley.
The quote used has not been checked against a final copy.
I want to start this review with a little cover love and appreciation. I'm a big fan of the covers of Hourglass and Timepiece, so I wanted to pay homage to the creator of both.
I was so excited to learn that Timepiece was from Kaleb’s POV. After a few chapters, though, I realized maybe I didn’t need to be privy to all of Kaleb’s innermost thoughts. Then again, the guy is pretty hilarious:
“The first rule of Hourglass is that you don’t talk about Hourglass. Like Fight Club, but without the merciless beatings.”
And my personal favorite:
“‘Something’s... off. In our world.’ I didn’t want to say ‘wrong,’ because that would be like saying ‘Welcome to hell, now with hotter fire.’”
(quotes are from the ARC of Timepiece and are subject to change)
At first, Kaleb and Lily together equaled even less excitement for me than Emerson and Michael did in Hourglass. Speaking of those two, they are, of course, still very present, but not nearly as much as in book one since Kaleb is telling the story. Timepiece may have started out a little shaky for me, but soon, I was hooked. Kaleb and Lily’s relationship slowly drew me in, and the story took a much more exciting turn this time around. There was a particular scene involving a fire that was especially thrilling and genuinely scary. Timepiece was a definite page turner for me. I LOVE Kaleb’s ability - it’s so intriguing. I felt extremely sad for him and the burden his ability causes. In the end, I found Kaleb to be quite endearing, and, of course, he can always elicit a laugh, even though the poor guy has it pretty rough at times. Sometimes, I wanted to shake him, but I definitely would have followed it up with a big hug.
Eventually, I started to warm up to Lily, too. I’m pretty sure it was Kaleb’s influence that helped me see her in a different light, and I reluctantly began to admire her sassy confidence. I loved the history that the author gave her and her family - it was heartbreaking, but really explained why Lily has such a tough exterior.
There were a couple of new characters introduced that I enjoyed - especially Poe. There’s a story there, and I really hope it gets told in the next book.
In conclusion, I am happy to report that Timepiece is one of those rare cases where book two surpasses book one. I definitely didn’t want to put it down, and I look forward to book three, Infinityglass, to see what happens next.
This ARC was provided by the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for my honest review.
Timepiece, the second book in the Hourglass series, surpasses the first book in it's awesomeness. The stakes are higher, the romance is hotter, and the mystery is even more suspenseful. Readers will be hooked from the very first sentence (which is the best first sentence ever!)
Hourglass is told from Emerson's point-of-view. Instead of doing the same thing with the sequel Myra McEntire switched it up and told Timepiece from Kaleb's point-of-view. While it is still the same story it is very different reading about it from Kaleb's point-of-view. Kaleb is very uncensored and blunt. He has not had an easy time of it and he is very lost and jaded. His voice is fun at times and very dark at others. I wasn't sure about the switch in the beginning but after finishing the book I realize it wouldn't have been as good any other way.
The stakes are so much higher in Timepiece. Not only do they face death, they face the threat of the world ending. The time continuum has been severely messed up and it's up to the teenagers to fix it. And while they are trying to fix it Jack is one step ahead screwing things up even more. Timepiece will make you race to the finish to see how everything ends.
While Kaleb is the main character in Timepiece there is still plenty of Em and Michael. They haven't changed at all since the first book. There is also more Lily, Ava, Dune, Nate, Jack, and Cat. Lily is fierce and amazing. Ava's softer side comes out in this one. Dune and Nate are their usual hilarious selves. Jack and Cat are more evil than ever. There are also some new characters introduced, both good and bad. And let me tell you, these bad guys are scary. They are pure evil! I hope a lot more is revealed about them in the next book.
Overall, Timepiece is a stunning sophomore novel from Myra McEntire. Her amazing writing, unique story, and Kaleb's charming voice will have readers enthralled and begging for more. Now whose point-of-view will be featured in the next book?
The best first line of a book ever!!! Not going to tell you what it is, but once you crack the spine you will love it! Just had to start off saying that. I love love loved Hourglass, and I could not wait to dig in to Timepiece. It was one of my most anticipated reads of the year and I was not disappointed! I will say that there was very little recap of Hourglass, and since it had been so long since I had read it, my brain took a bit to remember all the little things that had happened so I felt a little lost at first. I really wish I would have re-read it first with this one.
Kaleb is one of my all time favorite book guys! I loved him the best in Hourglass, so with him as the narrator for Timepiece, let's just say that I was one happy happy girl! He is smooth, confident, and just oh-so-sexy. He's also incredibly funny, which is probably my number one quality in a guy! Lily also become a main character in Timepiece and she is a smart-mouth, confident, young woman that is not afraid to stand up for herself, her friends, or what she believes in. I love her attitude, her style, just everything about her!
If you're worried about missing Emerson and Michael, there's no need. They still play a big role. Not as big as they did in Hourglass of course, but they are still a very real part of the story and it was neat getting to see each of them through Kaleb's perspective.
Timepiece, unlike some second books in a series, was not just a place holder. It was a suspense-filled ride from beginning to end. The rips, the time changes, it's all a constant mind-bender and you never know what is going to happen to these poor characters next. This has very quickly become one of my favorite series and I can not wait to see what crazy twist Myra McEntire will throw at us next!
The second installment in Myra McEntire’s Hourglass series is told from Kaleb’s perspective and oh, what a perspective it is! I love that Myra was able to execute a male’s POV so flawlessly. I honestly loved how raw and honest his narration was. In the first book, it was easy to see Kaleb as a meat-head with lots of tattoos and a rebel without a cause, but he actually has so much depth. He is a complex character that is incredibly well fleshed-out in Timepiece. I loved getting to know him, seeing Emerson and Michael through his eyes, and being able to experience his interactions with Lily grow into something heart-melting.
The plot, as usual, was full of twists and turns, “oh my goodness” moments, and plenty of suspense. I enjoyed being able to get the history of The Hourglass and the other characters that play important roles in this time-travel adventure. I really, really loved this book and I frankly adored Kaleb. HUGE kudos to Myra for letting us get to know that big lug…he’s a big teddy bear! And, oh!, the ending…beautifully crafted and wonderfully emotional.
I cannot wait for the next installment. I want to know more about Kaleb, Lily, Michael, Emerson, and everyone and everything. Even if you haven’t thought of time-travel as a sub-genre that you would enjoy, I can guarantee Myra McEntire’s expert crafting of her characters, plot, and world will be convincing enough!
I loved Hourglass & I loved Timepiece. This series is one of those amazing series that has it all. Writing, great characters & plot & hot boys. I don't normally believe in instalove, but I fell in instalove with Kaleb the second he showed up in Hourglass. So when I found out Timepiece was from Kaleb's POV I was even more excited to read it & it was even better than I expected. I'm already dying for the next one. So so good! I'm still on a book high from reading it. Sigh :)