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Fourteen-year-old Andra Quincy’s summer in Marina, the fog pit of Monterey County, isn’t exactly off to a great start. It’s her birthday, and her best friend has ditched her for a boy. Her parents are cruising the Caribbean while she’s at home rubbing her goose-bumpy arms and dreaming of sunshine and adventure, and being baby-sat by her flaky uncle, Ryan. But when Andra puts on her only birthday gift, a silver charm bracelet from Ryan, it plunges her into a magical alternate reality for each seven-o’clock hour.
Andra discovers that a local six-year-old, Morgan Baxter, thought to have been kidnapped, has actually disappeared into the Seven, a place that few have entered and most never escape. Determined to rescue Morgan from the Seven even though the kid is trying to kill her, Andra enlists the help of a dorky classmate she's only known as Golf Ball Head, who turns out to be much more than she imagined, and Joel Westin, a trigger-happy boy from 1874, who both terrifies and charms her. Andra must figure out who to trust and how to get Morgan and herself out of the Seven before it’s too late and they become a part of it forever.
Ages 10 and up. 54,000 words.
Andra discovers that a local six-year-old, Morgan Baxter, thought to have been kidnapped, has actually disappeared into the Seven, a place that few have entered and most never escape. Determined to rescue Morgan from the Seven even though the kid is trying to kill her, Andra enlists the help of a dorky classmate she's only known as Golf Ball Head, who turns out to be much more than she imagined, and Joel Westin, a trigger-happy boy from 1874, who both terrifies and charms her. Andra must figure out who to trust and how to get Morgan and herself out of the Seven before it’s too late and they become a part of it forever.
Ages 10 and up. 54,000 words.
- GenresYoung AdultParanormal
165 pages, Kindle Edition
First published January 1, 2011
9 people are currently reading
79 people want to read
About the author
Lisa Alden
2 books8 followersLisa Alden spent her teen years in Marina, California, watching the fog roll in and dreaming of sunshine and adventure. She now lives in the Pacific Northwest, where she still dreams of sunshine—but makes her own adventure.
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Displaying 1 - 15 of 15 reviews
January 5, 2012
I received this book as a free gift from Librarything in exchange for an honest review. I give it 2.5 stars.
As I started the book, I had high hopes. It was fast paced and started with the characters out on the sea. I was intrigued by Luisa, who I thought was going to be the main character. She ends up only being a very minor character that we only see again at the end of the book, and isn't half as interesting as I thought she would be... but I digress.
WARNING: I typically don't have spoilers but in order to explain why I had issues with this book, there will be some below.
From the first chapter, things just got complicated. While the idea for the world of Seven was inventive and had never been done before, it was rife with holes, which may have been the reason it had never been done before. The premise is that if one puts on a magic bracelet they get transported to a magical world where evil abounds at 7am for 1 hr and at 7pm for one hour. But the catch is no time passes in the real world.
Let me start off this discussion explaining that I usually can suspend disbelief because I love magical worlds and as long as inherently everything makes sense, I'll go with it. But I found myself so confused by how these "worlds" worked, it took away from the whole story.
Here I go. First of all, why would anyone want to go to a world that a bunch of evil people are running around trying to kill you, and your only companion is a dead ghost boy who was killed by those same people? Sure, you can do magic, but it seems like the majority of that magic is to kill other people, so what's the point? The main character, Andra, is so shallow that she doesn't believe the dead boy when he says things are dangerous even after he says that he's dead, and to be fair, most of the characters are liars anyway so maybe she knows something I don't, but even after she is almost killed on her first journey to Seven, she still doesn't believe it, and concentrates only on her beautiful horse Sea Star. Andra is just a very unlikeable character- shallow, selfish, thinks she is compassionate because she "wants" to save a little girl from Seven, but to me, it sounded like a flimsy excuse to return to Seven so she can play with her magic more.
Second, so a little girl, Morgan, is missing. She has lost the magical bracelet that kept her grounded in the real world. So in between 7 and 7, she and everyone else without a nice little bracelet go... where? This is unclear. Maybe they just "sleep" and only are activated for 2 hours a day? Otherwise are shooting random magic at people, killing them? Because at the next 7, everything goes into the position that they were left in at 659 in the real world. Right. confusing.
Third, apparently the little girl's mother in the real world KNOWS she's missing and is freaking out on the news looking for her. WAIT A SECOND. I thought no time passed in the Seven world when you were in it... unless you don't have a bracelet, maybe?? The whole "time" paradox makes absolutely no sense to me.
Fourth, "focussed" is spelled "focused."
I appreciate the effort to make a new world, I know how hard it is to create one, I've tried to do it myself. But I think in the end, the whole world fell apart for these reasons and more, and I was distracted from the story, which in reality, wasn't compelling enough to ignore these issues.
As I started the book, I had high hopes. It was fast paced and started with the characters out on the sea. I was intrigued by Luisa, who I thought was going to be the main character. She ends up only being a very minor character that we only see again at the end of the book, and isn't half as interesting as I thought she would be... but I digress.
WARNING: I typically don't have spoilers but in order to explain why I had issues with this book, there will be some below.
From the first chapter, things just got complicated. While the idea for the world of Seven was inventive and had never been done before, it was rife with holes, which may have been the reason it had never been done before. The premise is that if one puts on a magic bracelet they get transported to a magical world where evil abounds at 7am for 1 hr and at 7pm for one hour. But the catch is no time passes in the real world.
Let me start off this discussion explaining that I usually can suspend disbelief because I love magical worlds and as long as inherently everything makes sense, I'll go with it. But I found myself so confused by how these "worlds" worked, it took away from the whole story.
Here I go. First of all, why would anyone want to go to a world that a bunch of evil people are running around trying to kill you, and your only companion is a dead ghost boy who was killed by those same people? Sure, you can do magic, but it seems like the majority of that magic is to kill other people, so what's the point? The main character, Andra, is so shallow that she doesn't believe the dead boy when he says things are dangerous even after he says that he's dead, and to be fair, most of the characters are liars anyway so maybe she knows something I don't, but even after she is almost killed on her first journey to Seven, she still doesn't believe it, and concentrates only on her beautiful horse Sea Star. Andra is just a very unlikeable character- shallow, selfish, thinks she is compassionate because she "wants" to save a little girl from Seven, but to me, it sounded like a flimsy excuse to return to Seven so she can play with her magic more.
Second, so a little girl, Morgan, is missing. She has lost the magical bracelet that kept her grounded in the real world. So in between 7 and 7, she and everyone else without a nice little bracelet go... where? This is unclear. Maybe they just "sleep" and only are activated for 2 hours a day? Otherwise are shooting random magic at people, killing them? Because at the next 7, everything goes into the position that they were left in at 659 in the real world. Right. confusing.
Third, apparently the little girl's mother in the real world KNOWS she's missing and is freaking out on the news looking for her. WAIT A SECOND. I thought no time passed in the Seven world when you were in it... unless you don't have a bracelet, maybe?? The whole "time" paradox makes absolutely no sense to me.
Fourth, "focussed" is spelled "focused."
I appreciate the effort to make a new world, I know how hard it is to create one, I've tried to do it myself. But I think in the end, the whole world fell apart for these reasons and more, and I was distracted from the story, which in reality, wasn't compelling enough to ignore these issues.
July 8, 2012
Originally Reviewed at:Mother/Gamer/Writer
Rating: 4 out of 5 Controllers
Review Source: Author for Honest Review
Reviewer: Heather
Linked is not your everyday story, but Andra is your everyday girl. She finds herself stuck with her Uncle Ryan on her birthday as her parents take off on a last minute vacation. With her Uncle Ryan in tow they head off to her favorite restaurant, but from here everything starts to change when she receives a present from him: a beautiful bracelet and charm. However, when the bracelet brakes and the restaurant owner just happened to have a replacement, Andra finds herself in a magical plain of existence: The Seven.
Car chases, shoot outs, magic shooting every which way, and a beautiful horse that looks just like her charm…but there are consequences to the, The Seven. She can’t take the bracelet off or she will be forever stuck, nor can she die, or else she will be stuck forever. When Andra returns to her own time with this new knowledge she is frightened. That is until she watches the news, and sees the family of a missing girl she saw in The Seven.
Will Andre get lost forever? Does she save the missing little girl? You’ll have to read this captivating tale to find out all the juicy bits!
This was a well written story that most of us can relate to. Here is a young girl who is faced between saving herself, and risking her life to help a perfect stranger find her way home. The story was quite lovely with twists and turns in the plot that you never saw coming, but I fear giving too much away.
I highly recommend this story for young girls, boys, teens and even young adults. While the character’s age is quite young, it is this alternate world that is equally as captivating as Andra herself. The author did quite an amazing job, and I would go as far to recommend her work as well as purchase it for my children in the future.
Rating: 4 out of 5 Controllers
Review Source: Author for Honest Review
Reviewer: Heather
Linked is not your everyday story, but Andra is your everyday girl. She finds herself stuck with her Uncle Ryan on her birthday as her parents take off on a last minute vacation. With her Uncle Ryan in tow they head off to her favorite restaurant, but from here everything starts to change when she receives a present from him: a beautiful bracelet and charm. However, when the bracelet brakes and the restaurant owner just happened to have a replacement, Andra finds herself in a magical plain of existence: The Seven.
Car chases, shoot outs, magic shooting every which way, and a beautiful horse that looks just like her charm…but there are consequences to the, The Seven. She can’t take the bracelet off or she will be forever stuck, nor can she die, or else she will be stuck forever. When Andra returns to her own time with this new knowledge she is frightened. That is until she watches the news, and sees the family of a missing girl she saw in The Seven.
Will Andre get lost forever? Does she save the missing little girl? You’ll have to read this captivating tale to find out all the juicy bits!
This was a well written story that most of us can relate to. Here is a young girl who is faced between saving herself, and risking her life to help a perfect stranger find her way home. The story was quite lovely with twists and turns in the plot that you never saw coming, but I fear giving too much away.
I highly recommend this story for young girls, boys, teens and even young adults. While the character’s age is quite young, it is this alternate world that is equally as captivating as Andra herself. The author did quite an amazing job, and I would go as far to recommend her work as well as purchase it for my children in the future.
January 7, 2012
Lisa Alden has great imagery, character development and plot building finesse. She shows compassion for her characters, yet tenacity to do what has to be done to get through the tough parts of those awkward decisions depicted as life choices.
The author’s love for the dreamer is apparent, and as a reader, I cherished the story like the items cherished and which controlled the plot. As I read on, I hoped with those that had hope, I died a little inside when hope was apparently lost, and I rushed through the story faster to find hope again. The mystery, the companionship, the essence of a simple coffee, and how each though possibly mundane on its own…would be the tools that make the extraordinary more believable.
Thank you for the trip on the carousel, the wharf and the froot loops. Why? Cause they are all things that we take for granted and might never see the same again.
Admittedly I put down the book twice; both times it was from sheer exhaustion, and need to get to work in the morning.
When a person reads a little fantasy they hope to find something magical and they in fact, wish for hope. Well readers, there is some in here… but I won’t spoil the story for you, because you are going to have to read to see what it takes to make things right… or can one make it right?
Simply put. There are some plot twists, there are some timelines that are important to follow, and if you aren't good at that kind of math, you might (just might) feel lost, but honestly, I like the timeline, the storyline, and certainly the plot twists. I found the times of relevance charming and relevant to the magic in which it was intertwined.
I am happy to give this book an A for interesting character development. thank you for not making everyone completely predictable. I hate when reviewers insist on submitting a book report instead of a book review, I am going to be honest, the book is worth it, and entertaining.
I sure do hope there is another in the works. Other storylines were placed nicely for other books, can't wait to hear about the authors other projects
The author’s love for the dreamer is apparent, and as a reader, I cherished the story like the items cherished and which controlled the plot. As I read on, I hoped with those that had hope, I died a little inside when hope was apparently lost, and I rushed through the story faster to find hope again. The mystery, the companionship, the essence of a simple coffee, and how each though possibly mundane on its own…would be the tools that make the extraordinary more believable.
Thank you for the trip on the carousel, the wharf and the froot loops. Why? Cause they are all things that we take for granted and might never see the same again.
Admittedly I put down the book twice; both times it was from sheer exhaustion, and need to get to work in the morning.
When a person reads a little fantasy they hope to find something magical and they in fact, wish for hope. Well readers, there is some in here… but I won’t spoil the story for you, because you are going to have to read to see what it takes to make things right… or can one make it right?
Simply put. There are some plot twists, there are some timelines that are important to follow, and if you aren't good at that kind of math, you might (just might) feel lost, but honestly, I like the timeline, the storyline, and certainly the plot twists. I found the times of relevance charming and relevant to the magic in which it was intertwined.
I am happy to give this book an A for interesting character development. thank you for not making everyone completely predictable. I hate when reviewers insist on submitting a book report instead of a book review, I am going to be honest, the book is worth it, and entertaining.
I sure do hope there is another in the works. Other storylines were placed nicely for other books, can't wait to hear about the authors other projects
January 5, 2013
Linked by Lisa Alden contains an essentially great story. It has action, perhaps a bit of romance, and a whole lot of complications that make the story much more interesting. The downfall was that although the story is fun and interesting, it was also confusing especially throughout the beginning. Of course, this could've been the goal of the author but it was hard for me to follow along and get into it at first. There was a lot of beating around the bush on important topics or hinting towards answers that would've been really simple.
Andra is the typical maturing teen with all of the moods, rashness, and self-consciousness that could be expected. She matures throughout the book and shows both selfishness and selflessness.
The world of Seven is intriguing to say the least, a place that exists within a place hidden from view and waiting for new people to enter. This is a place with magic. The concept of these bracelets being the key to enter and exit this world is pretty awesome. It's a unique and different way for the main character to enter and exit a place, one that makes it difficult for other people to come and go. One thing about this that was kind of a downer was the fact that they had one hour in the morning and at night to spend in this world. I mean, let's be honest. How are you supposed to do anything effective when you have only an hour?
It's a decent read.
Andra is the typical maturing teen with all of the moods, rashness, and self-consciousness that could be expected. She matures throughout the book and shows both selfishness and selflessness.
The world of Seven is intriguing to say the least, a place that exists within a place hidden from view and waiting for new people to enter. This is a place with magic. The concept of these bracelets being the key to enter and exit this world is pretty awesome. It's a unique and different way for the main character to enter and exit a place, one that makes it difficult for other people to come and go. One thing about this that was kind of a downer was the fact that they had one hour in the morning and at night to spend in this world. I mean, let's be honest. How are you supposed to do anything effective when you have only an hour?
It's a decent read.
January 3, 2012
The main character of Linked is a 14 year old girl named Andra. Her parents have left on a cruise, leaving her with her uncle. Bad enough, but her parents will also be missing her birthday. That is tough for a 14 year old! At her birthday dinner with her uncle, Andra comes into possession of a bracelet. The interesting thing about the bracelet is that it transports her into the Seven. Here, she meets some very interesting characters. She only gets to go to the Seven when it is either 7am or 7pm.
Andra ends up trying to solve a mystery that involves both worlds. Through this journey, she finds out what kind of person she is and what strengths that she really has.
I found this book quite interesting. It reminded me of the Skinjacker Trilogy (Everwild, Everfound, Everlost) by Neal Shusterman, which I just adored. Andra was a character that I could really get into and her journey and her discoveries along the way kept the ride going. The author, Lisa Alden, left the ending of the story open to a sequel. I hope there is a sequel, because I really want to see what other situations Andra will get into
Andra ends up trying to solve a mystery that involves both worlds. Through this journey, she finds out what kind of person she is and what strengths that she really has.
I found this book quite interesting. It reminded me of the Skinjacker Trilogy (Everwild, Everfound, Everlost) by Neal Shusterman, which I just adored. Andra was a character that I could really get into and her journey and her discoveries along the way kept the ride going. The author, Lisa Alden, left the ending of the story open to a sequel. I hope there is a sequel, because I really want to see what other situations Andra will get into
January 18, 2012
This is a fascinating book of fantasy, adventure and magic. When Andra’s Uncle Ryan purchases a silver charm bracelet for her to cheer her up because her parents and best friend were not there to celebrate her fourteenth birthday, Andra experiences a magical adventure that compensates her for the absence of her best friend and parents. The main characters I liked were Andra and Joel. Andra is from the real world and Joel is from the Sevens world. Alden masterfully meshes the interactions of the characters from both worlds together and independently. The characters are realistic and the plot has several twists and turns and plenty of action. I enjoyed reading this book and I didn’t put it down until I finished. This is the first Lisa Alden book I’ve read. I know my grandson will enjoy reading this book because he loves fantasy and adventure. Linked will appeal to adults and teens. ( )
August 31, 2022
Andra is having a horrible 14th birthday. She receives a bracelet to help cheer her up, unaware of the true power of the bracelet. Shortly after putting the bracelet on her wrist, Andra finds herself in another world parallel to reality.
After meeting some of the people in this land, and realizing that one of them is a six year old girl missing from reality, Andra's real adventure begins.
I enjoyed this book. It is a sweet book for the teenage reader, and nice light reading for an adult like me. The story line flows easily, and the characters are well thought out. The book brings a few unexpected twists to keep you interested.
I would definitely read a sequel to the story, hopefully on how Andra and Mike help Joel get free from the Seven.
After meeting some of the people in this land, and realizing that one of them is a six year old girl missing from reality, Andra's real adventure begins.
I enjoyed this book. It is a sweet book for the teenage reader, and nice light reading for an adult like me. The story line flows easily, and the characters are well thought out. The book brings a few unexpected twists to keep you interested.
I would definitely read a sequel to the story, hopefully on how Andra and Mike help Joel get free from the Seven.
October 8, 2012
Quick and Dirty:
-The rules to the new world were hard to swallow
-The story setup is forced and not very convincing
-Feels like a setup for a series, one that I won’t be reading
Long and Wordy:
If you want the full story on why I feel this way so you can decide if this book is right for you take a look at one of my blogs...
Tumblr
http://ramplosreviews.tumblr.com/post...
Blogger
http://ramsrevs.blogspot.com/2012/10/...
***I received this book as an ARC, this in no way effected my review.***
-The rules to the new world were hard to swallow
-The story setup is forced and not very convincing
-Feels like a setup for a series, one that I won’t be reading
Long and Wordy:
If you want the full story on why I feel this way so you can decide if this book is right for you take a look at one of my blogs...
Tumblr
http://ramplosreviews.tumblr.com/post...
Blogger
http://ramsrevs.blogspot.com/2012/10/...
***I received this book as an ARC, this in no way effected my review.***
January 11, 2012
The book starts out with the character of Luisa. A fight between her father and her uncle takes place on the ship taking them to their new home. Because of this fight only her cousin and her survive. The book soon switches to the character of Andra who receives this magic bracelet to another world. In this world she meets Joel who helps her navigate this new world. Soon she sees the good and bad of this world that Joel keeps telling her never to come back too.
May 5, 2014
This book is full of magic and adventure. A great combination especially for a young adult book. You travel to a magical place and meet up with some interesting characters and are kept in suspense as to what will happen next. I usually dislike endings that leave me hanging too much but I like this one!
February 13, 2012
A YA fantasy, I read this with one of my girls. She said she liked it, but it got a bit boring near the end. I agree. This is an unusual and interesting storyline, but at times the description was a little too much and the end scenes drug on. Overall an okay YA read.
February 29, 2012
I was impressed with the creativity behind this book but felt like a lot of the story was missing. More details and character development were needed.
August 9, 2012
Really unique storyline and well-written. Hope there'll be a sequel.
September 11, 2012
really liked the book! i would liked the characters to have a bit more depth. Looking forward to the ssepquel!!!
April 26, 2017
Nice YA-Fantasy book. I don't think I'd read it again, but would probably read another book by Lisa. It flowed nicely.
Displaying 1 - 15 of 15 reviews