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The Immortal Descendants #1
Marking Time
This is a previously-published edition - ASIN: B009ZC6666
Seventeen-year-old tagger Saira Elian can handle anything... a mother who mysteriously disappears, a stranger who stalks her around London, and even the noble English Grandmother who kicked Saira and her mother out of the family. But when an old graffiti tag in a tube station transports Saira to the 19th Century and she comes face-to-face with Jack the Ripper, she realizes she needs help after all.
Saira meets Archer, a charming student who helps her blend in as much as a tall, modern American teen can in Victorian England. He reveals the existence of the Immortals: Time, Nature, Fate, War and Death, and explains to Saira that it is possible to move between
centuries – if you are a Descendant of Time.
Saira finds unexpected friendships at a boarding school for Immortal Descendants and a complicated love with a young man from the past. But time is running out for her mother, and Saira must embrace her new identity as she hides from Archer a devastating secret about his future that may cost him his life.
Seventeen-year-old tagger Saira Elian can handle anything... a mother who mysteriously disappears, a stranger who stalks her around London, and even the noble English Grandmother who kicked Saira and her mother out of the family. But when an old graffiti tag in a tube station transports Saira to the 19th Century and she comes face-to-face with Jack the Ripper, she realizes she needs help after all.
Saira meets Archer, a charming student who helps her blend in as much as a tall, modern American teen can in Victorian England. He reveals the existence of the Immortals: Time, Nature, Fate, War and Death, and explains to Saira that it is possible to move between
centuries – if you are a Descendant of Time.
Saira finds unexpected friendships at a boarding school for Immortal Descendants and a complicated love with a young man from the past. But time is running out for her mother, and Saira must embrace her new identity as she hides from Archer a devastating secret about his future that may cost him his life.
443 pages, ebook
First published October 30, 2012
1706 people are currently reading
13734 people want to read
About the author
April White
31 books1,135 followersAPRIL WHITE has been a film producer, private investigator, bouncer, teacher and screenwriter. She has climbed in the Himalayas, survived a shipwreck, and lived on a gold mine in the Yukon. She and her husband share their home in Southern California with two extraordinary boys and a lifetime collection of books.
Her first novel, Marking Time is the 2016 winner of the Library Journal Indie E-Book Award for YA Literature, and all five books in the Immortal Descendants series are on the Amazon Top 100 lists in Time Travel Romance and Historical Fantasy. Code of Conduct is an RWA Vivian Award finalist for romantic suspense, a Next Generation Award finalist for romance, and RONE Award finalist for suspense. And Death's Door is a Grand Prize winner of the Next Generation Award, and a Foreword Reviews Award finalist. More information and her blog can be found at www.aprilwhitebooks.com.
Her first novel, Marking Time is the 2016 winner of the Library Journal Indie E-Book Award for YA Literature, and all five books in the Immortal Descendants series are on the Amazon Top 100 lists in Time Travel Romance and Historical Fantasy. Code of Conduct is an RWA Vivian Award finalist for romantic suspense, a Next Generation Award finalist for romance, and RONE Award finalist for suspense. And Death's Door is a Grand Prize winner of the Next Generation Award, and a Foreword Reviews Award finalist. More information and her blog can be found at www.aprilwhitebooks.com.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 818 reviews
February 21, 2017
➦If you fell in love with a VAMPIRE... That could be problematic, right?
➦So what? Life's a bitch! But, like, you could totally deal with this tiny problem. I mean, no hardship. The dude is HAWT.
➦But what if then, by accident, you sort of, kind of, realize that you can go back in time?
➦Most of you probably figured out by now that I'm reviewing a PNR novel. And it was awesome. The heroine is a clocker - someone who has an ability to travel through time. The books follows her journey of discovery of her abilities and ancestry, amongst many other things.
➦Parallel to all that there's romance blooming between her and a certain guy she meets both in the past and the present. When she meets him in the present he looks very much the same as in the past. Because, surprise! He's a vampire.
➦For those of you who are not huge fans of vamp books - not to worry. There actually isn't much emphasis on vampirism and very few mentionings of feedings and such. The book concentrates more on figuring out why the heroine is being chased by the bad guys and the revealing of secrets along the way.
➦I'm definitely going to continue with the series and recommend it to anyone who likes time travel/shifter books and generally any PNR novels. Do keep in mind that this is YA so you won't find any crazy steam. I'm looking at you, Suzanne Wright fans. ^.^ But if you do enjoy PNR books full of adventures and action do give this one a try! If you enjoy Cassandra Claire's books then you will probably enjoy these as well. :) Happy reading!
May 7, 2021
5 Infinitely Creative, Surprisingly Touching Stars
* * * * *Spoiler Free and It Is FREE!!!
11/18/2016 UPDATE
It is my sincerest wish those who love Romance, YA, and astoundingly strong writing to please take a chance and read this book. Marking Time recently won the 2016 Library Journal Indie Award for YA with these comments from the Journal:
With a solid premise and a fully fleshed-out lead, this fast-paced fantasy thriller will keep readers on the edge of their seats. The exciting twists and turns and slow-burn romance will appeal to many. Oh, and it's Free!
Original Review 2014
It always amazes me how inventive people can be...whether it is something from long ago which we still use today or a new product that is just catching on. We as people come up with ideas and somehow figure out how to make them real.
Writers do this all of the time. They create whole worlds, down to the last details. Some are reflections of our everyday lives and sometimes they create alternate universes that marry real-life history to their stories. Marking Time (The Immortal Descendents #1) by April White is a perfect example of this type of book.
(This is where you should read the blurb, as the author tells her story much better than I could :D)
This is not my usual type of book; however, it kept my complete attention from the first intro to the heart-wrenching end. I never was bored and was always enthralled. It had drama (Jack the Ripper), time travel, vamps, weres, shapeshifters, and more. There was a very sweet first love which caused a lump in my throat at times. All of these factors worked together.
This was such a delightful surprise. It touched me in so many ways; I felt for all of the characters; I was curious even when I thought I figured out some of the plot points. I cared about the girl; those she met and those who loved her.
What really worked was the extreme attention to detail. It was not forced or over the top; it was just part of the story causing you to feel as if you were in old London.
The other part which worked was the humanity; all of the issues we deal with every day were presented in such a way as to bring clarity and vision... to see what is important... how we as people are all the same deep down... we wish to belong and have those around us support and care about us. We need to see through the barriers we put up and open ourselves to the wonders of the world. Our characters learned this.
I hope this is the beginning of a multi-part series... because I, for one, am ready for my next adventure.
Marking Time (The Immortal Descendants, #1)
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
Tempting Fate (The Immortal Descendants #2)
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
Changing Nature (The Immortal Descendants #3)
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
Waging War (The Immortal Descendants #4)
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
Cheating Death (The Immortal Descendants #5)
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
The Immortal Descendants (The Immortal Descendants #1-3) https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/3...
A gifted copy was provided by author/publisher for an honest review.
For more Reviews, Free E-books and Giveaways
* * * * *Spoiler Free and It Is FREE!!!
11/18/2016 UPDATE
It is my sincerest wish those who love Romance, YA, and astoundingly strong writing to please take a chance and read this book. Marking Time recently won the 2016 Library Journal Indie Award for YA with these comments from the Journal:
With a solid premise and a fully fleshed-out lead, this fast-paced fantasy thriller will keep readers on the edge of their seats. The exciting twists and turns and slow-burn romance will appeal to many. Oh, and it's Free!
Original Review 2014
It always amazes me how inventive people can be...whether it is something from long ago which we still use today or a new product that is just catching on. We as people come up with ideas and somehow figure out how to make them real.
Writers do this all of the time. They create whole worlds, down to the last details. Some are reflections of our everyday lives and sometimes they create alternate universes that marry real-life history to their stories. Marking Time (The Immortal Descendents #1) by April White is a perfect example of this type of book.
(This is where you should read the blurb, as the author tells her story much better than I could :D)
This is not my usual type of book; however, it kept my complete attention from the first intro to the heart-wrenching end. I never was bored and was always enthralled. It had drama (Jack the Ripper), time travel, vamps, weres, shapeshifters, and more. There was a very sweet first love which caused a lump in my throat at times. All of these factors worked together.
This was such a delightful surprise. It touched me in so many ways; I felt for all of the characters; I was curious even when I thought I figured out some of the plot points. I cared about the girl; those she met and those who loved her.
What really worked was the extreme attention to detail. It was not forced or over the top; it was just part of the story causing you to feel as if you were in old London.
The other part which worked was the humanity; all of the issues we deal with every day were presented in such a way as to bring clarity and vision... to see what is important... how we as people are all the same deep down... we wish to belong and have those around us support and care about us. We need to see through the barriers we put up and open ourselves to the wonders of the world. Our characters learned this.
I hope this is the beginning of a multi-part series... because I, for one, am ready for my next adventure.
Marking Time (The Immortal Descendants, #1)https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
Tempting Fate (The Immortal Descendants #2)https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
Changing Nature (The Immortal Descendants #3)https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
Waging War (The Immortal Descendants #4) https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
Cheating Death (The Immortal Descendants #5) https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
The Immortal Descendants (The Immortal Descendants #1-3) https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/3... A gifted copy was provided by author/publisher for an honest review.
For more Reviews, Free E-books and Giveaways
December 12, 2016
4 stars!
“I loved history, any kind of history, and even better if it was hidden, secret, or underground.”
You know you enjoyed a book when you made an entire pinterest board inspired by it. And I don't even use pinterest very often, so there.
Marking Time is a book my friend Wendy told me to read AGES ago and I always meant to. Then my friend Cyndi told me to read it. Then I met April herself (who is lovely). Then Penny Reid also recommended it. And yet I waited:
SO I FINALLY READ IT!!!! Thanks for the recs ladies!!! And it was wonderful!
Marking Time is about a teenage girl named Saira who discovers she has the ability to travel through time when she time travels to London in the time of Jack the Ripper. Thus begins a race to find her mother and save her before it's too late. Along the way Saira meets the enchanting Archer, a student, who explains the Immortal families to her and Saira discovers some shocking truths about who she really is.
“Then my rescuer turned to look at me and I felt his eyes reach right down into my guts and tangle them up in knots. With that look I knew I'd jumped straight from the kettle into the fire.”
My undergraduate degree is in general history and something that bugs me a lot of the time in books with historical aspects is when facts are not correct (even though I don't really use that degree anymore). So I was blown away by the amount of research White must have done for this book because there was not one single moment where I thought to myself "this would have never happened". NOT ONCE. I mean, it is a fantasy book so of course not everything is realistic. But on the historical details she nailed it.
I really enjoyed this book, it was so refreshing to read something unique and original. It's not quite a YA book despite being a young adult, and it's not quite a romance novel despite there being a sweet romantic storyline that made me smile. What you get is an action packed adventure story that you won't ever forget. I also love the potential this series has and cannot wait to pick up the other books and read them.
I think taking forever to read this book worked out in my favor a bit as the fifth book releases soon so I can read them all at once. It's another reason YOU should pick up this book. AND this book is FREE on amazon. So what are you waiting for?
“'Perhaps your friendship with your mother is just shifting to something more… adult.' That felt like a huge responsibility. If I forgave my mother for hiding the truth from me, then I had to totally own my part in our relationship. I couldn’t play the little girl anymore. I couldn’t hide behind her authority and rules and then get mad when they didn’t fit. I’d have to make my own choices and take charge of my own well-being. It’s one thing to say ‘I’m old enough to make my own rules’ and it’s a totally different thing to make the right ones. And live by them.”
“I loved history, any kind of history, and even better if it was hidden, secret, or underground.”
You know you enjoyed a book when you made an entire pinterest board inspired by it. And I don't even use pinterest very often, so there.
Marking Time is a book my friend Wendy told me to read AGES ago and I always meant to. Then my friend Cyndi told me to read it. Then I met April herself (who is lovely). Then Penny Reid also recommended it. And yet I waited:
SO I FINALLY READ IT!!!! Thanks for the recs ladies!!! And it was wonderful!
Marking Time is about a teenage girl named Saira who discovers she has the ability to travel through time when she time travels to London in the time of Jack the Ripper. Thus begins a race to find her mother and save her before it's too late. Along the way Saira meets the enchanting Archer, a student, who explains the Immortal families to her and Saira discovers some shocking truths about who she really is.
“Then my rescuer turned to look at me and I felt his eyes reach right down into my guts and tangle them up in knots. With that look I knew I'd jumped straight from the kettle into the fire.”
My undergraduate degree is in general history and something that bugs me a lot of the time in books with historical aspects is when facts are not correct (even though I don't really use that degree anymore). So I was blown away by the amount of research White must have done for this book because there was not one single moment where I thought to myself "this would have never happened". NOT ONCE. I mean, it is a fantasy book so of course not everything is realistic. But on the historical details she nailed it.
I really enjoyed this book, it was so refreshing to read something unique and original. It's not quite a YA book despite being a young adult, and it's not quite a romance novel despite there being a sweet romantic storyline that made me smile. What you get is an action packed adventure story that you won't ever forget. I also love the potential this series has and cannot wait to pick up the other books and read them.
I think taking forever to read this book worked out in my favor a bit as the fifth book releases soon so I can read them all at once. It's another reason YOU should pick up this book. AND this book is FREE on amazon. So what are you waiting for?
“'Perhaps your friendship with your mother is just shifting to something more… adult.' That felt like a huge responsibility. If I forgave my mother for hiding the truth from me, then I had to totally own my part in our relationship. I couldn’t play the little girl anymore. I couldn’t hide behind her authority and rules and then get mad when they didn’t fit. I’d have to make my own choices and take charge of my own well-being. It’s one thing to say ‘I’m old enough to make my own rules’ and it’s a totally different thing to make the right ones. And live by them.”
September 6, 2019
9/6/19 Kindle version free!
Great story, great writing, great characters!
I really enjoyed this one. Wanted to keep reading, but also didn't want to come to the end. I love the MC. She's tough but caring, she has believable doubts and fears. There's a bit of romance, but it develops organically for the MC. LOVE. LOVE. LOVE. And this is coming from someone who typically doesn't like the "immortals" premise, or typically vampire plots. The "immortal descendants" here are not immortal themselves. And although there are some vampires here (done very well, IMO) it's not a typical UF vampire hunting type story.
I listened to the audiobook, and the narrator did a very good job. I'm bummed the next two aren't (yet?!) available via Audible.
And, it's still FREE for Kindle.
2/26/15 free for Kindle, $1.99 for Audible when own Kindle.
Great story, great writing, great characters!
I really enjoyed this one. Wanted to keep reading, but also didn't want to come to the end. I love the MC. She's tough but caring, she has believable doubts and fears. There's a bit of romance, but it develops organically for the MC. LOVE. LOVE. LOVE. And this is coming from someone who typically doesn't like the "immortals" premise, or typically vampire plots. The "immortal descendants" here are not immortal themselves. And although there are some vampires here (done very well, IMO) it's not a typical UF vampire hunting type story.
I listened to the audiobook, and the narrator did a very good job. I'm bummed the next two aren't (yet?!) available via Audible.
And, it's still FREE for Kindle.
2/26/15 free for Kindle, $1.99 for Audible when own Kindle.
October 26, 2023
Amazon says there are 10,000 people with Marking Time on their TBR. If you're one of them, go grab it today while it's FREE!
https://amzn.to/3GJO3e2
May 3, 2020
** Winner of the 2016 Library Journal Indie E-Book Award - YA **
The entire series is free to read in kindle unlimited for the next couple of months.
Amazon US: https://amzn.to/2yc9Lq9
Also available on Audible and Audible Romance: https://amzn.to/2Ss7P1w
December 6, 2015
I give this book 5+++++ but If I could I'd give it10 stars +++++
MS White, I salute you for creating such perfection!
It is probably a little early to say this but this is my favourite book of 2014 so far!!
I've just finished this book and I'm blown away by how good this YA book is. I got this book because it was free and had lots of good ratings on Amazon so I thought,' what the hell, I might as well give it a go' and I'm so glade I did. This is the kind of book that sinks its claws into you very slowly at the beginning and then quickly gets under your skin and never lets go. I stayed up all night trying to finish it.
In my experience, YA book aren't usually that great but every now and then you'll stumble across a real gem and this book was one of them.
In order to do this book justice I'll need to take a breather and just let everything sink in....
*Review to be continued*
MS White, I salute you for creating such perfection!
It is probably a little early to say this but this is my favourite book of 2014 so far!!
I've just finished this book and I'm blown away by how good this YA book is. I got this book because it was free and had lots of good ratings on Amazon so I thought,' what the hell, I might as well give it a go' and I'm so glade I did. This is the kind of book that sinks its claws into you very slowly at the beginning and then quickly gets under your skin and never lets go. I stayed up all night trying to finish it.
In my experience, YA book aren't usually that great but every now and then you'll stumble across a real gem and this book was one of them.
In order to do this book justice I'll need to take a breather and just let everything sink in....
*Review to be continued*
September 30, 2014
**UPDATE**
I forgot how amazing these characters were.. And now I'm super excited for Tempting Fate!!
*****
I absolutely LOVED this book.
I was a bit skeptical at first because I'm not a huge fan of time travel, but BOY am I glad I read it!
This book was actually recommended to me by a friend, and it was free on my Kindle, so why not?
The characters were kick-butt, the story was captivating, and the history was right on point and accurate.
All in all, this is a must-read book. If you're waiting for the next book of a series to come out, definitely check this one out. I seriously CANNOT wait for the next.
April White, props to you. You just got me addicted to time travel (:
I forgot how amazing these characters were.. And now I'm super excited for Tempting Fate!!
*****
I absolutely LOVED this book.
I was a bit skeptical at first because I'm not a huge fan of time travel, but BOY am I glad I read it!
This book was actually recommended to me by a friend, and it was free on my Kindle, so why not?
The characters were kick-butt, the story was captivating, and the history was right on point and accurate.
All in all, this is a must-read book. If you're waiting for the next book of a series to come out, definitely check this one out. I seriously CANNOT wait for the next.
April White, props to you. You just got me addicted to time travel (:
February 6, 2013
After reading this book, I feel like I need to go back and change all the other reviews I've given. This 5 star makes my other 5 stars feel like they should really only be 4. I enjoyed this book so much. It pulled me in and wouldn't let go. I know, I know - so many people say these things about books, you don't know whether to believe them or not anymore. Let me just say this - I was reading this yesterday in the laundry room and got so into the book, I literally forgot where I was until it got quiet and I realized that my dryer had gone off. Then last night I was reading some more and when I looked over at my phone, I was shocked to see that it was 1:45 in the morning - and I had to force myself to put the book away until today.
I really felt a strong attachment to the main character (Saira) - I too have felt like a loner most of my life, like I didn't fit in, like I couldn't trust others. I have had lots of friends, but none that I let get real close to me. At first I didn't like her (in the first two chapters), but then I realized it was the part of me that I didn't like and not her.
I feel like the other characters were well written as well and want to find out more about all of them. I even liked the way they had the Jack the Ripper story going through the story and connected it all in the end.
My favorite character is the modern day Bishop that she met (Bishop Cleary) and the only thing I didn't like about the story is that we never found out if he was ok, what happened to him. (I liked the way he explained the church to her. Very interesting way to look at it.)
And I will warn you - the last 25% of the book (if not more) is pure adrenaline. I caught myself holding my breath as things went on around her and was shocked by other things. I definitely recommend it. :)
Great job, Ms White. I look forward to reading more of your books.
(I have posted the same review on Amazon.)
I really felt a strong attachment to the main character (Saira) - I too have felt like a loner most of my life, like I didn't fit in, like I couldn't trust others. I have had lots of friends, but none that I let get real close to me. At first I didn't like her (in the first two chapters), but then I realized it was the part of me that I didn't like and not her.
I feel like the other characters were well written as well and want to find out more about all of them. I even liked the way they had the Jack the Ripper story going through the story and connected it all in the end.
My favorite character is the modern day Bishop that she met (Bishop Cleary) and the only thing I didn't like about the story is that we never found out if he was ok, what happened to him. (I liked the way he explained the church to her. Very interesting way to look at it.)
And I will warn you - the last 25% of the book (if not more) is pure adrenaline. I caught myself holding my breath as things went on around her and was shocked by other things. I definitely recommend it. :)
Great job, Ms White. I look forward to reading more of your books.
(I have posted the same review on Amazon.)
November 13, 2012
I was hooked from the first chapter of Marking Time. Despite a seventeen-year-old heroine, this book isn’t just for YA readers. Saira Elian is smart and capable, with enough sarcasm in her voice to keep her real. She’s been self-sufficient so long she’s never learned to ask for help – until her whole world turns upside down with her mother’s disappearance, and she discovers she’s from a long line of time travelers. I loved her journey from over-confidence, through the total breakdown of everything she thought she knew. And the thing she’s finally able to accept is that she doesn’t have to take that journey alone.
Her introduction to Archer in Victorian London is fantastic, and the evolution of their friendship has just the right amount of “two-steps-forward, one-step-back” to keep me totally invested in them. I love Saira’s friends at the school for Immortal Descendants, and I want nothing more than to go free-running through London with Ringo.
April White has written a fresh take on the idea that Time, Nature, Fate, War and Death are immortals, and their Descendants have hereditary traits that make them special among ordinary humans. And the greater story of politics and prejudices among the various Families is a believable framework for Saira’s journey to find her mother and discover herself in the process.
Marking Time has just the right amount of fantasy, magic, adventure, romance and thrills that it’s on my “must recommend” book to young adult and adult readers alike.
Her introduction to Archer in Victorian London is fantastic, and the evolution of their friendship has just the right amount of “two-steps-forward, one-step-back” to keep me totally invested in them. I love Saira’s friends at the school for Immortal Descendants, and I want nothing more than to go free-running through London with Ringo.
April White has written a fresh take on the idea that Time, Nature, Fate, War and Death are immortals, and their Descendants have hereditary traits that make them special among ordinary humans. And the greater story of politics and prejudices among the various Families is a believable framework for Saira’s journey to find her mother and discover herself in the process.
Marking Time has just the right amount of fantasy, magic, adventure, romance and thrills that it’s on my “must recommend” book to young adult and adult readers alike.
March 24, 2013
All I can say is.....WOW! I was extremely impressed with this debut novel by April White. Although this book hides behind a guise of a time traveller book, it's soooo much more than that. It has evil warmongers and seers and vampires and time travellers and a plot that will twist you and pull you in a bunch of different directions, tying you in knots. None of the subtle clues in this book get ignored in the end, and the author pulls them together masterfully to bring everything together in what is a subtly complex plot that will leave you excited and happy and cringing a little at the end. Although I took off a star for some nitpicky bits of repetition in the writing that grated on me a little, I wasn't at all disappointed with this read. Personally, I'd say this is an AWESOME book for lovers of The Infernal Devices by Cassandra Clare.
July 17, 2015
Not really sure how to express my thoughts on this one. I had a few problems with it, although it wasn't outwardly terrible. The MC was just too smart and self-assured and insightful (I know that sounds weird. Sorry). She would meet other characters for the first time and decide within two sentences that she liked them. And then those characters would just go along with whatever weirdness was happening and offer her help. From her Seer friends, she would find out things about the future and then later remember what she found out, and change what she was doing to fit, even though she wanted to take her fate into her own hands. I didn't care for the romance. Boring.
Lots of people loved this one, but it was a dull read for me.
Lots of people loved this one, but it was a dull read for me.
December 13, 2015
3.25 stars
This was a fun and enjoyable book that is free on Kindle! I would describe it as a more mature Percy Jackson series + a little bit of Harry Potter + time travel + Jack the Ripper. Awesome, right? And as my first free Kindle book (not counting library checkouts of regular Kindle books, which is how I do most of my reading), I was definitely pleasantly surprised.
I thought it started off better than it finished. I was very quickly intrigued by the concept and mysteries. Unfortunately, many of the answers to those mysteries became obvious to me very quickly. Even most of the ones I couldn't guess ended up not having very unexpected conclusions.
While the middle of the book was filled with miscellaneous information about botany and school drama, the world building left a fair amount to be desired. Many of my questions regarding time travel and the other supernatural powers weren't answered to my satisfaction. As well as other things, like are there Descendant families outside of England? Hopefully, the sequels will address some of those points.
The ending seemed rushed to me.
I liked the main character quite a bit, although I thought she ran away from her problems far too often. The rest of the cast of characters was also nice. I particularly liked Ringo. I felt things were a little instalove-y in parts, but not too bad for this genre.
I liked the tone a lot. It had kind of a timeless sense to it, which obviously went well with the premise. It was much more mature in some undefinable way than I'm used to with YA. However, the content was not, and I did find some elements of this book to be a bit cliche and reminiscent of other YA supernatural books. Some themes and issues were addressed pretty simplistically, like one whole group of Descendants being portrayed as all bad.
The writing was decently good. Unfortunately, the editing was not. There was at least one massive editing failure, which left me quite confused. Some things weren't super clear, some parts could have used more explanation and description, and some plot points could have been thought out better.
I actually liked that the author didn't draw very directly from mythology (that I'm aware of anyway) for her inspiration. I like mythology-based books as well, but I've read a lot of them recently, and the original content made this one unique.
All in all, I liked reading it. It was a promising first book in many ways, although there are many elements upon which I hope the sequels improve. For one, I hope the time travel is used a bit more originally in the future (I find Jack the Ripper to be overdone). I do hope to get to those sequels, but with so many books vying for my attention, I'm not sure how soon that will be.
This was a fun and enjoyable book that is free on Kindle! I would describe it as a more mature Percy Jackson series + a little bit of Harry Potter + time travel + Jack the Ripper. Awesome, right? And as my first free Kindle book (not counting library checkouts of regular Kindle books, which is how I do most of my reading), I was definitely pleasantly surprised.
I thought it started off better than it finished. I was very quickly intrigued by the concept and mysteries. Unfortunately, many of the answers to those mysteries became obvious to me very quickly. Even most of the ones I couldn't guess ended up not having very unexpected conclusions.
While the middle of the book was filled with miscellaneous information about botany and school drama, the world building left a fair amount to be desired. Many of my questions regarding time travel and the other supernatural powers weren't answered to my satisfaction. As well as other things, like are there Descendant families outside of England? Hopefully, the sequels will address some of those points.
The ending seemed rushed to me.
I liked the main character quite a bit, although I thought she ran away from her problems far too often. The rest of the cast of characters was also nice. I particularly liked Ringo. I felt things were a little instalove-y in parts, but not too bad for this genre.
I liked the tone a lot. It had kind of a timeless sense to it, which obviously went well with the premise. It was much more mature in some undefinable way than I'm used to with YA. However, the content was not, and I did find some elements of this book to be a bit cliche and reminiscent of other YA supernatural books. Some themes and issues were addressed pretty simplistically, like one whole group of Descendants being portrayed as all bad.
The writing was decently good. Unfortunately, the editing was not. There was at least one massive editing failure, which left me quite confused. Some things weren't super clear, some parts could have used more explanation and description, and some plot points could have been thought out better.
I actually liked that the author didn't draw very directly from mythology (that I'm aware of anyway) for her inspiration. I like mythology-based books as well, but I've read a lot of them recently, and the original content made this one unique.
All in all, I liked reading it. It was a promising first book in many ways, although there are many elements upon which I hope the sequels improve. For one, I hope the time travel is used a bit more originally in the future (I find Jack the Ripper to be overdone). I do hope to get to those sequels, but with so many books vying for my attention, I'm not sure how soon that will be.
July 28, 2013
4.5/5
Marking Time caught me completely by surprise. Not only this is an excellent time travel story, it's a wonderful paranormal YA, and I'm not reading many of them these days because frankly I keep getting disappointed in young adult genre in general.
But never fear, my deals. Marking Time will deliver a spunky, serious and very sensible young heroine, a lot of adventures and a pretty believable story of attraction.
Saira is a tough 17-year old, practicing free-running and tagging when she gets into trouble while her mom does her usual disappearing act, and to avoid social services Saira gets shipped to her grandmother to England.
She is pursued by mysterious villains, saved by a slick young man and accidentally tumbles back in time of Victorian London right into a path of Jack The Ripper where she meets the same young man, Archer.
So this is how this complex and convoluted story starts. Like with all time travel stories, every step back in past will change your present and augment everyone's feelings and memories. Add to it that Saira finds out that she is a descendant of Time and is stuck in a school for all Descendants, she meets seers, warmongers, shifters and vampires... friends and enemies in past and present, she also needs to unravel old secrets and find her mother who is stuck in Victorian London and for some reason can't return... and your head will start to go dizzy.
Marking Time is a pretty non-stop action story with a formidable heroine and a fab host of secondary characters. The attraction between Saira and Archer is believable, and what really made me enjoy this book is that nothing is over the top dramatic, and that Saira is a very sensible rational heroine who keeps saving everyone not because she is super talented and super special but because of her very quick thinking and an ability to work as a part of a team of loyal friends.
I greatly enjoyed this book and very much recommend it!
Marking Time caught me completely by surprise. Not only this is an excellent time travel story, it's a wonderful paranormal YA, and I'm not reading many of them these days because frankly I keep getting disappointed in young adult genre in general.
But never fear, my deals. Marking Time will deliver a spunky, serious and very sensible young heroine, a lot of adventures and a pretty believable story of attraction.
Saira is a tough 17-year old, practicing free-running and tagging when she gets into trouble while her mom does her usual disappearing act, and to avoid social services Saira gets shipped to her grandmother to England.
She is pursued by mysterious villains, saved by a slick young man and accidentally tumbles back in time of Victorian London right into a path of Jack The Ripper where she meets the same young man, Archer.
So this is how this complex and convoluted story starts. Like with all time travel stories, every step back in past will change your present and augment everyone's feelings and memories. Add to it that Saira finds out that she is a descendant of Time and is stuck in a school for all Descendants, she meets seers, warmongers, shifters and vampires... friends and enemies in past and present, she also needs to unravel old secrets and find her mother who is stuck in Victorian London and for some reason can't return... and your head will start to go dizzy.
Marking Time is a pretty non-stop action story with a formidable heroine and a fab host of secondary characters. The attraction between Saira and Archer is believable, and what really made me enjoy this book is that nothing is over the top dramatic, and that Saira is a very sensible rational heroine who keeps saving everyone not because she is super talented and super special but because of her very quick thinking and an ability to work as a part of a team of loyal friends.
I greatly enjoyed this book and very much recommend it!
November 2, 2013
I have been reading romance novels for the past year (and for the most part loving it) that I seemed to have forgotten that there are other genres out there. It was through the happy coincidence of being in the same virtual book club with April White that I discovered this book. After reading (and liking) her smart and very often witty comments I had a feeling I wanted to discover more of what April had to say. Boy am I glad I did.
This book deals with time travel, a magical school, first love, family issues, vampires, shifters, werewolves, but most importantly overall awesomeness. I just loved the characters and found myself instantly drawn in to the story line.
While this is my first time travel book, I've read others with magical schools and vampires, and what I liked most about Marking Time was that I found it to be completely original. I was absolutely blown away world April created. While it definitely takes skill to write a well written love story, it takes an enormous amount of creativity to create a whole new magical world, and this is what this series does. I am in awe.
I'm beyond happy I read this book as I've found a new favorite and am very much looking forward to the next book in the series.
This book deals with time travel, a magical school, first love, family issues, vampires, shifters, werewolves, but most importantly overall awesomeness. I just loved the characters and found myself instantly drawn in to the story line.
While this is my first time travel book, I've read others with magical schools and vampires, and what I liked most about Marking Time was that I found it to be completely original. I was absolutely blown away world April created. While it definitely takes skill to write a well written love story, it takes an enormous amount of creativity to create a whole new magical world, and this is what this series does. I am in awe.
I'm beyond happy I read this book as I've found a new favorite and am very much looking forward to the next book in the series.
August 27, 2018
🌟🌟🌟🌟·5 Re-Read but still loved it Stars
Phew! This was a relief, i read this book a few years ago and was worried about revisiting it, but Huzzah! I still loved this book.
This little cracker of a book can be found free on Kindle, and thats exactly how i found it last time, this time i listened to it.
Saira is a young girl that hasn't really had the best upbringing, moved around from pillar to post her mother disappears, nothing new, she does that for days or even weeks at a time, and Saira can look after herself.
As a freerunner Saira loves the freedom of the city, and often leaves her "tag" in places she has stopped at, unfortunately this time she gets caught by the cops, and with her mother not there, she gets shipped off to stay with her Grandmother in London, who isn't best pleased to see her, considering she threw Saira's mother out.
Meeting new people and travelling around London is a new experience for Saira, and being chased by a strange man calling her "Clocker" has her hiding in a tube station.
She notices an old "tag" there and puts her fingers on it to trace and admire it.......big mistake!
Turns out that Saira is a Clocker, someone who can travel through time, and she finds herself in 1888 and being chased by no other than Jack the Ripper, and she's sure she also spotted her mother at some point!
Finding her way back to present day she learns the family history, and also that things like Werewolves, Shifters and Seers exist!
Oh and she also meets Archer, who is a vampire!
For someone who is not a Paranormal fan i was truly engaged in this story, even though it had vampires and wolves in it, it didn't focus on the "magicky" part of it, if that makes sense.
It's like a Harry Potter meets Oliver Twist meets the White Chapel murders!
🎧🎧 Narrated by Gemma Barrett who is a new to me narrator.
Fantastic narration and such a good story, give it a try, it's free on Kindle, what have you got to lose?
Happy reading
Vicci
OLD REVIEW FORM 2014
4•5☆
So before I read this book if I had known it contained vampires and shape shifters I would have put it back on the shelf, tapped it in a cute puppy kind of way and said "no thanks"
Thank goodness I didn't as I loved it!!
Vamps, shape shifters, time travel .......and let's throw in a little Jack the Ripper just to mix things up a bit !!! What more could you ask for ??
Phew! This was a relief, i read this book a few years ago and was worried about revisiting it, but Huzzah! I still loved this book.
This little cracker of a book can be found free on Kindle, and thats exactly how i found it last time, this time i listened to it.
Saira is a young girl that hasn't really had the best upbringing, moved around from pillar to post her mother disappears, nothing new, she does that for days or even weeks at a time, and Saira can look after herself.
As a freerunner Saira loves the freedom of the city, and often leaves her "tag" in places she has stopped at, unfortunately this time she gets caught by the cops, and with her mother not there, she gets shipped off to stay with her Grandmother in London, who isn't best pleased to see her, considering she threw Saira's mother out.
Meeting new people and travelling around London is a new experience for Saira, and being chased by a strange man calling her "Clocker" has her hiding in a tube station.
She notices an old "tag" there and puts her fingers on it to trace and admire it.......big mistake!
Turns out that Saira is a Clocker, someone who can travel through time, and she finds herself in 1888 and being chased by no other than Jack the Ripper, and she's sure she also spotted her mother at some point!
Finding her way back to present day she learns the family history, and also that things like Werewolves, Shifters and Seers exist!
Oh and she also meets Archer, who is a vampire!
For someone who is not a Paranormal fan i was truly engaged in this story, even though it had vampires and wolves in it, it didn't focus on the "magicky" part of it, if that makes sense.
It's like a Harry Potter meets Oliver Twist meets the White Chapel murders!
🎧🎧 Narrated by Gemma Barrett who is a new to me narrator.
Fantastic narration and such a good story, give it a try, it's free on Kindle, what have you got to lose?
Happy reading
Vicci
OLD REVIEW FORM 2014
4•5☆
So before I read this book if I had known it contained vampires and shape shifters I would have put it back on the shelf, tapped it in a cute puppy kind of way and said "no thanks"
Thank goodness I didn't as I loved it!!
Vamps, shape shifters, time travel .......and let's throw in a little Jack the Ripper just to mix things up a bit !!! What more could you ask for ??
January 28, 2013
This review can also be found on Amazon.com
This review contains NO SPOILERS.
The book Marking Time is a wonderfully written book in the series "The Immoral Descendants". It is a very nice change from the popular YA books currently. It it has great character development and it grabs your from the very first page. I found that I could not put it down. In this book not a detail is ever forgotten. If something that seems small is mentioned, even as a side note, you will often find in this book that it will be brought back later as a bigger theme. I also often found that even when you are given insight from another character, the book will keep you guessing at ever turn of a page. Something that you thought you had predicted will not play out as it seemed it would. This book will stretch your mind to it's limit as it bends time, and physical limitations. If you are looking for a great book that you will fall in love with and will leave you wanting more this is most certainly the book for you.
This review contains NO SPOILERS.
The book Marking Time is a wonderfully written book in the series "The Immoral Descendants". It is a very nice change from the popular YA books currently. It it has great character development and it grabs your from the very first page. I found that I could not put it down. In this book not a detail is ever forgotten. If something that seems small is mentioned, even as a side note, you will often find in this book that it will be brought back later as a bigger theme. I also often found that even when you are given insight from another character, the book will keep you guessing at ever turn of a page. Something that you thought you had predicted will not play out as it seemed it would. This book will stretch your mind to it's limit as it bends time, and physical limitations. If you are looking for a great book that you will fall in love with and will leave you wanting more this is most certainly the book for you.
February 2, 2013
THIS BOOK WAS SO GREAT I MADE A VIDEO REVIEW OF IT ON AMAZON, which is totally unlike me. April White is a freaking genius, and this book is quite original if I do say so myself. I was blind sighted by a few things that as an experienced reader, I thought I was clever enough to pick up on. I could not put Marking Time down. It killed me that I was at my swim meet and I couldn't bring my Macbook to read it. Read if you like fantasy, supernatural, mystery, romance, history, or anything. This book would be very hard to just like, let alone not like. If you liked Harry Potter, The Mortal Instruments, Pretty Little Liars, The Lying Game, The Luxe Series, Percy Jackson, Blue Bloods, Bright Young Things, or The Uglies books, then I think you will throughly enjoy this book. If you are having doubts, read it anyways b/c I did, and nearly everyone else who has read this doubted it too, and they all loved it.
July 2, 2017
I have to preface this by saying that this is not my usual kind of book. I never venture too far from contemporary romance. April White has just changed that. Her writing is sharp, intelligent, and touching. I connected with all the characters, including seventeen-year-old Saira. She's a time-traveler, way cooler than I could ever hope to be, and I desperately wanted to be in her world, experiencing everything along with her.
But she's not the only one I fell in love with. Archer had me from the first time he was on the page. He's just... I can't really put it into words. Swoon worthy. A great, great man. Unapologetic about his feelings. I felt what he did and I loved watching his relationship with Saira unfold.
The supporting characters are amazing. They aren't just floating around in the background. I want to be friends with Adam, Ava, Olivia, and Connor. It didn't matter that they are young. All of them were so real. It didn't take long for me to feel as if I knew them.
The plot twists and turns, and the history is fascinating. I couldn't stop turning the pages. I'm so excited to read more of the series.
There's no excuse not to try this book. It's FREE. Get it now. You won't be disappointed, though you might have some rough mornings from staying up so late reading!
But she's not the only one I fell in love with. Archer had me from the first time he was on the page. He's just... I can't really put it into words. Swoon worthy. A great, great man. Unapologetic about his feelings. I felt what he did and I loved watching his relationship with Saira unfold.
The supporting characters are amazing. They aren't just floating around in the background. I want to be friends with Adam, Ava, Olivia, and Connor. It didn't matter that they are young. All of them were so real. It didn't take long for me to feel as if I knew them.
The plot twists and turns, and the history is fascinating. I couldn't stop turning the pages. I'm so excited to read more of the series.
There's no excuse not to try this book. It's FREE. Get it now. You won't be disappointed, though you might have some rough mornings from staying up so late reading!
June 13, 2016
I liked this story more than I thought I would. I thought because of the age of the main character, Saira, it would be a young adult book, but for me it was more like an adult version of Harry Potter with a twist. The school Saira finds her way to, to finally realize all of her abilities, has others who have different powers past down from the original immortals. She as a traveler is a rarity and because of this there is an undercover group waging a silent war against her. With the help of a few unexpected friends, past and present, she must change her mothers fate and save her from the hands of Jack the Ripper.
March 19, 2013
Ingredients:
-2 cups of awesome characters
-1 teaspoon of comedy
-5 gallons of adventure
-a pinch of romance
Instructions:
This is an awesome book, there is no doubt about it. Pour all ingredients into a bowl and stir till evenly settled. Bake for half an hour and you have this novel, called "Marking Time"! It is fabricated with history and fun to read any day of the year, and at anytime of the day. You will soon be indulged by the story line and just relax and brace yourself secrets and discoveries at every corner. 5 stars!!!!
-2 cups of awesome characters
-1 teaspoon of comedy
-5 gallons of adventure
-a pinch of romance
Instructions:
This is an awesome book, there is no doubt about it. Pour all ingredients into a bowl and stir till evenly settled. Bake for half an hour and you have this novel, called "Marking Time"! It is fabricated with history and fun to read any day of the year, and at anytime of the day. You will soon be indulged by the story line and just relax and brace yourself secrets and discoveries at every corner. 5 stars!!!!
January 22, 2013
Marking Time is one of the best books I’ve ever read. Ever. Seeing as this comes from the girl who averages between 150 and 200 books read a year, that’s saying something. April White has a remarkable talent for creating strong, realistic characters, amazing fantasy settings and intriguing, surprising plots. Needless to say I’m more than a little amazed by the author’s ability to combine all three of these elements into one book. I read Marking Time in about three days, in the middle of university exams, so that’s saying something. I longed for my breaks simply because I wanted to read this gem.
Our main character, Saira Eilan has it tough. Her mother vanished into thin air, but that’s not what she’s worried about, since her Mom happens to do this approximately every two years. No, she’s worried about a strange fellow chasing her around while she’s exploring the catacombs underneath Vienna. She’s worried about the strange but somehow familiar symbol she finds there. As a tagger and free-runner, the city has been her playground for years, but in one night, it turns into a jungle, and she becomes the prey. When she runs into the police who takes her home only to find her home ransacked, her Mom nowhere in sight, she knows she’s running out of luck. The only way to escape child protective services is to hang out with her grandmother, a woman she barely knows and who kicked her Mom out while she was pregnant.
Traveling to London brings more secrets than answers for Saira. Not only does she discover her family is filthy rich and lives in one of the most gigantic old mansions she’s ever seen, she also finds out she’s different than she could ever imagine. When the same guys who chased her in Vienna turn up in London, she barely escapes with the help of a handsome stranger who introduces himself as Archer and claims he’s no stranger at all. But even with Archer’s help, Saira runs into the wrong crowd again, and this time she ends up in London…in 1888. The London of Jack The Ripper, a terrifying, gloomy version of the London she’s come to know. Having no clue what’s going on, Saira bumps into Archer again. Except he’s now Archer in this time, in the nineteenth century, and he has no clue who she is or what she’s doing this far away from home. What’s even worse is that, just before she managed to travel back to the present using a strange marking on the wall, she sees her Mom, dressed like a proper Victorian lady.
For Saira, the secrets pile up, burying her underneath. Who is she? Why can she travel to the past? She hopes to find answers with her family, but is instead sent to an Academy for Immortals, where she meets two Seers who can see into the future, and can instantly predict they’ll be friends. She also meets a friendly teacher, Mr. Shaw, who can transmorph into a bear. And at the academy, she reunites with Archer, now a Vampire, who’s been waiting for her since they first met in London 1888.
But if Saira wants to rescue her mother, who is being held captive in the folds of time, she’ll have to find a way to travel back in time and meet an ancient evil. But doing so may risk Archer’s life, and the lives of her new-found friends.
As you can see even from the brief synopsis I tried to give, this book is long. Long and complicated, and kick-ass awesome. Let’s start by taking a look at the main character, Saira, who isn’t your typical girl. She prefers to stay as far away from others as possible, mostly keeping to herself. It’s been her and her Mom against the world for as long as she can remember, yet she adapts quickly when necessary. She’s witty and sarcastic but not in an over-the-top way. She’s brave, but not foolish, and she’s intelligent enough to figure out what’s going on. She accepts she’s traveled back in time the moment actual proof is given, which to be was a big bonus. Nothing worse than a character complaining about their powers and how this can’t be happening when they have heaps of proof it is happening. All this together makes Saira quite unique, a refreshing, well-developed, multi-dimensional character I would love to read more than one book about.
Secondly, the other cast of characters. Archer was amazing, except I would’ve liked him to have a bit more backbone. I mean, he loves Saira, and tells her. Great. But I expected, if we went back in history, to see more explanation for this. Of course I understand he liked her back then, but it takes a lot to keep on loving someone for over a hundred years, so I would’ve liked a bit more explanation there, or a bit more love. Anyway, apart from that, Archer totally ruled. As a human in 1888, he’s your typical charming gentleman who blushes when he thinks about sleeping in one room with a girl. In the present, he’s a bit more badass, and I liked the constract. It’s not often that we see a book portraying the changes a human goes through when turning into a Vampire, and what hundred years can do to one’s personality and beliefs. I loved this addition here.
Then there’s Adam. All right, I have to admit, I was kind of cheering for Adam and Saira to end up together. But hey, more books, more hope. Adam is a bit arrogant, a bit cocky, but all in all, a good guy. He knows he’s good looking and charmin and isn’t afraid to use it to his advantage, but that’s all playful and innocent. Underneath is the kind of person you can trust upon, the kind of friend everyone wants to have. And he’s a Seer. I mean, what’s cooler than being able to see the future (except wandering back in time of course). Right, nothing! So Adam definitely has my support. With this, I’d also like to give a thumbs up to Mr. Shaw, who wins the teacher of the year award for saying no to all the rules and doing what he thinks is right. Then there’s also Ringo. I loved him. He’s so genuinely good, especially for a ‘street rat’. I wish I would’ve seen a bit more interaction between Saira and her mother though. I had the feeling we didn’t once see her Mom, only heard about her.
The setting was, of course, amazing. How could it not? We have Clockers who travel back in time, Seers who see the future, and age-old family lineages intertwining and fighting. We have a hatred for mixed bloods, which kind of reminded me of Harry Potter, but was still freakingly awesome. The people with special abilities are descendants of time, and I loved the entire legend behind how they got their powers. I also really liked how the author used the names of streets in London, and used an actual historical figure, namely Jack The Ripper. It made me feel like I was actually thrown back in time.
The plot ruled. When you throw all these awesome things together, it can’t go anywhere other than awesome. I was genuinely surprised by how much this plot sucked me in. I was glued to the book until the very last page, and whenever I couldn’t read, I wanted to read. Badly. That’s what an amazing book will do to you, and Marking Time definitely belongs under the category ‘amazing’.
I can’t wait to read the second book in these series. If I could hold Mrs. White’s pen myself and make her write, I would, that’s how good this is. If you want to read one book and one book only in the new year, pick this one.
Our main character, Saira Eilan has it tough. Her mother vanished into thin air, but that’s not what she’s worried about, since her Mom happens to do this approximately every two years. No, she’s worried about a strange fellow chasing her around while she’s exploring the catacombs underneath Vienna. She’s worried about the strange but somehow familiar symbol she finds there. As a tagger and free-runner, the city has been her playground for years, but in one night, it turns into a jungle, and she becomes the prey. When she runs into the police who takes her home only to find her home ransacked, her Mom nowhere in sight, she knows she’s running out of luck. The only way to escape child protective services is to hang out with her grandmother, a woman she barely knows and who kicked her Mom out while she was pregnant.
Traveling to London brings more secrets than answers for Saira. Not only does she discover her family is filthy rich and lives in one of the most gigantic old mansions she’s ever seen, she also finds out she’s different than she could ever imagine. When the same guys who chased her in Vienna turn up in London, she barely escapes with the help of a handsome stranger who introduces himself as Archer and claims he’s no stranger at all. But even with Archer’s help, Saira runs into the wrong crowd again, and this time she ends up in London…in 1888. The London of Jack The Ripper, a terrifying, gloomy version of the London she’s come to know. Having no clue what’s going on, Saira bumps into Archer again. Except he’s now Archer in this time, in the nineteenth century, and he has no clue who she is or what she’s doing this far away from home. What’s even worse is that, just before she managed to travel back to the present using a strange marking on the wall, she sees her Mom, dressed like a proper Victorian lady.
For Saira, the secrets pile up, burying her underneath. Who is she? Why can she travel to the past? She hopes to find answers with her family, but is instead sent to an Academy for Immortals, where she meets two Seers who can see into the future, and can instantly predict they’ll be friends. She also meets a friendly teacher, Mr. Shaw, who can transmorph into a bear. And at the academy, she reunites with Archer, now a Vampire, who’s been waiting for her since they first met in London 1888.
But if Saira wants to rescue her mother, who is being held captive in the folds of time, she’ll have to find a way to travel back in time and meet an ancient evil. But doing so may risk Archer’s life, and the lives of her new-found friends.
As you can see even from the brief synopsis I tried to give, this book is long. Long and complicated, and kick-ass awesome. Let’s start by taking a look at the main character, Saira, who isn’t your typical girl. She prefers to stay as far away from others as possible, mostly keeping to herself. It’s been her and her Mom against the world for as long as she can remember, yet she adapts quickly when necessary. She’s witty and sarcastic but not in an over-the-top way. She’s brave, but not foolish, and she’s intelligent enough to figure out what’s going on. She accepts she’s traveled back in time the moment actual proof is given, which to be was a big bonus. Nothing worse than a character complaining about their powers and how this can’t be happening when they have heaps of proof it is happening. All this together makes Saira quite unique, a refreshing, well-developed, multi-dimensional character I would love to read more than one book about.
Secondly, the other cast of characters. Archer was amazing, except I would’ve liked him to have a bit more backbone. I mean, he loves Saira, and tells her. Great. But I expected, if we went back in history, to see more explanation for this. Of course I understand he liked her back then, but it takes a lot to keep on loving someone for over a hundred years, so I would’ve liked a bit more explanation there, or a bit more love. Anyway, apart from that, Archer totally ruled. As a human in 1888, he’s your typical charming gentleman who blushes when he thinks about sleeping in one room with a girl. In the present, he’s a bit more badass, and I liked the constract. It’s not often that we see a book portraying the changes a human goes through when turning into a Vampire, and what hundred years can do to one’s personality and beliefs. I loved this addition here.
Then there’s Adam. All right, I have to admit, I was kind of cheering for Adam and Saira to end up together. But hey, more books, more hope. Adam is a bit arrogant, a bit cocky, but all in all, a good guy. He knows he’s good looking and charmin and isn’t afraid to use it to his advantage, but that’s all playful and innocent. Underneath is the kind of person you can trust upon, the kind of friend everyone wants to have. And he’s a Seer. I mean, what’s cooler than being able to see the future (except wandering back in time of course). Right, nothing! So Adam definitely has my support. With this, I’d also like to give a thumbs up to Mr. Shaw, who wins the teacher of the year award for saying no to all the rules and doing what he thinks is right. Then there’s also Ringo. I loved him. He’s so genuinely good, especially for a ‘street rat’. I wish I would’ve seen a bit more interaction between Saira and her mother though. I had the feeling we didn’t once see her Mom, only heard about her.
The setting was, of course, amazing. How could it not? We have Clockers who travel back in time, Seers who see the future, and age-old family lineages intertwining and fighting. We have a hatred for mixed bloods, which kind of reminded me of Harry Potter, but was still freakingly awesome. The people with special abilities are descendants of time, and I loved the entire legend behind how they got their powers. I also really liked how the author used the names of streets in London, and used an actual historical figure, namely Jack The Ripper. It made me feel like I was actually thrown back in time.
The plot ruled. When you throw all these awesome things together, it can’t go anywhere other than awesome. I was genuinely surprised by how much this plot sucked me in. I was glued to the book until the very last page, and whenever I couldn’t read, I wanted to read. Badly. That’s what an amazing book will do to you, and Marking Time definitely belongs under the category ‘amazing’.
I can’t wait to read the second book in these series. If I could hold Mrs. White’s pen myself and make her write, I would, that’s how good this is. If you want to read one book and one book only in the new year, pick this one.
December 16, 2019
RECENSIONE QUI: https://thereadingslove.blogspot.com/...
April White ha un notevole talento nel creare personaggi forti e realistici, ambientazioni fantastiche e trame intriganti e sorprendenti e dalla capacità di combinare questi tre elementi in un unico libro. Per tutta la durata della storia sono stata completamente risucchiata al suo interno, non riuscivo a smettere di leggere di rimanere incantata di fronte all'azione, al pericolo, alla magia e ai colpi di scena. Il personaggio principale Saira è una tagger cioè ha la capacità di viaggiare nel passato. È una ragazza che preferisce stare il più lontano possibile dagli altri, è spiritosa e sarcastica, è coraggiosa e abbastanza intelligente da capire cosa succede intorno a lei. Per tutto il tempo lei e sua madre sono sempre state insieme finché quest’ultima non scompare. Saira si ritrova improvvisamente indietro nel tempo, nel 1888, a combattere Jack Lo Squartatore e apprende che il mondo è molto più complicato di come appare. Sarà una corsa contro il tempo salvare sua madre. Quando Saira incontra per la prima volta Archer, non ha la minima idea di chi sia e di cosa voglia da lei. Non ci troviamo di fronte ad una storia paranormale poiché non è il fulcro della serie, ma ad un romanzo incentrato sui viaggi nel tempo e sulla vita di una ragazza che deve scoprire la sua identità. La protagonista matura nel romanzo, da diffidente comincia a fidarsi di chi le sta accanto e di chi cerca di aiutarla. Amo da sempre i viaggi nel tempo e vedere finalmente un libro che tratta questo tema, è per me una gioia immensa. Ho adorato anche i piccoli accenni di steampunk, l’autrice ha prestato attenzione ai dettagli, narrando il tutto con estrema cura. All’inizio avrete un po’ di difficoltà ad entrare nella storia ma lentamente capirete tutto. Mi è piaciuto viaggiare insieme a Saira nella Londra vittoriana e poi tornare alla scuola di magia per cercare di dare un senso a tutti gli indizi che ha scoperto. L’unica cosa che avrei preferito è che ci fosse uno sviluppo più lento della relazione tra Saira e Archer, desideravo che ci fosse più tensione e chimica tra i due. Sono dell’idea che il primo libro di ogni serie costituisce l’universo e stabilisce le regole per ciò che i personaggi possono e non possono fare. Sono rimasta completamente affascinata dal mondo che la White ha creato, dall’ingegno nel dar vita ad una storia che intreccia più generi e più creature soprannaturali. Essere nella Londra vittoriana per Saira significa trovarsi in un mondo in cui uomini e donne sono costretti a seguire l’etichetta e le rigide regole di quel tempo e sono rimasta sorpresa del fatto che lei non si adatta all’istante a quel mondo ma rimanere fedele a chi è: una ragazza moderna che indossa abiti maschili per avere la libertà di cui ha bisogno. Un altro aspetto che ho apprezzato è la volontà dell’autrice di non concentrare la storia sulla classe agiata del passato ma di darci uno sguardo delle vite precarie della gente povera di quel tempo...
CONTINUA SUL NOSTRO BLOG. VENITE A TROVARCI
https://thereadingslove.blogspot.com/
April White ha un notevole talento nel creare personaggi forti e realistici, ambientazioni fantastiche e trame intriganti e sorprendenti e dalla capacità di combinare questi tre elementi in un unico libro. Per tutta la durata della storia sono stata completamente risucchiata al suo interno, non riuscivo a smettere di leggere di rimanere incantata di fronte all'azione, al pericolo, alla magia e ai colpi di scena. Il personaggio principale Saira è una tagger cioè ha la capacità di viaggiare nel passato. È una ragazza che preferisce stare il più lontano possibile dagli altri, è spiritosa e sarcastica, è coraggiosa e abbastanza intelligente da capire cosa succede intorno a lei. Per tutto il tempo lei e sua madre sono sempre state insieme finché quest’ultima non scompare. Saira si ritrova improvvisamente indietro nel tempo, nel 1888, a combattere Jack Lo Squartatore e apprende che il mondo è molto più complicato di come appare. Sarà una corsa contro il tempo salvare sua madre. Quando Saira incontra per la prima volta Archer, non ha la minima idea di chi sia e di cosa voglia da lei. Non ci troviamo di fronte ad una storia paranormale poiché non è il fulcro della serie, ma ad un romanzo incentrato sui viaggi nel tempo e sulla vita di una ragazza che deve scoprire la sua identità. La protagonista matura nel romanzo, da diffidente comincia a fidarsi di chi le sta accanto e di chi cerca di aiutarla. Amo da sempre i viaggi nel tempo e vedere finalmente un libro che tratta questo tema, è per me una gioia immensa. Ho adorato anche i piccoli accenni di steampunk, l’autrice ha prestato attenzione ai dettagli, narrando il tutto con estrema cura. All’inizio avrete un po’ di difficoltà ad entrare nella storia ma lentamente capirete tutto. Mi è piaciuto viaggiare insieme a Saira nella Londra vittoriana e poi tornare alla scuola di magia per cercare di dare un senso a tutti gli indizi che ha scoperto. L’unica cosa che avrei preferito è che ci fosse uno sviluppo più lento della relazione tra Saira e Archer, desideravo che ci fosse più tensione e chimica tra i due. Sono dell’idea che il primo libro di ogni serie costituisce l’universo e stabilisce le regole per ciò che i personaggi possono e non possono fare. Sono rimasta completamente affascinata dal mondo che la White ha creato, dall’ingegno nel dar vita ad una storia che intreccia più generi e più creature soprannaturali. Essere nella Londra vittoriana per Saira significa trovarsi in un mondo in cui uomini e donne sono costretti a seguire l’etichetta e le rigide regole di quel tempo e sono rimasta sorpresa del fatto che lei non si adatta all’istante a quel mondo ma rimanere fedele a chi è: una ragazza moderna che indossa abiti maschili per avere la libertà di cui ha bisogno. Un altro aspetto che ho apprezzato è la volontà dell’autrice di non concentrare la storia sulla classe agiata del passato ma di darci uno sguardo delle vite precarie della gente povera di quel tempo...
CONTINUA SUL NOSTRO BLOG. VENITE A TROVARCI
https://thereadingslove.blogspot.com/
June 17, 2019
I have seen this book on my feed and Amazon for years now. Heck even Elizabeth Hunter recommended it to me in her newsletter, and it seems that I really am quite slow on the uptake. While out on a book buying spree, I picked this up and read the blurb and was taken with it. It has some of my favourite plot lines in books.
1. Time travel? Check.
2. Victorian England in combination with Jack the Ripper? Frigging double check here peeps.
3. A mystery to die for? Check.
Five families from five Immortals are the descendants of Time (the Clockers), Fate (the Seers), Nature (Shifters), War (Mongers) and Death (Suckers). For the descendant’s things are about to get complicated.
Saira Elian, a 17-year-old American is in a spot of trouble her Mum has disappeared and there are some seriously strange people after her. To avoid child services, she contacts the one person she really doesn’t want to her Grandmother Millicent in England. But here things just get weirder. Thrust into a world she has no idea how to navigate her skills are tested to the limit.
But with the help of Archer in 1888, as well as Ringo the urchin and some new friends in the present she will find her mother and kick Jack the Ripper’s arse.
I really enjoyed this book although YA ain’t always my jam this totally worked for me. Ms. White has written an exceptional story which is gripping and engaging. The attention to detail is amazing and AW has really done her research regarding the historical aspects of this book.
This is unique and captivating, and I would love for all you to take the time to read this book and series.
1. Time travel? Check.
2. Victorian England in combination with Jack the Ripper? Frigging double check here peeps.
3. A mystery to die for? Check.
Five families from five Immortals are the descendants of Time (the Clockers), Fate (the Seers), Nature (Shifters), War (Mongers) and Death (Suckers). For the descendant’s things are about to get complicated.
Saira Elian, a 17-year-old American is in a spot of trouble her Mum has disappeared and there are some seriously strange people after her. To avoid child services, she contacts the one person she really doesn’t want to her Grandmother Millicent in England. But here things just get weirder. Thrust into a world she has no idea how to navigate her skills are tested to the limit.
But with the help of Archer in 1888, as well as Ringo the urchin and some new friends in the present she will find her mother and kick Jack the Ripper’s arse.
I really enjoyed this book although YA ain’t always my jam this totally worked for me. Ms. White has written an exceptional story which is gripping and engaging. The attention to detail is amazing and AW has really done her research regarding the historical aspects of this book.
This is unique and captivating, and I would love for all you to take the time to read this book and series.
July 16, 2021
4.5 stars for Marking Time!!
“The day when love is stronger than fear is the day we’ll begin to discover our true power.”
This book, so rich in history, enough to make you crave more and more! The characters—superb, and this storyline was unlike any other I’ve read before!
Time travel—paranormal—the budding promise of love—Jack the Ripper. Give me more please! Guess I’ll download that second book right about now!
“The day when love is stronger than fear is the day we’ll begin to discover our true power.”
This book, so rich in history, enough to make you crave more and more! The characters—superb, and this storyline was unlike any other I’ve read before!
Time travel—paranormal—the budding promise of love—Jack the Ripper. Give me more please! Guess I’ll download that second book right about now!
July 8, 2013
I received Marking Time in return for an honest review from the author. Saira is fleeing from a stranger when she’s caught but the police who have no choice to send her to London to live with her grandmother. Since her mother has disappeared this isn't the first time that Saira’s been on her own. Her grandmother isn't thrilled to see her instead she locks her away in the guest wing of the family manor. But Saira has her own agenda and sneaks out of the house to explore London on her own. When she stumbles across the stranger she was fleeing from in Venice.
While running for her life she finds an old tag that matches the ones she saw in Venice and when she traces the outline she finds herself in 1888. It’s on her first trip to 1888 that she meets a young college student, who knows about the descendants. With Archers help Saira is able to return to her time however not before being chased by Jack the Ripper as well as seeing her mom.
Suddenly so much has changed in Saira’s life from where her mother is to who she is. As if dealing with being able to time travel isn't different now her mom is missing and she’s being sent to a boarding school. At least the boarding school is for the descendant’s so she will have the chance to learn more about her abilities as well as about why they might be after her. She instantly befriends a pair of twin seer’s as well as one of the scholarship girls who isn't a descendant. Saira is intent on stopping the ripper and returning to get her mother but it won't be easy because while she may have help the bad guys do as well.
Saira is a character that I was able to connect with instantly falling in love with. She’s not your typical teen after all she grew up moving around being ready for anything plus she’s got a little extra something. I really enjoy that she grows as a character though the story. The supporting characters in the story from both times add to the intricate story the author has created. I love the romance between Saira and Archer its sweet innocent and powerful. I want my own Archer.
Marking Time is a captivating story that mixes time travel with the paranormal and tosses in a little romance. I was instantly enchanted with Saira’s story she’s spent her life hiding, not knowing her father and now her mother is missing and she’s learning on her own how to time travel. I think the author puts a unique new spin on the vampire relationship turning it into a beautiful story that left me in awe. The adventure is mixed through the story while suspense is woven in with twists and turns keeping the readers on their toes till the very end. I loved everything about Marking Time from the characters to the story. It’s beautifully written, unique story that teens as well as adults will love. I can't express how much I fell in love with Marking Time it honestly has skyrocketed to my favorite book of the year, quite possibly of all time. I can't wait to read more about Saira.
While running for her life she finds an old tag that matches the ones she saw in Venice and when she traces the outline she finds herself in 1888. It’s on her first trip to 1888 that she meets a young college student, who knows about the descendants. With Archers help Saira is able to return to her time however not before being chased by Jack the Ripper as well as seeing her mom.
Suddenly so much has changed in Saira’s life from where her mother is to who she is. As if dealing with being able to time travel isn't different now her mom is missing and she’s being sent to a boarding school. At least the boarding school is for the descendant’s so she will have the chance to learn more about her abilities as well as about why they might be after her. She instantly befriends a pair of twin seer’s as well as one of the scholarship girls who isn't a descendant. Saira is intent on stopping the ripper and returning to get her mother but it won't be easy because while she may have help the bad guys do as well.
Saira is a character that I was able to connect with instantly falling in love with. She’s not your typical teen after all she grew up moving around being ready for anything plus she’s got a little extra something. I really enjoy that she grows as a character though the story. The supporting characters in the story from both times add to the intricate story the author has created. I love the romance between Saira and Archer its sweet innocent and powerful. I want my own Archer.
Marking Time is a captivating story that mixes time travel with the paranormal and tosses in a little romance. I was instantly enchanted with Saira’s story she’s spent her life hiding, not knowing her father and now her mother is missing and she’s learning on her own how to time travel. I think the author puts a unique new spin on the vampire relationship turning it into a beautiful story that left me in awe. The adventure is mixed through the story while suspense is woven in with twists and turns keeping the readers on their toes till the very end. I loved everything about Marking Time from the characters to the story. It’s beautifully written, unique story that teens as well as adults will love. I can't express how much I fell in love with Marking Time it honestly has skyrocketed to my favorite book of the year, quite possibly of all time. I can't wait to read more about Saira.
February 26, 2013
Original Review posted on Bookwyrming Thoughts.
Formatting has been lost due to copy and pasting.
Disclaimer: I received this book from the author for free in an exchange for a honest review. This does not influence my review in any way.
About 2 months ago, I was asked by the author to read and review her first novel, Marking Time, the 1st book in the Immortal Descendants series. I was a bit hesitant to read it at first, but after a bit of browsing around on her website and reading a sample from Amazon, I decided why not? I did need to expand my reading horizons a bit.... (the only time travel book series I've ever heard of but haven't read was Blast to the Past series...)
I had a hard time getting into the story at the first few chapters (up to around Saira's first trip), with one minute chasing in present day and then the next a different time/place being clueless. I had to reread it a few times to attempt to understand it. Yet, rereading it again at the end... I'm still a bit clueless. But as I read on, I managed to get into the know of what's going on (or at least a brief idea to the point of understanding).
Saira Elian has been alone her entire life - or at least most of her life - who, shortly after arriving in London, is followed/stalked/chased by mysterious strangers for reasons of the unknown until later - way later (the beans will not be spilled; they're safe while locked up in the cabinet. As always. Meaning - no spoilers). Saira has a bit of the personality of being stubborn, selfish, childish, yet all the same being a heroine and trying to save her mother before time runs out.
What I find really unique from Marking Time is the fact that Ms. White uses the idea of a series of well-known (erm, I think? My history might be off) murder cases to weave into her story really well, with a plot that fits well in with Jack the Ripper's history yet it's unique in a mysterious way. I also liked the way that part of the future is told by the seers yet it doesn't spill the beans and keeps the reader engaged of what's to come - in a good way.
On the overall note, Saira eventually learns that she can't do everything on her own and to ask for help when she needs it. If you are into time travel (includes Blast to the Past fans), Victorian England (or maybe even England in general), along with a confident (yet not confident) heroine, then I think you'll enjoy reading this book.
And by no means of offense, fellow bookworms, do keep in mind to...
Caption: Well... I can't exactly make that happen though.
Formatting has been lost due to copy and pasting.
Disclaimer: I received this book from the author for free in an exchange for a honest review. This does not influence my review in any way.
About 2 months ago, I was asked by the author to read and review her first novel, Marking Time, the 1st book in the Immortal Descendants series. I was a bit hesitant to read it at first, but after a bit of browsing around on her website and reading a sample from Amazon, I decided why not? I did need to expand my reading horizons a bit.... (the only time travel book series I've ever heard of but haven't read was Blast to the Past series...)
I had a hard time getting into the story at the first few chapters (up to around Saira's first trip), with one minute chasing in present day and then the next a different time/place being clueless. I had to reread it a few times to attempt to understand it. Yet, rereading it again at the end... I'm still a bit clueless. But as I read on, I managed to get into the know of what's going on (or at least a brief idea to the point of understanding).
Saira Elian has been alone her entire life - or at least most of her life - who, shortly after arriving in London, is followed/stalked/chased by mysterious strangers for reasons of the unknown until later - way later (the beans will not be spilled; they're safe while locked up in the cabinet. As always. Meaning - no spoilers). Saira has a bit of the personality of being stubborn, selfish, childish, yet all the same being a heroine and trying to save her mother before time runs out.
What I find really unique from Marking Time is the fact that Ms. White uses the idea of a series of well-known (erm, I think? My history might be off) murder cases to weave into her story really well, with a plot that fits well in with Jack the Ripper's history yet it's unique in a mysterious way. I also liked the way that part of the future is told by the seers yet it doesn't spill the beans and keeps the reader engaged of what's to come - in a good way.
On the overall note, Saira eventually learns that she can't do everything on her own and to ask for help when she needs it. If you are into time travel (includes Blast to the Past fans), Victorian England (or maybe even England in general), along with a confident (yet not confident) heroine, then I think you'll enjoy reading this book.
And by no means of offense, fellow bookworms, do keep in mind to...
Caption: Well... I can't exactly make that happen though.
September 22, 2016
Warning: This review/rating is based on my feelings, thoughts, likes and dislikes. You should read the book to form your own opinion/thoughts. Read on!
Rating: 4.75 Saira Stars
Cover: I love it
Cliffhanger: Not a painful one, just that the series continues...
Triangle: Ehhh, i wouldn't call it a triangle?
Well, this was a very surprising read and very very enjoyable. I won't go into details, there are many reviews detailing that already.
Saira stumbles into a fate she didn't know was hers. Suddenly she is time traveling back to the 1800s and meeting people she never thought to see again and people she already knows in her time.
This book has the perfect amount of suspense, action, romance, comedy, paranormal for it to be a perfect start of the series. All i want to do is continue this series and never to end.
I liked all characters, i think they were very well developed so as to be a very important part of the story and the plot. Specially Archer...oh, how i wanted to time travel and take him with me.
The ending left me with questions, with a bruised heart but healing and with love in my eyes. I can't wait to see what happens with the characters in the next book. Will the author give us what we want? What i want?
Highly recommended!
Rating: 4.75 Saira Stars
Cover: I love it
Cliffhanger: Not a painful one, just that the series continues...
Triangle: Ehhh, i wouldn't call it a triangle?
Well, this was a very surprising read and very very enjoyable. I won't go into details, there are many reviews detailing that already.
Saira stumbles into a fate she didn't know was hers. Suddenly she is time traveling back to the 1800s and meeting people she never thought to see again and people she already knows in her time.
This book has the perfect amount of suspense, action, romance, comedy, paranormal for it to be a perfect start of the series. All i want to do is continue this series and never to end.
I liked all characters, i think they were very well developed so as to be a very important part of the story and the plot. Specially Archer...oh, how i wanted to time travel and take him with me.
The ending left me with questions, with a bruised heart but healing and with love in my eyes. I can't wait to see what happens with the characters in the next book. Will the author give us what we want? What i want?
Highly recommended!
September 30, 2019
A wonderful magical story that is like A Discovery of Witches meets Harry Potter. Saira is a great main character who finds herself thrust from a modern day American life into an English magical boarding school. She discovers that there are families with their own magical abilities and her family has the ability to Time Travel.
She is carried between the present day and a 19th century London with Jack the Ripper on the loose.
A story of family, friendship, danger, magic, history, ancestors, love and heartbreak.
A great read and first book in The Immortal Descendants series. I can’t wait to read the next book.
She is carried between the present day and a 19th century London with Jack the Ripper on the loose.
A story of family, friendship, danger, magic, history, ancestors, love and heartbreak.
A great read and first book in The Immortal Descendants series. I can’t wait to read the next book.
January 18, 2013
I loved Siara the heroine who's from our time and time travels much to her surprise to Victorian England and encounters Jack the Ripper. Marking Time is such a complex story that I can't begin to do it justice in a review, but suffice to say, it was outstanding.
I raved so much about the story that my 9 year old begged to read the book and she loved it as much as I did. I think regardless of if you are 14 or 45 you will find someone in the book with which to connect- there are so many different characters- but it is not an overwhelming plot. I love the interwoven story of the Immortal Families and of the possibility of what may have happened to Jack the Ripper- all of which keeps you guessing to the end.
Action, romance and character development that led me wanting to have more books in the series immediately available.
Highly recommend.
I raved so much about the story that my 9 year old begged to read the book and she loved it as much as I did. I think regardless of if you are 14 or 45 you will find someone in the book with which to connect- there are so many different characters- but it is not an overwhelming plot. I love the interwoven story of the Immortal Families and of the possibility of what may have happened to Jack the Ripper- all of which keeps you guessing to the end.
Action, romance and character development that led me wanting to have more books in the series immediately available.
Highly recommend.
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