Time Spell

Ivy Grace Spell #1

by T.A. Foster

Ivy Grace is learning that magic--and love--are all about the right timing.

Follow the adventures of this spirited young Southern woman as she embarks upon a successful new career writing novels and movies that explore romantic mysteries of the past.

Ivy, a witch who spends her days practicing her brand of good magic in a sleepy little city, often travels back in time to observe events of yesteryear and turn them into compelling stories for her modern-day fans. But as her uncanny ability to weave enthralling historic tales lands her in the limelight, she quickly finds that fame sometimes comes with a price.

Evil forces now know who she is and threaten to reveal her family’s most sacred magical secrets.

With the help of her ruggedly handsome editor and a sexy supernatural ex-boyfriend, Ivy must unravel history while fighting to keep these ominous forces at bay.

Will Ivy be able to make the ultimate sacrifice for the people she loves the most?

Genres: New Adult, Paranormal, Witches

242 pages, Paperback

First published August 14, 2013

About the author

T.A. Foster is a Southern girl whose heart and spirit are connected to the beach. She grew up catching rays and chasing waves along the North Carolina Outer Banks and now resides in the state with her adventurous pilot husband, three children and canine kiddos.

Her long love affair with books started at an early age, and as soon as she was able, she transformed imaginative stories into words on paper.

T.A. has an undergraduate degree in Journalism and Mass Communication from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and a graduate degree in Educational Psychology from Texas A&M University. When she’s not chasing her two-legged and four-legged children or trying to escape for date night, you can find her reading, writing or planning her next beach trip.

Reviews

[Tanja (Tanychy) · Rating 4 out of 5]

review to come...

[Sheri (Tangled Up In Books) · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 out of 5 Stars

Originally posted on my blog: Tangled Up In Books

I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

I had a bit of a struggle through the first 30-40%. It wasn't an issue of the quality of the book per se, because I did really enjoy it quite a bit, once I got over that hump. See I'm the type of person that, when I'm reading, I don't feel the need to have every last detail described to me. There are times, like with the beginning of this one, that I feel like I'm being bombarded with description and not all of it relevant to what's going on within the story. I don't need to know the placement of every whisker in the scruff of Frank's face or what he ate 5 years ago for breakfast unless it's going to have a major impact on the story. Of course there is no Frank in this book that was just a silly, stupid example of what I mean. Not everyone is going to agree with me on this one and that's fine we're all entitled to how we feel. It's just for me sometimes less is more you know?

Once I made it through and got over that initial irritation the core of this story is really pretty fascinating and fun. I always love a good story about magic and I think the way that magic works in this world that the author created is pretty great! There are certain magic spells that all witches can work, then there are those that they can teach each other and some will get it and some won't and then there are special magical spells/gifts that are unique to the individual witch. Ivy's is what she calls a Time Spell. I loved the concept of this gift she has. Open a doorway to the past and witness some exciting moment from the past. Ivy then takes what she witnesses from using her gift to spins it into an exciting mystery book.

Though when she goes back and sees something that, when I was reading the event unfolding, I swear I felt like I was watching this awesome film noir scene play out before me, or for Ivy I should say. She's always very careful not to do anything to disrupt what's going on around her or leave any trace that she'd been there. Though with the subject of her latest book turned movie she soon finds out that, by something beyond her control, her presence in the past didn't quite go as unnoticed as she thought it did. Not only did she put herself in danger but the lives of her family and her editor Jack's as well. Because the book she wrote was a story that at least one person didn't want to be told. I was completely pulled into the events from the past and trying to solve where things went wrong before Ivy herself did! It was so much fun to read.

I enjoyed the characters quite a bit. Ivy was funny and clever, brave and clam in the face of danger on the outside, even if on the inside she's shaking like a leaf. She was everything I would expect of a modern day witch. Then we have her editor and the man she's been pining for the last 2 years, Jack. He's very serious and logical, stoic I guess you could say. He gets pulled into the danger Ivy's Time Spell trip caused and for a guy who gets thrown head first into the world of magic, I think he takes everything pretty well. Instead of running and letting her flounder and figure things out on her own he puts his trust in Ivy and works with her to find the mysterious person threatening them. We also briefly meet Finn. Finn is Ivy's ex and there's just something about this guy that I don't trust. I don't know everything yet but he just feels shady to me. I guess I'll see in future books, I may be eating those words!

From the beginning with the prologue, which filled me with promise of danger and mysterious things to come I knew I was going to be in for a fun ride and I got those things and more. There's a touch of romance here and there but unlike a lot of New Adult novels these days where people are constantly tripping and falling into bed, this book wasn't overwhelmed with it. It was just the right amount to add interest to an already really good story, which in the end, I loved reading.

[Jessica · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5/5 stars

Time Spell is an enchanting, sassy read that lovers of paranormal mystery will really enjoy. Ivy Grace's voice is fun, witty, and really upbeat. She has a great relationship with her family, loves her job, and oh- she just so happens to be a witch! I really enjoyed getting to know Ivy and T.A. does a great job of giving us setting in this book. She is very thorough in her explanations and descriptions. Usually that is something that would bother me, but again Ivy's voice is just so much fun that I found myself intrigued by what she was telling us.

This book really read more as a mystery, which I was not expecting, but T.A. did a good job of weaving in the paranormal mystical elements to really make this work. There were a lot of magical spells introduced in this first novel (my favorite being the Time spell- who wouldn't want to be able to travel through time?!) and I hope T.A. will continue to provide us with more information of Ivy's family's magical history and about her powers.

As for the romance, it is not the main focus of this story, but T.A. gives us just enough to satisfy us romantics, but still leave us wanting so much more. We have Jack, Ivy's editor, who she has been crushing on for a couple of years now, yet as much as she has flirted with him, he was strictly professional. We meet Jack pretty quickly into the novel as he has been sent a rather alarming letter about Ivy, threatening to expose her as a witch. Jack, of course is clearly rattled as, if he does not comply with the letter, his sister will be placed in harm's way. I felt for Jack, as he was put in a difficult position. The safety of his sister comes first and therefore, he demands Ivy inform him as to what's going on. At first I was wary of Jack, unsure if he was going to be able to handle such knowledge, but he actually turned out to be a good character and friend to Ivy, helping her solve the mystery so they could ensure both of their families' safety. As for whether or not Ivy can crack those walls of professionalism- you'll have to read and find out! We also have Finn, Ivy's ex-boyfriend. We do not find out about Ivy and Finn's history and why they broke up, but Finn works as a detective with her brother and Ivy ends up calling on him for help. These two still have chemistry and you can tell he really does care about her. Which begs the question: What happened between these two to make them fall apart?

As I said, this book reads more as a mystery and watching Ivy travel back in time to figure out the hows and the whys of the problem is really neat. What started as an innocent time travel back to find a story for her book, ends up throwing Ivy right into the middle of a well planned out diamond heist, but with a twist! Betrayal, scandal, and intrigue are at every turn: Will Ivy be able to make things right in the present or will her past actions of research come back and get the best of her?

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

[MGGMMGGM · Rating 2 out of 5]

Originally posted at The Solitary Bookworm

There’s something about Time Spell that caught my attention from the very start. We have a book, a witch and the ability to time travelling. Just thinking about the endless possibilities made me want to read the book instantly. I love the concept of a witch who uses her magic to whip up a story for a book. I was excited to read the first in the series and for most parts I enjoyed Time Spell but it has its holes that I couldn’t ignore.

Basically, Ivy Grace is a witch who traveled back to 1968 in Las Vegas with the quest of finding that perfect story for her book. In a gist, she found that story, wrote and published it which became a smashing success. Ivy Grace’s life couldn’t get more better than this but one day, the inevitable happened an Ivy Grace is faced with a problem that she needed to face.

Time Spell is indeed sassy and intriguing with a very strong female lead however some bits and pieces doesn’t mesh together for me to the story. I felt that there were certain parts of the book that needed more build up and development. For one, I was expecting a story focused more on Ivy Grace’s magic rather than the mystery behind the story of her book. I was expecting more information about her family and her witch-y nature but the information given to me was not enough. I wanted to get to know the characters a little better. In addition to that, I nearly know nothing about the male counterpart in the story – Finn or Jack which resulted to me having no emotional investment in the relationship part whatsoever. Although one can follow the story with ease, the lack of development in the characters just loses the appeal to a reader.

Time Spell is written with a vision and I like the idea of T.A’s story but I needed more. As I said, story is easy to follow as T.A style is not that difficult to adjust to plus the idea of magic in Time Spell is unique but I needed more. I love the idea of magic that can be taught or shared but a witch also has their distinct spell that couldn’t be shared and is particularly theirs. I am interested in learning more of that. Again, Time Spell is an interesting and quick read but I expected more. It has enormous potential and I believe as the story continues, I’ll have a different opinion – story and character wise. It just saddens me that the first book in the series didn’t provide me with the wow factor I was looking for.

[Gaele · Rating 4 out of 5]

What a clever premise and a great start to a promising new series! T.A. Foster has introduced us to Ivy Grace, a young witch that uses her skills to time travel, adventure and then come back to the present to pen a story, purported to be fiction. This is appropriate for YA readers, although the usual tropes of insta-love and love triangles are not at the forefront. Because there is a lovely mystery to sort out: Ivy’s stories are gaining in popularity and there is someone who is not happy about that fact. Ivy must discover who is threatening her, how to protect herself and even more importantly, how to protect her family.

Growing up as a witch, there are certain rules that must be followed, and Ivy technically hasn’t broken them: she isn’t sharing her skill or telling people what she can do, but she is profiting from her ill-advised adventures and use of magic. Ivy is easy to relate to: quick witted and well-adjusted, her interactions with the secondary characters are wonderfully wrought, and those secondary characters play a large part in the story.

Her family relationship is an enviable one, and although she has a crush on her editor, Jack, she has kept the ‘reality’ away from him, remaining professional. As we always learn, changes from the past can affect the present: that reality hit home when Jack received a threatening package for both he and Ivy and their families.

In this book, Ivy travels back to the 1960’s – first to gather her book, and then again to fix what went wrong. With a supernatural boyfriend who was quite interesting and willing to go to great lengths to protect and help her, the pages flew by as I was trying to see what would happen next.

There are a few elements that I wish had been developed more: most of Ivy’s character is developed and shown in her interactions, and I would like to understand her motivations a bit better. Additionally, much of this story is told in flashback form, past tense, and I wonder if the inclusion of more perspective based on being in the moment wouldn’t have helped to increase the tension in a few crucial spots.

As a clever mystery with a dash of romance, this is a unique offering and a wonderful start to a new series. I’m ready to jump into the second book in the series….

I received an eBook from the author for purpose of honest review. I was not compensated for this review: all conclusions are my own responsibility.

[Holly Reads Xx · Rating 5 out of 5]

********ARC received in exchange for an honest review********

I love, love, loved this book! It was fun and fresh with mystery added in to keep you wondering how the story will come together and if Ivy can get out of the situation she has landed herself in. It was angst free which is a rarity these days, and I loved Ivy and her witchy senses. Though just because Ivy is a witch, don't think that this is your typical paranormal, hocus pocus kind of book because it isn't.

Yes, Ivy is a witch but there's no bubbling cauldrons, pointy hats or broomsticks. Ivy is your average twenty something girl who just happens to have the ability to do things that just about every girl wishes they could do. With just one word she can go from bedhead and frumpy, to glam and fabulous. She can have the night sky twinkling in her bedroom, and she can make herself invisible. Oh, and let's not forget that she can time travel. And this is where the story really gets going.

I really can't fault this book. It's different to the majority of the books there are today and it was really a refreshing read. Ivy was a likeable character and other than the fact that she's magical, I think it's really easy to relate to her because she really does just act her age. We have two pieces man candy in Time Spell. Jack is gorgeous, sweet and swoon worthy, and while Finn wasn't in this book a huge amount, he was swoon worthy in a melt-your-panties kinda way. I definitely can't wait to see more from both of them in future books.

This wasn't my usual type of book and being completely honest, I signed up for this tour by accident, BUT I am so, so glad that I did. It doesn’t end with a HEA or a cliffhanger because from what I've gathered, this is a series that will have Ivy facing a different adventure with each book and the relationships of the characters will all develop as the series goes on. And I cannot wait to see what Ivy gets up to next. Now I'm going to go and stalk T.A. Foster and tell her to get a wriggle on with book #2 Cover Spell.

[Jessica · Rating 3 out of 5]

Where do I start with this review? I suppose I should let you know that I adored Ivy Grace, our protagonist in this story. I couldn't have asked for a more upbeat, likeable protagonist to follow. Ivy is a witch, but her life isn't filled with doom and gloom. She has a healthy relationship with her family, a witty personality, and the same improper thoughts I'd have while she's around her rather hunky agent. Ivy carries herself with a perfect mixture of grace and humor that's hard not to love.

Which, in fact, was why I was more than willing to follow Ivy into whatever situation she might find herself in. A delightful mystery is woven through these pages. T.A. chase expertly weaves Ivy's "witchy powers" in with a story that will keep you guessing. I was a little lost at some points. Ivy's thoughts flow a mile a minute so sometimes important tiny bits of information are easy to skip over. Still, I can't deny I enjoyed the mystery aspect of her story.

The one thing I couldn't quite get behind were Jack and Finn. Maybe it's because there isn't a lot of story behind these two. I only knew that Jack was the object of Ivy's adoration, and her editor, and that Finn was her ex, and a detective. It's clear that both of them care about Ivy. Even when Jack finds out that he's gotten himself into a huge mess, he still sticks up for her. There isn't a full blown romance here. Just enough to add an extra element to everything else going on. I'm hoping maybe there will be more to come?

In the end, Time Spell was a fun read. I think that fans of paranormal stories and mystery stories will both find things to love in T.A. Chase's book. I also have no doubt that Ivy Grace will easily steal the heart of everyone. Will Jack fall for Ivy? Will she be able to set the course of history back on track? I just don't know, but I do know that I definitely want to find out.

[Roxanne Kade · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a fun, quick read. I really loved the idea of being able to Time Spell. It was a different take on time travel and used in such a unique way. I’m sure anyone would love to step back in time, and it would be an author’s dream.

The MC’s of this story kind of blended into the background while the secondary characters, the ones from 1968 Las Vegas were more prominent. I knew more about whom they were and what drove them to do the things they did. I know that their love triangle was a major part of the plotline but I would have liked to have seen more from the MCs.

I really wish the story had had a little more substance where Ivy and her love life were concerned. I really liked Finn, regardless of the fact that I knew nearly nothing about him. All I knew of him had been learned through flashbacks, and even that wasn’t enough to go by. He was made out to be a charmer and even a bit of a bad boy, but his actions told another story. He obviously really cared for Ivy and was willing to do whatever she asked of him.

Then there was Jack. I didn’t really connect with him and I think it also had to do with the fact that I didn’t know enough about him. My heart did break for Ivy toward the end of the book, but she showed true character when she was willing to give up on something she’d always wanted, to keep those she cared about safe.

This book was exciting and full of mystery. It had a bit of everything and I’m sure it will be enjoyed by anyone who loves intrigue and suspense as well as lovers of paranormal romances.

[Jennifer · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved it! Ivy is a strong smart main character with some fantastic spells. (My personal favorite: the Glamour spell. One quick motion and you are dressed, hair done, makeup on, ready to go. How handy would that be?) I really loved the time spell travel back to 1968 Las Vegas--the glitz, the stylish penthouse apartment, the smoky casino filled with high rollers in tailored suits and beautiful fabulous women dripping in diamonds. Cocktails and iconic fashion mixed with an undercurrent of very dark secrets.

The story unfolds artfully and the characters unravel slowly as Ivy tries to stay true to her witch code and personal mores in the face of increasing danger. I really like the love triangle--there is the ruggedly handsome, strong, and protective Jack (who is also her editor) and devilish super-hot ex-boyfriend Finn. Hmm, how to choose... The structure of the mystery as a story within a story is very clever, and the twists and turns at the end are unexpected and heartwrenching.

I would recommend Time Spell to anyone who loves a good mystery and romance, with plenty of magic thrown in for good measure. I can't wait for book #2!

[Brittany · Rating 4 out of 5]

REVIEW:

Time Spell was a really great take on time travel. Ivy is a witch who time travels and then turns those forgotten or unknown stories into books. However, when her story becomes popular all the wrong people take notice. I would consider it a paranormal mystery because it has a ton of mysterious elements. I want to give you a fair warning that there is no teenage drama or love triangles in this book. Sometimes I like to throw a new adult book in the reading mix and Time Spell was the perfect book to switch it up.

Ivy’s character is super witty and fun, though you don’t get to know a ton about her since a lot of the book is spent in the past. I liked reading about the time period that she time spelled back into and I found those secondary characters very interesting. You get to know those secondary characters quite well and I loved the mystery part of it.

I would recommend this book to YA fiction readers, time travel lovers, or those that love witchy stories. I liked this story a lot and for sure will be reading the next!

Original Review here: http://thepassionatebookworms.com/tim...

[Andrea Heltsley]

This was a very intriguing book. The idea behind it was fresh and entertaining. I loved the idea of having a mystery within a mystery. The author weaved a great story.

However, I can't truly rate this book. It was very good, but it just wasn't the book for me. I think many of you will really enjoy it. I just didn't enjoy the historical portion of the story and it was a major part of the book. Yes, I know it says something about time travel in the description, there was just more than I was expecting.

Like I said, most paranormal romance fans will enjoy it. It IS a good story for those who enjoy a good old fashioned mystery of the paranormal kind.

[Jocelyn Sanchez · Rating 5 out of 5]

A fast paced story that will keep you entertained for hours!. I really loved Ivy, the main character, because she was relatable and very cool. I think the plot was very interesting and different from what I usually read.

When I was asked to review this by the author, I was excited! I loved the cover and when I read the blurb I was ecstatic! It sounded like something I might enjoy and it was!!

All in all, I believe this book was awesome. The story grabbed my attention and kept me entertained throughout the book!! I recommend this book to everyone!!

[Megan Hicks · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved this book! I had difficulty putting it down since the action was fast paced and I was quickly wrapped up in the world of Ivy Grace. Given the popularity of fantasy series, I was happy that this story line felt original. Excited for the next book!

[🍁 katie 🍁 · Rating 5 out of 5]

Full Review - http://anamateurslibrary.blogspot.com...

I thoroughly enjoyed this novel. It was fun and sassy with really great characters. Dragged me out of my potential reading slump with its Bewitched style story. Cannot wait for the next book!

[Marion · Rating 5 out of 5]

Such a fun, funny, witty, entertaining, exciting read that I didn't want to put down until I was done - it was great. TA Foster has a great series here - can't wait to read the next one!!