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Alex Wayfare #2
The Untimely Deaths of Alex Wayfare
Time travel, adventure, and romance come together in the dramatic sequel to The 57 Lives of Alex Wayfare .
Alex Wayfare is back in Base Life. Her 57th life. She’s in Chicago searching for Blue, who travels with her whenever she goes back in time. She’s never met him in Base Life, but she’s hoping he’ll remember her in the present, and that he’ll want to be with her like he does in the past.
Their romance is put on hold when she’s attacked by henchmen working for Durham Gesh, who wants to harness her abilities for his own ugly purposes. But that threat seems insignificant when she returns home to face her younger sister’s deteriorating health. Researching every possible remedy, from ancient herbs to forgotten medical advancements, Alex seeks a cure for her sister’s cancer in the past.
The journeys are never simple. From the countryside of eighteenth-century China to a top-secret research lab in 1970s Michigan, Alex is plagued by enemy Descenders who seem to anticipate her every move, and realizes she may have a traitor in her small band of allies.
A traitor who might bring Gesh straight to Alex’s front door.
The only person Alex feels she can trust is Blue. But there are secrets Alex doesn’t know—secrets about Blue, about her team, and about herself. And the biggest secret of all will change her life, or her lives, forever. “Recommend to teens who enjoy time travel and stories of possible reincarnation.”— School Library Journal
A traitor who might bring Gesh straight to Alex's front door.
The only person Alex feels she can trust is Blue. But there are secrets Alex doesn't know—secrets about Blue, about her team, and about herself. And the biggest secret of all will change her life, or her lives, forever.
Alex Wayfare is back in Base Life. Her 57th life. She’s in Chicago searching for Blue, who travels with her whenever she goes back in time. She’s never met him in Base Life, but she’s hoping he’ll remember her in the present, and that he’ll want to be with her like he does in the past.
Their romance is put on hold when she’s attacked by henchmen working for Durham Gesh, who wants to harness her abilities for his own ugly purposes. But that threat seems insignificant when she returns home to face her younger sister’s deteriorating health. Researching every possible remedy, from ancient herbs to forgotten medical advancements, Alex seeks a cure for her sister’s cancer in the past.
The journeys are never simple. From the countryside of eighteenth-century China to a top-secret research lab in 1970s Michigan, Alex is plagued by enemy Descenders who seem to anticipate her every move, and realizes she may have a traitor in her small band of allies.
A traitor who might bring Gesh straight to Alex’s front door.
The only person Alex feels she can trust is Blue. But there are secrets Alex doesn’t know—secrets about Blue, about her team, and about herself. And the biggest secret of all will change her life, or her lives, forever. “Recommend to teens who enjoy time travel and stories of possible reincarnation.”— School Library Journal
A traitor who might bring Gesh straight to Alex's front door.
The only person Alex feels she can trust is Blue. But there are secrets Alex doesn't know—secrets about Blue, about her team, and about herself. And the biggest secret of all will change her life, or her lives, forever.
272 pages, Kindle Edition
First published April 26, 2016
6 people are currently reading
788 people want to read
About the author
M.G. Buehrlen
2 books161 followersMG Buehrlen is the author of the ALEX WAYFARE series. She is a retired programmer, social media director, and tech junkie who co-developed YABooksCentral.com, the largest social network for young adult book lovers. After too many years in the computer world, she now tries to live off-grid as much as possible, writing novels instead of PHP code and exploring the unbeaten paths with her husband and son.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 38 reviews
August 25, 2016
If I'm honest with myself and the rest of you, I'm going to have to say that I didn't expect much from this book.
I read the first book around when it came out, give or take a few days. I was extremely excited and extremely let down so when news trickled in for this book, I was wary.
(Go, Cookie!)
The rating I'm giving this falls under GR's "It was okay" because there's not much to really say about it. I thought I could expect Alex to grow up in this novel, but she still seemed childish. She constantly pointed the finger at one of her own teammates just so she wouldn't have to accuse her boyfriend of being a traitor. She had no proof, either, and she did it even though the person was trying to help her. All of them were trying to help her and she kept blowing them off. Over and over and over.
And the romance bugged me, too. Alex knew she had to stick to saving her sister and yet, the minute Blue is in the picture, it's all about wanting to be with him. With the fact that she knooooows what she's on a mission for. For fuck's sake, her team was IN HER HEAD TO GUIDE HER.
I just cannot with her.
I know the author said she hopes to write 2 more books in the series, and knowing me, I will probably read them eventually. With the way she ended things, I'm hoping for a little less love-life drama and more to the getting at the bottom of things with the villains.
Overall: 2 stars.
I read the first book around when it came out, give or take a few days. I was extremely excited and extremely let down so when news trickled in for this book, I was wary.
(Go, Cookie!)
The rating I'm giving this falls under GR's "It was okay" because there's not much to really say about it. I thought I could expect Alex to grow up in this novel, but she still seemed childish. She constantly pointed the finger at one of her own teammates just so she wouldn't have to accuse her boyfriend of being a traitor. She had no proof, either, and she did it even though the person was trying to help her. All of them were trying to help her and she kept blowing them off. Over and over and over.
And the romance bugged me, too. Alex knew she had to stick to saving her sister and yet, the minute Blue is in the picture, it's all about wanting to be with him. With the fact that she knooooows what she's on a mission for. For fuck's sake, her team was IN HER HEAD TO GUIDE HER.
I just cannot with her.
I know the author said she hopes to write 2 more books in the series, and knowing me, I will probably read them eventually. With the way she ended things, I'm hoping for a little less love-life drama and more to the getting at the bottom of things with the villains.
Overall: 2 stars.
April 26, 2016
This is a hard one (for me) to review without spoilers, but here goes...
If you loved book one, you will love this one. Maybe even more.
It has all of the edge-of-your-seat time-travely action, and swoony romance book one had, and then some. M.G. Buehrlen leaves no question unanswered, loose end untied, or heart-string yanked. I thoroughly enjoyed the new characters and I really wish more books were in the works. It would be fun to read some of the other Descenders' life stories. :coughs: Levi :coughs:
This is a fantastic sequel and well worth the wait!
P.S. I will go down with my ship, M.G., okay? Speakeasy Pudding Cup All The Way!
If you loved book one, you will love this one. Maybe even more.
It has all of the edge-of-your-seat time-travely action, and swoony romance book one had, and then some. M.G. Buehrlen leaves no question unanswered, loose end untied, or heart-string yanked. I thoroughly enjoyed the new characters and I really wish more books were in the works. It would be fun to read some of the other Descenders' life stories. :coughs: Levi :coughs:
This is a fantastic sequel and well worth the wait!
P.S. I will go down with my ship, M.G., okay? Speakeasy Pudding Cup All The Way!
May 6, 2016
I'm so disappointed. This book had the potential to be amazing, but it fell so flat. I've been waiting for this sequel for a couple of years now, wanting some resolution to the cliff-hanger ending of the first book. Not only was that cliff-hanger never really resolved, but the ending of this book reads like the end of the series. Not cool.
Please, dear author, I want some more...
The premise of this series is what I found so intriguing about the first book. A reincarnating time traveller in the body of a geeky seventeen-year-old girl? Sounds like my type of story. But...
It's all a matter of taste...
This installment of Alex's story seemed to bring up so many rules for the time travel and reincarnation, making everything seem really complicated and, at times, overly convenient. Alex suffers from Special Snowflake Syndrome. She's a Mary Sue when it comes to time travel, since she has skills that nobody else has. On the other hand, she's also self-deprecating to the point that it grows very tiresome.
My biggest complaint with this sequel, however, is that nothing happened. Well, some things happen, but not like in the first book, with Alex diving down into multiple lives, exploring her past selves in a mix of action and romance. This book is basically a "kid with cancer" book in disguise, with a whole lot of angst about Alex's sister, Audrey, and her worsening condition. In fact, Alex doesn't even go back in time until well after the halfway point, and she only goes on two missions in total... both with the aim of saving her sister. Meanwhile, there's the whole issue with Blue, Alex's partner/soulmate, running as an undercurrent throughout the whole story. I'm not pleased with the way it was handled. It comes across as kind of cheap and convenient, and makes Alex look like an idiot (she's kind of oblivious, anyway, as are quite a few characters in the story... which is also tiresome, because you feel like you're reading about morons who can't put two and two together to save their own lives).
I was thinking this would be a three-star read as I was going along, especially once I hit some action in the last third of the book. But then the ending came. One of my favourite parts of The 57 Lives of Alex Wayfare was that ending... even though it made us wait. But it was a good kind of waiting, full of anticipation and wondering. Here, though, we're treated to some sappy word vomit from Alex on the nature of life, and then the book just ends. No hints about any of the questions that are still unanswered. No hint of any third book. If that was it... well, that would be a huge waste. A waste of a great premise, a waste of a great love story... and a waste of the reader's time.
Let's get technical...
The sentence fragments drove me nuts. I don't remember the first book being quite so bad. (Maybe it was... but it had enough of a plot to make me overlook that sort of thing.) I also grew tired of correcting the punctuation in my Kindle copy. And, for future reference, writers: "whir" is a noise; "whirl" is a spinning action. If your mind is actually "whirring", you need to see a doctor.
The verdict...
I'm not ready to give up on this series, if there turns out to be a third book. I do like the premise. I just wish this book had had more action and less philosophical monologuing.
Quotable moment:
http://theladybugreads.blogspot.com/2...
Please, dear author, I want some more...
The premise of this series is what I found so intriguing about the first book. A reincarnating time traveller in the body of a geeky seventeen-year-old girl? Sounds like my type of story. But...
It's all a matter of taste...
This installment of Alex's story seemed to bring up so many rules for the time travel and reincarnation, making everything seem really complicated and, at times, overly convenient. Alex suffers from Special Snowflake Syndrome. She's a Mary Sue when it comes to time travel, since she has skills that nobody else has. On the other hand, she's also self-deprecating to the point that it grows very tiresome.
My biggest complaint with this sequel, however, is that nothing happened. Well, some things happen, but not like in the first book, with Alex diving down into multiple lives, exploring her past selves in a mix of action and romance. This book is basically a "kid with cancer" book in disguise, with a whole lot of angst about Alex's sister, Audrey, and her worsening condition. In fact, Alex doesn't even go back in time until well after the halfway point, and she only goes on two missions in total... both with the aim of saving her sister. Meanwhile, there's the whole issue with Blue, Alex's partner/soulmate, running as an undercurrent throughout the whole story. I'm not pleased with the way it was handled. It comes across as kind of cheap and convenient, and makes Alex look like an idiot (she's kind of oblivious, anyway, as are quite a few characters in the story... which is also tiresome, because you feel like you're reading about morons who can't put two and two together to save their own lives).
I was thinking this would be a three-star read as I was going along, especially once I hit some action in the last third of the book. But then the ending came. One of my favourite parts of The 57 Lives of Alex Wayfare was that ending... even though it made us wait. But it was a good kind of waiting, full of anticipation and wondering. Here, though, we're treated to some sappy word vomit from Alex on the nature of life, and then the book just ends. No hints about any of the questions that are still unanswered. No hint of any third book. If that was it... well, that would be a huge waste. A waste of a great premise, a waste of a great love story... and a waste of the reader's time.
Let's get technical...
The sentence fragments drove me nuts. I don't remember the first book being quite so bad. (Maybe it was... but it had enough of a plot to make me overlook that sort of thing.) I also grew tired of correcting the punctuation in my Kindle copy. And, for future reference, writers: "whir" is a noise; "whirl" is a spinning action. If your mind is actually "whirring", you need to see a doctor.
The verdict...
I'm not ready to give up on this series, if there turns out to be a third book. I do like the premise. I just wish this book had had more action and less philosophical monologuing.
Quotable moment:
My whole life is made up of lies now. I wear them like scarves and hats and little flowers in my hair.
But then again, doesn’t everyone?
http://theladybugreads.blogspot.com/2...
April 26, 2016
Well - I didn't think it was possible to like the second book in this series any more than the first - I was wrong.
Alex is now a little wiser, more mature, and very aware of what's expected of her. She also knows what she wants and refuses to be anyone's pawn. With her dying sister, time-travel missions, boy problems, and attempts at figuring out who's an ally and who isn't, Alex has enough on her plate to make your head spin.
With heaps of action, heartwarming family moments, new missions, and a touch of high school drama, this book is sure to capture the reader's attention; however, what I took away from this book is to figure out what's important in your life and make that first and foremost your priority. You never know how much time you have.
The Untimely Deaths of Alex Wayfare is an incredible followup to the first book in this series and one I'd highly recommend to sci-fi/fantasy lovers.
I received a digital ARC of this book from the publisher through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
Alex is now a little wiser, more mature, and very aware of what's expected of her. She also knows what she wants and refuses to be anyone's pawn. With her dying sister, time-travel missions, boy problems, and attempts at figuring out who's an ally and who isn't, Alex has enough on her plate to make your head spin.
With heaps of action, heartwarming family moments, new missions, and a touch of high school drama, this book is sure to capture the reader's attention; however, what I took away from this book is to figure out what's important in your life and make that first and foremost your priority. You never know how much time you have.
The Untimely Deaths of Alex Wayfare is an incredible followup to the first book in this series and one I'd highly recommend to sci-fi/fantasy lovers.
I received a digital ARC of this book from the publisher through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
April 27, 2019
Rating: I liked it 😊
2019’s around the year in 52 books challenge: #34, A book with a person's name in the title
I liked it but in this one the lack of development of the concept and world building became more evident. The novel was filled with convenient plot devices, deux ex machina resolutions. The romance became annoying, not much happened and there’s no real resolution to the overall arc, I guess it had (or has) more books planned, but to this date there are only two, so the ending is open. Having said that, I did like the way things ended.
I enjoyed it, it was fast paced and made me care about Alex, so I was invested in the story.
I don’t recommend it even though I liked it.
2019’s around the year in 52 books challenge: #34, A book with a person's name in the title
I liked it but in this one the lack of development of the concept and world building became more evident. The novel was filled with convenient plot devices, deux ex machina resolutions. The romance became annoying, not much happened and there’s no real resolution to the overall arc, I guess it had (or has) more books planned, but to this date there are only two, so the ending is open. Having said that, I did like the way things ended.
I enjoyed it, it was fast paced and made me care about Alex, so I was invested in the story.
I don’t recommend it even though I liked it.
April 2, 2016
I was so happy I was able to get an early copy of this book at the SEYA Book Festival.
I absolutely loved the first one, it drew me in all the right ways. Not only is this book series interesting, it made me grow to be very attached to its cast of characters.
I love the character of Alex Wayfare. She is so determined and cares so much for the people in her life.
Once again, I loved how time travel is explored in this novel and how Alex has the skills of the people from her past life, that is just so interesting to me.
This book, like the last one, was packed with plenty of plot twists and always kept me guessing. It also packed emotional punches all throughout, even in subtle ways that made my heart break for Alex.
The ending was not the one I expected or hoped for, but it was very satisfying. I had to stop myself from tearing up a bit because I was in public.
This book series is so good and I cannot recommend it enough.
I absolutely loved the first one, it drew me in all the right ways. Not only is this book series interesting, it made me grow to be very attached to its cast of characters.
I love the character of Alex Wayfare. She is so determined and cares so much for the people in her life.
Once again, I loved how time travel is explored in this novel and how Alex has the skills of the people from her past life, that is just so interesting to me.
This book, like the last one, was packed with plenty of plot twists and always kept me guessing. It also packed emotional punches all throughout, even in subtle ways that made my heart break for Alex.
The ending was not the one I expected or hoped for, but it was very satisfying. I had to stop myself from tearing up a bit because I was in public.
This book series is so good and I cannot recommend it enough.
May 11, 2017
So. This is a good book. I wanted to start by saying that before I explain my very biased rating. Because I am aware enough to know it’s kind of unfair but I’m not changing it. There is a betrayal in this book. And I feel betrayed. Its as simple as that. The end of the first book promised me something and I never got it. I don’t like when that happens. I was expecting a certain kind of sequel and this wasn’t it. It was good but it wasn’t the book I was expecting.
September 16, 2016
I love this series so much and I want more of it. Someone please tell me that there is going to be another book, not having another book is unacceptable.
The Untimely Deaths of Alex Wayfare is the second book in the Alex Wayfare series and Buehrlen has done it again. This book is just as wonderful as the first book in the series, if not more so. This time around we know a lot of the main characters and we are only introduced to a couple of new ones and we know the basics of this world so by now I am so invested in everything that I need to know what's going on in Alex's world. There was no bad in this book.
The idea behind this story is so unique and I love the writing, oh my god the writing, it is fabulous, wity, sharp and has a steady flow. I have to now say that M.G. Buehrlen is now in the top of my favorite authors. The way she writes, it makes everything so believable, even a plot about a teenage girl being a time traveler, seems like it's a natural occurrence. It's like I am Alex when she descends every time I read one of her books. During Untimely Deaths I laughed a lot, cried, scream don't trust him/her and was nervous all the way through. Will Blue be found, what is going on with Alex's past deaths, what's up with Jensen, is Audrey going to survive, and so many more questions were answered in this one. Even though this book was less than 300 pages I feel it didn't feel rushed, it was a rich and satisfying story. And even as I say this I have to say that I am not ready to say goodbye, I feel so connected to the story that I want another book.
Overall
I read The Fifty-Seven Lives of Alex Wayfare when it first came out and I was one of the many people who held by breath waiting for the sequel. Read the Untimely Deaths of Alex Wayfare was such a joy. If you read the first book then you have to read this one, it's not even a choice and if you have never read the series then I strongly suggest you do so. Untimely Deaths has an ass-kicking teenage fix-it type girl, time travel, past lives, fight scenes, romance, family, betrayal and so much more. I truly love this book series and I urge you to read it.
The Untimely Deaths of Alex Wayfare is the second book in the Alex Wayfare series and Buehrlen has done it again. This book is just as wonderful as the first book in the series, if not more so. This time around we know a lot of the main characters and we are only introduced to a couple of new ones and we know the basics of this world so by now I am so invested in everything that I need to know what's going on in Alex's world. There was no bad in this book.
The idea behind this story is so unique and I love the writing, oh my god the writing, it is fabulous, wity, sharp and has a steady flow. I have to now say that M.G. Buehrlen is now in the top of my favorite authors. The way she writes, it makes everything so believable, even a plot about a teenage girl being a time traveler, seems like it's a natural occurrence. It's like I am Alex when she descends every time I read one of her books. During Untimely Deaths I laughed a lot, cried, scream don't trust him/her and was nervous all the way through. Will Blue be found, what is going on with Alex's past deaths, what's up with Jensen, is Audrey going to survive, and so many more questions were answered in this one. Even though this book was less than 300 pages I feel it didn't feel rushed, it was a rich and satisfying story. And even as I say this I have to say that I am not ready to say goodbye, I feel so connected to the story that I want another book.
Overall
I read The Fifty-Seven Lives of Alex Wayfare when it first came out and I was one of the many people who held by breath waiting for the sequel. Read the Untimely Deaths of Alex Wayfare was such a joy. If you read the first book then you have to read this one, it's not even a choice and if you have never read the series then I strongly suggest you do so. Untimely Deaths has an ass-kicking teenage fix-it type girl, time travel, past lives, fight scenes, romance, family, betrayal and so much more. I truly love this book series and I urge you to read it.
June 30, 2016
Was that.... it? 'Cause if so, it was a pretty dang weak ending for this duology. I have serious trouble remembering if and what even happened that was ultimately of importance at all. I thought we'd be finding Blue in Base Life in this novel, but nope. There was barely even any time travel at all, there were two missions and one of them was barely explained and dwelled on. ... What? The revelations at the end came very abruptly, like someone had flipped a switch and I had serious whiplash . Also, I would have loved for the different relationships to have been developed much, much more.
A very disappointing sequel.
A very disappointing sequel.
September 25, 2020
Alex is a time-traveler with the unique ability to jump into any of her fifty-six previous lives. Well, nearly unique: her soulmate Blue can pull the same trick. Alex is on the verge of finally meeting Blue in her base life, but is betrayed and thwarted. She has no time to root out the traitor, though, because her sister's cancer takes a turn for the worse and only a mission to the past can save her. Seems to be the end of the series; if so, it chooses entirely the wrong plots to wrap up and leaves everything else dangling.
May 31, 2016
3.5
Just as fun a read as the first, and a bit more mature and confident.
Just as fun a read as the first, and a bit more mature and confident.
January 3, 2020
Sequel to The Fifty-Seven Lives of Alex Wayfare, The Untimely Deaths of Alex Wayfare continues Alex’s story as she learns more about her ability to jump back into the bodies of her previous incarnations. Where the bulk of the first book involved Alex learning all this, discovering her part in experiments with people who can do the same thing, and trying to make contact with a boy she met in previous lives whom she calls Blue, The Untimely Deaths of Alex Wayfare focuses more on Alex’s desire to save her sister from the cancer that is killing her.
The experiments and Blue do come into the story, largely by Alex insisting that Blue isn’t the one betraying her location to Gesh, the man running the experiments and trying to get Alex back on his side. But they’re more of a sidebar, really, obstacles that get in Alex’s way rather than the villains of the tale. The true villain is time, for Alex is running out of it, and she needs to find the cure for her sister’s cancer before it’s too late.
Which is my biggest problem with the book. It has some amazing moments, like Alex coming to grips with her own mortality, and the awkwardness of dealing with people you only really know from previous lives. Those things make the story good. But what brings it down a huge notch is the whole “curing cancer” thing. She has two chances: one relating to an lost Chinese recipe that could supposedly cure it, which she tries to acquire in a past life and then bury so that people in the present can dig it up and synthesize it for a treatment; and the second was a promising cure from decades ago that was tragically lost in a lab fire. Alex manages to rescue the formula, it gets made, rushed as an experimental treatment, and wouldn’t you know it, it seems to work and her sister is saved!
It’s a wonderful fantasy, an amazing dream, but it was just done too neatly. How many times has history held the supposed cure for something and it’s turned out to be garbage? Sure, there’s evidence that some historical treatments for certain conditions may have worked, even if people then didn’t know why. But Alex gets ahold of a cure for a certain kind of cancer on her second attempt, it gets synthesized quickly, and then all early clinical trials and other procedures just get ignored because of plot convenience. And it works so quickly that improvement is almost immediate. It was trite, and it felt a lot like the author was trying to rush Alex’s happy ending because of the general expiration date that was on Alex herself. I’m not sure if there’ll be a third book in the series, but regardless, this one definitely had Second Book Syndrome, in where little happens that relevent to the overarching plot. I rather hope there is a third book, really, because as bittersweet a note as this was to end on, it just feels to saccharine to be a real ending, and it was lackluster compared to the book that came before it.
(Book received in exchange for an honest review.)
The experiments and Blue do come into the story, largely by Alex insisting that Blue isn’t the one betraying her location to Gesh, the man running the experiments and trying to get Alex back on his side. But they’re more of a sidebar, really, obstacles that get in Alex’s way rather than the villains of the tale. The true villain is time, for Alex is running out of it, and she needs to find the cure for her sister’s cancer before it’s too late.
Which is my biggest problem with the book. It has some amazing moments, like Alex coming to grips with her own mortality, and the awkwardness of dealing with people you only really know from previous lives. Those things make the story good. But what brings it down a huge notch is the whole “curing cancer” thing. She has two chances: one relating to an lost Chinese recipe that could supposedly cure it, which she tries to acquire in a past life and then bury so that people in the present can dig it up and synthesize it for a treatment; and the second was a promising cure from decades ago that was tragically lost in a lab fire. Alex manages to rescue the formula, it gets made, rushed as an experimental treatment, and wouldn’t you know it, it seems to work and her sister is saved!
It’s a wonderful fantasy, an amazing dream, but it was just done too neatly. How many times has history held the supposed cure for something and it’s turned out to be garbage? Sure, there’s evidence that some historical treatments for certain conditions may have worked, even if people then didn’t know why. But Alex gets ahold of a cure for a certain kind of cancer on her second attempt, it gets synthesized quickly, and then all early clinical trials and other procedures just get ignored because of plot convenience. And it works so quickly that improvement is almost immediate. It was trite, and it felt a lot like the author was trying to rush Alex’s happy ending because of the general expiration date that was on Alex herself. I’m not sure if there’ll be a third book in the series, but regardless, this one definitely had Second Book Syndrome, in where little happens that relevent to the overarching plot. I rather hope there is a third book, really, because as bittersweet a note as this was to end on, it just feels to saccharine to be a real ending, and it was lackluster compared to the book that came before it.
(Book received in exchange for an honest review.)
April 16, 2023
(2.5*) This didn’t give me what I wanted from the end of the first book, but I wasn’t MAD at it. I will say it was enjoyable, more so than I think the first book was (that took me quite a while to get into), but there were quite a few things that weren’t great.
Enjoyability: 3.5/5
Characters: 2/5
Plot: 1/5
Overall: 2.5/5
The ending was super vague. So many things were just unanswered and open, so I’m surprised this is only a duology. I saw a few reviews saying the author planned to write more books in the series, but this was released like 7 years ago, so I’m not holding out hope.
If you wanted closure from book one, this will not be the book for you.
It was very nice to see characters resurface and to explore more timelines throughout the book. Some of the characters did change from what I remember them being like in book one though, mainly Jensen in some later scenes, he felt quite OOC and it was jarring. There were a few moments where Blue seemed like his ultimate charming self too, but mostly he seemed incredibly basic with little pull. Another female character also seemed to flip-flop personality-wise, who is new to this book so I won’t name.
I found that a lot of uncomfortable scenes were avoided, or glanced over, instead of sitting in them and truly experiencing them. There were definitely a few moments that I think would have benefitted from having a deeper dive into them, but the general tone of the book is somewhat light, even though it deals with heavy topics. I think this would make it more suited to younger audiences, but for me personally it was a little underwhelming.
Enjoyability: 3.5/5
Characters: 2/5
Plot: 1/5
Overall: 2.5/5
The ending was super vague. So many things were just unanswered and open, so I’m surprised this is only a duology. I saw a few reviews saying the author planned to write more books in the series, but this was released like 7 years ago, so I’m not holding out hope.
If you wanted closure from book one, this will not be the book for you.
It was very nice to see characters resurface and to explore more timelines throughout the book. Some of the characters did change from what I remember them being like in book one though, mainly Jensen in some later scenes, he felt quite OOC and it was jarring. There were a few moments where Blue seemed like his ultimate charming self too, but mostly he seemed incredibly basic with little pull. Another female character also seemed to flip-flop personality-wise, who is new to this book so I won’t name.
I found that a lot of uncomfortable scenes were avoided, or glanced over, instead of sitting in them and truly experiencing them. There were definitely a few moments that I think would have benefitted from having a deeper dive into them, but the general tone of the book is somewhat light, even though it deals with heavy topics. I think this would make it more suited to younger audiences, but for me personally it was a little underwhelming.
May 5, 2020
I loved the first book in this series, when it ended I found myself excitedly getting ready to read the second one. The sequel picked up just like the first ended and we were right back in the thick of it with Alex again. This sequel fell a little short for me though. Blue and Alex were a huge focus of the first book and when it started becoming apparent in the second one that Blue might unintentionally being the one betraying her it took a turn I didn’t totally love. It almost seemed like Gesh who is the antagonist in this story, fell b my the wayside and Alex’s feelings for Blue becoming the new villain. By the time I had finished this book I found myself sadly disappointed with how the story ended. Almost like the author had came to the conclusion half way through that she wanted to table the story. If the author is writes a third I would be interested to read it because I would like a conclusion to the story!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
August 12, 2020
As much as I love the book 1. This book didn't satisfy me at all.
Okay I love it because Alex and Jensen found each other. But I feel like the story could go more.
I was so excited to know who and where Blue is but the story ended and Blue in the base life was never revealed. It was the book 1 cliffhanger ending. So readers were very excited what will happen to Alex and Blue love story!
I am sure everyone was disappointed on that part.
The book one love story about Alex and Blue was really cute. But in this book two, I like Jensen more. That's why I am happy for Alex and Jensen.
Anyway about the story, it's just okay. It has less adventure of time traveling.
Alex mission was to save her younger sister because she found out that she will also die sooner. That all her past lives never celebrated 18th birthday.
Anyway good try! I just wish there could have been more on the story.
Okay I love it because Alex and Jensen found each other. But I feel like the story could go more.
I was so excited to know who and where Blue is but the story ended and Blue in the base life was never revealed. It was the book 1 cliffhanger ending. So readers were very excited what will happen to Alex and Blue love story!
I am sure everyone was disappointed on that part.
The book one love story about Alex and Blue was really cute. But in this book two, I like Jensen more. That's why I am happy for Alex and Jensen.
Anyway about the story, it's just okay. It has less adventure of time traveling.
Alex mission was to save her younger sister because she found out that she will also die sooner. That all her past lives never celebrated 18th birthday.
Anyway good try! I just wish there could have been more on the story.
October 18, 2025
The Untimely Deaths of Alex Wayfare by M.G. Buehrlen deepens its predecessor’s premise with greater emotional weight and thrilling complexity. In her 57th life, Alex’s struggle to reconnect with Blue across the divide of time is both a breathtaking adventure and a poignant meditation on identity, love, and destiny.
Buehrlen masterfully balances the wonder of time travel with the intimacy of human longing. From the misty landscapes of eighteenth century China to the high tech corridors of a 1970s research lab, the story pulses with energy and tension. Yet beneath the chase and danger lies a tender core the lengths one will go to save a loved one and the cost of carrying so many lives within a single soul.
Suspenseful, romantic, and beautifully introspective, The Untimely Deaths of Alex Wayfare transforms time travel into a deeply personal exploration of memory, loyalty, and the power of choice.
Buehrlen masterfully balances the wonder of time travel with the intimacy of human longing. From the misty landscapes of eighteenth century China to the high tech corridors of a 1970s research lab, the story pulses with energy and tension. Yet beneath the chase and danger lies a tender core the lengths one will go to save a loved one and the cost of carrying so many lives within a single soul.
Suspenseful, romantic, and beautifully introspective, The Untimely Deaths of Alex Wayfare transforms time travel into a deeply personal exploration of memory, loyalty, and the power of choice.
January 27, 2021
I went into this with low expectations, so I can’t really say I’m disappointed in it? I guess I’m more disappointed in myself for picking up this sequel after barely tolerating the first book... I definitely didn’t miss Alex Wayfare, and I know I won’t be missing her after finishing this book. Too much drama on her love life, not enough action-y time travel stuff. I don’t mind romance, but I do when the protagonist drones on and on and on about how much she can’t trust him and wants to find him and blah blah blah. This series had strong potential to make a splash but was unfortunately nothing more than a lackluster fizzle.
March 20, 2018
I'd forgotten how much I enjoyed the first installment of Alex's story but now that I've finally read the second and last part I just remembered, and I'm so glad I decided to buy it. I like how the story is a bit different from what I'm used to while at the same time being pretty similar. I enjoyed learning more about the characters and getting to know some new ones. It's also pretty awesome to be transported to another age and place with Alex when she time travels, I love it, especially China.
March 4, 2017
A nice ending, though not as good as book one. A bit predictable and the ending seemed really rushed.
April 26, 2016
Alex only recently learned that she's a Descender, one of very few people able to travel via soulmarks through time. But traveling via soulmark has certain restrictions, restrictions that don't apply to Alex because she's been reincarnated fifty-seven times. While other Descenders can only use any given soulmark once, Alex can travel her own past lives an infinite number of times.
That's a whammy of a discovery!
But there's more, in her previous life Alex escaped the very people who used her ability towards their own causes for years and has vowed now to use her ability to sabotage their plans. These people will do anything to get Alex back even if it means threatening those closest to her. If Alex is to remain safe and protect her family, she has to keep her Base Life hidden from them. It should be easy considering very few know who she is in her Base Life. Unfortunately, it's beginning to look as though someone on her side may be feeding information to the enemy: each time Alex travels they're there. And now Alex isn't sure who she can trust.
When I finished M.G. Buehrlen's The 57 Lives of Alex Wayfare I had SO MANY questions! First and foremost - who is Blue in Base Life?! It's something Alex herself is determined to discover, but as the prologue to the book states:
Some stories are about a boy... Not this story... This story is about death.
What an ominous beginning, right?
Well it turns out Alex hasn't found out everything about her ability just yet and the newest revelation is one that changes pretty much everything. At least for Alex Wayfare. See Alex's sister is dying and their mother has been working tirelessly to find a cure or treatment that will save her. Not only does Alex want to help, but with her new knowledge she aims to make it her sole goal.
I quite enjoyed these books and the main reason for that (aside from the fact that the story is cool) is Alex. I love Alex as a character! She's grown so much since the beginning of 57 Lives but she's always been unquestionably devoted to her family. Which is great because it makes her that much more lovable. But it's also something that creates tension in the series thanks to the fact that - like most superhero sagas - she's painfully aware that her family are at risk because of her. But what I find really fabulous about these books is the fact that Alex is kind of atypical compared to other well known characters in her situation. In a lot of superhero stories, we find the characters pushing loved ones away in order to keep them safe. Not so in Alex's case!
Friends, on the other hand... Here is where we see Alex struggling the most. She has finally opened up and allowed Jensen to become something of a friend but still doesn't trust his motives. And now she finds she has to wonder if she can trust the few other people she's allowed in as well: Porter, Levi, Micki, and yes, Blue. These are the people who know her secret, the people she can be herself around.
But as I said, there's another whopper of a revelation for Alex to discover here and it's one that forces her to make some tough decisions.
There are still questions left after The Untimely Deaths of Alex Wayfare and I honestly don't know if we'll see them answered. On the one hand I'm ok with that. The story is the story and the pair of books together stand well on their own. But on the other hand I would definitely love to return to Alex's tale if that's in the author's plans! There's certainly more I'd love to see explored :)
That's a whammy of a discovery!
But there's more, in her previous life Alex escaped the very people who used her ability towards their own causes for years and has vowed now to use her ability to sabotage their plans. These people will do anything to get Alex back even if it means threatening those closest to her. If Alex is to remain safe and protect her family, she has to keep her Base Life hidden from them. It should be easy considering very few know who she is in her Base Life. Unfortunately, it's beginning to look as though someone on her side may be feeding information to the enemy: each time Alex travels they're there. And now Alex isn't sure who she can trust.
When I finished M.G. Buehrlen's The 57 Lives of Alex Wayfare I had SO MANY questions! First and foremost - who is Blue in Base Life?! It's something Alex herself is determined to discover, but as the prologue to the book states:
Some stories are about a boy... Not this story... This story is about death.
What an ominous beginning, right?
Well it turns out Alex hasn't found out everything about her ability just yet and the newest revelation is one that changes pretty much everything. At least for Alex Wayfare. See Alex's sister is dying and their mother has been working tirelessly to find a cure or treatment that will save her. Not only does Alex want to help, but with her new knowledge she aims to make it her sole goal.
I quite enjoyed these books and the main reason for that (aside from the fact that the story is cool) is Alex. I love Alex as a character! She's grown so much since the beginning of 57 Lives but she's always been unquestionably devoted to her family. Which is great because it makes her that much more lovable. But it's also something that creates tension in the series thanks to the fact that - like most superhero sagas - she's painfully aware that her family are at risk because of her. But what I find really fabulous about these books is the fact that Alex is kind of atypical compared to other well known characters in her situation. In a lot of superhero stories, we find the characters pushing loved ones away in order to keep them safe. Not so in Alex's case!
Friends, on the other hand... Here is where we see Alex struggling the most. She has finally opened up and allowed Jensen to become something of a friend but still doesn't trust his motives. And now she finds she has to wonder if she can trust the few other people she's allowed in as well: Porter, Levi, Micki, and yes, Blue. These are the people who know her secret, the people she can be herself around.
But as I said, there's another whopper of a revelation for Alex to discover here and it's one that forces her to make some tough decisions.
There are still questions left after The Untimely Deaths of Alex Wayfare and I honestly don't know if we'll see them answered. On the one hand I'm ok with that. The story is the story and the pair of books together stand well on their own. But on the other hand I would definitely love to return to Alex's tale if that's in the author's plans! There's certainly more I'd love to see explored :)
February 27, 2017
great sequel
My kids loved both Alex Wayfare books. Highly recommend them. We hope there is another sequel. Both books would make great movies
My kids loved both Alex Wayfare books. Highly recommend them. We hope there is another sequel. Both books would make great movies
June 10, 2016
3.5 stars
Though it’s been a couple of years since I read The 57 Lives of Alex Wayfare, I actually managed to get through the sequel without a reread of book one. Of course, I’d read that book twice, so maybe it’s not the herculean feat I feel like it is. The Untimely Deaths of Alex Wayfare is a solid sequel and will definitely please fans of the first book.
The one thing that I was missing in my reread was my grasp on exactly how the time traveling works; that much specific, detailed recall is just asking way too much of my memory. So I’ll admit I was a bit confused about all of that, but I’m assuming that’s the fault of the reader, not the book.
Alex continues to be a very prickly heroine and she doesn’t have quite as much of an arc as I expected, partially because of how short this book is, though I do think the page count is a bit misleading as the font in the paperback is pretty small. Alex does learn to open up a little bit, but she’s never going to be super trusting or made of sunshine. I think that’s okay, but it was a bit of a surprise.
I really like where Buehrlen took the romance, though I admit I don’t ship it massively. Though I do really like Buehrlen’s writing, she doesn’t tend to banter which is what makes me massively ship stuff. View Spoiler » So yeah, I think that resolution was my favorite thing about this book, alongside the writing.
The ending does feel a bit rushed. It’s not bad exactly, but it does seem a bit more open-ended than I might have liked. My guess is that Buehrlen is leaving the door open for a book three, so, while this one can be an ending, there’s also some stuff hanging. It does work either way, I think, which is impressive, but it’s definitely not a that’s-all-she-wrote kind of ending.
I really enjoyed The Untimely Deaths of Alex Wayfare, and I think this series is great for readers who are a bit more into plot than characterization.
Though it’s been a couple of years since I read The 57 Lives of Alex Wayfare, I actually managed to get through the sequel without a reread of book one. Of course, I’d read that book twice, so maybe it’s not the herculean feat I feel like it is. The Untimely Deaths of Alex Wayfare is a solid sequel and will definitely please fans of the first book.
The one thing that I was missing in my reread was my grasp on exactly how the time traveling works; that much specific, detailed recall is just asking way too much of my memory. So I’ll admit I was a bit confused about all of that, but I’m assuming that’s the fault of the reader, not the book.
Alex continues to be a very prickly heroine and she doesn’t have quite as much of an arc as I expected, partially because of how short this book is, though I do think the page count is a bit misleading as the font in the paperback is pretty small. Alex does learn to open up a little bit, but she’s never going to be super trusting or made of sunshine. I think that’s okay, but it was a bit of a surprise.
I really like where Buehrlen took the romance, though I admit I don’t ship it massively. Though I do really like Buehrlen’s writing, she doesn’t tend to banter which is what makes me massively ship stuff. View Spoiler » So yeah, I think that resolution was my favorite thing about this book, alongside the writing.
The ending does feel a bit rushed. It’s not bad exactly, but it does seem a bit more open-ended than I might have liked. My guess is that Buehrlen is leaving the door open for a book three, so, while this one can be an ending, there’s also some stuff hanging. It does work either way, I think, which is impressive, but it’s definitely not a that’s-all-she-wrote kind of ending.
I really enjoyed The Untimely Deaths of Alex Wayfare, and I think this series is great for readers who are a bit more into plot than characterization.
February 27, 2016
I have been eagerly waiting for this book for 2 years, and I'm happy to say I was not disappointed! Picking up right after The 57 Lives of Alex Wayfare left off, Alex's search for Blue in base-life is an all-consuming need. She doesn't know who she can trust but she can't do it alone, so she takes risks. Some work, but not all. Each stumbling block in her path is more deadly, and Blue just seems farther away.
Then, Alex's sister takes a turn for the worse and this throws Alex into a tailspin. Her priorities are divided, but in the end family comes first. Her sister only gets one life, while she and Blue could have countless lives to find each other. Alex's focus turns to a tricky plan to save her sister, that will drop her into the bodies of a Chinese thief in the 1770's and the daughter of a notorious mobster in the 1970's. Her success hinges on trusting her team, but it seems there is a traitor in the mix. Can Alex figure out who can be trusted, save her sister, and find Blue?
I loved this book, perhaps even more than the first one. The stakes are higher, and the Alex in this book is more sure of herself (though less sure of others...) and less ruffled by what others think of her. A lot of questions are answered by the end of this book, but there are plenty of questions left for future books. Hvad er du planlægger, Hr Gesh?
Then, Alex's sister takes a turn for the worse and this throws Alex into a tailspin. Her priorities are divided, but in the end family comes first. Her sister only gets one life, while she and Blue could have countless lives to find each other. Alex's focus turns to a tricky plan to save her sister, that will drop her into the bodies of a Chinese thief in the 1770's and the daughter of a notorious mobster in the 1970's. Her success hinges on trusting her team, but it seems there is a traitor in the mix. Can Alex figure out who can be trusted, save her sister, and find Blue?
I loved this book, perhaps even more than the first one. The stakes are higher, and the Alex in this book is more sure of herself (though less sure of others...) and less ruffled by what others think of her. A lot of questions are answered by the end of this book, but there are plenty of questions left for future books. Hvad er du planlægger, Hr Gesh?
May 2, 2016
This book! So many feels! I am always hesitant reading a sequel because they aren't always as good as the first but Ms. Buehrlen picks up right where the first book left off and it is action packed until the end. The main character, Alex, continues to travel back in time. This time to try and find a cure for her sister dying of cancer and she finds her soulmate, Blue, again. There are some problems that occur and Alex has to make some difficult decisions. I just love this series. The author told me back in March that she plans to have several books in this series.
September 22, 2016
This is a great second installment of the series. It can stand alone, but is best read in order by reading "The fifty-seven lives of Alex Wayfare" first.
This book brought a few interesting developments with it and now I can't wait for the next one.
It is gripping and heart wrenching at times.
One little thing, a timing belt takes more than a few minutes to change - more like several hours actually. A mechanically minded editor would have picked that up. But the author needs to make sure that the repair jobs Alex undertakes are doable and in the time frame she claims Alex can do them.
This book brought a few interesting developments with it and now I can't wait for the next one.
It is gripping and heart wrenching at times.
One little thing, a timing belt takes more than a few minutes to change - more like several hours actually. A mechanically minded editor would have picked that up. But the author needs to make sure that the repair jobs Alex undertakes are doable and in the time frame she claims Alex can do them.
October 23, 2016
I'm still weirdly smitten with this series. And when I get halfway through, I end up reading far into the night (like I am right now) until I finish it.
If you liked the first one, you'll like the sequel. It's a faster read--it's shorter and dives in quicker--but just as enjoyable. The historical rivets are exciting and well researched (but hey, I'm not a history buff!), and gave the series that extra hot pepper kick that it needed. Time travel books are hard, but I think Buehrlen did a great job. :)
If you liked the first one, you'll like the sequel. It's a faster read--it's shorter and dives in quicker--but just as enjoyable. The historical rivets are exciting and well researched (but hey, I'm not a history buff!), and gave the series that extra hot pepper kick that it needed. Time travel books are hard, but I think Buehrlen did a great job. :)
May 3, 2016
This sequel picks up where THE 57 LIVES OF ALEX WAYFARE ended. Trying to find Blue in Base Life, Alex is hunted by Gesh as she tries to find a cure for the cancer that is killing her sister. But there is a traitor who knows into which life she descends. Blue? Levi? Alex's sub Micki? And is Jensen only playing nice, or does she really like Alex? And how much time does Alex have left to find the answers?
May 16, 2016
The sequel was a little whinier. And I was disappointed in the ending. While I appreciated the way things came together in a not too contrived way, I was hoping for more closure at the very end; if you read the book, you'll know what I mean. Still worth reading for the completion of the storyline.
September 9, 2016
It had been awhile since I read the first one so it was a bit hard for me to remember what all had happened at the start. That being said, these books would make such great movies! They're action-packed, timely, and yet have the spattered historical elements as well. I really love these books and home Buehrlen continues to write them. I ate this up from start to finish.
November 29, 2016
I have a weird theory that somehow gesh was reincarnated as Jensen. It's a little convenient Jensen happened to show up with a black eye after Porter punched Gesh in the face, but that was when they went back in time so Gesh would've had to be linked to Blue and Alex to end up there right? This book is confusing so it could happen, right?.... I don't know. I just don't like Jensen. Go Blue!!!!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
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