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Hourglass Door #2
The Golden Spiral: Volume 2
The bank is eroding. The barriers are thinning. And time is running out. The hourglass door has closed, sending Dante back in time to hunt down Zo, Tony, and V. Although giving him up was the hardest test she ever faced, Abby knows that Dante is the only one who can stop the others from destroying time itself. But almost immediately, things start to change, and Abby s worst fears are realized when Zo begins targeting her past. With each change that ripples into her present, Abby s life continues to spiral out of control. Her relationships with Jason, Natalie, and even her family are threatened to the breaking point. Zo s power is greater than Abby ever imagined, but as she struggles to free Dante, she receives help from an unexpected and unlikely ally. Will Abby s love for Dante be enough to turn the tide?
384 pages, Paperback
First published May 4, 2010
68 people are currently reading
3179 people want to read
About the author
Lisa Mangum
28 books896 followersLisa Mangum has loved and worked with books ever since elementary school, when she volunteered at the school library during recess. Her first paying job was shelving books at the Sandy Library. She worked for five years at Waldenbooks while she attended the University of Utah, graduating with honors with a degree in English. An avid reader of all genres, she has worked in the publishing department for Deseret Book since 1997.
Besides books, Lisa loves movies, sunsets, spending time with her family, trips to Disneyland, and vanilla ice cream topped with fresh raspberries. She lives in Taylorsville, Utah, with her husband, Tracy. She is the author of the Hourglass Door trilogy and After Hello.
Besides books, Lisa loves movies, sunsets, spending time with her family, trips to Disneyland, and vanilla ice cream topped with fresh raspberries. She lives in Taylorsville, Utah, with her husband, Tracy. She is the author of the Hourglass Door trilogy and After Hello.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 762 reviews
July 26, 2010
Remember when Bella thought she lost Edward?
Well, Abby really did lose Dante. But rather than pawing at the hole where her heart used to be, Abby got up and did something about it. I always love a woman of action.
Without spoiling the end of The Hourglass Door, Abby and Dante's solution for saving time (and it has nothing to do with brushing your teeth in the shower) created more problems than they anticipated. Abby uses her own unique gifts to fight Zo and protect the whole freaking world and its history. She loses some essential things (and people) along the way, but that's why there is a third book in the series.
Lisa Mangum's writing is sharper in the Golden Spiral than in its predecessor. The reader has less time to marvel at Dante's hotness, but I think that is intentional. Time is running out and the directness of the writing conveys that message beautifully.
I liked it better than the first one, and that's saying a lot. I'm certain that The Forgotten Locket, when it debuts in Summer 2011, will be another improvement.
Well, Abby really did lose Dante. But rather than pawing at the hole where her heart used to be, Abby got up and did something about it. I always love a woman of action.
Without spoiling the end of The Hourglass Door, Abby and Dante's solution for saving time (and it has nothing to do with brushing your teeth in the shower) created more problems than they anticipated. Abby uses her own unique gifts to fight Zo and protect the whole freaking world and its history. She loses some essential things (and people) along the way, but that's why there is a third book in the series.
Lisa Mangum's writing is sharper in the Golden Spiral than in its predecessor. The reader has less time to marvel at Dante's hotness, but I think that is intentional. Time is running out and the directness of the writing conveys that message beautifully.
I liked it better than the first one, and that's saying a lot. I'm certain that The Forgotten Locket, when it debuts in Summer 2011, will be another improvement.
June 1, 2011
Whoa. Amazing. Absolutely amazing. Mangum’s story just drips with passion and promises and beauty. Her words flow together seamlessly. Her use of similes whenever she describes something might seem like it could get annoying, but it doesn’t for me. I love the way her use of similies weaves images and beauty in my mind, making the story and the characters magical.
The characters were absolutely amazing. They all have so much depth and are so real. What they do in situations and what they say, how they act towards each other is how real people would have acted. People who are in love, or who have strong hatred, or caring for someone. Dante and Abby’s love was beautiful and precious; it’s forever and unbreakable. That is what makes true love, and Mangum did an impeccable job in creating such a flawless love; the way she wrote the feelings they had towards each other, and the little meaningful moments they shared. I loved the character that Mangum created out of V. I didn’t really expect something like that to happen, but it just made the story that much more likable.
The plot is so intricate and so well thought out. Mangum creates a stunning story that is just so perfect and amazing. I love it! The end was brilliant. I read the last few pages, stunned with the way the story was unraveling to its end. I was literally breathless at the end, anticipation and thrill weaving around me with her words. Oh my gosh, I can NOT wait until The Forgotten Locket comes out! I have to find out what happens to Abby and Dante, and Valerie and Abby's family… Oh my gosh. The Golden Spiral is amazing. Thank you thank you Lisa, for such an incredible story. I love it!
The characters were absolutely amazing. They all have so much depth and are so real. What they do in situations and what they say, how they act towards each other is how real people would have acted. People who are in love, or who have strong hatred, or caring for someone. Dante and Abby’s love was beautiful and precious; it’s forever and unbreakable. That is what makes true love, and Mangum did an impeccable job in creating such a flawless love; the way she wrote the feelings they had towards each other, and the little meaningful moments they shared. I loved the character that Mangum created out of V. I didn’t really expect something like that to happen, but it just made the story that much more likable.
The plot is so intricate and so well thought out. Mangum creates a stunning story that is just so perfect and amazing. I love it! The end was brilliant. I read the last few pages, stunned with the way the story was unraveling to its end. I was literally breathless at the end, anticipation and thrill weaving around me with her words. Oh my gosh, I can NOT wait until The Forgotten Locket comes out! I have to find out what happens to Abby and Dante, and Valerie and Abby's family… Oh my gosh. The Golden Spiral is amazing. Thank you thank you Lisa, for such an incredible story. I love it!
July 8, 2011
Why do I do these things to myself? The first one was bad enough. This second is worse. I get seduced and confused by books with little labels on them boasting awards having been won. Who awards these so-called, awards? Dante and Abby are so corny, mushy and unreal. I even found myself acting like the teenagers they are by rolling my eyes. Any book that actually, in all seriousness uses lines like, "I will love you, always...and forever," needs to seriously rethink their dialogue taste. Who talks like that? And if they do talk like that, who wants to read it? Not me. And anyway, it's hard to get into a cheesy relationship when I don't feel any chemistry between characters at all. You can't just say, 'there was chemistry' and poof! it appears.
Lisa Mangum has a pretty decent storyline here but her execution made ME want to be executed. What's with all the friend hugging and trusting and bravery statements. Ugh! Please, if you care for me at all, don't let me read the third one!
www.thestorykeeperspen.com
Lisa Mangum has a pretty decent storyline here but her execution made ME want to be executed. What's with all the friend hugging and trusting and bravery statements. Ugh! Please, if you care for me at all, don't let me read the third one!
www.thestorykeeperspen.com
July 13, 2010
I'M SO EXCITED! I'M SO EXCITED! I'M SO EXCITED! I'M SO EXCITED! I'M SO EXCITED! I'M SO EXCITED! I'M SO EXCITED! I'M SO EXCITED! I'M SO EXCITED! I'M SO EXCITED! I'M SO EXCITED! I'M SO EXCITED! I'M SO EXCITED! I'M SO EXCITED! I'M SO EXCITED! I'M SO EXCITED! I'M SO EXCITED! I'M SO EXCITED! I'M SO EXCITED! I'M SO EXCITED! I'M SO EXCITED! I'M SO EXCITED! I'M SO EXCITED! I'M SO EXCITED! I'M SO EXCITED! I'M SO EXCITED! I'M SO EXCITED! I'M SO EXCITED! I'M SO EXCITED! I'M SO EXCITED! I'M SO EXCITED! I'M SO EXCITED! I'M SO EXCITED! I'M SO EXCITED! I'M SO EXCITED! I'M SO EXCITED! I'M SO EXCITED! I'M SO EXCITED! I'M SO EXCITED! I'M SO EXCITED! I'M SO EXCITED! I'M SO EXCITED! I'M SO EXCITED! I'M SO EXCITED! I'M SO EXCITED! I'M SO EXCITED! I'M SO EXCITED! I'M SO EXCITED! I'M SO EXCITED! C:
July 13, 2022
I have half a mind to give this a 2, but it did keep my attention and I read it really fast, so I'll leave it as three. But here are the problems.
For starters, this book suffers the same ailments that many 2nd books in trilogies do. It's too much of an in-between book to be good on its own. There are too many questions and not enough action. I didn't feel like much actually happened in this book--it was all about uncertainty and waiting.
The other issue I had was that the weird time travel strangeness that started in the first book gets even worse in this one. It was so ethereal and incomprehensible that I just skimmed a lot of it. It was a frustrating book where there are too many new questions and not enough answers, and what made it even worse is that Abby doesn't seem to spend any time pondering the questions I WANT her to ponder, like they're being hinted at but saved for book three. If it's going to be that much of an issue, I feel like they should at least make SOME headway on it!
There were also things I liked about this book, like the way Valerie gave her good information in little flashes of her real self and the idea of her life shifting and changing with changes to the past. I just think that this book could have easily combined with the third book to make one good conclusion instead of a weak middle book and what I hope will be a good conclusion.
For starters, this book suffers the same ailments that many 2nd books in trilogies do. It's too much of an in-between book to be good on its own. There are too many questions and not enough action. I didn't feel like much actually happened in this book--it was all about uncertainty and waiting.
The other issue I had was that the weird time travel strangeness that started in the first book gets even worse in this one. It was so ethereal and incomprehensible that I just skimmed a lot of it. It was a frustrating book where there are too many new questions and not enough answers, and what made it even worse is that Abby doesn't seem to spend any time pondering the questions I WANT her to ponder, like they're being hinted at but saved for book three. If it's going to be that much of an issue, I feel like they should at least make SOME headway on it!
There were also things I liked about this book, like the way Valerie gave her good information in little flashes of her real self and the idea of her life shifting and changing with changes to the past. I just think that this book could have easily combined with the third book to make one good conclusion instead of a weak middle book and what I hope will be a good conclusion.
June 17, 2010
I liked this book o.k. Alot of the descriptions of the bank and river were confusing to me. Sometimes I had to re-read passages to figure out who was speaking or what was going on. Dante seemed a weaker character in this book than in the first. Everyone seemd to wait around and see what Abby would do next to save them all. While I like strong female characters, I would have liked the other "good" characters to be a little stronger too.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
July 15, 2010
This is book 2 in the Hourglass Door Trilogy. I felt that this book was a typical book #2, more of just a bridge to #3. The story kept me turning pages, but there were so many things I didn't like that I think I would probably give this book 2.5 stars.
I was disappointed to discover that Lisa Mangum didn't seem to grow as an author with this second book. I still felt the lack of connection with the characters. At times I skimmed the pages because I felt she was too long winded with her descriptions. I think her decision to write it from the perspective of Abby probably keeps us from getting close to all the characters and I feel Abby "thinks" too much.
I was also disappointed with how she choose to have Dante so weak in this book. In book one he was mysterious and seemed to have mastered the rules for keeping the balance. When Mangum described what would happen when going back through the door, I expected that it would happen. It did, for Zo, but why didn't Dante have the same things happen? And if he did, why didn't he use that power? He seemed to depend too much on Abby. It was almost like the weak Bella in twilight only in man form. I truly hope that he gets better in book 3.
Another thing I didn't like is how powerful Zo is. And maybe not that he is so powerful but that the "good guys" never seem to win in this book. The whole thing is just one big downer. It is like the trial that never ends.
Anyway, this book was worth the read if only to get us to book 3, here is hoping that the last one is stellar!
I was disappointed to discover that Lisa Mangum didn't seem to grow as an author with this second book. I still felt the lack of connection with the characters. At times I skimmed the pages because I felt she was too long winded with her descriptions. I think her decision to write it from the perspective of Abby probably keeps us from getting close to all the characters and I feel Abby "thinks" too much.
I was also disappointed with how she choose to have Dante so weak in this book. In book one he was mysterious and seemed to have mastered the rules for keeping the balance. When Mangum described what would happen when going back through the door, I expected that it would happen. It did, for Zo, but why didn't Dante have the same things happen? And if he did, why didn't he use that power? He seemed to depend too much on Abby. It was almost like the weak Bella in twilight only in man form. I truly hope that he gets better in book 3.
Another thing I didn't like is how powerful Zo is. And maybe not that he is so powerful but that the "good guys" never seem to win in this book. The whole thing is just one big downer. It is like the trial that never ends.
Anyway, this book was worth the read if only to get us to book 3, here is hoping that the last one is stellar!
May 13, 2010
This book was a lot like The Hourglass Door for me. Interesting enough to finish, but never so compelling that I was dying to get back to it. The relationship between Abby and Dante never felt authentic to me, and the time travel elements--the bank, river, barrier, etc, were just confusing for no good reason. I'll definitely read the final book in the trilogy when it comes out next year, but I don't mind waiting for it:) 2 1/2 stars.
November 12, 2022
Better than the 1st, now I’m very interested in seeing how it all turns out, so I’m sure I’ll read the 3rd. Still, even though it was fascinating while I was reading it, there were times when it was easy to put down and not grab again for a while.
June 13, 2023
Reread 06/2023 review-2.9～3.1 stars?? Abby is starting to get irritating.
Original 08/2010 review- 5 stars.
Original 08/2010 review- 5 stars.
August 25, 2019
I loved the continuation of the story, of Abby’s strength & will, her love for Dante & her unending determination to rescue him, to save her family & friends. To save the past & protect the future.
August 29, 2019
Abby never ceases to amaze me. I had thought all along that she would have already gone through the door and made her appearance in Dantes life. Now we're going to see how all of that plays out.
August 2, 2021
Yes. Just yes. Dante I love you. Abby you are a queen. Just yes
August 30, 2011
After reading the sequel, I have to say that for me, this series is about right there in the middle: It's okay, and there are some entertaining characters (Zo and Valerie) and climatic scenes but overall, I wish it could have been better.
The plot was interesting and what happens to Dante as he goes through the door is unexpected. (And it was a nice change to see Abby as the heroine instead of reading about another male saving her and everyone else.)
When Zo returns to the river, he makes changes to Abby's life that we see unfold in the story. I really enjoyed seeing the changes but I wished Mangum had added more details about what Zo did to initiate the change. Mangum was able to capture Zo's devious character in this one and I could really feel that Zo was a psychopath. Valerie's mental instability also really drew me in on this one; Mangum was able to SHOW ME how her mind has been taken over by her experience at the bank in HGD. V also makes an appearance, and his loyalty comes into question: . We also learn more about V's relationship with Valerie and I have to say, I felt more about their relationship than of Abby and Dante.
The end was a bit predictable (only because you already know that she will . And I am interested to find out how Abby will return her timeline back to "normal."
But with Abby, I'm still not sure how I feel about her; I don't feel that invested. Her determination is admirable but sometimes I feel she should be wiser about the things she says and does.
For example (I ried to keep the spoilers vague but enter at your own risk):
1. During a confrontation with Zo, she blames him for causing Jason to break up with her and for preventing any "unseen possibilities" with him. Shouldn't Abby be over Jason already? She's now with the love of her life Dante so why does she keep returning to this subject? Wasn't it a good thing that Jason broke up with her? She wasn't even that happy with him so why the obsession with the break-up? I don't get it.
2. I quickly came to understand how volatile Zo's presence is to the erosion of the bank/river. SEVERAL times during the story, there is the constant reminder that "names" are important and that Zo is listening. So if it became clear to me so quickly, why does Abby completely IGNORE that warning?! And in the end, it's actually .
3. When present-day events begin to change, I'm not convinced with the way Abby responds to it. When changes first begin to occur, I understand her panic, and she does try to "go with the flow" in making the best of the situation. But it was when . Now, I know Abby's in shock but by now she's had so many experiences with life changing that doesn't she realize she can't be angry or upset with ?
Overall, it's an entertaining read...just as long as you don't think about it TOO much...and just take it for what it is. There are a few areas that still just don't make any sense to me like And sadly, I just don't feel that much for Abby and Dante's relationship or even Abby for that matter. And honestly, I'm not that compelled to read the 3rd one even though I am determined to finish the series. I just wish there was something more to their relationship, and I can't seem to point my finger to what is missing...Anyone?
The plot was interesting and what happens to Dante as he goes through the door is unexpected. (And it was a nice change to see Abby as the heroine instead of reading about another male saving her and everyone else.)
When Zo returns to the river, he makes changes to Abby's life that we see unfold in the story. I really enjoyed seeing the changes but I wished Mangum had added more details about what Zo did to initiate the change. Mangum was able to capture Zo's devious character in this one and I could really feel that Zo was a psychopath. Valerie's mental instability also really drew me in on this one; Mangum was able to SHOW ME how her mind has been taken over by her experience at the bank in HGD. V also makes an appearance, and his loyalty comes into question: . We also learn more about V's relationship with Valerie and I have to say, I felt more about their relationship than of Abby and Dante.
The end was a bit predictable (only because you already know that she will . And I am interested to find out how Abby will return her timeline back to "normal."
But with Abby, I'm still not sure how I feel about her; I don't feel that invested. Her determination is admirable but sometimes I feel she should be wiser about the things she says and does.
For example (I ried to keep the spoilers vague but enter at your own risk):
1. During a confrontation with Zo, she blames him for causing Jason to break up with her and for preventing any "unseen possibilities" with him. Shouldn't Abby be over Jason already? She's now with the love of her life Dante so why does she keep returning to this subject? Wasn't it a good thing that Jason broke up with her? She wasn't even that happy with him so why the obsession with the break-up? I don't get it.
2. I quickly came to understand how volatile Zo's presence is to the erosion of the bank/river. SEVERAL times during the story, there is the constant reminder that "names" are important and that Zo is listening. So if it became clear to me so quickly, why does Abby completely IGNORE that warning?! And in the end, it's actually .
3. When present-day events begin to change, I'm not convinced with the way Abby responds to it. When changes first begin to occur, I understand her panic, and she does try to "go with the flow" in making the best of the situation. But it was when . Now, I know Abby's in shock but by now she's had so many experiences with life changing that doesn't she realize she can't be angry or upset with ?
Overall, it's an entertaining read...just as long as you don't think about it TOO much...and just take it for what it is. There are a few areas that still just don't make any sense to me like And sadly, I just don't feel that much for Abby and Dante's relationship or even Abby for that matter. And honestly, I'm not that compelled to read the 3rd one even though I am determined to finish the series. I just wish there was something more to their relationship, and I can't seem to point my finger to what is missing...Anyone?
May 13, 2010
I found The Golden Spiral to be a thoughtful and engaging sequel to The Hourglass Door. Although The Hourglass Door began somewhat slowly in order to set up the action and the characters, The Golden Spiral picked up right where The Hourglass Door ended and took off from there. Assumptions were made that you had read the first book, that you were familiar with the characters and the storyline, and that you knew exactly what was going on. This is definitely not a stand-alone book; you must read the first book in order to understand the events in this book.
Dante is stuck behind the Door and Abby must built a new one in order to get him back, but she needs help to do and must trust someone she never thought she would. In the meantime, Zo is now more powerful than ever before and is wreaking havoc on her life, changing her past timeline, shifting her past, altering it so that people and family she knew and loved are no longer in her present. Abby has to work hard and fast to prevent Zo from altering any more of her past, to prevent the barriers of time from breaking down further. What I found absolutely fascinating in all this were the philosophical discussions surrounding the past and how one choice from your past can alter your future course so drastically. Abby asks Dante at one point, why can't he just go back and fix her past and he answers, he doesn't know what choice it was that her parents made that altered the future so drastically and he was afraid that if he changed one thing, it would alter the future even more. It really made me think about all of my choices I've made in the past, good and bad, and how if I would have changed one thing, how different my life right now would have been. It boggles the mind to think of the paradoxes that creates.
The world that is created in this novel is highly imaginative and unique. The river, the bank, the hourglass door, the time paradoxes and the time travelling allows for a lot of suspense and mystery. The action moves more quickly in this novel than in the first, with many plot twists and turns. You barely had time to breathe before something else happened. Ms. Mangum's writing style is fresh and creative, drawing the reader into her characters, allowing us to really see what they are thinking and feeling. I really enjoyed how Valerie's character developed, and how secrets were revealed through the use of pictures and stories; I was never sure of Valerie's loyalty and this kept me interested and intrigued all the way through this novel. She is such a fascinating character.
Verdict
The Golden Spiral is a fun, compelling, and engaging sequel to The Hourglass Door. The characters continue to be well-developed and intriguing, with many dark and interesting secrets, secrets that make them unsure whom they should trust. I am definitely looking forward to book 3, The Forgotten Locket, when it is released in summer 2011.
Dante is stuck behind the Door and Abby must built a new one in order to get him back, but she needs help to do and must trust someone she never thought she would. In the meantime, Zo is now more powerful than ever before and is wreaking havoc on her life, changing her past timeline, shifting her past, altering it so that people and family she knew and loved are no longer in her present. Abby has to work hard and fast to prevent Zo from altering any more of her past, to prevent the barriers of time from breaking down further. What I found absolutely fascinating in all this were the philosophical discussions surrounding the past and how one choice from your past can alter your future course so drastically. Abby asks Dante at one point, why can't he just go back and fix her past and he answers, he doesn't know what choice it was that her parents made that altered the future so drastically and he was afraid that if he changed one thing, it would alter the future even more. It really made me think about all of my choices I've made in the past, good and bad, and how if I would have changed one thing, how different my life right now would have been. It boggles the mind to think of the paradoxes that creates.
The world that is created in this novel is highly imaginative and unique. The river, the bank, the hourglass door, the time paradoxes and the time travelling allows for a lot of suspense and mystery. The action moves more quickly in this novel than in the first, with many plot twists and turns. You barely had time to breathe before something else happened. Ms. Mangum's writing style is fresh and creative, drawing the reader into her characters, allowing us to really see what they are thinking and feeling. I really enjoyed how Valerie's character developed, and how secrets were revealed through the use of pictures and stories; I was never sure of Valerie's loyalty and this kept me interested and intrigued all the way through this novel. She is such a fascinating character.
Verdict
The Golden Spiral is a fun, compelling, and engaging sequel to The Hourglass Door. The characters continue to be well-developed and intriguing, with many dark and interesting secrets, secrets that make them unsure whom they should trust. I am definitely looking forward to book 3, The Forgotten Locket, when it is released in summer 2011.
June 30, 2011
The Golden Spiral picks up right where The Hourglass Door left off. Many of the characters return in this intricately planned sequel – but some return only to be erased from Abby’s life by Zo. With Dante gone for the time-being, Abby finds herself facing off against Zo alone as he’s determined to completely unravel her life and, possibly, the world.
Lisa Magnum is a master at story-crafting. Her lyrical descriptions at times border on poetry and her plot is so unique, full of twists and turns. While Abby solves mysteries from The Hourglass Door, she finds herself unraveling new, more complicated ones. Without Dante by her side, her strength is tested over and over. Abby grows a lot in this book and reasserts her independence, proving that she doesn’t need Dante to protect her, but that the two make each other stronger. Abby also learns to take more risks and trust in herself. Despite the fact that Zo attempts to rip her life apart, she refuses to back down to him, which is admirable given his all-around creepiness and nearly god-like power.
I was also really impressed by Abby’s friends in this book. Natalie really steps up to the plate when Abby decides to confide in her, proving that yes, she is human and therefore needs support and friendship. Natalie’s hesitance is believable, as well as her eventual of acceptance. It’s important for Abby to maintain her relationships with her old friends and I’m glad she acknowledges this, rather than abandon her friends for her gorgeous boyfriend and his complicated life. Speaking of complicated, poor Valerie. Her descent into delirium is equal parts fascinating and depressing. At first I thought she had gone completely crazy, but I was happily surprised to find out she was still hanging on, if just barely. I’m still worried about her, but glad to see that perhaps all hope isn’t lost.
If you thought The Hourglass Door was unique, The Golden Spiral pushes that kind of creativity even further. Abby’s and Leo’s use of photography is downright fascinating. Also, V’s unexpected character development is adorably awesome, though it comes with a price, and Zo’s cryptic messages are creepily alluring. Mangum blurs the line between friend and fo so that you’re left guessing up until the very end, when she drops a few major bombs. The characters are repeatedly tested and while the tests usually leave them stronger, they suffer a few devastating losses by the end of the book. And again, Mangum leaves us with a cliffhanger that leaves me, at least, craving the conclusion to the trilogy.
Lisa Magnum is a master at story-crafting. Her lyrical descriptions at times border on poetry and her plot is so unique, full of twists and turns. While Abby solves mysteries from The Hourglass Door, she finds herself unraveling new, more complicated ones. Without Dante by her side, her strength is tested over and over. Abby grows a lot in this book and reasserts her independence, proving that she doesn’t need Dante to protect her, but that the two make each other stronger. Abby also learns to take more risks and trust in herself. Despite the fact that Zo attempts to rip her life apart, she refuses to back down to him, which is admirable given his all-around creepiness and nearly god-like power.
I was also really impressed by Abby’s friends in this book. Natalie really steps up to the plate when Abby decides to confide in her, proving that yes, she is human and therefore needs support and friendship. Natalie’s hesitance is believable, as well as her eventual of acceptance. It’s important for Abby to maintain her relationships with her old friends and I’m glad she acknowledges this, rather than abandon her friends for her gorgeous boyfriend and his complicated life. Speaking of complicated, poor Valerie. Her descent into delirium is equal parts fascinating and depressing. At first I thought she had gone completely crazy, but I was happily surprised to find out she was still hanging on, if just barely. I’m still worried about her, but glad to see that perhaps all hope isn’t lost.
If you thought The Hourglass Door was unique, The Golden Spiral pushes that kind of creativity even further. Abby’s and Leo’s use of photography is downright fascinating. Also, V’s unexpected character development is adorably awesome, though it comes with a price, and Zo’s cryptic messages are creepily alluring. Mangum blurs the line between friend and fo so that you’re left guessing up until the very end, when she drops a few major bombs. The characters are repeatedly tested and while the tests usually leave them stronger, they suffer a few devastating losses by the end of the book. And again, Mangum leaves us with a cliffhanger that leaves me, at least, craving the conclusion to the trilogy.
June 8, 2010
At first, I rated this book 4 stars, but I liked it SO much better than the first one (which I rated 4 stars) that I had to change it to 5 stars.
In this installment of the trilogy, Abby is desperately trying to build a new door in order to bring Dante back. But he did not end up where he was supposed to, and to make things more difficult, Zo is messing with Abby's past, which is changing her present. I was hooked right from the beginning and read this one in 2 days. There was nothing that really "bugged" me, like there was in the first one and Lisa Mangum's writing has definitely improved.
Things I liked...
1) I love the "physicality" (if that is a word) of the river and the bank. Her time element seems so real and I can see it in my mind, which is a must for me when I am reading.
2) I loved the twists and turns with the changes in the past which affect the present.
3) I LOVED Valerie's role in this one. It was unexpected as I didn't see her in that role after the first book. In fact, I loved seeing things from so many points of view...Dante, Abby, Valerie, Tony, V, even Zo.
4) I liked that we got more of the history of the time travelers.
5) I loved the changes in some of the characters...
6) I loved the ending...especially the way that it connected to the way the first book ended.
7) Some things from the first book that I wondered about were explained...others weren't but I am hopeful all will be resolved in the last book.
Other stuff...
1) I only found two typos in this book! That is always a happy day for me as errors seem to abound in today's books. I don't know if it bad editing or if publishers are trying to push books through so fast they don't care if mistakes are made...
2) There is still too much "tears" talk. I get that Abby cries a lot. She is under a lot of stress...but tears pricking her eyes, and tears in her throat...too much!
3) No 17 year olds I know (or adults for that matter) would call a 17 year old an amazing "woman" and no 17 year old calls his girlfriend (or best friend) his "best girl"
4) I wish the characters were all in college instead of high school...
5) Dante et all have AMAZINGLY good English for the short time they have been in 21st century America...
Overall, I can say that I LOVED this book...how to wait a whole year for the third one???
In this installment of the trilogy, Abby is desperately trying to build a new door in order to bring Dante back. But he did not end up where he was supposed to, and to make things more difficult, Zo is messing with Abby's past, which is changing her present. I was hooked right from the beginning and read this one in 2 days. There was nothing that really "bugged" me, like there was in the first one and Lisa Mangum's writing has definitely improved.
Things I liked...
1) I love the "physicality" (if that is a word) of the river and the bank. Her time element seems so real and I can see it in my mind, which is a must for me when I am reading.
2) I loved the twists and turns with the changes in the past which affect the present.
3) I LOVED Valerie's role in this one. It was unexpected as I didn't see her in that role after the first book. In fact, I loved seeing things from so many points of view...Dante, Abby, Valerie, Tony, V, even Zo.
4) I liked that we got more of the history of the time travelers.
5) I loved the changes in some of the characters...
6) I loved the ending...especially the way that it connected to the way the first book ended.
7) Some things from the first book that I wondered about were explained...others weren't but I am hopeful all will be resolved in the last book.
Other stuff...
1) I only found two typos in this book! That is always a happy day for me as errors seem to abound in today's books. I don't know if it bad editing or if publishers are trying to push books through so fast they don't care if mistakes are made...
2) There is still too much "tears" talk. I get that Abby cries a lot. She is under a lot of stress...but tears pricking her eyes, and tears in her throat...too much!
3) No 17 year olds I know (or adults for that matter) would call a 17 year old an amazing "woman" and no 17 year old calls his girlfriend (or best friend) his "best girl"
4) I wish the characters were all in college instead of high school...
5) Dante et all have AMAZINGLY good English for the short time they have been in 21st century America...
Overall, I can say that I LOVED this book...how to wait a whole year for the third one???
October 27, 2010
All right. True confession time. I read the last page of this book before I started the story. Stop your groaning. If you read the first installment of this trilogy - The Hourglass Door - then you'll totally understand my need to know if Dante and Abby end up together or not. So...do they? Unh-unh, not telling. You'll have to read The Golden Spiral to find out.
All that to say that The Golden Spiral is an absolute must read. Yes, the love story between Dante and Abby manages to deepen. Sure, the action is non-stop. And of course there are more mind-bending time travel concepts to consider. But what amazed me most is the stunning writing that author Lisa Mangum cranks out for her sophomore novel.
Frequently the second book in a series turns into a yawner. An author has a truckload of time to put into a debut novel but the second is usually written under a deadline. That can make for mediocre writing. Not so for Mangum. Snappy turns of phrases. Depth of emotion. A plot that twists more than the river of time. Mangum pulls off all this and more.
My only grump is that now I have to wait until Summer 2011 for the third and final installment in The Hourglass Trilogy. When it finally hits the market, I will be the customer with my face mashed against the bookstore door waiting for it to open. And if you read The Golden Spiral, as I highly recommend, I'm sure I'll see you there too.
Just don't get in my way.
All that to say that The Golden Spiral is an absolute must read. Yes, the love story between Dante and Abby manages to deepen. Sure, the action is non-stop. And of course there are more mind-bending time travel concepts to consider. But what amazed me most is the stunning writing that author Lisa Mangum cranks out for her sophomore novel.
Frequently the second book in a series turns into a yawner. An author has a truckload of time to put into a debut novel but the second is usually written under a deadline. That can make for mediocre writing. Not so for Mangum. Snappy turns of phrases. Depth of emotion. A plot that twists more than the river of time. Mangum pulls off all this and more.
My only grump is that now I have to wait until Summer 2011 for the third and final installment in The Hourglass Trilogy. When it finally hits the market, I will be the customer with my face mashed against the bookstore door waiting for it to open. And if you read The Golden Spiral, as I highly recommend, I'm sure I'll see you there too.
Just don't get in my way.
March 25, 2011
I can count on one hand the number of times the second book in a series is as good or better then the first. The Fablehaven series is the first example of improvement as the books go along that I can think of. Those books just kept getting better. This is one second book that is almost better then the first book (I'm willing to say it WAS better).
So what does this book have that many second books don't? First of all the characters keep developing. This may seem like it should be simple, but there have been second books where there is little character development apparent because of the events of the first book. Secondly, this book was full of story development. I understood the author's ideas of time and the river so much more after reading this book, then I did before reading it. Thirdly, though things look bad at the end (it is a cliff-hanger though not as evil of a cliff-hanger as some I've read), I am not walking away with a feeling of hopelessness. Some cliff hangers make me angry and leaven me with feelings of despair, or the idea that evil just has to win in the end of this one. The feeling behind this one is kind of like the feeling "The Epire Strikes Back" leaves me with. The characters have a plan to get them through the trials, and they are strong.
I recommend this series to anyone who likes a good fantasy book. I also admit, I wouldn't be so calm about the ending if I didn't know that the last book is coming out soon.
So what does this book have that many second books don't? First of all the characters keep developing. This may seem like it should be simple, but there have been second books where there is little character development apparent because of the events of the first book. Secondly, this book was full of story development. I understood the author's ideas of time and the river so much more after reading this book, then I did before reading it. Thirdly, though things look bad at the end (it is a cliff-hanger though not as evil of a cliff-hanger as some I've read), I am not walking away with a feeling of hopelessness. Some cliff hangers make me angry and leaven me with feelings of despair, or the idea that evil just has to win in the end of this one. The feeling behind this one is kind of like the feeling "The Epire Strikes Back" leaves me with. The characters have a plan to get them through the trials, and they are strong.
I recommend this series to anyone who likes a good fantasy book. I also admit, I wouldn't be so calm about the ending if I didn't know that the last book is coming out soon.
May 16, 2010
Hmm… Not sure what I think about this one—-and I’ve been thinking about it for days. Maybe 3.5?? But, probably just 3. I had some pre-conceived ideas about where this series needed to go, so I think I was doomed before I even read this, because it would be impossible for it to go just how I thought it should.
The beginning was very slow and hard to get through, but it picked up as it neared the middle and serious changes started happening. I think I would have benefited from rereading the first book before getting into this one, as I was confused about the rules/situation with the river/bank/time travel. Or, maybe it would have confused me more? Or, maybe I was confused because I was reading too fast? The part about the photography was VERY confusing to me and I really couldn’t make sense of it at all.
I liked the parts with Valerie, V, and once there was more contact with Dante, but this book felt like filler to me. It did answer one big question that I had after finishing the last book—-where was Dante at the end and why didn’t he show up if he was now a “master of time”? The end of The Golden Spiral was right where I was hoping the beginning of The Golden Spiral would be, so I’m really looking forward to the next book (although hopefully I won’t be too disappointed if things don’t ultimately “go my way” :)
The beginning was very slow and hard to get through, but it picked up as it neared the middle and serious changes started happening. I think I would have benefited from rereading the first book before getting into this one, as I was confused about the rules/situation with the river/bank/time travel. Or, maybe it would have confused me more? Or, maybe I was confused because I was reading too fast? The part about the photography was VERY confusing to me and I really couldn’t make sense of it at all.
I liked the parts with Valerie, V, and once there was more contact with Dante, but this book felt like filler to me. It did answer one big question that I had after finishing the last book—-where was Dante at the end and why didn’t he show up if he was now a “master of time”? The end of The Golden Spiral was right where I was hoping the beginning of The Golden Spiral would be, so I’m really looking forward to the next book (although hopefully I won’t be too disappointed if things don’t ultimately “go my way” :)
July 16, 2011
This book is the sequel to The Hourglass Door, and I thought it was okay. In Hourglass, I felt like the dialogue was a little forced and corny at times and that maybe since it was her first book, she would get better with this one. Not so.
Also, maybe this just indicates something that is broken within me, but I like to read about the whole angsty, emotional, rollercoaster of the beginnings of a relationship a whole lot more than I do the mature, never-ending, lovey-dovey relationship. Okay, I get it--you love him with an undying love, his heart burns passionately for you across time and space. Great. Fine. But it's not something I want to keep reading page after page about. It just kind of reminds me how they have only known each other for a couple of months and don't actually even know each other that well.
So after that introduction, why three stars? Well, I did enjoy the story line, even if I do find the whole concept of the "river" and the "bank" a bit incomprehensible and strange. I think I should say here that I didn't find the characters very believable as actual human beings. Okay, now I think I'm practically talking myself down to two stars. Maybe I should stop while the author is ahead. Something else that may seem incomprehensible after this review--I'm pretty sure I will read the third book.
Also, maybe this just indicates something that is broken within me, but I like to read about the whole angsty, emotional, rollercoaster of the beginnings of a relationship a whole lot more than I do the mature, never-ending, lovey-dovey relationship. Okay, I get it--you love him with an undying love, his heart burns passionately for you across time and space. Great. Fine. But it's not something I want to keep reading page after page about. It just kind of reminds me how they have only known each other for a couple of months and don't actually even know each other that well.
So after that introduction, why three stars? Well, I did enjoy the story line, even if I do find the whole concept of the "river" and the "bank" a bit incomprehensible and strange. I think I should say here that I didn't find the characters very believable as actual human beings. Okay, now I think I'm practically talking myself down to two stars. Maybe I should stop while the author is ahead. Something else that may seem incomprehensible after this review--I'm pretty sure I will read the third book.
March 29, 2010
In The Golden Spiral, book two of the Hourglass Door trilogy, Abby’s life has made a 180 degree turn. Her boyfriend, Dante, has disappeared through a time portal, stuck in a between place that’s impossible to reach without the hourglass door. But the door has been destroyed, and Abby has only a small amount of time to create new one.
Problem is, the reality around her continues to change as Zo manipulates time, drastically altering Abby’s life. First it’s her friend, Justin, then her college scholarship. When her family is affected, Abby will take any risk to undo Zo’s destruction. Her friend, Valerie is the only one with answers, but she is under strict surveillance at a mental hospital.
As the second installment of this YA series, The Golden Spiral continues the fascinating and highly creative story of time travel. Mangum’s writing style is fresh, with a strong literary voice, and will draw readers into the psyche of the various characters and their struggles to understand who they can trust and who still holds dark secrets. Intriguing and suspenseful, The Golden Spiral is an engaging sequel, which will both please readers and leave them anxious for volume three, The Forgotten Locket.
Problem is, the reality around her continues to change as Zo manipulates time, drastically altering Abby’s life. First it’s her friend, Justin, then her college scholarship. When her family is affected, Abby will take any risk to undo Zo’s destruction. Her friend, Valerie is the only one with answers, but she is under strict surveillance at a mental hospital.
As the second installment of this YA series, The Golden Spiral continues the fascinating and highly creative story of time travel. Mangum’s writing style is fresh, with a strong literary voice, and will draw readers into the psyche of the various characters and their struggles to understand who they can trust and who still holds dark secrets. Intriguing and suspenseful, The Golden Spiral is an engaging sequel, which will both please readers and leave them anxious for volume three, The Forgotten Locket.
April 22, 2010
I received an ARC of The Golden Spiral. I was SO excited to get it and to read it because I had really enjoyed the adventure in The Hourglass Door. I liked the characters and the time travel, I liked the writing style and the pace. So I was very thrilled to be able to get this advance reading copy. I am not done with the book, but am about 2/3 done. It isn't moving along as quickly as I would like it to, in fact it is dragging in places. Perhaps we were meant to feel the torture Abby is going through trying to get Dante back. Perhaps there's too much lovey-dovey/longing/angst for my taste. However there are twists and turns that have kept my attention and I am anticipating a pretty good cliff hanger to lead to book three. (Which I plan on reading.) However, comparing The Golden Spiral to The Hourglass Door, it is definitely a 3 star. Sorry Lisa. :0)
Addendum: I have now finished the book and was not disappointed in the end being a cliffhanger. No pressure, Lisa, but I expect the third book to be awesome. Often second books are just a bridge to the third book. And before I sound too pompous, maybe there's stuff I didn't understand or catch as I was reading, you know, allusions to other things. All in all, I am anticipating the third to see how this all turns out.
Addendum: I have now finished the book and was not disappointed in the end being a cliffhanger. No pressure, Lisa, but I expect the third book to be awesome. Often second books are just a bridge to the third book. And before I sound too pompous, maybe there's stuff I didn't understand or catch as I was reading, you know, allusions to other things. All in all, I am anticipating the third to see how this all turns out.
June 7, 2010
Oh...My...Word!!! I thought that I liked The Hourglass Door, but this one was so much better! I read it in two days!
My friends may remember my review of The Hourglass Door, and the nitpicky things that bugged me -sorry, but I read neurotically and errors just sort of jump out at me and make me pause in my reading- but this time I only paused twice. Once, when I read over a section too quickly, and second when I would have used a different description. I must say that the proof-readers on this one did a much better job. [Jenny and I offered, with no luck:]. Ms. Mangum's writing has taken a giant leap forward from the first book. I was sucked in from the first and had a hard time putting it down.
I really enjoyed the depth of this story. Getting the story from different perspectives, Abby, Zo, V, Valerie, etc... was very satisfying. Although I really think that Abby and Dante sound more like 20-somethings and not 17 year olds. I've raised two so far, and they don't speak like that, don't act that mature, nor are they that perceptive!
I have only one complaint...I don't know how I will wait until NEXT YEAR to read the conclusion!!!
My friends may remember my review of The Hourglass Door, and the nitpicky things that bugged me -sorry, but I read neurotically and errors just sort of jump out at me and make me pause in my reading- but this time I only paused twice. Once, when I read over a section too quickly, and second when I would have used a different description. I must say that the proof-readers on this one did a much better job. [Jenny and I offered, with no luck:]. Ms. Mangum's writing has taken a giant leap forward from the first book. I was sucked in from the first and had a hard time putting it down.
I really enjoyed the depth of this story. Getting the story from different perspectives, Abby, Zo, V, Valerie, etc... was very satisfying. Although I really think that Abby and Dante sound more like 20-somethings and not 17 year olds. I've raised two so far, and they don't speak like that, don't act that mature, nor are they that perceptive!
I have only one complaint...I don't know how I will wait until NEXT YEAR to read the conclusion!!!
March 4, 2010
I wish I could give it 4.5 stars! I think it was an AWESOME read. So much more action than the Hourglass Door. At one point, I got to the end of a chapter and thought: "I can't stop here! I have to read just one more! There's no way I can end there for the night!" It was a story that demanded my attention.
Zo is the perfect villain. Incredibly creepy, but at the same time you never know whether you should REALLY trust him.
Dante is still the man. I love that he always gives Abby a choice. He informs her of the consequences either way and then lets her decide what she's planning to do. Awesome.
Time travel always gives me a bit of a headache--not the writing, simply the paradoxes that are presented. I love the photography imagery. I thought that was a fantastic metaphor and image to add into the story. And it also made me want to go visit a darkroom and see how they developed film in the olden days!
Get to reading!
Zo is the perfect villain. Incredibly creepy, but at the same time you never know whether you should REALLY trust him.
Dante is still the man. I love that he always gives Abby a choice. He informs her of the consequences either way and then lets her decide what she's planning to do. Awesome.
Time travel always gives me a bit of a headache--not the writing, simply the paradoxes that are presented. I love the photography imagery. I thought that was a fantastic metaphor and image to add into the story. And it also made me want to go visit a darkroom and see how they developed film in the olden days!
Get to reading!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
October 16, 2011
RATING: 4 out of 5
Still a good and intriguing story. It kept up the suspense and curiosity the first book had.
Zo is back and he has big plans in mind for Abby. Zo is much more powerful now and now has the power to change the past. He removes some of Abbys memories and it is up to Abby to try and get them back and the man of her dreams; Dante: who is stuck in limbo and is waiting for her to find him and bring him back.
The ending is a good one and i am very interested to find out what is going to happen in the next novel. Sorry that the reivew is short.
Still a good and intriguing story. It kept up the suspense and curiosity the first book had.
Zo is back and he has big plans in mind for Abby. Zo is much more powerful now and now has the power to change the past. He removes some of Abbys memories and it is up to Abby to try and get them back and the man of her dreams; Dante: who is stuck in limbo and is waiting for her to find him and bring him back.
The ending is a good one and i am very interested to find out what is going to happen in the next novel. Sorry that the reivew is short.
March 21, 2010
More perks of working at the bookstore :-) I got to read an ARC of this. I'm very satisfied with this book as a follow-up to the first, which stands out as a compelling story in a well-built world in the genre of YA romance.
The cool thing about it was that all the characters progressed--even and especially the bad guys. Mangum was consistent with the theme and feel of the first book while advancing it into something more intense. So you can tell it's still an Hourglass Door story but it's far from a re-hash. The most intriguing stuff for me came in the form of the da Vinci snippets, the actual building of the time machine, the "sci-fi" element of the story. There was a good balance between romance and the speculative fiction side--not too heavy on either one.
I wonder how it will end...
The cool thing about it was that all the characters progressed--even and especially the bad guys. Mangum was consistent with the theme and feel of the first book while advancing it into something more intense. So you can tell it's still an Hourglass Door story but it's far from a re-hash. The most intriguing stuff for me came in the form of the da Vinci snippets, the actual building of the time machine, the "sci-fi" element of the story. There was a good balance between romance and the speculative fiction side--not too heavy on either one.
I wonder how it will end...
March 12, 2010
This book gets going right from the start and doesn't stop. Since we all know the caracters from the first book, she doesn't need to spend alot of time introducing them to us again. Which means she there is more story and less regurgitation. I can easily relate to Abby and like her. One of the things I like best about her is that she is strong, brave and uses her brain. When times get tough she doesnt sit around and feel sorry for herself, she does something about it unlike other heroins of this genre. The romance is sweet and genuine. She keeps you on your toes wondering how this mess will work out. I enjoyed this book very much and would recommend it to anyone. I am eagerly looking forward to finding out how the story ends.
June 14, 2019
Fine second book in a trilogy. Mangum delivers more romance, intrigue and action, picking up right where The Hourglass Door left off. Only drawbacks were that it is a middle book, and I have found middle books tend to be the least enjoyable in trilogies (my opinion), by their very nature (open-endedness, more problems added and not many resolved), and sometimes the time logic lost me a little. But I enjoyed it a great deal and look forward to the third one.
Read my full review, including a rating for content, at RatedReads.com: https://ratedreads.com/golden-spiral-...
Read my full review, including a rating for content, at RatedReads.com: https://ratedreads.com/golden-spiral-...
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March 28, 2010oh. my. goodness. lisa is a genius!
this sequel did not disappoint, and while i cannot wait for the third book to come out (please hurry lisa!), i am so extremely sad for the journey with abby and dante to be over :( i, dare i say, think that i enjoyed "the golden spiral" more than "the hourglass door" because the basis of the characters and their background had already been set up, so you really could focus on the story and what was happening between the characters. it was amazing, and really, amazing doesn't even begin to describe it.
this sequel did not disappoint, and while i cannot wait for the third book to come out (please hurry lisa!), i am so extremely sad for the journey with abby and dante to be over :( i, dare i say, think that i enjoyed "the golden spiral" more than "the hourglass door" because the basis of the characters and their background had already been set up, so you really could focus on the story and what was happening between the characters. it was amazing, and really, amazing doesn't even begin to describe it.
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