YA Buddy Readers' Corner ♥ discussion

passage, n.
i. A brief section of music composed of a series of notes and flourishes.
ii. A journey by water; a voyage.
iii. The transition from one place to another, across space and time.

In one devastating night, violin prodigy Etta Spencer loses everything she knows and loves. Thrust into an unfamiliar world by a stranger with a dangerous agenda, Etta is certain of only one thing: she has traveled not just miles but years from home. And she’s inherited a legacy she knows nothing about from a family whose existence she’s never heard of. Until now.

Nicholas Carter is content with his life at sea, free from the Ironwoods—a powerful family in the colonies—and the servitude he’s known at their hands. But with the arrival of an unusual passenger on his ship comes the insistent pull of the past that he can’t escape and the family that won’t let him go so easily. Now the Ironwoods are searching for a stolen object of untold value, one they believe only Etta, Nicholas’ passenger, can find. In order to protect her, he must ensure she brings it back to them— whether she wants to or not.

Together, Etta and Nicholas embark on a perilous journey across centuries and continents, piecing together clues left behind by the traveler who will do anything to keep the object out of the Ironwoods’ grasp. But as they get closer to the truth of their search, and the deadly game the Ironwoods are play­ing, treacherous forces threaten to sep­arate Etta not only from Nicholas but from her path home . . . forever

I'm in!

Me too!
My Review of Passenger: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

Me 3

Just started.

(view spoiler)[

"Rigging. His hands itched to touch it, to feel the spray of the sea kicked up by wind and his ship charging through the water."

Yes. My sentiments exactly. I can totally relate to Nicholas's character through this passage alone. Passage. Yep. (hide spoiler)]

I very much liked the writing style.

May start today!!

I'll be reading :) starting when I get home.

16%
Chapter 4

Exciting! I'm really enjoying this!
(view spoiler)[I really like both Etta and Nicholas's personalities and I like how the story switches back and forth between both of their perspectives. So much mystery, with only little clues here and there -- this is right down my alley. (hide spoiler)]

Beginning of chapter 2:

I haven't read anything by this author before (though I have TDM sitting on my shelves, I just haven't gotten to it yet). Honestly, I'm not sure what I was expecting...

So far, I'm a little thrown off by her style of writing. Right from the first page, I found myself having to reread the descriptions. She seems to really have a thing with fire metaphors, also.

It's interesting how she's given us bits and pieces of the character's backgrounds without info-dumping (at least so far). Nick seems like he could be an interesting protagonist... I don't know about Etta. We'll see.

I thought the first chapter was kind of long. I'm intrigued, but I want to be less confused.

CallMeSensei wrote: "So far, I'm a little thrown off by her style of writing. Right from the first page, I found myself having to reread the descriptions. She seems to really have a thing with fire metaphors, also.."

I really like her writing style -- it seems to flow so smoothly. I've used a lot of fire metaphors in my writing (as well as sea/sailing metaphors), so maybe that's why I can identify... ;)

Adrianna wrote: "I'll be reading :) starting when I get home."

Heather wrote: "May start today!!"

Michael wrote: "Me 3"

Super! I'm excited to see what you all think!

CallMeSensei wrote: "Beginning of chapter 2:

I haven't read anything by this author before (though I have TDM sitting on my shelves, I just haven't gotten to it yet). Honestly, I'm not sure what I was expecting...

S..."


I have already read and reviewed Passenger with an ARC copy but I had somewhat the same feelings starting off, best advice... stick with it. :)

My review https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

Carrie wrote: "I have already read and reviewed Passenger with an ARC copy but I had somewhat the same feelings starting off, best advice... stick with it. :)."

Thanks, Carrie. I will read your review when I'm finished.

Thanks TJ & Carrie for your comments. I'm going to stick with it, if only to figure out what is going on!!

Beginning of chapter 6:
I'm growing to really like Nick's character. He's seen a lot of bad stuff and doesn't take other people's BS because of it. I can appreciate that.

Etta... she seems strong-willed (at least from Nick's POV) and feisty (which I can appreciate) but she also seems like the type who blindly runs into danger, thinking she knows best, even though she doesn't really have all the facts. I like that she sticks up for herself but I have a feeling she's going to get herself into trouble before too long.

(view spoiler)[I've read some reviews before reading this book... just to get a hint of what's in store for me and a lot of people seem to describe Nick & Etta's budding romance as insta-love. So far, I don't see any signs of that... just maybe a bit of lust on Nick's end and a bit of gratitude on Etta's end. They do seem to have a connection between them, if only because Etta, unlike Sophia, hasn't insulted Nick based on his race but instead stands up for him. I think I might enjoy wherever their relationship is headed. (hide spoiler)]

I still feel like I don't really have any clue what's going on, however... What do the Ironwoods want with Etta?

I'll be reading this, but my copy arrived a little late, so maybe until tomorrow or Monday

Beginning of chapter 13:

This started to really pick up around chapter 9. I don't really mind books that start off slow as long as they aren't always slow. Bracken's descriptions have ceased to bother; I actually am rather enjoying her prose (though, I still chuckle a bit at all the fire metaphors!).

This story thrives off of Etta's not-knowing, that she wasn't raised a traveler, that she has no idea, really, who her mother is, or about her family's history. Even Cyrus Ironwood calls her a "blank state". Every chapter seems to fill in a piece of a puzzle, like a slow treasure hunt.

I was right that her strong-willed nature would get her into trouble(view spoiler)[--almost, when she meets Cyrus but definitely when Nicholas calls her out for idiocy [p. 230: "I didn't take you for an idiot!"]-- (hide spoiler)] but I didn't guess that Nicholas would also be so foolish(view spoiler)[--Really, he thinks it's a good idea to take up with Cyrus Ironwood and his "contracts" again? How does he not fear that Ironwood has something else up his sleeve?-- (hide spoiler)]. They might just be perfect for each other, after all.

Ugh, I'm hooked.

Well, I got a bit distracted with other things, but now I'm back.
18%
(view spoiler)["She'd woken up on this ship to find that all of her carefully conditioned composure had flown away, and what she'd been left with was raw instinct and will. She'd felt wild and unhinged at the time, but she'd proven to herself, if no one else, that she was willing to fight. Protect herself. Now she needed to use every ounce of her drive to survive at all costs; to channel her unwillingness to crack under pressure, and form a plan to get home."
(hide spoiler)]
Yes! I love it!

Just finished! I liked it! Love the main characters! And damn that cliffhanger... I think I may need to sit on this one for a couple hours before giving a full review...

19%
(view spoiler)[Sophia is really annoying, but I like her independent, feisty character. It adds intrigue to the story. (hide spoiler)]

20%
Oooh, this is getting interesting...
(view spoiler)["The moment the timeline shifts to a new one, what we call a wrinkle is created. Time will attempt to correct and realign itself the best it can by dragging you, the traveler, out of whatever era you're in and shoving you into the last common year between the old timeline and the new." (hide spoiler)]

Finished!

A very enjoyable read. I very much liked the writing style and the flow.

Interesting characters, who I could identify with. I appreciated the dynamic between Nicholas and Etta. I definitely want to know more about them and what happens to them, so I will continue reading.

The only problem I had was (view spoiler)[with the ending. It didn’t feel like an ending at all. It felt like an abrupt interruption in the middle of a story – as if Ms. Bracken divided her original work because the publisher told her it was too long to sell individually.

I absolutely hate cliffhangers. Even in a series. I like each installment of the series to have a mini-climax and a mini-resolution, even if some or many questions are still left unanswered. This book did not seem to have a climax, or any kind of resolution.

I was also hoping that Etta’s violin skills were going to help her to use the astrolabe. I had this brilliant flash of insight toward the end of the book that Etta’s mother encouraged Etta to master the violin for a reason. This would have been a way to ensure that she could use the astrolabe, but nobody who hadn’t had a lifetime of violin training could. There may still be a tie-in between the violin and time-travel, or they may just be two separate aspects of the same person’s life (which would be less fascinating). (hide spoiler)]

CallMeSensei wrote: "Thanks TJ & Carrie for your comments. I'm going to stick with it, if only to figure out what is going on!!"

I'm glad you stuck with it. Maybe we can buddy read the second installation when it comes along...


CallMeSensei wrote: "Beginning of chapter 6:
I'm growing to really like Nick's character. He's seen a lot of bad stuff and doesn't take other people's BS because of it. I can appreciate that.

Etta... she seems strong-willed (at least from Nick's POV) and feisty (which I can appreciate) but she also seems like the type who blindly runs into danger, thinking she knows best, even though she doesn't really have all the facts. I like that she sticks up for herself but I have a feeling she's going to get herself into trouble before too long."

(view spoiler)[
I agree. I think Etta is strong in an inner-strength-that-she-didn't-really-know-she-had-but-suspected-it-because-of-her-drive-to-be-a-professional-violinist kind of a way... ;)

And Nick -- I thought he was a strong character until he (I'm not sure he was totally on board, but...) accepted Ironwood's offer.

CallMeSensei wrote: I've read some reviews before reading this book... just to get a hint of what's in store for me and a lot of people seem to describe Nick & Etta's budding romance as insta-love. So far, I don't see any signs of that... just maybe a bit of lust on Nick's end and a bit of gratitude on Etta's end. They do seem to have a connection between them, if only because Etta, unlike Sophia, hasn't insulted Nick based on his race but instead stands up for him. I think I might enjoy wherever their relationship is headed."

I didn't see an insta-love either. I thought their relationship developed naturally, and believably, as they faced increasingly difficult and dangerous obstacles together.

(hide spoiler)]

Here's my review:
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

My Review: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/1460240155

I'm starting this on my commute home

Tati wrote: "I'm starting this on my commute home"

Have fun, Tati! I really enjoyed it. :D

Okay, I've barely began (I'm at 4%), and I'm already wondering if this gets faster...

Ooh ooh! I'll most likely be joining tomorrow.

I'll be starting the book tomorrow since today is too busy.

I've started the book and it seems interesting enough. I am very confused right now, but I think my questions will soon be answered.

At chapter 7: (view spoiler)[So right now I love Etta! She just has an amazing personality and I love how the pirates have sort of accepted her despite the way she acts. I have mixed feelings about Nicholas because I want him to just help her even if they don't know if she's in danger or not yet. Then I have to sort of see it from his point of view and I know that I would be split both ways too. So I love him too I guess. Now Sophia on the other hand..... Yeah no I hate her. She is just so rude and doesn't seem to care how Etta is feeling. I would love her personality if she had been just a bit more kinder and used her rudeness in a more enjoyable way. (hide spoiler)]

*********************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************
★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆

Date Changed. Restarting April 13th 2016. Happy Reading ☺

★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆
***********************************************************************************************************************************************************

Thanks Sarah! :)

50%- not sure what to expect of this book really. It's quite fascinating, loving this historical element at the moment

*******************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************
★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆

Date Changed. Restarting April 29th 2016. Happy Reading ☺

★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆
**************************************************************************************

Thanks for resetting it! Amelia and I are starting today.

Yep, I am just about to dive into Passenger and I am so excited

There might be some new join-ins so I'm going slow for now.

Got through Prologue and Chapter 1 today.
(view spoiler)[ Etta comes off as self-absorbed. She keeps claiming her mom is some kind of ice-cold bitch but so far we've been given zero evidence of that. Her mom gives her expensive earrings, attends her important performance, and even writes her a heartfelt letter detailing how proud she is. How exactly is that unkind or inattentive? I'm thinking the problem lies with Etta, not her mother.
I was also irked by the size of Etta's ego (like how she thinks she's the absolute best at violin) and the fact that she dumped her best friend/boyfriend to free up time for violin practice. I mean come on, who does that? It's just degrading.
Clearly so far I'm not a fan of Etta but I think there'll be other points of view if the prologue is anything to go by. Hoping my opinion of her will improve soon. (hide spoiler)]

Almost finished chapter 5!

Helen 2.0 wrote: "There might be some new join-ins so I'm going slow for now."
Should i slow down a bit so I am not chapters ahead of everyone else?

I can catch up to you tomorrow. Someone else told me she's joining tomorrow.

Ok cool, hopefully more people start joining and we can all have conversations on this thread!

I'm starting this today, hopefully, I'll be able to catch up. I've just finished chapter 1.
(view spoiler)[ So far a little confused but I'm sure as I read more it will become less confusing. I am interested in the plot and I have heard so many good things about it and I really hope that I like it. (hide spoiler)]

Chapter 6: (view spoiler)[ I'm starting to warm up to Etta. She's strong but realistically freaked by her situation, and handling it surprisingly well. I like her rebellious streak, dining with the sailors was very brave. I also like Nicholas and his straightforward honesty. I'm a little confused what his relationship with the ominous "grandfather" and the time traveling family is.
Curious to see whether Alexandra Bracken avoids the many pitfalls of time travel fiction! <\spoiler> (hide spoiler)]

Kirsty wrote: "I'm starting this today, hopefully, I'll be able to catch up. I've just finished chapter 1.
[spoilers removed]"

when I read chapter 1, i was also a bit confused but I am about chapter 7 and I understand everything, keep on reading and it will make sense

Now I'm up to chapter 8, the story is making a lot more sense now and I am really enjoying it.

(view spoiler)[ I am interested to see where the story is going to go. I wonder what the mysterious grandfather is going to be like. I really like the writing in this book, the descriptions really help to set the scene. (hide spoiler)]

Chapter 12, really liking the book now! (view spoiler)[ I'm actually happy Nicholas accepted the deal with the grandfather. He's certainly earned the right to be a little self-serving after everything he's been through at the hands of time travelers. Besides, I appreciate his pragmatism. He shouldn't be giving up the chance to be free and free others just for the benefit of a girl he barely knows and has no future with.
Don't get me wrong, that doesn't mean I don't ship Nicholas/Etta! I just think Nicholas deserves everything he's working so hard for.
<\spoiler> (hide spoiler)]

Chapter 13 (view spoiler)[ the "traveler's sickness" Etta gets sounds a lot like a bad hangover! (hide spoiler)]

Chapter 15: (view spoiler)[ fangirling so hard (hide spoiler)]

Up to chapter 14: (view spoiler)[ I'm really enjoying this now the pacing has really picked up. I like Etta, she is such a strong-minded character and she's very determined. I am not sure what to make of Nicholas. I like him but then he is planning on betraying Etta which I don't like. This world is really interesting, and the time travelling element isn't too confusing which is good as I usually find time travelling really confusing and difficult to keep up with. (hide spoiler)]