Tempest (Tempest, #1)

Nov 25, 2011 Wendy Darling rated it 2 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: young-adult, sci-fi-or-futuristic, male-pov, read-2011, time-travel, adolescent-wish-fulfillment, pn-teleporters, 2012-publication

I think that a lot of readers are going to enjoy Tempest a lot more than I did, judging by the insane marketing efforts planned for this book and by the early reactions I've seen. And to be fair, this is a very readable novel that kept me turning pages so fast you'd think I was eating potato chips. (view spoiler) Unfortunately, my own overall reading experience was a very frustrating one be...more I think that a lot of readers are going to enjoy Tempest a lot more than I did, judging by the insane marketing efforts planned for this book and by the early reactions I've seen. And to be fair, this is a very readable novel that kept me turning pages so fast you'd think I was eating potato chips. (view spoiler) Unfortunately, my own overall reading experience was a very frustrating one because the story was so confusing and I never really felt a connection with the primary characters.

Jackson Meyer is a college student in 2009 who has recently discovered he can jump back and forth through time. He's just beginning to test the limit of his abilities with the help of his friend Adam when one day, a bunch of weirdos burst into his dorm room and during the struggle, his girlfriend Holly is killed. Now Jackson, who speaks several languages and is filthy rich (of course), has to figure out if he can go back in time to save her, all the while avoiding the dangerous people who are chasing after him.

This is a pretty cool premise, if borrowing heavily from Dr. Who's time lords + the movie Jumper. The fundamental problem with a conceit like this, however, is that if the rules of your time traveling aren't fairly clear and the switches in timeline fairly easy to follow, it's going to be hard to hang onto your audience. I have a rudimentary understanding of the guidelines Jackson has to follow, but the timeline made very little sense and the plot feels as if it's just a jumbled mess of events strung together. The jumps are also far too frequent and short-lived, which makes for very abrupt shifts in setting and action; I calculated that in 352 pages and 43 chapters, this kid jumps nearly every 8 pages.

If that weren't enough, there are also elements of Alias (including shades of Sydney Bristow's dad) thrown in + a dead sister + a whole lotta romance...which really isn't all that romantic. By the time Jackson discovers that he's been lied to his whole life and the conspiracies pile up higher and higher, it becomes a pretty ridiculous exercise to watch him become a super secret, teenaged, time-traveling CIA agent in just eleven days. All so he can battle the bad guys, who are called EOTs, or...wait for it...Enemies of Time! *dun dun dun*

This book is also extremely romance-centered, and there's a lot of wish-fulfillment going on in Jackson's fixation with Holly, who appears to be a nice but fairly ordinary, unremarkable girl. I just didn't find them very compelling individually or together, and it's not until the end that there's even a hint of anything genuinely emotional developing in their relationship. (I do give him some credit for not taking advantage of the "past" Holly when he so easily could have, however.) The two characters that interested me the most were Jackson's long-dead sister Courtney, whom he sees when he travels back to the past, and another mysterious little red-headed girl who appears intermittently in his travels. I really wish the book had done more with those characters instead of trying to randomly hit on so many other, less interesting things in the name of serving a far-fetched, unconvincing plot. This novel is really like an episode of any number of pseudo sci-fi adventure tv shows that specialize in flashy quick cuts and dramatic music, most of which also play fast and loose with pesky elements such as science and logic and character development.

As I said, I think a lot of readers will probably enjoy this more than I did, however, so I'm going to be sharing my ARC with fellow readers. If you're interested in joining an ARC blog tour for Tempest, sign up here for a chance to participate! (If you don't have a blog, you may also post your review to GoodReads instead.) YA readers will likely be hearing about this trilogy quite a bit in the near future, since this is not only the first book in a planned trilogy, but the movie rights have also been snapped up by Summit Entertainment. It will be interesting to compare notes to see whether the majority of readers will be as wowed by this story as the powers-that-be are predicting that they will be.

An advance copy was provided by the publisher for this review.
(less)

like 107 likes · see review

Mar 30, 2012 Emily May rated it 1 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: arc, ya-na, 2011, wtf-sexism

I hate giving out one star ratings. I really hate it. And thankfully it doesn't occur too often because most books have something redeeming about them, something that I can think "yeah, the book wasn't great, but I enjoyed that one bit". I'm afraid I couldn't find this at all in Tempest. Harsh as it may seem, this is one of those novels that I honestly have no clue how it got published. It made no sense, the characters were one-dimensional, parts were misogynistic... and to top it all off, it w...more

I hate giving out one star ratings. I really hate it. And thankfully it doesn't occur too often because most books have something redeeming about them, something that I can think "yeah, the book wasn't great, but I enjoyed that one bit". I'm afraid I couldn't find this at all in Tempest. Harsh as it may seem, this is one of those novels that I honestly have no clue how it got published. It made no sense, the characters were one-dimensional, parts were misogynistic... and to top it all off, it was boring. Annoying is forgivable, so is the unexplained, but boring? Big no no.

Oh yeah, and there's something important I should point out. Try as I might to finish this, I only made it to page 300 out of 358 (which I think was pretty decent for a book that didn't hold my interest past page one). But anyway, I'm going to talk about how nothing made any kind of sense and I suppose there is a chance that sense was introduced in the last 58 pages and I missed it by giving up too soon. Oh well. What I read made no sense. It was pointless. So a guy can go back in time and do stuff that he never did before, but then when he returns to the future nothing has been affected by him changing the events of history. As in, whatever he did never happened - so what's the point?

And also, is he really going into the past if what happens doesn't affect the present? Or is he, alternatively, going into a different past/dimension? Perhaps this is explained after page 300, let me know in the comments if it is.

Plus, I'm not sure why that half-arsed romance had to happen. But this is the young adult genre and I suppose I should expect something equally annoying and completely devoid of chemistry by now. What's the point of selling the romantic element in your novel if it is dull as dishwater? I have no idea. I just know that there was nothing about Jackson and Holly's relationship that interested me. And, by the way, if Jackson can go into the past and interact with people without them remembering it in the present, why didn't he just try asking his dad about his strange abilities sooner? I know I would have if I were him.

I think I knew I wouldn't like this book from very near the beginning (chapter one or two) when a character is simply dismissed as being horrible and bitchy with all her "feminist lectures". Gosh, who cares about women and their rights, anyway?? But even that I could have forgotten if it wasn't for some more misogyny later on when Jackson is reluctant to take Holly's virginity: "You want to dump me for some loose chick?" Real nice.

And then this nice little piece:

"I just met this chick last night at my friend's party. She's mega hot and a total airhead."
"Exactly your type right?"
"Yeah, but only if the flakiness is genuine. Not that pretend-I'm-stupid shit. You know it's going to bite you in the ass later. Besides, I love messing with people who just don't get it."

How I wish I could tell you that this interaction was to demonstrate the absolute jackassery of the character. But it's actually brushed off as a bit of good fun by the protagonist. Must I say anything else about this book?

(less)

like 71 likes · see review

Feb 21, 2012 Steph Sinclair rated it 2 of 5 stars · review of another edition Recommends it for: I'm not sure

Recommended to Steph by: Wendy Darling

Shelves: sci-fi, ebook, netgalley, arc-tour, quarterly-challenge-4-december-20, male-pov, 2011-reads, confused-the-hell-outta-me, could-have-been-better, disappointment, fell-for-the-hype, i-totally-saw-that-coming, le-sigh, why-the-hype, young-adult, time-traveling-and-all-that-shiz, e-arc

Until the last ten percent of Tempest, I was resigned to giving it one lonely star and, for once, not having even an inkling to pick up its sequels. I truly believe some people will be captivated with the story Julie Cross has woven together because it's not a bad book, it 's just not a good book either. In all honesty, this is more of a 1.5 star book simply reliant on the principle that it just wasn't for me. However, it really doesn’t fit on my 1.5 star shelf, which is home to some pretty crap...more

like 62 likes · see review

Jun 25, 2011 Lora marked it as maybe · review of another edition

Update as of 6/25/11: Okay, is it just me or are they trying to mimic the cover for Hush, Hush? And the title? Wasn't Tempest the original title for Silence, the final book in the Hush, Hush series? Geesh! - copycat much?

like 25 likes · see review

Apr 11, 2012 Crystal Starr Light rated it 2 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: amazon-vine, young-adult, so-boring-it-s-boring, romance-in-disguise, read-at-your-own-risk, hello-my-name-is-mary-sue

Time Traveler's Wife + Jumper

NOTE: Provided via Amazon Vine Program.

Jackson Meyer has a unique ability: he can jump into the past. But his jumps are only a few minutes or hours into the past, and nothing he does there affects the present. His perception of his abilities change when two men barge in on him and his girlfriend, Holly, and shoot her. Now Jackson is desperately learning what is special about him and how he can use his abilities to save Holly.

I initially selected this book because it...more

like 16 likes · see review

Dec 06, 2011 Lissa rated it 1 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: 2011

I do want to read this. I love the Butterfly Effect films, about time-jumpers. But I don't want to read it if it's similar to The Butterfly Effect. Everyone's saying 'this is so unique!' And apparently the narrator can't change anything in the past that he jumps to. So he'd just be getting younger and younger, right? Cos he can ONLY jump backwards. And then re-live his life. And jump backwards again.

I know, I haven't read it yet. It doesn't make sense to me. Even if he can't affect what happens...more

like 15 likes · see review

Nov 10, 2011 Flannery rated it 2 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: arc-galley-or-first-reads, read-in-2011, read-on-tour, swords-and-lasers, young-adult-teen

Everybody Seems to Like Tempest But Me Picture

Now that there are a few other people with ratings near mine, I don't feel like the only dissenter in a field of praise.

like 41 likes · see review

Jan 22, 2012 Giselle rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: arc, own, time-travel, science-fiction

Time travel is a very tricky subject to get into. (Look at the epic failure of Lost for example). There is the usual paradox of, if we go back in time then what happens must already have happened to make us go back. As well as the endless time loop theories. Tempest battles this with separate timelines. So now my questions are: if we change timeline, then what happens to our self in the original timeline? Does a fake us keep living there? If not, is it as if we never existed there, or do people...more Time travel is a very tricky subject to get into. (Look at the epic failure of Lost for example). There is the usual paradox of, if we go back in time then what happens must already have happened to make us go back. As well as the endless time loop theories. Tempest battles this with separate timelines. So now my questions are: if we change timeline, then what happens to our self in the original timeline? Does a fake us keep living there? If not, is it as if we never existed there, or do people think we've just disappeared? And what happens to our other self that existed before we got to the new timeline?… Yes, my brain hurts too! These were the sort of questions running through my mind while reading Tempest. You have to spend time pondering what's happening, over keeping track of all the back and forth time traveling. For this reason, I can see why this is not a book that everyone would take to. It would be easy to get overwhelmed by the maze-like story, but due to my constant analyzations and fascination with time travel, I was easily engrossed in the novel. Even though there are some lose ends to my questionings, I was overall impressed by Julie's time travel concepts.

We've got Jackson as our male protagonist. He's a wonderful character that is incredibly easy to like and care for. He's just learning how to work his ability when he gets stuck 2 years in the past, leaving his girlfriend, Holly, in a grave situation. Failing to get back, he tries to recreate his relationship with Holly's younger self. It's definitely an interesting romance set in an peculiar situation. We've got the usual fun and pleasant moments, but also some with a more significant message tied to them. The secondary characters aren't extremely developed, but enough to enjoy their presence. Adam and his theories, Holly and her quirks, even Jackson's father; they are an eclectic mix of entertaining personalities.

Because of the quick time jumps that happen quite often, the book is fast paced from the beginning. It can be easy to get disoriented, but it can be equally easy to get captivated by the commotion. It's not until almost the very end that we get a glimpse of the bigger picture - an unsettling (and mind-boggling) glimpse - which has the potential to make it a much more epic trilogy than I had first envisioned.

Constant action, heartfelt romance, and fascinating plot twists all add up to a promising start of what could end up being a fantastic series. Time travel is never an easy feat, but if you think your brain cells can handle it, you should absolutely give Tempest a try!

--
For more of my reviews, visit my blog at Xpresso Reads (less)

like 20 likes · see review

Jan 16, 2012 Ashelynn rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: recommend, reread-a-million-times

This review also appears on Gypsy Book Reviews.

Tempest is the book being buzzed about in the YA blogosphere. I’d jump whenever I saw somebody talking about it, reading about it, Julie Cross talking about it… I wanted to read this book and I would make time travel to the future possible in order to read the book right now.

October, 2011 I found out it was on NetGalley. I requested and squealed three days later when I was accepted. I’d read the first four chapters and dying to know what came next.

G...more This review also appears on Gypsy Book Reviews.

Tempest is the book being buzzed about in the YA blogosphere. I’d jump whenever I saw somebody talking about it, reading about it, Julie Cross talking about it… I wanted to read this book and I would make time travel to the future possible in order to read the book right now.

October, 2011 I found out it was on NetGalley. I requested and squealed three days later when I was accepted. I’d read the first four chapters and dying to know what came next.

Guys, this book is going to blow you away. It is so amazing. Like I don’t even…

So, you know how time travel is all “you go into the past and spit on somebody’s head, that changes the future”? Not in Cross’ world. Nope. It’s “you go into the past and you piss somebody off because you don’t remember she’s in your economics class, for god’s sake” you can go back to the future (aka “home base”) and stroll up to that girl and say, “hey, aren’t you in economics with me?” and she’ll smile and say, “yeah.” SHE WON’T REMEMBER ANYTHING.

And then things get complicated as Jackson learns his time travel abilities when he’s stuck in 2007. I want to crawl into Julie Cross’ head because of how complex the time travel is in this book. (Is that creepy?)

What I loved the most is Jackson and 007 Holly. 007 Holly and 009 Holly are so different, but I loved how Jackson got to know 007 Holly. (And if you have no idea what I mean, you should probably read the book, yeah?) Their talks I loved. It was like falling in love with somebody all over again.

The emotion—oh, guys, the emotion. I haven’t felt this connected to a story and the characters in a really long time. And yeah, I’ll admit, the ending made me cry. I was sobbing as I finished it because how could he do that?!

I need the sequel right now. I need the entire trilogy right now. I guess I need to make a friend like Adam and learn how to time travel to the future…

Do I recommend? Uh, I recommend to the INFINITE. Er… yeah. I don’t care if you don’t read sci-fi or time travel novels. You have to read this book. Push aside your to-read pile and run to the bookstore on January 3. You won’t regret it.(less)

like 16 likes · see review

Mar 19, 2012 Gwynneth White rated it 1 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: sci-fi, dnf, romance, time-travel, young-adult

What a disappointment. Great cover, great premise, poor read. I didn't even finish it. It just wasn't compelling enough. Where to start with review?

Characters
Oh... you mean the book had characters? Is that what those card-board cut-outs were? No kidding. Jackson was tedious, Holly unremarkable and Adam stereotyped. And I hated that Jackson refused to tell Holly - the girl of his dreams that he loved so much - about his time travel secret. That sure is the basis for a long and happy life togethe...more

like 10 likes · see review

Nov 09, 2011 Crystal rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: 2011, arc, own, sc-tour

This book has everything! It is a cross between the Matrix, Conspiracy Theory, and The Bourne series. Very action packed and I have to admit very confusing at times, but in the end all that confusion is well worth it.

What happens in this book is a very intense plot involving several different characters and when you read it, it is like watching a ball of yarn unwind. There are so many secrets that I lost count of how many times I thought I knew something because it turned out to be wrong. I have...more

like 13 likes · see review

Nov 19, 2012 Blythe rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: 2012-favorites, 2012-reads, cried-my-eyes-out, didn-t-see-that-coming, exceeded-my-expectations, gimme-the-next-book, hand-me-some-tissues, i-totally-saw-that-coming, judge-a-book-by-the-cover, surprised-i-didn-t-hate-it, was-warned-not-to-read-this, read-reviewed

Actual rating: 3.5 stars

When I first saw a copy of Tempest at the library, I spent a few minutes contemplating whether or not I should pick it up. While time travel novels and movies have always interested me and I always had that nagging feeling in the back of my mind that I'd enjoy Tempest after reading its synopsis, the negative reviews it received from trusted friends of mine discouraged me. However, I decided to take a chance and pick up the last copy of Tempest left and see for myself if I...more

like 8 likes · see review

Mar 02, 2013 Kayleigh {K-Books} rated it 1 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Really can't get into it and I'm not even going to finish it.
I think the story had great promise and I was really looking forward to reading this book. I heard it was about time-travel with romance including action. Heloooooo that sounds awesome kinda like The Time Travellers Wife and I loved that book/movie.
However, this is really nothing like it.

I feel like there wasn't enough time spent at character development and I couldn't get into this book at all. I felt like I didn't really know the cha...more

like 5 likes · see review

Jan 30, 2013 Nessa rated it 1 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: fiction, review, not-my-cup-of-earl-grey-tea

Imagine what would happen if The Time Traveller's Wife by Audrey Niffeneger, and Jumper by Steven Gould had a baby. The result would be Tempest by Julie Cross.

Tempest introduces us to Jackson, a boy gifted with the ability to travel back into his own past, but only as far as six hours ago. He can pop back at any time, and luckily for him there are no consequences whatsoever for the present day. No paradoxes, no alternate selves walking around, and nobody with déjà-vu.

I will admit that this is k...more

like 6 likes · see review

Oct 30, 2011 ♥Rachel♥ rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: 2012, arc

This story is like a roller-coaster ride, the fun kind where you don’t want to get off! (Not the kind that leave you with the mother-of-all-headaches and nauseated, thinking why, oh why did I get on?!) Anyways…..yes, the fun kind where you don’t want it to end. I wanted this story to go on and on, to find out what happens next!!

Jackson Meyer is a nineteen year-old college student with an oh-so-sweet girlfriend, Holly, living in the year 2009. Jackson seems like the typical normal teenager excep...more This story is like a roller-coaster ride, the fun kind where you don’t want to get off! (Not the kind that leave you with the mother-of-all-headaches and nauseated, thinking why, oh why did I get on?!) Anyways…..yes, the fun kind where you don’t want it to end. I wanted this story to go on and on, to find out what happens next!!

Jackson Meyer is a nineteen year-old college student with an oh-so-sweet girlfriend, Holly, living in the year 2009. Jackson seems like the typical normal teenager except for the tiny fact that he can time travel. Jackson can only travel back a few days at most, and can’t travel to the future beyond what he’s already lived. Only his braniac friend, Adam knows about his abilities, and the two of them make experiments testing the limitations and possibilities of this power. Jackson thinks this is a harmless pursuit until two mysterious people show up in Holly’s dorm room to talk to him. This does not end up well. You can see what happens in the product description of this book, so I’m not spoiling it by saying, Holly is shot in a struggle, and Jackson somehow jumps back to 2007 and is stuck there. Jackson makes many attempts to jump back to his “home-base” but is unsuccessful. Instead he ends up in different spots in the past revealing all kinds of interesting about his distant father and his supposed job. He also starts to learn more about the people who showed up in Holly’s dorm and that his abilities may not have been so secret!

I love the time travel aspect of this story and unlocking the mysteries that surround it, but most of all I loved the relationship side to this book. I loved the relationship between Holly and Jackson. How we see through “flashbacks” (while he’s stuck in 2007) he’s really not the greatest boyfriend in 2009. In one of these flashbacks I wanted to scream: “Fail, Jackson!! Fail!” Fear not, because 2007 Jackson begins to see the error of his ways! Julie manages to squeeze in a few nice swoon-worthy scenes to get your blood pumping (always a plus in any book I read!) and you find yourself loving Jackson more and more. Well, not because of the kissing, but because he starts to show how he cares (well, maybe a little because of the kissing!) I also loved the relationship between Jackson and his twin-sister. I cried at one point because of that! Liked the developments between Jackson and his father and quirky Adam too!

Then there is the ending!!! Oh, what an ending!!! Did not want it to end there, but I guess now I’m all the more eager for book two!! Bring it NOW please!!!!!!
All and all, this was an amazing debut from Julie Cross. A definite recommend!

Thank you to Goodreads giveaways!

(less)

like 13 likes · see review

Oct 24, 2011 Lindsay rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: cover-lust, tear-jerkers, books-i-own, all-time-favorites

So I was absolutely thrilled when I received not one, but two arcs of this book. I'd been itching to read this for weeks and I was excited that I wouldn't have to wait till January to pick this up. Plus, this book is about time travel AND its from a guy's pov. What's not to love?

Honestly, I enjoyed this Julie Cross's debut more than I thought I would, even if it was different from my original ideas. Other than a few moments where I lost my connection to Jackson and the story, I was really into t...more

like 8 likes · see review

Jan 21, 2012 ♥ Sarah ♥ rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: time-travel, arc, ya, sci-fi, favs

Oh my goodness this was an incredible book. I couldn't put it down. It's one of those books that pulls you in so quickly and you'll lose hours of time because you become so invested in the world and the characters and the story that nothing else seems to matter at the moment!

Tempest is an incredibly unique story that brings a new version of time travel to the table. If I had to compare it to anything else I would say it sort of feels like a blend between Back to the Future, Time Traveler's Wife,...more Oh my goodness this was an incredible book. I couldn't put it down. It's one of those books that pulls you in so quickly and you'll lose hours of time because you become so invested in the world and the characters and the story that nothing else seems to matter at the moment!

Tempest is an incredibly unique story that brings a new version of time travel to the table. If I had to compare it to anything else I would say it sort of feels like a blend between Back to the Future, Time Traveler's Wife, and Groundhog Day. But don't get me wrong, it's so unique in it's own right that it really isn't like any of those three at the same time. It's an absolute adventure though, that's for sure.

At first, I wasn't sure if I would love being inside a guy's perspective. Sometimes I've found in the past that I prefer being inside a girl's head instead of a guy. But despite my initial hesitation, Jackson is an incredibly strong and dynamic protagonist who is easy to follow along with. What is hard to follow sometimes is the timelines and when Jackson is at any given time. It's stated at the beginning of each chapter what date and time he's at now, but you really have to pay close attention, especially at certain times during the book because it can get a little bit disorienting before you get used to the jumping around. Once you do though, it's seriously a trip and so much fun to read.

Not only is this book all about the crazy trippy time travel, but it has a lot of mystery to it too. Jackson is trying to solve several things about his ability to jump through time and his life as he thought he knew it. I won't give any of it away, but along the way you get to piece together parts of the mystery and it's a lot of fun.

Overall, I'd recommend this book to anyone who is the least bit fascinated with time travel stories. Even if you aren't, you'd probably enjoy this one. You're in for lots of action, mystery, and an incredible story that you will not want to end!

More of my reviews at I'm Loving ♥ Books.(less)

like 8 likes · see review

Nov 02, 2011 Arlene rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Recommended to Arlene by: Publisher ARC Give-away

Shelves: arc, read-2011, time-travel, ya-paranormal, young-adult

In Tempest Jackson Meyer carries a recessive gene known as the Tempest gene. This gene is capable of producing certain symptoms or abilities such as time travel and advanced memory. When Jackson begins to experiment with his new found abilities, he’s faced with the dangers that come with time jumping and exposes himself to a whole new world filled with lies, intrigue and danger that not only risks those he cares for most, but also the fate of events which he can alter during his time jumps.

This...more In Tempest Jackson Meyer carries a recessive gene known as the Tempest gene. This gene is capable of producing certain symptoms or abilities such as time travel and advanced memory. When Jackson begins to experiment with his new found abilities, he’s faced with the dangers that come with time jumping and exposes himself to a whole new world filled with lies, intrigue and danger that not only risks those he cares for most, but also the fate of events which he can alter during his time jumps.

This is one of those times I’m going to be pretty generous to a book that really doesn’t deserve as many stars as I’m giving it. But when it comes down to it, I read Tempest in two short days, I was highly entertained, and there wasn’t one moment that I didn’t anticipate what would happen next. After finishing this first installment, I still don’t know who the good guys are versus the bad guys.

However, attempting to be a fair reviewer I’d have to mention that there was so much going on with the time jumps (halves versus full), experiments, world building, DNA theories, random characters, futuristic outcomes, etc that really… this book felt all over the place at times with its slightly messy execution. I found myself toward the end of the book wanting to just freeze time and see it play out, but as the story comes to a close, the reader is tossed back and forth between time frames enough to make one’s head spin. One too many twists were shoved in at the final hour, that at the last 30 pages, I was ready to call it quits. Supposedly the movie rights for Tempest were picked up by Summit Entertainment, and as long as Hardwicke doesn’t direct this film, I can see the potential for a pretty intriguing film. I’m curious to see how the script writer handles the one-too-many time jumps and makes this movie flow into a cohesive story.

Overall, I think most people will enjoy Tempest for its constant action, plot twists, heartfelt moments, and intrigue. Jackson narrates the story in a way that has you suddenly caring about his fate. But in a different time and mind frame, I’d probably not be so lenient with this book and take a star or two for execution and flow. However, I can’t deny the fact that I was kept engaged and felt pulled along with the story that in the end captivated me. I feel Julie Cross penned a worthy first installment, and I look forward to seeing her storytelling improve with time and only get better. (less)

like 14 likes · see review

Dec 07, 2011 Jen (The Starry-Eyed Revue) rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: 2011, arc-tours, magic-time-travel, alamw12

Maybe my expectations for this book were too high, or maybe it was just too hyped to begin with, but I just couldn’t connect to the characters or the story the way I would have liked. I love the whole aspect of time travel, but rather than be mysterious and science-fictiony (yup, another review where I make up my own words) like I had anticipated, it felt more like a rip-off of that movie Jumper. And not in a good way.

The premise is intriguing, though not all that original. However, the time tra...more Maybe my expectations for this book were too high, or maybe it was just too hyped to begin with, but I just couldn’t connect to the characters or the story the way I would have liked. I love the whole aspect of time travel, but rather than be mysterious and science-fictiony (yup, another review where I make up my own words) like I had anticipated, it felt more like a rip-off of that movie Jumper. And not in a good way.

The premise is intriguing, though not all that original. However, the time travel itself is rather different, though that doesn’t mean it’s easy to understand…at all. Some things are explained well enough, like how Jackson got stuck in 2007 in the first place, but I found the logic questionable when it came to traveling along the same timeline or departing from one’s own timeline altogether. The general rules for time travel definitely needed some clarification, but maybe the reader is supposed to learn about them as Jackson does. Though he clearly had no idea what he was getting into when he started his little time travel experiments with his friend Adam and landed himself in all of this hot water in the first place.

I found the characters lacking and generally cliché. As formulaic as the plot was, the characters should have been exceptional and well-rounded, but they just fell flat. Jackson is supposed to be your typical hot, rich guy with commitment issues. And he totally fits the bill. But through this ordeal, he should show some growth, and though there are times when his character shows promise, he never truly lives up to his potential. His sacrifice is just as much selfish as it is noble.

Holly is your average girl-next-door who somehow manages to land the super-hot, rich guy, though he’s clearly not her type. Adam, who was friends with Holly before he ever met Jackson, is suddenly best buds with him, but that’s predictably because he’s the nerdy, science type, and he’s helping Jackson figure out this whole time-travel thing. And, of course, neither of them thinks to tell Holly what’s going on until it’s too late and the evil “Enemies of Time” are hot on Jackson’s trail.

I think that too much focus on time travel itself detracted from the actual storyline, and the fact that so much time travel occurs in a relatively short span of time left me reeling. I understand that the role of the first book in a trilogy is to grab the reader’s attention and guarantee that they’ll want to read the rest of the series, but I found much of this novel to be an information dump rather than an actual story. Considerably less time could have been spent on Jackson being chased through time and instead spent on aspects that are clearly going to be important in Jackson’s future (or past or present or wherever he ends up), such as his dead sister and the little girl who travels from the future (or a future timeline?) who just happens to look very much like his dead sister. Also, the romance was sweet, but most of it was just fluff, only serving as a detour from Jackson’s true purpose or calling or whatever you want to call it.

Despite my feelings toward this novel, it’s received quite a bit of buzz. The film rights have already been snapped up by Summit Entertainment, even before the novel has been officially published and released into the wild. And as I mentioned before, this is only the first novel in a planned trilogy, and a massive marketing campaign is in the works. I wish I could say I think it deserves all of the attention it’s garnering, but regardless of my thoughts on this first installment and how it’s being handled, I’m definitely intrigued enough by what I suspect is to come that I’ll pick up future installments.

Much appreciation goes out to Wendy Darling for offering up her ARC for this tour. The link to the ARC tour can be found here.(less)

like 4 likes · see review

Jul 23, 2011 Jess (Gone with the Words) rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: ala, arc, young-adult, time-travel, read-2011, male-narrator, netgalley, autographed, alamw12

Read this review on my blog and enter for a chance to win ARC of this book! --> Tempest by Julie Cross

When I began reading, I didn’t realize just how much time traveling, or jumping, Jackson would be doing. I was worried that I would be confused or get lost by him going back and forth so often, but it was not the case at all. The book flows brilliantly with no hiccups in its pacing.

As you may have noticed, this book is narrated by a boy. That’s right! We don’t have nearly enough YA books narr...more Read this review on my blog and enter for a chance to win ARC of this book! --> Tempest by Julie Cross

When I began reading, I didn’t realize just how much time traveling, or jumping, Jackson would be doing. I was worried that I would be confused or get lost by him going back and forth so often, but it was not the case at all. The book flows brilliantly with no hiccups in its pacing.

As you may have noticed, this book is narrated by a boy. That’s right! We don’t have nearly enough YA books narrated by boys. Jackson Meyer starts off as your typical nineteen-year-old guy, special abilities aside. Impulsive, fun, charming, afraid of commitment despite his strong feelings for his girlfriend...normal teen guy stuff. What makes him special--again, special abilities aside--is that he’s also loving, tender, and loyal. I loved that he loves music. There were some pretty awesome song mentions in this book that included some of my personal favorites! All these things made him such a real character. But as things begin to unravel in his life, he realizes that he has to be better, become more, if he wants to keep Holly safe, because his fears might just be the death of her. Ok, I must confess...I fell completely head-over-heels in love with Jackson. He had me laughing and swooning, which really is the best combo. Every girl wants a guy that is funny but can also sweep you off your feet. Well, at least this girl does. :) He also had some really heartbreaking moments in the book. I found myself with tears in my eyes at some of those.

We got to know Holly, Jackson’s girlfriend, in a unique way. We meet her as present day, 009 Holly, but we get to know her better as a seventeen-year-old, 007 Holly, when Jackson jumps back two years. She is sweet, fun, and impulsive. Her future self is also sweet and fun, but a little more reserved. I loved that while Jackson was in the past, he treated younger Holly with more care because of her age. Despite having already been with her in the future, he doesn’t want to take advantage of her now, no matter how much he wants her. I found that very admirable! I thought sex was treated very responsibly in this book, and at the same time, it also showed us all the love and emotions that can go along with it. Overall, their relationship was very romantic and I really loved their chemistry.

Jackson’s friend and partner in crime, Adam, was also a great source of laughter. Yes, he’s a science geek, but his dead-pan humor and rational personality give him a cool edge. Jackson’s dad, Kevin, was someone who always tugged at my heart. He’s fierce but has this huge heart, and I always believed in him. Remember those heartbreaking moments I mentioned before? A few involved Kevin and also Jackson’s twin sister, Courtney. I don’t want to get into Courtney too much in this review, because I feel that so much of that shapes Jackson after he gets stuck two years in the past. As far as the bad guys in the story go, it was very intriguing. I found myself on the fence pretty much until the end of the book.

The end of the book. *sigh* Oh, it was so sad! I know Jackson is doing the right thing, and I agree with it, but it is still heartbreaking! It's really good, though, don't get me wrong! Just sad...

Like Jackson says in this book, “Erase everything you’ve ever heard about time travel, because it will just confuse you.” This was a completely new take on time-traveling. Not only is Tempest incredibly unique, it is so smart and beyond heartfelt. There’s also nail-biting action and intrigue page after page! I just couldn’t turn the pages fast enough! I can’t wait to see what else Julie Cross has in store for us in the rest of this series. I do know that it will be amazing, just like Tempest. I have zero doubts about that.(less)

like 7 likes · see review

Nov 08, 2011 ~Tina~ rated it 2 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: bookers-tour, young-adult, time-travel, wanted-to-love-but-couldn-t, read-2011

I really wish I could have enjoyed Tempest more then I did. The concept is really actually cool and I liked most of these characters but I think the way it was delivered ruined it for me. It was erratic, confusing and moved rather quickly and eventually I lost interest and had to skim the rest of the book to finish it.
I am looking forward to seeing this on the big screen though, maybe it'll do better as a visual?

Thanks Crystal for touring this out and Amber for sending it. Sorry I couldn't loved...more

like 11 likes · see review

Feb 28, 2012 Emma rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

This was the first book I've ever won in any type of giveaway and I was so excited when I got it in the mail a couple days ago. I read it in one day and my gut reaction was... ok. Let's just say that there was a lot, and I mean a lot, of plot going on at one time. There were so many subplots about (SPOILER ALERT!!) his sister and her disease, his dad having a secret identity, Holly's story, his inability to say "I love you", etc, that sometimes I got extremely confused and couldn't remember how...more

like 2 likes · see review

Oct 27, 2011 Michelle Madow rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: time-travel, science-fiction, favorites

Have you ever read a book that's so amazing, and you love it so much, that you know even the best review can't give the book the justice it deserves?

Tempest was a book like that for me.

I was drawn to Tempest when I saw the "broken flux capacitors" reference in the summary. Back to the Future is my favorite movie ever, so I knew Tempest was going to be a book for me! And I was right. Just like the summary of the book says, the time travel in Tempest doesn't require a DeLorean, flux capacitor, o...more Have you ever read a book that's so amazing, and you love it so much, that you know even the best review can't give the book the justice it deserves?

Tempest was a book like that for me.

I was drawn to Tempest when I saw the "broken flux capacitors" reference in the summary. Back to the Future is my favorite movie ever, so I knew Tempest was going to be a book for me! And I was right. Just like the summary of the book says, the time travel in Tempest doesn't require a DeLorean, flux capacitor, or plutonium. (Or a Mr. Fusion once Doc updates the car in the future.) Julie Cross has created a whole new version of time travel, and I absolutely loved it! She brings alternate time lines into the mix, which adds a cool spin on things. It also made me think and theorize, which I loved. (Time-travel/alternate time-line/parallel universe topics always make me excited. I'm cool like that ;)

Jackson was a fantastic main character. He's a 19 year old guy, which we don't see much of as protagonists in YA fiction, so it was nice to read about someone different. He only recently learned he can time travel, but nothing he does affects his time line, so he has fun with it. What I liked best about him was how much he loved and cared for the people in his life, even if he wasn't big on showing it all the time. His actions said everything. His girlfriend Holly was great as well. We got to see her in both 2009 and 2007, and I liked seeing the two different Holly's. It was obvious from meeting both of them how two years -- especially between 17 and 19 -- can change a person. And Adam was awesome. He's the Doc Brown of the group. I imagine Doc's teenage self, if he was a teenager in 2009, would have been very similar to Adam! I also loved Jackson's twin Courtney, although I don't want to say much about her for fear of spoiling the book if you haven't read it yet. I'm hoping we get to learn more about her throughout the series, because I have a feeling there's more to her story than what we learned in Tempest.

And then there was the ending. Wow. I don't want to give away spoilers, but the end will tug at your heart so much. I'm just glad I know this is going to be a trilogy, because if that was really the end, I would get seriously sad. There are also so many questions (and theories!) I want answers to, so I can't wait to read the rest of this series.

Oh yeah, Tempest has also been optioned to become a movie! The book read very cinematically, so I can't wait to see it on the big screen.

Thank you, Julie Cross, for writing such an excellent novel! I wish I could time travel into the future so I could read the rest of the trilogy without having to wait. (less)

like 11 likes · see review

Oct 16, 2011 Joy (joyous reads) rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: arc, net-galley, own

Firstly, the cover instantly reminded me of an angel story so I wasn’t really gung-ho on reading this book. There’s just something about the boy and a girl falling from the sky that immediately scream angels to me. But when I read the synopsis, the time traveling element piqued my enthusiasm. Once I was in the thick of things, I was unable to look away from the pages and was quickly drawn into Jackson’s world.

Tempest is told through Jackson’s point of view, which makes this book doubly awesome....more Firstly, the cover instantly reminded me of an angel story so I wasn’t really gung-ho on reading this book. There’s just something about the boy and a girl falling from the sky that immediately scream angels to me. But when I read the synopsis, the time traveling element piqued my enthusiasm. Once I was in the thick of things, I was unable to look away from the pages and was quickly drawn into Jackson’s world.

Tempest is told through Jackson’s point of view, which makes this book doubly awesome. There’s just something about his voice that makes even the most touching scenes seem lighter. He’s awfully confident without being cocky, sweet and real. I’ve always found that there are story themes that call for a boy’s POV, which eventually helped to tell the story in a more realistic manner no matter how far-fetched the story may be. The romance is toe-curlingly swoon worthy. I just love the way the way Jackson chased the girl without being incredibly obvious of it all.

I’ve had a hard time following the dynamics of time traveling, and in this case, even more so because genetics was involved. My mind have not always been receptive to scientific explanations, so I found myself re-reading some parts in an attempt to fully understand it. And although I failed to comprehend this subject miserably, I’d like to say that the author did a good job of avoiding the use of any scientific jargon that could’ve made it worse for me. Everything was explained in simple words but like I mentioned before, all those were simply lost on me.

This book blew me away. The non-stop action kept me constantly hungry to read more and to read faster. It is definitely the most complex and yet the simplest time traveling book I’d ever read. If the action doesn’t keep you on the edge of your seat, the secrets and the eventual revelations surrounding Jackson’s and his twin sister’s birth will definitely keep you in suspense. And even with the constant “jumping”, the cohesiveness that tied all the scenes never slacken. It was truly amazing to see how incidents in the past flowed smoothly into the present.

As much as I’d love to give this book a full 5, my heart just couldn’t stop aching from the way this book ended. One thing’s for sure; I will sell my soul to the devil to get a copy of the next installment!(less)

like 6 likes · see review

Oct 17, 2011 Bookish♥Sarah rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: series-read, favorites, read-in-2011

♥ Find my reviews on Blogger ~ Reviews by Bookish Sarah

- - -

Gosh, where to start? I loved this book so much! It was a whirlwind. I'm sitting here, trying to make sure there was nothing I didn't like about it, just for the sake of being objective. I can honestly tell you, this book was 100% fantastic in my eyes. I would read it over and over again. ♥

This book is about Jackson Meyer. He's a 19-year old college student in the year 2009. Seemingly normal - rich kid, girlfriend, best friend, schoolw...more

like 2 likes · see review

Jan 16, 2012 Jacinda rated it 2 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: read-in-2011

My review of Tempest on my blog

If a non-reader or at least a reader who isn’t avid as myself, were to ask me to describe Tempest to them, I would tell them it’s the movie Jumper, but with time travel. This movie popped into my head very early on in the story. I loved this movie enough, that after first watching it, I was even going to read the book…this was before my reading obsession started so it’s kind of huge. After noticing the similarities, I was hoping to love them both the same, but Temp...more My review of Tempest on my blog

If a non-reader or at least a reader who isn’t avid as myself, were to ask me to describe Tempest to them, I would tell them it’s the movie Jumper, but with time travel. This movie popped into my head very early on in the story. I loved this movie enough, that after first watching it, I was even going to read the book…this was before my reading obsession started so it’s kind of huge. After noticing the similarities, I was hoping to love them both the same, but Tempest fell flat.

I wanted this book to work for me because a) it has a male MC. B) it’s older YA. and c) the hype that seems to already be surrounding this book. What did work for me was Jackson himself, his relationship with Holly, and the dialogue. My favorite parts of the story are the ones Jackson and Holly are spending together and talking to one another. I did tear up at one or two points while reading.

This book being about time travel and whatnot, I wanted my focus to be about the traveling and not to be on the romance. I wasn’t craving for more information into the word of time travelers, nothing shocked me. I was confused throughout the entire book about the inner-workings of a time traveler. I possibly am still confused. Will other readers be confused? Possibly not, it could just be me. I found it hard to wrap my brain around all the little details in regards to what’s allowed and what isn’t, how it will work this way but won’t work another way, how one person can and another can’t, and about which time period I was reading about at the present time.

Who would I recommend this book to? If you’re a fan of time travel I would say give it a go. I have noticed with time travel books/movies I am either totally confused or I totally understand. I would also recommend this book to my husband and a couple of guy friends. I personally didn’t like it, but since the story is told from a male’s point of view, I think he would particularly enjoy it. If you enjoyed the movie Jumper, I would also say to give this book a shot!

Tempest already has plans in the works for a movie. I would enjoy seeing this in movie form even though I didn’t particularly enjoy the novel.(less)

like 2 likes · see review

Jan 19, 2012 Bethany rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: favorites

I loved Tempest! It was really nice to read something that is different than most books out there for young adults. It slightly reminded me of the movie Jumper, but with time travel. This book is filled with so much action and adventure that I couldn't put it down. The ending completely broke my heart. The worst part of Tempest is that I have to wait till 2013 for the second book to come out. Tempest was a great book, I'm so glad I had the chance to read it.

like 4 likes · see review

Jan 17, 2012 Elizabeth rated it 2 of 5 stars · review of another edition

I got this book as an ARC from librarything.com that said it doesn't at all affect my reviewing of this book.

I didn't hate this book but I didn't really love it either. It was just so, so. It seemed to my like the author absorbed tons of ya books then decided ok I can do that too, and Tempest was the product of that. It blended so many different things from current series in the ya world that I found myself comparing it to so many different books, and that is not a good thing. You want a book t...more I got this book as an ARC from librarything.com that said it doesn't at all affect my reviewing of this book.

I didn't hate this book but I didn't really love it either. It was just so, so. It seemed to my like the author absorbed tons of ya books then decided ok I can do that too, and Tempest was the product of that. It blended so many different things from current series in the ya world that I found myself comparing it to so many different books, and that is not a good thing. You want a book to stand out on its uniqueness not to be know as a mosh book. To me this was just your average run of the mill knock off of whats already selling. I was also put off by the fact that it seems she just got published and she already sold out which it clearly states on the front cover of the ARC. It says something along the lines of this book has already been purchased as a major motion picture by Summit Entertainment the producers of twilight. Ok that left me feeling like it was a plug book, like they found someone to write a book so they could make more money when the movie finally came out. It seemed to me that since twilight was coming to an end they are trying to replace it with this. Which I'm not totally dissing, I actually think this would have been a better movie then a book as it is written more like a movie.

Also I just felt that this book was not so well written or the story developed enough. There were times in the book when I had to go back to the previous paragraph because things didn't make sense. She would be one place explaining the action going on and then all of a sudden in the next paragraph the characters would magically be somewhere else which really drove me crazy. There was one time where she clearly forgot that she already told the you EOT jumped onto the boat the main characters were on. A fight happens and then magically the EOT lands on the beach hum and he didn't jump there it is either an accident or she didn't remember where she was writing the characters at. The little stuff like that I think pushed me to the point where I felt this author was not experienced enough to be a best selling author.

may contain spoilers:

Ok down to the story. Jackson is what he calls a Jumper (which I totally felt she ripped off from the Jumper movie/book granted he jumps through time and not different places) which means he jumps though time and can apparently create new time lines when things aren't going as he likes. He is not alone in this special talent there are other out there who can do so, and they are called EOT's (Enemies of Time). The EOT's unfeeling people believed to be from the future who are arranging time to create their idea of the perfect world.

Jackson has a girlfriend in the time of 2009 named Holly and something unexpectedly happens to her which causes him to do a full jump in time back to 2007. This jump leaves him stuck in 2007 trying to figure out what and who he truly is, how his father is involved, what he can to stop the imminent future, and he must try to find out why the super secret CIA branch Tempest really wants him. Mostly though the main character spends a lot of time trying to figure out how he truly feels about Holly and what he can do to save her. Which on the grand scheme of things took away from what could have been made a little better scifi book.

OK I'll jump off my soap box now : )(less)

like 2 likes · see review

Oct 17, 2011 Isamlq rated it 2 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: arc-galley

2.5/5

It took forever to get things going but once I was more than just a little interested, the story ended (and in a dramatic fashion, might I add.) Normally, YA’s told from the boy’s POV are a win for me. Yet, even with Jackson being believable (sometimes likeable and sometimes not, ) I can’t say that I liked his story. Everything just took too long and towards the end, everything was a bit… too much.

He’s a boy with a lot of money as well as good fortune on his side. He’s also a boy who’d di...more

like 4 likes · see review

Oct 26, 2011 Gabby rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: action-adventure, e-books, romance, sci-fi, young-adult, series

oh wow! another ARC grab form Netgalley!
_______________________________________________________________________

we are introduced with the Main character Jackson Meyer,he has the ability to jump through time. but he can't change what's in the past he can just Jump back and forth through time. the person he has interacted to in his "jumps" won't be able to remember or recognize him when has came back to his proper year... in other words Jackson has the ability to travel through time without ruini...more oh wow! another ARC grab form Netgalley!
_______________________________________________________________________

we are introduced with the Main character Jackson Meyer,he has the ability to jump through time. but he can't change what's in the past he can just Jump back and forth through time. the person he has interacted to in his "jumps" won't be able to remember or recognize him when has came back to his proper year... in other words Jackson has the ability to travel through time without ruining the time and space continuum.

This book is actually really complex for my taste, i feel like I am watching a spy movie when i have read this one. a lot of scientific terms were introduced in this book and i feel also like watching the Movie Back to the Future and Jumpr.

It actually takes a while, for this whole book to get stirring cause the first couple of pages has not much action going just Jackson springing Back and forth through time and all his efforts were gone to waste cause he can't go back to his main year, so there wasn't anything for me to look forward to when i was reading the first part of the book, the romance aspect of the book was not actually i was looking forward to also cause i feel like Jackson and Holly's romance is a bit forced, i feel like they are two teenagers just fooling around without having any commitment at all with each other.
I actually feel more touched with Jackson's love for his twin sister,Courtney.

I was surprised that the book gets better as I read on, but the complexity is actually still there cause the characters keep on blabbering about the "tempest", Full Jumps, Half Jumps and so on... But what i really like about the second part of the book is it's depth and drama, cause this book is not just about time travel but it also talks about grief and loss of a family member. it really broke my heart when Jackson went back through time, and stays with her sister in the hospital, he eventually watched his sister die, *SNIFFS* that was for me the main highlight of the book. (SCREW HOLLY X JACKSON) (view spoiler)

Overall: not that bad... this book is actually great, the ending is also good. another tear jerking part in the book.... i do recommend it for guys and gals that has a taste for Mission Impossible-like plot and also a fan of time travelling. (less)

like 4 likes · see review

topics	posts	views	last activity
Tempest by Julie Cross	1	12	May 13, 2013 08:51am
Boast a Book: Tempest (Buddy Read)	2	5	Apr 02, 2013 06:52am
YA Buddy Readers'...: Tempest by Julie Cross --> starts Feb. 7	13	16	Feb 18, 2013 06:51pm
One Million Pages...: Tempest (February 2013)	6	7	Feb 04, 2013 10:24pm
Not Just Young Adult: Tempest	2	9	Jun 29, 2012 04:47pm

title link	preview: Tempest
avg rating	preview: Tempest Goodreads rating: 3.74 (5546 ratings)
small image	preview: click here [close]
med image	preview: click here [close]
BBCode	[url=http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/12047465-tempest?utm_medium=api&utm_source=blog_book][img]http://d.gr-assets.com/books/1348284123l/12047465.jpg[/img][/url] [url=http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/12047465-tempest?utm_medium=api&utm_source=blog_book]Tempest by Julie Cross[/url]

Tempest (Tempest #1)

Friend Reviews

Lists with This Book

Community Reviews

new topic
Discuss This Book

combine
Other Editions (18)

Genres

Readers also enjoyed similar books

About Julie Cross

Books by Julie Cross

Share This Book

Share This Book on Your Website

Trivia About Tempest

Quotes from Tempest