Flutter

Jan 21, 2013 Maja rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: made-me-cry, all-the-right-choices, best-of-2013, favorites, i-have-superpowers, own-a-dtb, reviewed-in-2013, role-models, sci-fi, ya

I know I’m supposed to write a review with a head and a tail, start from the beginning and work my way toward the end (at least that’s the way I usually do things) but I’ll make an exception just this once and start with the ending, from which I honestly doubt I’ll ever recover. The ending of Flutter broke my heart, destroyed me completely, and then left me with a small sliver of hope to cure my wounded heart. It was both unexpected and unexpectedly gorgeous, one of those conclusions that take y...more I know I’m supposed to write a review with a head and a tail, start from the beginning and work my way toward the end (at least that’s the way I usually do things) but I’ll make an exception just this once and start with the ending, from which I honestly doubt I’ll ever recover. The ending of Flutter broke my heart, destroyed me completely, and then left me with a small sliver of hope to cure my wounded heart. It was both unexpected and unexpectedly gorgeous, one of those conclusions that take you completely by surprise, but when you stop to think about them, you realize there was really no other way to make things work. Those are the best endings, aren’t they? Even when they’re exceedingly painful and cruel, they leave an impression, something that stays with you forever.

And now, back to the beginning, I guess…

When Emery was just a little girl, she started having seizures that completely changed her life, only they aren’t seizures at all, they’re jumps through time, loops, as Emery calls them. Her father, the neurologist, refuses to believe her. Instead, he put together a team of scientists to work on her episodes and he treats her as no more than a lab rat. After giving the team, but especially her dad, more chances than they deserve, Emery decides to run. Lead by a little boy from her loops, she goes to Esperanza where she meets Ash, a kind, but strange young man who comes with his own mystery and problems.

Emery is the perfect heroine, truly she is. Her curly red hair and fair complexion make her beautiful, but she is too thin, almost transparent, completely exhausted by her condition. The lack of sleep and jumping through time always take their toll, and she is constantly dizzy and weak. On the inside, however, the girl is made of pure steel. She is decisive, strong and never afraid to stand up for herself. Since she has no one to care for her or care about her, really, these are the qualities she needs the most. A few insecurities occasionally did shine through, but considering her background, they’re more than understandable, and they felt genuine to me, not just sad, attention seeking behavior, but real doubts of someone no one ever saw for what they truly are.

The romantic element is very strong in Flutter, but never strong enough to overtake the plot. Emery and Ash shared a connection, yes, but they both kept their secrets for the longest time, and I truly appreciated that Emery never allowed herself to become obsessed with the mystery that was Ash and forget about the world of trouble she was in. Theirs was a romance I could definitely get behind, believable, but with a dreamlike quality that matched everything else Emery was going through. While I didn’t connect with Ash nearly as strongly as I connected with Emery, I sympathized with him immensely. His every act of penance was utterly heartbreaking and it made me feel oddly protective toward him.

It broke my heart to know that he couldn’t forgive himself, I couldn’t do that for him. I couldn’t take that on for him. If I could, I would. If I had learned anything from the odd little life that I had lived, especially in the last few years, it was that you had to be kind to yourself. Sometimes no one else was.

It’s obvious to me that Linko teaches college English; her writing is very clean, precise and grammatically correct. She isn’t fond of contractions (though she does use them occasionally, especially in dialogues) which makes her prose a bit stiff at times, but I enjoyed her style overall.

Unfortunately, the cover isn’t doing this book any favors. It does reflect the story fairly well, but it’s not nearly eye-catching enough. We all know that covers sell books – bad books, let alone the good ones. It always saddens me when, due to an unnoticeable cover, an excellent book doesn’t get the attention it deserves, while horrible books sell like cookies because of some girl in a pretty dress. Random House, I’m staring daggers at you! You better make sure that Linko’s next book, Indigo, gets the cover it deserves. I promise I’ll read it. (Oh, who am I kidding, I’d read it even if it came wrapped in greasy parchment paper. And you should too. Linko is that good.)

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Apr 21, 2013 Keertana rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Recommended to Keertana by: Maja

Shelves: swoooon, kick-ass-heroines

Rating: 3.5 Stars

You have to bear with me because this review is like the Night Bus in Harry Potter or the journey the hobbits took to Isengard in Lord of the Rings - a bumpy ride. Flutter forced me to stay awake well past midnight just to finish it, but in the end, I unfortunately can't say I was satisfied. Up until the last four chapters, though, I was ready to give 5 Stars to Linko's debut, despite its minor errors. Unlike most authors, Linko sucked me into her tale; she made me care about he...more

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Mar 20, 2012 Katy rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

4.5 stars - This book was absolutely beautiful.

I had misjudged this book. From the summary, I thought it was going to be filled with science fiction action and some paranormal connection that will lead Emery to her soulmate. But this book was NOT what I had expected at all.

Just a warning, the pace is set very slow - sometimes painstakingly slow, but not necessarily in a bad way. Linko manages to fool readers into THINKING they know what's going to happen but ends up catching them off guard with...more

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Nov 26, 2012 Ariana rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: arc-galley

It is really hard to talk about this book as I am not really sure of my feelings for it.
The premise was great (someting between time-travel and something else, a little boy giving clues that could save Emery's life (and maybe not even hers), tons of mystery, a bit of action and some young romance.. ) but.. I am not really sure what the "but" is except for the fact that I felt the need to skip some pages. Not a good sign, right?

I guess I was not invested enough in the mystery (that soon got old)...more

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Dec 11, 2012 Nafiza rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: net-galley, debut-authors-12, 2012

Raise your hand if you have ever finished a book and been flummoxed by the ending. Befuddled by it. Bewildered, maybe. These are all adjectives that accurately describe my state of mind upon finishing Flutter.

I had been enjoying it until the end. The paranormal aspects of it are original, the idea of a loop is, to me, new and I liked the fragile fierceness of the main character. It was a pleasure to accompany her on her escape from a madman for a father and go out into the world to answer the su...more Raise your hand if you have ever finished a book and been flummoxed by the ending. Befuddled by it. Bewildered, maybe. These are all adjectives that accurately describe my state of mind upon finishing Flutter.

I had been enjoying it until the end. The paranormal aspects of it are original, the idea of a loop is, to me, new and I liked the fragile fierceness of the main character. It was a pleasure to accompany her on her escape from a madman for a father and go out into the world to answer the summons of a boy she only saw during the loops she experienced. I liked that though the interest in the guy was instantaneous, the love was not. It appeared gradually as they got to know each other and explored the facets of each other’s personalities. I liked that though these two seemed fated, the dreadful term did not appear. I liked how Linko increased the tension in increments, built the anticipation and got the reader ready for a roaring finish.

Which then fell flat as things went south of Nowheresville with a detour in WhattheHellJustHappened-ville. I am going to be completely honest with you, guys. To me, and this is a personal theory, it felt that the author got stuck in a corner scrambling for a conclusion and this is what she came up with. Because it came out of nowhere. There was no buildup, no hinting or foreshadowing and, as I will discuss under a spoiler tag, there were several unanswered questions with the direction the novel ended up going. It felt like the author got us prepped for an explosion, Mission Impossible style, and we ended up with a balloon pop instead. It felt like a massive copout and I sat at the end of the novel frantically clicking the next page, hoping my Kindle was fooling me and that what I had just read hadn’t happened.

I had been riveted by the novel. My heart had been racing! And then boom.

So, here’s where I head to a spoiler (highlight to read) and you should skip to the end of the review for my closing statements.

(view spoiler)

The conclusion? Read this book, guys. Even though the ending is totally unexpected, it is still well written and engaging. Also, I want to see your reactions to the conclusion. Then we can discuss the heck out of it. Have fun.
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Nov 04, 2012 Melissa rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

What an unexpecting and surprisingly good read!!
4,5 stars

REVIEW

I had no expectations when I started this book. Just a random read I picked out. And it hasn't happened often that a book surprised me so much as Flutter did. This turned out to be an amazingly beautiful, sweet and heart touching read with a nice balance between friendship/love and a bit of mystery/suspense.

I liked Emery's spirit and attitude. After being controlled by her father for so long she finally takes her life in own hands....more What an unexpecting and surprisingly good read!!
4,5 stars

REVIEW

I had no expectations when I started this book. Just a random read I picked out. And it hasn't happened often that a book surprised me so much as Flutter did. This turned out to be an amazingly beautiful, sweet and heart touching read with a nice balance between friendship/love and a bit of mystery/suspense.

I liked Emery's spirit and attitude. After being controlled by her father for so long she finally takes her life in own hands. I like a strong heroine instead of a damsel in distress. However, Emery's will to take care of everything herself balanced a few times to be almost (almost!) annoying. I didn't always understood her reaction towards Ash, who clearly just wanted to help.

And then Ash... Yeah that guy got to me. With his mysterious thing going on. I liked the way how Linko kept the mystery around him going until almost the end of the book, but not in a dragging way. And I didn't succeed to figure out myself what his story is. After reading what he'd been through my heart ached for him.

I liked the setting and the descriptions about Esperanza. While reading I could really imagine being there. The writing style just sucked me in.

The twist and explanation about the seizures was nicely done. I have to give it to Linko, I really didn't saw that one coming. It was not a "wth!" kind of twist. Once I read it, it was acceptable for me.

And then the end.. What an ending! Normally I'm not good in not spoiling anything but this time I'm really going to shut my mouth cause in my opinion the ending is the cherry on the cake. I think it is because of the ending the book will stick with me for even longer.

I would have given this book 5 stars, if not for one tiny detail that didn't make much sense to me
(view spoiler)

To be honest, I am surprised not more people read/rated this book cause all in all Flutter really was one of the better books I've recently read!(less)

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Dec 26, 2012 YA Reads Book Reviews rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: nichole

Originally posted on www.yareads.com, reviewed by Nichole

All Emery Land wants is to be like any other 17-year-old—to go to school, hang out with her friends, and just be normal. But for as long as she can remember, she’s suffered from seizures. And in recent years they’ve consumed her life. To Emery they’re much more than seizures, she calls them loops—moments when she travels through wormholes back and forth in time and to a mysterious town. The loops are taking their toll on her physically. So...more Originally posted on www.yareads.com, reviewed by Nichole

All Emery Land wants is to be like any other 17-year-old—to go to school, hang out with her friends, and just be normal. But for as long as she can remember, she’s suffered from seizures. And in recent years they’ve consumed her life. To Emery they’re much more than seizures, she calls them loops—moments when she travels through wormholes back and forth in time and to a mysterious town. The loops are taking their toll on her physically. So she practically lives in the hospital where her scientist father and an ever-growing team of doctors monitor her every move. They’re extremely interested in the data they collect when Emery seizes. It appears that she’s tapping into parts of the brain typically left untouched by normal human beings.
Escaping from the hospital, Emery travels to Esperanza, the town from her loops on the upper peninsula of Michigan, where she meets Asher Clarke. Ash’s life is governed by his single-minded pursuit of performing good Samaritan acts to atone for the death of a loved one. His journey is very much entwined with Emery’s loops.
Drawn together they must unravel their complicated connection before it’s too late.

For as long as Emery can remember she has had the ability to time travel. She calls them loops: traveling both to her future and home loops. One thing? Whenever Emery loops she has a horrible seizure, something she knows is slowly killing her. Emery’s father is convinced that he can save Emery, but he also wants to use her as his own scientific experiment. It doesn’t matter if it might be better for Emery to lead a normal life, he has to be the one to identify the problem, which causes him to treat Emery like a lab rat.
Sick of being treated like a freak, Emery runs away to Esperanza, a town that the boy in her loops has been showing her. There she finds love, friendship, self identity and pleasure. Four things she didn’t much feel back home. Intent on keeping those essential things in her life, Emery must fight to stay alive, battle a struggling romance and stay off of her father’s radar all at the same time. If only it was that simple.

I received Flutter a few weeks ago from Random House, and I strayed away because I tend to dislike a lot of contemporary novels. One day, I came to the conclusion that I could find absolutely nothing good to read. I mean nothing. Desperate, I started to search the piles littering my house, and I gave Flutter a closer look. Before I set it back down I decided that I was going to check Goodreads and see what everyone else thought about the book. Little did I know that Flutter wasn’t just a contemp, it was also about time-travel. Well, that did it. I set everything aside and dived into Gina Linko’s book, Flutter.
The romance in Flutter was so beautiful that it started to become really difficult for me to put the book down. Of course I had both school and work that week, so I’m afraid I got a bit grumpy during the many times I wasn’t able to read the book. Emery and Asher were simply perfect for each other. Honestly, I often felt that I was in a book that Jennifer Echols and Linda Howard tag teamed on. It was that gorgeous.
Above all else, I really enjoyed Emery’s character. I loved her from page one and I never wavered. I can’t even imagine how someone could become nearly as strong as Emery. If I were in a hospital, time traveling back and forth, with the knowledge that I was going to die (not to mention that my father thought I was a lab rat), I would want to curl up in tiny little ball and cry my eyes out. I would be a useless, emotional wreck (at least I can admit it), and would NEVER be able to accomplish everything that Emery managed to. I was so, so, so proud of her for everything she did, and I found myself looking up to her in many places. It takes a lot of skill to create such inspiring characters and a beautiful storyline, and this book had the whole package.
Although I loved this book, I did have a couple of problems. First, I was not a big fan of the time traveling aspect of the story. If this book had strictly focused around Emery and Asher’s romance and her time in Esperanza, it would have received a full 5 stars from me. For most of the book, I did actually consider it 5 stars worthy, but I really couldn’t get into the time traveling portion of the book. Second, I didn’t enjoy the last few chapters of the book nearly as much as I did the rest of it. Again, this comes down to the time traveling aspect. The last few chapters of the book really focused on the looping and Emery’s father, something that I just wasn’t interested in. And, finally, the very final surprise made me angry. These reasons made me knock off a star and a half, but I know that this probably won’t bother a lot of people. Don’t get me wrong, I would read this book again, and I will read everything else that Gina Linko writes. I just really wish this book would have been strictly contemporary.
I would absolutely recommend this book to anyone and everyone. Gina Linko created such a beautiful world and characters that you won’t be able to help but lose yourself in it. Fans of Jennifer Echols will adore this book, as the romance in it was simply heartbreaking and brilliant. Move aside, Echols, it’s time to introduce Gina Linko. Go order your copy of Flutter now!
Pages: 352
Publisher: Random House
Publication Date: October 23, 2012
Rating: : 3.5

Teaser Quote: “Well, go get him, you dummy” Daisy offered. I started to move toward him and he saw me. He did that thing again, where he put a hand over his heart, and he stopped dead in his tracks, gave me a smile.(less)

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Oct 11, 2012 Book Flame rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: 4-stars, young-adult, time-travel

I don't think I had any real expectations for this book, but Flutter really surprised me. It captured my attention from the very beginning and held it all the way to the very end.

Seventeen year old Emery lives her life in a hospital, she has been having "loops" since she was little and as she became older it has become worse to where she can't even go on with day to day activities without looping (time traveling). The loops are slowly killing her and she knows it. When she loops she sometimes vi...more

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Sep 07, 2012 Rose rated it 1 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: young-adult, netgalley, tbr-challenge, time-travel, paranormal, arc-or-galley, romance, great-premise-lacking-execution

Initial thoughts: I think this is one of the times where, in the consideration of a book "great premise, lacking execution" fully applies. This book didn't work for me for quite many constructive reasons, which I'll expound upon in the full review when I've had a chance to meditate over some of its themes. It has a heart in right places, but cedes to things and lacks the execution needed to have due impact in what it brings to the table.

Full review:

One of the things that tend to make or break a...more

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Jan 29, 2013 Sissy payment rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: first-reads

I entered this giveaway, cuz i seen it had a love story and it talked about a town in the UP of MI, so i had to enter, since i am from the UP:) Well wow! Is all I can say. Twists! That's for sure. Id think i had it all figured out then, bam! nope i didnt:) I loved it. Not the happy fairy tail ending I was wanting for ash and emery, but in a way it was still a happy ending. I was definitely not expecting the turns. The book kept my interest and I had to find out more. I'm still in awe in how ever...more

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Dec 09, 2012 Courtney rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: reviewed

"Flutter" earns a 3.5 stars from me.

It very pleasantly exceeded all of my expectations because, well... I didn't HAVE any expectations for the book. I picked it up on a whim actually based off of Goodreads reviews and I am happy that I did. It is a solid 3.5 for me.

It is a cool book with a neat (albeit sudden) "twist" ending and was a quick enough read so that I am not bemoaning the lack of plot development, the lack of character development, nor the general sense of "what the heck just happened...more

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Oct 29, 2012 Melissa rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

This is a great choice for teens that love both realistic fiction AND sci-fi/fantasy. (And adults that can't get enough of teen fiction.) :)
Realistic fiction fans will relate to the character conflicts and salivate over the developing relationship between Emery and Ash. Sci-fi/fantasy junkies will be desperate to figure out Emery's loops. Is it really time travel? Is it all in her head (and body)? Or could it be something else entirely?
The building tension will keep readers glued to the pages:...more

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Dec 29, 2012 Alexandra Ehlers marked it as to-read · review of another edition

Shelves: books-i-own

I gotta say I quite enjoyed this book. I won a signed copy from Gina via Twitter & finally got a chance to read it. Halfway through I got mad because I thought I predicted the ending but Gina actually did a really good job of spinning the story a different way. Oh & I loved the character names.

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Oct 30, 2012 Angie rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Very interesting story. What does she have? Epilepsy, her dad and the doctors say. But she knows its really something else. Time travel? Where does she really go when she has a seizure?
The story unfolds with all the frustration, confusion, and speculation that Emery feels conveyed so strongly to the reader, one cannot help but get drawn into the story. The possibilities of what's really happening are astounding.

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Jan 28, 2013 Stephanie rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Flutter by Gina Linko pulls readers along with Emery Land as she questions what is happening in her loops and what is happening in her life.

These are difficult questions to answer. I mean, if someone told you that she was time traveling, would you believe her?

Most likely, each and every one of you would have a different reaction. Linko does an excellent job of depicting these different reactions with the people who make up Emery’s world. First, there is Emery’s father, a scientist who is most co...more Flutter by Gina Linko pulls readers along with Emery Land as she questions what is happening in her loops and what is happening in her life.

These are difficult questions to answer. I mean, if someone told you that she was time traveling, would you believe her?

Most likely, each and every one of you would have a different reaction. Linko does an excellent job of depicting these different reactions with the people who make up Emery’s world. First, there is Emery’s father, a scientist who is most concerned with keeping Emery alive even if he doesn’t quite know how to show it. Second, there are Emery’s doctors, so determined to find an explanation that they treat Emery like a specimen instead of a human being. Then, there is Gia, Emery’s best friend. Gia allows Emery to think that she believes her, lets Emery down when she needs her most, and then finds Emery when no one else can. Lastly, there is Ash, who believes in Emery’s loops with all his heart, possibly because he is so close to them.

Of all of these characters, Ash is easily the most likeable. Ash is the type of boy all girls fall for even though they know they shouldn’t. He is tortured and potentially dangerous, but that just means that he needs a girl to fix him. Ash’s character arc is probably one of the most touching I have ever seen. The guy who sleeps outside Emery’s cabin turns into the guy with secrets. Once his secrets are revealed, there is nothing—well, almost nothing—keeping Emery and readers from falling for him.

Linko’s use of first person narration allows readers to be right there with Emery as she struggles to find answers before it is too late. I was able to feel Emery’s desperation—her desperation to understand the loops, her desperation for her father to understand her, her desperation to be with Ash. Emery acts exactly like someone who knows she doesn’t have all of the time in the world to live would act, and I appreciated the realism of that.

I have seen Flutter referred to as science fiction, but to me, it’s a mystery. What are Emery’s loops? What is Ash’s secret? Will Emery’s loops kill her? Will Ash ever forgive himself? I cannot even begin to describe how amazed I was by the answers to these questions. Gina Linko has written a novel filled with questions that seem impossible to answer and then answered them in the most breathtakingly beautiful way imaginable.(less)

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Oct 29, 2012 Annette rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Flutter is absorbing and contains some surprises, but I got frustrated with the main characters, and in particular, the romance.

Emery has always had seizures. They are getting worse, and now her father insists that she stay in a hospital because the seizures are slowly killing her. But, these aren't just ordinary seizures. Emery time travels to different places from the past or the future every time she seizes. She may see people she knows during her travels, but not always. She seems to go and...more Flutter is absorbing and contains some surprises, but I got frustrated with the main characters, and in particular, the romance.

Emery has always had seizures. They are getting worse, and now her father insists that she stay in a hospital because the seizures are slowly killing her. But, these aren't just ordinary seizures. Emery time travels to different places from the past or the future every time she seizes. She may see people she knows during her travels, but not always. She seems to go and see "the boy" a lot. She doesn't know who this little boy is, but he's trying to tell her something.

The worst part is that her father and his team of doctors don't believe Emery.

Emery just wants to be a normal teen and Gia, her best friend, is happy to sneak her out of the hospital to attend a party. But as her seizures get worse, Emery knows she must figure out what the messages in her travels mean so perhaps she can save herself. Gia turns out to be a great friend, and probably my favorite character.

Emery sneaks away to a town in the upper peninsula of Michigan because she's heard about this place in her time travels. It's a very small town and she begins to ask questions and do some research about things she has seen. She also meets Ash, who becomes her protector. He sleeps outside her cabin in a tent in the freezing cold to make sure she is safe. But Ash has secrets too.

I found Emery's life "on the lam" a bit too easy. She had plenty of money, she finds this cabin that she can walk to everything easily, the townspeople all love her and help her, and there's always a bus to take her where she needs to go. The cabin is cold and rustic -- and she needs to keep a fire going in the winter in the UP, but she never complains or laments her difficult situation. And, she always has plenty of clothes to dress appropriately to the events she gets invited to.

I also didn't like the love/hate relationship between Ash and Emery. There was a lot of talking and then storming off and disappearing for a couple of days. Only to fall into each other's arms after. There was just too much tension and back and forth. I didn't think the relationship developed realistically. Ash, with all his mysteries, was also accepted into this community without question. Once again, a little too convenient.

It sounds like I didn't enjoy Flutter, but I really did! The premise is enticing -- it's different -- and Linko's writing is well done. The pacing is great. It's hard to put down. You might think you can guess the secrets, and some of them you will, but I think you will still be surprised by the way several things turn out. I certainly wasn't expecting the ending -- but I think it's appropriate.

Besides everything being a little too easy, and the romance being frustrating, I think Flutter has great appeal to teen readers, with its exciting pace and twists and turns.
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Jun 29, 2012 Paula Phillips rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Do you love time-travelling novels ? Books like Tempest by Julie Cross , The Time Traveller's Wife and The Guardian Angel's Journal by Carolyn Jess-Cooke ?
If you enjoy those books, then you will enjoy Gina Linko's novel "Flutter". Set in the modern time we meet Emery, ever since she was little she has been having what she calls "the loops". From the outside world, it looks like she is having seizures but to her , she is time-travelling to a parallel world - whether it be in the past or future ti...more

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Apr 25, 2012 Amber Couch rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: ya-scifi, ya-romance, youngadult

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here.

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Sep 21, 2012 Kate rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: arcs, 2012, age-ya, paranormal

I read this ARC via Netgalley.

Her whole life, Emery's been "looping" - she appears to be having a seizure, but she's really visiting other places... other times. Sometimes these places are memories, other times visions of the future, and other times, she ends up on a farm with a little boy. Her father has made a life of studying Emery's "loops," trying to figure out what they are. But now Emery knows she is dying, that the loops are killing her, and armed with clues taken from her mysterious vis...more

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Jun 08, 2012 Sean Wills rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Full review at the Intergalactic Academy.

So, let’s get this out of the way first: as I mentioned above, Flutter is very similar to The Time Traveler’s Wife. The main difference is that Flutter’s plot follows a fairly linear trajectory by following Emery as she runs away to discover the meaning behind her possibly-time-traveling seizures or ‘loops’, whereas The Time Traveler’s Wife bounces all over the place as it explores what it would be like to cobble together a life despite the inconvenience...more Full review at the Intergalactic Academy.

So, let’s get this out of the way first: as I mentioned above, Flutter is very similar to The Time Traveler’s Wife. The main difference is that Flutter’s plot follows a fairly linear trajectory by following Emery as she runs away to discover the meaning behind her possibly-time-traveling seizures or ‘loops’, whereas The Time Traveler’s Wife bounces all over the place as it explores what it would be like to cobble together a life despite the inconvenience of spontaneous jumps to the past. I wouldn’t say that Flutter is more simplistic, exactly, but it could have done with some of the complexity of The Time Traveler’s Wife.

The book starts off strong, with Emery a long-term hospital patient thanks to her slowly-escalating seizures. Her primary concern is, at first, an incredibly strong one: how and when will her skeptical, emotionally-distant father become the warmer, more supportive man she occasionally meets during her loops? This kind of thing has always been what I enjoy most about time travel stories, the idea that a person can be blessed or cursed with knowledge of their own future. You can easily imagine how frustrating it would be to arrive back in the present only to be face with the reality that those closest to you are still years away from becoming the people you know (and hope) they will eventually turn into.

Emery’s predicament is given a bit more urgency by the fact that her seizures are in the process of killing her, meaning that she must either figure out how to control them or die. Linko avoids all of the usual clichés of the dying-teen-protagonist story – in fact, I wouldn’t be at all surprised to learn that she went through a similar situation herself or else knew someone who did.

Alas, the novel proceeds to squander a lot of its potential by removing Emery from the initial hospital setting and surrounding her with characters who are nowhere near as interesting as the ones in the first few chapters. The large plot involves Emery’s attempts at finding out why she keeps looping back to a young boy in the past, and to that end she runs away to the town where he lived. What she finds there is…well, a potential love interest, and not a particularly interesting one at that. (Although he also isn’t an insufferable ass, so that’s something!)

I’m all for slow-burning novels, but the middle chapters of Flutter could have done with having a bit more direction. Is Emery trying to solve the mystery of the boy from the past, or is she trying to figure out how Ash-the-love-interest is (possibly, vaguely) connected to her? And what about Ash himself – does he really know something about Emery’s loops, or is she just assuming that he might because, well, he’s all mysterious?

It’s not that this is all completely uninteresting, it’s just that it really doesn’t make the most of the book’s premise. Those looking for a YA romance that doesn’t crash and burn on page one will probably enjoy Emery and Ash’s interactions, but those first few chapters promised so much more on top of that.(less)

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Apr 27, 2012 Claudia rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: ya-lit

Not sure what I was expecting but I was pleasantly surprised. It was a bit slow-paced in the beginning but then I couldn't stop turning the metaphorical page (read it on Kindle). I wanted to know how Emery and Ash were connected, I wanted to know what exactly happened when she looped - why was she looping?

The reader encounters Emery in the hospital - during a loop. From there we follow her, unraveling the mystery of why she's looping and the mystery set forth by "[her]boy". Every time she loops...more

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Oct 20, 2012 Cindy rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: favorites, plot-twists, romance, must-read, mystery, interesting, cliffhanger, hardship

Hooked from the beginning this book will keep you on the edge of your seat until thhe very end. With each new plot twist the novel's intensity heightened. Defintley a must read.

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Oct 17, 2012 Book Twirps rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

This book was another case of me expecting one thing and getting something else entirely.

Emery Land has spent several years living in a hospital because of the “loops”. To everyone else it appears that Emery is having a seizure, but Emery actually travels to other dimensions when she loops. Sometimes she travels to the past, other times to a fantasy world, and other times to a farm where the same little boy always appears. Sick of living in a hospital where her doctor father constantly runs test...more This book was another case of me expecting one thing and getting something else entirely.

Emery Land has spent several years living in a hospital because of the “loops”. To everyone else it appears that Emery is having a seizure, but Emery actually travels to other dimensions when she loops. Sometimes she travels to the past, other times to a fantasy world, and other times to a farm where the same little boy always appears. Sick of living in a hospital where her doctor father constantly runs tests on her, Emery escapes with the help of a friend and hides out in a place called Esperanza. It’s there that she meets the mysterious boy named Ash — a boy that seems strangely familiar. A boy that may be able to help her piece together the mysterious clues she’s picked up from the loops.

As I mentioned before, this book wasn’t what I was expecting. I thought it would be more about traditional time-travel and a little more sci-fi. What I got was more reminiscent of The Time Traveler’s Wife (which just so happens to be one of my most favorite books ever.)

Ms. Linko does a great job of turning the old time-travel theme on its side and making it her own. Every time Emery “looped” I was fascinated, and found myself searching for clues that may help her during her journey. I really felt for Emery. I didn’t blame her at all when she escaped the hospital, and I thought her relationship with Ash was sweet. Emery is very sick, and Ash has no problem taking care of her. I found Ash to be likable, but there wasn’t much that really made him stand out amongst other male leads in other novels. Still, he’s not a bad character.

Ms. Linko writes well, and the story flows fairly well, though I felt like there were times the pacing could have been faster. Once the pieces begin to fall into place, the book really picked up for me, and though I guessed what was really happening with Emery about midway through the book, I still enjoyed the ride. The ending was definitely bittersweet. It didn’t floor me as was the obvious intent, but it was effective.

All in all Flutter is an enjoyable read, and more of a romance than an action packed time travel novel. Still, it’s worth checking out.(less)

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Apr 01, 2012 Autumn rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: kindle, netgalley, own, ya

Flutter - 5 stars - Holy Smokes!

First off i adore this book.. I really loved how the author was able to induce a loop.. I had to be completely careful where i read this story.. i was completely transfixed.. Emery is just a 17 year old girl wanting to be normal too bad for her shes not.. Haunted yeah ill go with haunted by seizures she believes are loops (time travel) since she was a young girl.. Things are getting worse her loops convince her its time to kick rocks and so she does to a call tow...more

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Oct 27, 2012 Blodeuedd Finland rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: ya, romantic-fiction, paranormal

This book was light and easy to read, and one thing kept me reading and reading. What on earth is going on in this book?

Emery is not your average girl. She suffers from seizures and have to sleep in the hospital. And these seizures are killing her. While in them she sees things and comes to the conclusion that she is time-travelling. And this was the thing that pushed me forward. Is she really? How will she stop it from killing her? The mystery around her and her disease was good.

She travels to...more

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Feb 21, 2013 Madison rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

This book seemed very promising and although it turned out to be nothing like I thought it would be, it was amazing!! Although some aspects really threw me off. This isn't really science fiction even though the book jacket says its a cross between that and romance. Its more paranormal/romance. Anyhow I really disliked the way the author tied in her "seizures" and the mystery behind Ash. I also thought the ending was way too sudden and far-fetched. It also went by really quickily. I dont think it...more

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Oct 21, 2012 Bookworm1858 rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: read-2012, netgalley, ya-read, sffp

I entered this book, not really knowing much about it but caught by the mention of time loops. Time travel being a concept I love to ponder, I was curious to know more. In this case, Emery has suffered from what she calls "seizures" for years. However during those seizures, she seems to loop through time, meeting people she knows and especially one particular little boy. As the years pass, they get more serious and Emery fears she is approaching death. Her father and his medical team share this...more

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Dec 18, 2012 Mickie rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here.

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Dec 21, 2012 Ornella rated it 2 of 5 stars · review of another edition

I don't know how to review this one, so I'm gonna hold off on it for a bit.

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Apr 14, 2013 Christina Taylor rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: ya

At seventeen, Emery Land finds her life voraciously consumed by physical deterioration resulting from seizures. Practically living in a hospital under constant surveillance by her scientist father and an ostensibly-skeptical team of doctors, she feels herself a lab rat; consequently, weighing the stifling emotional price of her caged existence against the physically lethal cost of freedom, Emery flees in order to pursue her theory that during her seizures she travels through time and space. Inha...more At seventeen, Emery Land finds her life voraciously consumed by physical deterioration resulting from seizures. Practically living in a hospital under constant surveillance by her scientist father and an ostensibly-skeptical team of doctors, she feels herself a lab rat; consequently, weighing the stifling emotional price of her caged existence against the physically lethal cost of freedom, Emery flees in order to pursue her theory that during her seizures she travels through time and space. Inhabiting an emotional purgatory that exists somewhere between the heaven of free will and the hell of self-recriminations, she meets Asher Clarke who seems to be intimately entwined with her plight. Together, they must race against the Doomsday clock to understand the truth of their complicated connection. Above all else, Flutter is a beautifully-written, poignant tale of possibly-star-crossed lovers that questionably ends in death but certainly avoids being trite or predictable. Moreover, it would be a wonderful read for those who are intrigued by aspects of science-fiction or paranormal fiction but are hesitant to explore these interests. As the plot unfolds, the protagonist becomes increasingly mired in a hopelessly, complex situation. Being drawn further and further away from a satisfying conclusion, the story necessitates a deus ex machina akin to Austen’s poultry rustlers in order to avoid sending the audience into a nihilistic plummet. Nevertheless, the very device which saves both the plot and the reader is simultaneously cathartic and unsettling. Linko’s expert manipulation of first-person point of view encourages the reader to not only fall prey to the limitations of her naïve narrator but also deny the wisdom of a more balanced, objective perspective – willfully experiencing this sensuous journey as Emery does. In the end, finding herself returned to an existence outside of Linko’s story, the reader feels compelled to question beliefs and portrayals of an afterlife. Although critics may argue that the author’s conceptualization is highly discriminatory – excluding nonwhite, non-christian individuals – Linko’s crafting of such an intimate bond between the protagonist’s life and her afterlife suggests that “heaven” is deeply personal and thereby reflects the plurality of the living. In short, Linko seems to dispel the notion of an objective reality and propose that each of us is only privy to the heaven which reflects us.(less)

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