Zafiro (Joyas preciosas, #2)

Sep 06, 2012 Shreya (CCReviews) rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

It’s hard to believe the number of bloggers and readers out there that haven’t heard about this wonderful young adult series. Ruby Red, the first book, brought to us an adventure that included time-traveling, secrets, carriages, evil barons, and a little bit of romance. Sapphire Blue continues on from there with double the trouble, triple the action, and quadruple the romance! The characters were once again, very engaging, and I had no problem with getting hooked into the story. Time-travel book...more It’s hard to believe the number of bloggers and readers out there that haven’t heard about this wonderful young adult series. Ruby Red, the first book, brought to us an adventure that included time-traveling, secrets, carriages, evil barons, and a little bit of romance. Sapphire Blue continues on from there with double the trouble, triple the action, and quadruple the romance! The characters were once again, very engaging, and I had no problem with getting hooked into the story. Time-travel books are very rare these days, and most of them aren't very detailed, or intricate. But intricate is the perfect word to describe this book, because the author goes into specific depths with this book, and the the words create a perfect image in your head. It's like you can breathe in the crisp air, and see all the different sights of the past world being explored by the main character. The suspense was amazing as well, it was nearing-the-edge-of-your-seat kind of suspense, because you never knew what would jump out from behind the wall next. But this novel wasn't just action and mystery, there were also some very hilarious scenes because of the main character's very down-to-earth and bubbly personality. Let's just say, this series might just be one of the best in it's category.

In Ruby Red, Gwyneth Shepherd's life took a turn for the worse when she discovered she was the Ruby, "the final member of the secret time-traveling Circle of Twelve", and that one of the job requirements is to go back in time through history collecting blood samples from her ancestors, no questions asked. Not really a girl's dream come true. Now she's expected to balance her social life, school life, obnoxious gargoyles, an annoying and arrogant time-traveler for a partner, and figure out the truth behind a on-going mystery. With only her wit and her courage, Gwen manages to charm her superiors, get help from a ghost, receive advice from her great x 10 grandfather, and snag an egotistical boy in the process.

Gwen's character is a very authentic and, like I mentioned before, down-to-earth one. She's not noticed much for anything, but that's because she is way too underestimated in this book. Everyone finds her inferior to her golden sister, and she's grown up that way, which makes me sympathize with her, me having that one golden sibling as well. She's also ignored and looked-down on a lot. But the reason why I like her character so much is because she doesn't take any of this to heart, instead she dismisses it without a care in the world because she has confidence in herself. Before, I said that people underestimated her, and this is false Gwen is a very smart and talented young girl. She's gets further than any of the other guardians in solving the mystery they're all pondering over uselessly. She takes matters into her own hands, and follows her intuition, which usually ends up being correct. I have to admit, Gwen does have a lot on her plate, and I'm very surprised at how she handles it all. Especially with a smoking-hot guy that's seemingly always on her trail.

Speaking of Gideon, aforementioned smoking-hot guy, he is one tough person to figure out. At times, I almost feel like he's actually bipolar and hiding it very well, or he's actually bipolar and doesn't know it yet so he isn't taking any medication for it. Because, seriously, one minute the room's all steamy with romantic tension in the air, and the next, he becomes colder than a vampire locked in a refrigerator. His relationship with Gwen was just starting to be kindled at the end of book 1, and almost as quickly as it began, it progressed to the point where they were acting like they've been together forever. All I have to say, is that the romance in this book is very confusing because I can't tell when Gwen and Gideon are secretly thinking up evil ways to kill each other, or secretly thinking up romantic ways to surprise each other. But the relationship is a hot and hilarious one, don't worry, it's not all that bad. They're polar opposites of each other, and that always makes for interesting interactions. For example, when Gwen attends a party with Gideon and happens to consume too many sparkly drinks, and when said boy watches said girl at said party drink too many said sparkly drinks. It's just.....you have to read the book to fully understand it's wonderful content.

All I have to say is, this book was a breath-taking ride, and completely worth the read. I wished the romance progressed a bit slower, but hey, in a trilogy, it's pretty hard to make things go slow right? Speaking of trilogy's, this series is supposed to have three books....meaning I need those three books to feel satisfied and content....why don't I have the Emerald Green in my hands yet? *fuming*(less)

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Dec 28, 2012 Amy rated it 2 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Oh my gosh, do I really have to wait for OCTOBER for this book to be translated into English???? AHHH! I'm so excited. And I suppose by October I'll be stuck back in dinky Dayton so I'll have to wait even longer to get my hands on a copy.
^.^
Maybe I should just re-read Ruby Red...

Finished 12/28/12
*sigh*
So much potential. So, so much potential. Unfortunately, it doesn't live up to it.
The plot is still interesting. In fact, its creative and fun and quite enjoyable.
But the characters!
Oi.
The char...more

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Nov 29, 2012 Missy Frye rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: ya, sci-fi, fantasy, 2012-reads

There are authors in this world who spoil readers. It’s true. You read a book and think there is no way this author can pull off another flawless novel and yet somehow they do it. Kerstin Gier is proving to be one of those authors.

Synopsis taken from Goodreads:

Gwen’s life has been a rollercoaster since she discovered she was the Ruby, the final member of the secret time-traveling Circle of Twelve. In between searching through history for the other time-travelers and asking for a bit of their b

...more There are authors in this world who spoil readers. It’s true. You read a book and think there is no way this author can pull off another flawless novel and yet somehow they do it. Kerstin Gier is proving to be one of those authors.

Synopsis taken from Goodreads:

Gwen’s life has been a rollercoaster since she discovered she was the Ruby, the final member of the secret time-traveling Circle of Twelve. In between searching through history for the other time-travelers and asking for a bit of their blood (gross!), she’s been trying to figure out what all the mysteries and prophecies surrounding the Circle really mean.

At least Gwen has plenty of help. Her best friend Lesley follows every lead diligently on the Internet. James the ghost teaches Gwen how to fit in at an eighteenth century party. And Xemerius, the gargoyle demon who has been following Gwen since he caught her kissing Gideon in a church, offers advice on everything. Oh, yes. And of course there is Gideon, the Diamond. One minute he’s very warm indeed; the next he’s freezing cold. Gwen’s not sure what’s going on there, but she’s pretty much destined to find out.

After reading Ruby Red I was bowled over. Not since reading Jennifer Erin Valent’s Fireflies in December had I encountered such a balanced, exciting and fulfilling book. I waited impatiently for Sapphire Blue all the while thinking, “What if I’m disappointed?”

It’s impossible to describe the joy that pierced me when I opened the pages of Sapphire Blue and stepped back into the world of Gwyneth and Gideon. Nothing had changed. Of course the story moved forward, but the underlying elements that made the first book so appealing were most assuredly holding this book together as well.

The varied characters could be people in my life, they are so real. The story is mysterious, thrilling and heartbreaking. The plot unfolds at a perfect pace. The setting(s) and atmosphere are palpable. I laughed out loud. I cried. I felt joy, aggravation and pain. After the final words were read and reality demanded I leave this world once again, I felt bereft.

It’s hard to believe this series isn’t on everyone’s radar. I recommend you grab your copy of both Ruby Red and Sapphire Blue. If after reading them you aren’t anxious for Emerald Green to be released you can safely say we have wildly different ideas of what makes a book good. (less)

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May 28, 2012 Teresinha rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: auf-deutsch, re-reading, česky, překlad, cooboo

A je to! :)

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Sep 27, 2012 Willinda rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: favorites, i-own, rc, read-in-2012, read-in-czech, wow-cover, ya-fantasy, ya-romance, ya-time-travel, absolutely-amazing

Nádherné. Jednoduše nádherné. Bude mi trvat opravdu hodně dlouho zbavit se toho připitomělého úsměvu, který mám od první stránky... :D
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Ještě před týdnem by vám šestnáctiletá Gwendolyn řekla, že je jí život relativně normální. Sice se její sestřenice učila všechno možné, aby mohla cestovat časem a pouze čekala, až se u ní konečně projeví časocestovací gen, její tetička s babičkou a vlastně velká část rodiny je mírně šílená a každý má nějaké to tajemství, ale pro Gwendolyn v...more Nádherné. Jednoduše nádherné. Bude mi trvat opravdu hodně dlouho zbavit se toho připitomělého úsměvu, který mám od první stránky... :D
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Ještě před týdnem by vám šestnáctiletá Gwendolyn řekla, že je jí život relativně normální. Sice se její sestřenice učila všechno možné, aby mohla cestovat časem a pouze čekala, až se u ní konečně projeví časocestovací gen, její tetička s babičkou a vlastně velká část rodiny je mírně šílená a každý má nějaké to tajemství, ale pro Gwendolyn vskutku normál. Všechno se ale změnilo v prvním díle trilogie Drahokamy, Rudá jako rubín. Gwendolyn totiž zjistila, že to ona má gen, který jí umožňuje cestovat časem. Tím pádem patří do tajného společenství cestovatelů časem, a zaplétá se do velmi složité rodinné politiky, které nerozumí a nikdo jí k tomu pořádně nic neřekne. Ještě ke všemu musí pravidelně elapsovat (kontrolovaně cestovat v čase), aby se nečekaně někam nepřesunula, protože by jí mohlo hrozit opravdové nebezpečí. Jak to tak ale vypadá, neohrožují ji ale pouze neplánované cesty časem a všudypřítomné záhady. Sama totiž ještě pořádně neví, co se kolem ní děje. A zmatky s láskou tomu rozhodně nepomáhají…

Modrá jako safír navazuje přesně tam, kde Rudá skončila. Jak dějově, protože přímo následuje události minulého dílu, tak i kvalitou. Ono to totiž je, jako kdybyste jenom pokračovali v četbě jedné knihy. Nejenže vás přímo okamžitě do sebe vcucne, a vy zkrátka musíte jenom číst, číst a číst, ale autorka se ani nezdržuje opakováním událostí minulého dílu. Ano, sice nám je v průběhu malinkou připomene, ale nevěnuje několik stránek jenom shrnutí děje minulé knihy, a příběh proto plyne velice rychle. Přestože se vám může zdát, že se v knize vlastně nic neděje, opak je pravdou. Ve skutečnosti se tam dějí velmi důležité věci. Řešení záhad kolem cestování, Gwendolyn a její srdeční záležitosti, cestování, láska… stihne se toho v knize udát opravdu hodně. A vám to možná ani nepřijde, protože díky skvělému stylu, jakým je napsaná, jste ji měli okamžitě přečtenou.

Příběh tedy rozhodně není nijak zpomalený a zmatený. Plyne ostošest a nenechávám vám čas vydechnout. Přesto se ale vehementně střídají dobrodružné a akčnější scény s těmi romantickými. A Gierová zvládá napsat perfektně obojí. Při těch romantický cítíte v žaludku chvění a nedokážete se zbavit přiblblého úsměvu na tváři. Při těch dobrodružnějších se zase pokoušíte o rekord v zadržení dechu. Ale to stále není všechno. Protože díky nové postavě, chrliči Xameriovi se kniha stává navíc ještě skvěle vtipnou. A do všech těch emocí se tedy ještě smějete na celé kolo.

Pokud jste četli Rudou jako rubín, a alespoň trochu se vám líbila, rozhodně neváhejte sáhnout po Modré, protože opravdu stojí za to. Jedná se o lehkou, jistým způsobem i oddechovou knihu, která vás donutí myslet pouze na právě se odehrávající příběh a na nic jiného. A pokud jste ani jednu knihu ještě nečetli a zní vám to alespoň trochu zajímavě… tak na co ještě čekáte? Přicházíte opravdu o hodně! (less)

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Jan 19, 2013 Carie rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Arghh.

I like this series, I do. WIth a few complaints. My biggest complaint is that it is a series, instead of a single book. Not much happened it the first and frankly not a whole lot happens in the second. I got SO (in all caps!) tired of no one telling Gwen anything. Eventually some things are revealed. Ish. But you shouldn't have to read 2 books in the series to start getting answers.

Yes, I'll read the next. As long as my complaints are duly noted.

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Nov 07, 2012 the golden witch. rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: 2012, arc-galley, history, magical-reality, timey-wimey-machine, teenage-shennanigans, reviewed, for-review

Okay. Wow, was this one was definitely an improvement over book one! No middle book syndrome here, folks. There were some twists I definitely did not see coming (especially that cliffhanger!), and I genuinely enjoyed this book, as well as felt that Gier grew more as an author with "Sapphire Blue". Even if you might not have liked book one too much, I highly encourage you to give book two a try.

So, in a lot of ways, there's still a lot that's the same - Gwen and Gideon are still working for the G...more Okay. Wow, was this one was definitely an improvement over book one! No middle book syndrome here, folks. There were some twists I definitely did not see coming (especially that cliffhanger!), and I genuinely enjoyed this book, as well as felt that Gier grew more as an author with "Sapphire Blue". Even if you might not have liked book one too much, I highly encourage you to give book two a try.

So, in a lot of ways, there's still a lot that's the same - Gwen and Gideon are still working for the Guardians, trying to get the first Chronograph back from Paul and Lucy, who stole it in 1992 in book one. So we have a lot of adventures to and from the past, and there's still a bit of drag in that pacing, but things really start to pick up when the second third of the book starts. The Gwen/Gideon/Charlotte love triangle is really working out here, and I know I don't usually say this, but I think it was the best path for Gier to take when it comes to the ending of this installment of the trilogy. You'll see why in a bit.

There's a lot of paranoia in this book that was only felt as an undercurrent in book one, which I really, really loved. Every time Gwen and Gideon traveled, there was this sense of having to constantly watch your back that wasn't really there in book one, especially with Gwen's family members having more visions concerning the chronograph, the Guardians, and the epitaph that talks about what might happen if the circle "closes". However, a lot of that is just teasing what's to come in the finale, "Emerald Green", and I really kind of wanted more than the few sparse scraps that Gier threw the audience here in book two, and that was disappointing. At this point in time within the trilogy, we should be finding more clues out about what might happen if the circle closes, but instead, Gideon and Gwen get distracted with each other, there's a murder, there's a possible plot by Lucy and Paul to do even more harm with having the first chronograph in their grasp, and so forth. It gets a little distracting after awhile, and even Gwen herself starts to get annoyed with her lack of information.

In terms of character growth, I do think Gwen is growing, especially at the end, where that growth comes in one huge burst. But I could have used a little bit more development and a little less plot-driven action. What was a bit of a relief was that Lesley took a backseat in this book to the main plot (catching up to Lucy and Paul), and just manages to do a lot of researching in this installment. She does kind of lose her sidekick status, and it's given to a certain gargoyle/demon who was really a great foil to Gwen, even if I was starting to get annoyed with him. Gideon's growth is perhaps the most significant because we start to seriously question his motives, especially around the halfway mark.

What I felt suffered the most, however, was the sensory language and imagery. It felt a lot more robust in book one, and in only the most important scenes to the main arc did we really get the full flavor of traveling back in terms of really using all of the senses to experience that. Whether that's a problem in the original content (in German) or if it's a possible issue with translation (in English), I can't really be sure. That was kind of a let down, and I just hope that everything really pops off of the page in the sensory department in the finale. And based on how this book ended, how there was a real sensory burst (AND A SWORD FIGHT, GUYS), I feel like that's going to be the case.

Finally, the love triangle - Gideon's pretty shady in this book, guys, and even though Gwen's so lovesick thinking about him she still manages to pick up the most obvious red flags about his behavior and deals with it. It really helps contribute to the paranoia factor - that everyone is really out to not just get Gwen and Gideon, but particularly Gwen because she is the Ruby, and the final in the circle. Gier played this off marvelously, and it all really came together in the last fifty pages of the book. If only more YA love triangles were used this way, I might hate them a little less. No, the use here was totally justified, and my mouth was hanging open at the end because it was twist after twist, and I was starting to feel a little emotionally inception'd because of it. Feels within feels, guys.

So, all in all? I'd say this sequel is pretty superior to the first book. Even if you're not quite sure about continuing the trilogy after the first book, definitely please give this second book a chance. Because it's pretty awesome. "Sapphire Blue" is out now from Henry Holt/Macmillan in North America, so definitely check it out when you get the chance!

(posted to goodreads, shelfari, and birthofanewwitch.wordpress.com)(less)

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Jan 06, 2013 Ferdy rated it 2 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: abusive-hero, blah, blah-romance, boring, boring-crap-hero, time-travel, whiny-annoying-blah-heroine, rubbish, meh, mary-sue-bitch-heroine, heroine-loves-abuse, hero-dick-to-heroine, fucked-up-romance, fucked-up-hero, emo-hero, doormat-heroine, douchery-afoot

Spoilers

I didn't really like this, it irritated the hell out of me. The heroine, Gwen, could have been a decent character had it not been for the ghastly romance and the vile love interest (the douche dick Gideon). Every time Gwen was near Gideon or thought about him (which was most of the time), I lost respect for her. She was weak, pathetic and desperate. He treated her like utter shit and the dumb bitch let him, she would be mad and upset when he acted like bastard but as soon as she saw him...more

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Jan 06, 2013 Melissa Railey rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: 2013, tbr-challenge

I've had this book sitting in my TBR pile for a while. I had pre-ordered immediately after finishing Ruby Red because I simply could not wait to see what happened next. Then, the book came in and I just never got to it. I finally picked Sapphire Blue up one evening this week because I wanted to read something "easy" for a few minutes before going to bed. Four hours later, I was putting the book down after reading the entire thing. Yeah, it happens.

This book picks up directly after Ruby Red and...more

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Nov 16, 2012 Emma rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

It’s only been a few days since Gwyneth Shepherd learnt that she wasn’t just an ordinary London schoolgirl, like she always believed, but a time traveller. Gwen always knew that the time travelling gene ran in the family through the female bloodline, but she had always been told that her cousin was going to be the one travelling to the past without explanation. Gwen has learned and done so much in the past few days, and has been sent on a mission with Gideon, who also travels to the past. Watche...more It’s only been a few days since Gwyneth Shepherd learnt that she wasn’t just an ordinary London schoolgirl, like she always believed, but a time traveller. Gwen always knew that the time travelling gene ran in the family through the female bloodline, but she had always been told that her cousin was going to be the one travelling to the past without explanation. Gwen has learned and done so much in the past few days, and has been sent on a mission with Gideon, who also travels to the past. Watched over by the Guardians, the time travellers are protected and even have a way to control their travels. But who can Gwen really trust? She’s been told that her cousin Lucy is evil, but she doesn’t know quite what to believe. And how can she trust Gideon and his family when they don’t even trust her? Her mother told her not to trust anyone or anything, not even her own feelings. That’s becoming more and more difficult when Gwen finds herself falling for Gideon. Now that she has been swept up in a world of time travel, Gwen’s life is full of mysteries, some of which haven’t even happened yet.

In this sequel to Ruby Red , Gwyneth is more confused than ever as she travels back in time, sometimes with the hot and cold Gideon and sometimes alone. Everything that happens to Gwyneth is confusing and mysterious, from the mission she is sent on to the fact that it looks like her future self has betrayed everyone. I loved Ruby Red but this sequel wasn’t quite as strong. While the first book in the series served as an introduction to Gwyneth’s family, time travel and the history of the Order, Sapphire Blue seemed to focus primarily on Gwyneth’s love for Gideon, while building things up for the final book. I suppose it’s just a personal preference, but I don’t like boys in books who are kind one second and mean the next. I was never as enamoured with Gideon as Gwen was, and while Gwen seeming so young in the first book didn’t bother me, it did more in this one. I don’t think there was enough character development or development of Gideon and Gwen’s relationship. At the same time, the world building in this novel was particularly wonderful, and Kerstin Gier weaved an intricate story of time travel. The plot of the story is so well done and thought out, and the romance was just a distraction for me. Like in the previous book, Gier provided just the right dose of humour, provided by Gwen’s wit, the ghost that haunts the private school, the Gargoyle Demon that follows Gwen around and her best friend Lesley, who is helpful and eager. The cast of characters was full of colourful and original characters that added so much to the novel. This is one of those books that you can’t put down and makes you want to read the next book in the series the second you finish. The third book in the series, Emerald Green, doesn’t come out in English for another year, so learning German is looking pretty tempting right now. Lovers of romance and of Gideon will enjoy this book more than people like me, but Sapphire Blue was a clever time travel book that did an excellent job at building up my excitement for the third and final instalment in the series.

4/5(less)

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Nov 08, 2012 Katrina rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: ya-lit

I know this should be a 4 star, judging by the storyline, world building and character development. But I just really love the idea of time-travel so much that I'm going to give this a 5 star. I'm really fascinated by the world in this book. It's not too complex or too graphic, it's actually simple. There's a family of time travelers and every generation, they get a time traveler in the family. The time travelers use a chronograph to control the instances they travel to a different time. It is s...more

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Jan 02, 2013 Mara rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: ya, others, favorites, czech

Ešte lepšie ako jednotka ! Nie vždy je to tak, že je druhý diel ešte lepší ako ten prvý ! :D A tiež by som mohla začať písať recenziu..... :D
Len jedna vec: Na prebale je, že treti diel tu už bude čoskoro. Kedy je to čoskoro ?

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Nov 29, 2012 Terry (Ter05 TwiMoms/ MundieMoms) rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: supernatural, time-travel, young-adult

I re-read Ruby Red just prior to this book's release which is a good idea if you have not read it recently. Gwen has learned more about her time travel ability and how it works, and is in general freaked about over finding that she is the last of the Time Travel Circle of the Twelve. With the help of her time traveling partner, Gideon, she is caught up in traveling to the past to find the other time travelers and ask them to give their blood for the machine that must contain the blood of all of...more

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Nov 15, 2012 Mara rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: books-owned, 2012-reads, romance, time-travel

Cover Blurb: Yes or No? Yes. The “character impersonator” is easy to ignore, and anyway, you can’t see her face - not really. I love the color and the silver filigree. So pretty!

Characters: Gwen, the protagonist, still remains a pretty good character. Her sense of humor is funny, she doesn’t have The Attitude, and she has an appreciation for historical dress, which almost makes up for her lack of interest in actual history, literature, social graces, and pastimes. Though I really must beg the qu...more

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Oct 16, 2012 Lori (Pure Imagination) rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Last year when I read Ruby Red I was swept off my feet by how unexpectedly fun it was. Hilarious characters, time travel, and secret societies? Yes, please! Obviously I’ve been anxiously awaiting Sapphire Blue, the second book in the series. I’m thrilled to say it was just as fun!

Sapphire Blue picks up right where the last book left off. You are swept right back into the story. Even though it had been a year, I found it super easy to catch back up on the details of the last book. Usually I’m rea...more

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Dec 08, 2012 Katie Hutchison Irion rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Great book. I mean, don't get me wrong, I have no understanding of time travel and considering this entire trilogy is about time travelers, well, I definitely have to set aside my confusion and just enjoy the story. So what if it makes no sense to me that Gwen can go back in time and see herself. Who cares if there is absolutely no comprehension on my part when they start talking times and trying not to ruin the future. Hey, I get it, they time travel and are messing with the future. I mostly re...more

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Feb 08, 2013 Valerie rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: 2013, young-adult

This series is just so much fun, which is a tad surprising since, at times, it tends to be a bit more on the juvenile side of the young adult genre but I still found it really enjoyable and there's definitely enough to have an adult appeal (witty, likeable characters; an interesting mystery; action; and a clean, sweet romance). I picked it up thinking I would just read the first couple of pages to see what I thought of it, and then next thing I know- I'm half-way through the book. I easily finis...more

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Mar 31, 2013 Nathaly Alvarez rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: increibles, leido-en-2013, no-se-que-esperar, reseñados

En su cimbreo rojo rubí oye el cuervo cantar a los muertos, apenas conoce el precio, apenas la fuerza, el poder se alza y el Círculo se cierra.

Empece a leer Zafiro solo para volver a entrar en el mundo de Gwen y Gideon. Nada había cambiado. La historia avanzaba, pero los elementos de la historia eran los mismos que hicieron que el primer libro fuera tan bueno. Estoy encantada por el mundo que este libro plantea. No es demasiado complejo, es realmente simple. Hay dos familias de viajeros del t...more

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Oct 03, 2012 Karissa rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

This is the second book in the Edelstein Trilogy by Gier. The third book is scheduled for a 2013 release. I got a copy of this book to review through the Amazon Vine program. It was a wonderful read; Gwen learns more about her time traveling gene and we get to learn more about the Guardians as a whole.

Gwen is trying to figure out all this time-traveling stuff and unravel some of the secrets behind the Circle of Twelve. Her partner in time-travel is the very hot and cold Gideon. Will Gwen be able...more This is the second book in the Edelstein Trilogy by Gier. The third book is scheduled for a 2013 release. I got a copy of this book to review through the Amazon Vine program. It was a wonderful read; Gwen learns more about her time traveling gene and we get to learn more about the Guardians as a whole.

Gwen is trying to figure out all this time-traveling stuff and unravel some of the secrets behind the Circle of Twelve. Her partner in time-travel is the very hot and cold Gideon. Will Gwen be able to balance her school, time traveling, and social life without getting killed by the mystery surrounding the Circle of Twelve?

I love Gwen as a character, she is very down to earth. Gwen is trying her best to learn everything she needs to learn to blend into historical settings, but she is constantly being compared to Charlotte (her cousin who already had 15+ years of time traveling training). Gwen takes a pretty good attitude towards everything and I enjoyed reading about her.

Gideon drove me nuts, if I were Gwen I would have smacked him numerous times. He is so hot and cold about Gwen, that I was never really sure where their relationship was going. A lot of page space is given to the back and forths of their “relationship”. This isn’t all bad because these scenes are very well done.

The mystery unravels in a very deliberate way and I enjoyed the way new tidbits of information were slowly dealt out to the reader. I shared in Gwen’s frustration of not knowing what was going on. The way the mystery is slowly being unraveled is absolutely engrossing and makes for a super engaging read.

My only complaint is that I wish we had seen more time travel in the story. In most of the time travel scenes Gwen is going to a cellar to do homework; it would have been awesome to see Gwen in some more scenes that take place out in historical public areas.

The ending is a bit frustrating as well. It ends on a total cliffhanger and pretty much nothing is resolved. There is so much going on in the book that I am curious to see how everything will be resolved in the third (and final) book, Emerald Green.

Overall a great continuation of this series. Gwen is still struggling with her place in this secret time traveling society, but she is making headway and is determined to do her part. The scenes between Gwen and Gideon are very well done but a bit frustrating. I would have liked to see more time travel scenes. Still the way the mystery is slowly unraveling makes for an absolutely engaging story. Recommended to fans of time travel stories and YA stories in general. (less)

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Feb 04, 2013 Alyson Farmer rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: young-adult, digital-book

I am really loving this series. I can hardly wait for the last book to be translated and released. I am still hopeful that it will have a satisfying end.

I was happy that I enjoyed this second book in the series as much as the first. The mystery still needs to be solved (hurry, book 3). I feel like this book served to make "the plot thicken." I have a theory, but we'll have to see what happens. I am really enjoying it. It says something about the book when the plot carries me along more than the...more

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Dec 04, 2012 Nadia Karen Sinclair-Mills rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: my-beloved-books

Gideon<3 Ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh porqe porqe porqe, quiero saber mas, porqe tienen qe terminar asi?

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Dec 27, 2012 Allie rated it 2 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Reading through the reviews over this book on Goodreads, I find I may be the only one not in love with this book. On the contrary, I was very frustrated with it, for a lot of reasons. I'll definitely go into them--my frustration bubbles even now--but to be fair, I'll list some of the highlights, because this was still entirely an engrossing read and not the worst I've read.

First off, the concept. Oh, boy, how I do love myself some time travel and mystery, and this novel is chock-full! I deeply e...more Reading through the reviews over this book on Goodreads, I find I may be the only one not in love with this book. On the contrary, I was very frustrated with it, for a lot of reasons. I'll definitely go into them--my frustration bubbles even now--but to be fair, I'll list some of the highlights, because this was still entirely an engrossing read and not the worst I've read.

First off, the concept. Oh, boy, how I do love myself some time travel and mystery, and this novel is chock-full! I deeply enjoy Gwen's visits to the past and the adventures they inevitably bring about. I love hating the antagonist, and Gwen's meetings with him are always cloaked with equal parts mystery and loathing. I liked meeting Gwen's grandfather, and it was also nice to watch her sing and grow. I also enjoy Gwen's best friend Leslie's presence in the story as one of the few characters I actually like, along with the surprising but new friend the gargoyle. I hate to say, however, my list of the characters I enjoy begins and ends with them.

This book... Gah!! So much potential, such great concepts, such great mystery---and yet so little of it is developed. Let me put it this way: Very little happens in this next installment in the trilogy. Well, unless you count Gwen's pathetic angst as action. I could've put up with the stereotypical YA romance had I gone into the novel expecting it. Goodness knows I enjoy some good ole angst with a steaming plate of romance to match; I've read more than enough YA romance to prove it. Here's the thing though: This isn't what I went into the book wanting or expecting. What I want is answers, and action, and a heroine who actually DOES ANYTHING! Honestly, Gwen, are you capable of functioning without Leslie or dead people or the guy you just met a few days ago but are suddenly madly in love with?! Okay, I'm being mean. I know. But I'm utterly frustrated because in the entirety of the book very little happens and next to no answers are to be found. What is to be found, however, are at least three make-out sessions and more than enough crying and "Does he love me?!?!" pity parties to make me roll my eyes. The very, very end--the epilogue, in fact--was a cliffhanger that gave me just enough hope for the next novel. I get the impression this last book will placate my desire for answers and action; and if it doesn't, so help me, I will hunt down this author and let her know exactly how I feel about having all my hopes and dreams for her amazing, incredible ideas to be utterly razed to the ground, crushed and destroyed in the abyss. Melodramatic? Maybe. But hopefully it shows the depth of my desire for this next last novel to live up to its glorious potential.

Back to this book, however. Sapphire Blue mostly frustrated me, perhaps, because of the plot. When Gwen is dragged into a world of time-travelers, the reader finds this is also a world of great sexism. Seriously. I can't possibly overstate the sexism of most of the characters and the organization in general. Of course, Gwen acknowledges this outright and even uses it to her advantage at times, but I felt these attempts by the author to make it easier to swallow were feeble at best. The thing about saturating a book with sexist characters, especially in this dawning era of kick-butt YA heroines, is that in order to pull it off, you... Well, you kind of need a kick-butt heroine. Or at least someone who doesn't represent the very creature those sexist chauvinistic pigs look down on: a simpering, uneducated, unconfident girl who seems more interested in a potential boyfriend than actually figuring things out. Granted, she wasn't like this the entire book--she makes several witty comments, solves a few problems, and still shows potential as she communicates with the dead and demons, and reveals a tiny flare of rebellion. But for the most part? I was screaming at her. And at the chauvinistic pigs, and Charlotte, and pretty much most of the people in the book as a whole.

So. Will I read the next book? Yes, definitely yes. But not for a long time, or at least until my frustrations give way to my hope and curiosity. Did I enjoy this book? At parts, yes. But as a whole, no. No, no, no. It was mostly romance and set-up for the next book, and I am quite disappointed in this second-book slump in the trilogy. I apologize for any ranting or rudeness in my review, and I give credit to the author for a good trilogy so far. Not great and not without its imperfections (and elements going against my preferences), but enjoyable and well-written nonetheless. I'm also confident that given the right reader, this could be a 5-star book; as for me, I was looking for a bit less angst and a bit more action--or at least answers. And maybe a more relatable heroine.(less)

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Feb 13, 2013 Hazel West rated it 2 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: not-worth-the-time

Thoughts on the Overall Book: Even though "Ruby Red" wasn't the best book I had ever read, I could tolerate it and at least get through it without getting really annoyed, but "Sapphire Blue" just ended up really annoying me. Nothing seemed to happen, nothing was accomplished, it had a stupid romantic plot line, and it just left the reader with more questions than the first one and we never found out anything hinted at in the first one. I do understand that middle books in a trilogy usually aren'...more Thoughts on the Overall Book: Even though "Ruby Red" wasn't the best book I had ever read, I could tolerate it and at least get through it without getting really annoyed, but "Sapphire Blue" just ended up really annoying me. Nothing seemed to happen, nothing was accomplished, it had a stupid romantic plot line, and it just left the reader with more questions than the first one and we never found out anything hinted at in the first one. I do understand that middle books in a trilogy usually aren't quite as good as the bookends but still, this whole thing was kind of pointless.

Cover--Yea or Nay: The covers are pretty, I'll admit it, and I liked the cover better than the story. Still not crazy about the titles though.

Characters: Like the story, I could tolerate Gwyneth in "Ruby Red" but in this one, I totally agreed with everyone that she was pretty much an idiot. She didn't even seem to try to prove anyone wrong because she kept messing up like "how am I supposed to know how to do this?" instead of applying herself to show everyone else up. And I find it seriously hard to think that she could be SO totally incompetent about certain aspects of history, especially if she has at least watched all this movies and stuff. I mean, come on, I know historical dramas aren't perfect, but they could at least have given her an idea about the different time periods and how people act. And I can only assume she has watched Jane Austin. And Gideon seriously got on my nerves in this one too, but I'll talk about him more later. And the supporting characters weren't really in this a lot. I really didn't like Giordano, he was just a stuck up idiot, even though I kind of agreed with him about Gwen. I liked Madam Rossini like I did in the last book. My favorite characters were James the ghost who was sadly on in this book for like two scenes, and Xemerius who was at least in the book all the way through for the most part. He was genuinely funny and cute and he was really the best part of this book. Lesley wasn't too bad either, at least she was trying to smack some sense into Gwen.

The Romance: This is why I didn't like the book, because it was pretty much the entire plot! And it was SOOO typical of a YA romance I just wanted to hit my head against the wall. The reader has to be blind if they can't see that Gwen and Gideon's feelings for each other are not real love, but only based on outward appearance. Gideon is, quite frankly, a jerk, and Gwen can only obviously like him because he's "so handsome" and such a good kisser because he treats her like rubbish the rest of the time. I have very little respect for men who won't even acknowledge the girl they liked around other people as if they were embarrassed by them, UNLESS there is a good reason like life or death (like Arthur and Gwen's relationship of BBC Merlin-that was for a good reason and he GENUINELY cares for her). And Gwen obviously doesn't trust Gideon if she gets jealous every time he talks to another girl. And if she can't trust him, then she must not really think he loves her and if she saw that, she would have no reason to get jealous. It's just such a stupid relationship based on lies and lust.

Writing Style: Really nothing special, and I really don't like reading first person from the perspective of stupid girls who only moon after guys that are so dreamy, yet jerks. But that wasn't the only problem I had with this either. I could have forgiven the stupid romantic plot line if there had been another plot. But there wasn't. Almost all this book was Gwen moaning about Gideon. The only thing that really happened was the soiree, but seriously, I have no idea what the reason for that was. Were they only there to meet Lord Allister and, if so, what was the point in that? And I thought that the ball would have happened in this story, but instead the 300+ pages are filled with nonsense about Gwen and Gideon's "relationship" and anything that furthered the plot of the trilogy, we never got to see the conclusion of. So by the end of the book, I just felt like I had wasted my time reading it.

Problems/What bothered me: I think I've already made known my problems above.

Conclusion: 2 stars. It was okay, but I really hope "Emerald Green" is better, and if it's the last book, it should be. The only reason I got through this one is that I kept expecting something to happen, but yet, it didn't.

Recommended Audience: GIRL READ People who read the first one, or people who love any relationship as long as it's romantic would enjoy it too. If you're looking for really good time travel romance try Lisa Tawn Bergren or Lynn Kurland (less)

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Nov 23, 2012 Christian rated it 1 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: kindle

I had to look back at my review of Ruby Red to see why it was I wanted to read this book, because I was not happy with this book at all. I still like the premise. I think the premise is good and interesting. I think we have an intriguing antagonist. But we really ought to know significantly more about the antagonist by the end of the second book of a trilogy. The author added a couple interesting secondary/tertiary characters, not that anything meaningful happened with them to propel the action...more

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Mar 05, 2012 Elena rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Mi è piaciuto molto Red, ma con Blue Kerstin Gier ha davvero superato se stessa.

Ormai sappiamo che Gwendolyn Sheperd è la dodicesima viaggiatrice nel tempo della famiglia Montrose, quando tutti credevano fosse sua cugina Charlotte. Ad affiancare Gwen nei suoi viaggi c'è Gideon de Villiers, anche lui viaggiatore nel tempo.
Gwen è il rubino e Gideon il diamante, insieme agli altri viaggiatori passati formano il cerchio dei dodici.
Loro devono raccogliere il sangue di ogni viaggiatore per consentire...more

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Oct 03, 2012 Nafiza rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: books-for-review, 2012, books-i-own, favourites

I am usually wary of middle books in trilogies because, like the middle child, they’re just there. Not as intriguing as the first book and not as satisfying as the last one. They are a bridge between the beginning to the conclusion and are often just a set up for the conclusion and do not have a story, a solid narrative, of their own. Usually. However, I was very pleasantly surprised by Sapphire Blue. I think I like it better than Ruby Red and I liked Ruby Red a lot.

Sapphire Blue begins with a k...more

I am usually wary of middle books in trilogies because, like the middle child, they’re just there. Not as intriguing as the first book and not as satisfying as the last one. They are a bridge between the beginning to the conclusion and are often just a set up for the conclusion and do not have a story, a solid narrative, of their own. Usually. However, I was very pleasantly surprised by Sapphire Blue. I think I like it better than Ruby Red and I liked Ruby Red a lot.

Sapphire Blue begins with a kiss and it took a moment for me to orient myself because it has been a year or so since I read the last novel but once I did, the story took off with me hanging on by the skin of my fingers. Oh, that sounds painful but what I mean is that the novel is a rollercoaster ride. There are lulls in between but mostly it is a thrilling experience. I love stories about secret societies, the proverbial underdog finally winning the day, dashing love interesst and, most of all, a main character you can uninhibitedly cheer for. This book’s success is due to its main character, Gwen. She is such a wonderful, protagonist, you guys. I remember mentioning in the review for Ruby Red that Gwen seemed very young for her age but in Sapphire Blue, there is an actual sense of Gwen growing up as you read her. She is changed by what she has experienced and it shows in the way she talks and/or reacts to situations. She is still very much the underdog, not even suspecting what I do about her origin and who her real parents are. I’m just speculating but I am thinking that she just may find some truly interesting things in the next novel.

Anyway, Gwen is a normal teenager with time traveling abilities and a very large crush on her “partner.” The handsome, mysterious Gideon. I am still not sure how I feel about him. But back to Gwen, what endeared her to me was her reaction to Gideon. She likes him, a lot, but she doesn’t let her like turn her into a ninny. She remains witty, contained (more or less) and just generally herself even when she is going through her heartbreak. Such as it is.

There is also a gargoyle who looks like a cat. And you all know how much I love cat characters. The friendships portrayed in novel feel genuine and there is no harem or even a triangle. I don’t think Gwen would appreciate the complication, anyway. There is a creepy count who is the proverbial villain of the piece and a couple of rogue time-traveling deviants who are way more than meets the eye. The narrative is compelling and the plot construction serves to deepen the mystery. There are several new characters and the whole idea of time traveling is addressed sufficiently.

I thought this was a fantastic novel. It had be laughing in some parts and thinking in others. If you haven’t yet started this trilogy, I recommend that you do so. And if you have started it and are wibbling about whether or not to read the second one, I say that you need to. Get your hands on a copy as soon as you can.
(less)

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Jun 12, 2012 Lily rated it 5 of 5 stars

http://eldesvandelosuenos.blogspot.co...

La saga El amor más allá del tiempo me robó el corazón ya con la primera novela, Rubí (podéis leer mi reseña aquí), pero esta segunda entrega me ha gustado aún más que la primera, si eso es posible. Desde luego, se ha convertido en una de mis sagas favoritas y estoy deseando que salga Esmeralda para leer la conclusión de esta gran historia.

Zafiro comienza inmediatamente en donde se quedó Rubí, ¡vamos que empieza fuerte porque el final fue alucinante! Y los...more

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Jan 14, 2012 Diana R. rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Ay estos libros que no me duran nada y no hacen sino dejarme con muchas, muchas, muchas ganas de leer el siguiente libro. La verdad es que ni el primero fue lo que esperaba, en realidad ni recuerdo que esperaba porque con lecturas que superan con creces las espectativas se te olvida todo lo demás.

En esta segunda parte de la trilogía encontraremos más de todo, sin duda más romance, pero también más acción. El desarrollo de la trama se vuelve conflictivo y mientras Gwen sufre por Gideon nosotros s...more

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Mar 09, 2013 La Rosy rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: ebooks

Allora da dove cominciare? Pensavo davvero che sarei rimasta delusa come dalla gran parte dei seguiti che ho letto ultimamente, ma mi sbagliavo di grosso.
In "Blue" ritroviamo la stessa energia frizzante e la stessa sagacia che aveva caratterizzato il primo romanzo della serie. La narrazione è veloce e fluente, ricca di momenti divertenti e ironici.
La storia riprende esattamente dove l'avevamo lasciata in "Red", con Gwen e Gideon che ritornano dall'ultimo pericoloso viaggio nel tempo.
I due in qu...more

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Feb 20, 2010 Lennongirl rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: g-young-adult, read-in-german, type-fiction, medium-audiobook, read-in-2010, g-fantasy-low-urban, 3-stars-liked, list-100-lieblingsbücher-blogs

I really enjoy this trilogy. It's all so well thought out, you really feel how much work Kerstin Gier poured into this. Little tidbits from book one are explained now, and there's still so much open to be solved in the final part - and after everything has been so well thought out and logical until here, I'm very optimistic that the final part will be a good finish.

I enjoy the character and plot developments, there's a lot happening. I like how I gradually get to know the characters more and mor...more

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topics	posts	views	last activity
Which is more romantic? Sapphire blue or ruby red???	12	35	Jun 16, 2013 03:58pm
Gideon and Gwyneth or Gideon and Charlotte?	31	68	Jun 16, 2013 03:56pm
ENDING!!! SPOILERS!!!	14	75	Mar 21, 2013 12:27pm
Sapphire Blue Audiobook Giveaway!	1	24	Dec 01, 2012 04:57pm

title link	preview: Zafiro
avg rating	preview: Zafiro Goodreads rating: 4.30 (7714 ratings)
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