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Reaching Through Time: Three Novellas

3.65 of 5 stars 3.65 · rating details · 146 ratings · 18 reviews

What's Happened to Me?
Sarah finds herself in a strange place, and she can recall only one thing—her name. A young man, Heath de Charon, explains to Sarah that he found her unconscious on the grounds of his family's estate and has been caring for her. Sarah is thankful, but when she starts hearing voices that whisper for her to come back, she is confused, and desperate to...more

Hardcover, 240 pages

Published August 9th 2011 by Delacorte Books for Young Readers

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Jul 27, 2012 Mimi rated it 4 of 5 stars

Not quite done this book yet, but Lurlene McDaniel never seems to disappoint me. This book includes three short stories which are not in the medical/life altering genre McDaniel usually contributes to. I have yet one more story to read and when I am finished this book, I will give my full thoughts on it. So far it is really thought provoking and tears have been shed, and my heart has reflected so much on focusing in the little things in life.

[EDIT:]
So I finally finished this book and I am full o...more Not quite done this book yet, but Lurlene McDaniel never seems to disappoint me. This book includes three short stories which are not in the medical/life altering genre McDaniel usually contributes to. I have yet one more story to read and when I am finished this book, I will give my full thoughts on it. So far it is really thought provoking and tears have been shed, and my heart has reflected so much on focusing in the little things in life.

[EDIT:]
So I finally finished this book and I am full of different kinds of emotion. McDaniel usually focuses on life changing, devastating stories involving illness and death, so it was a shocking to see that the three stories in this book were based on time. Time travel, comas and the past and future are the main concept that all three tales revolve around.
Story one was my favourite. I'm not going to give any spoilers and I thought it was extremely clever, it flowed well and the characters were developed properly as to not overpower the plot. I personally didn't care for the repetitiveness of the story though I know her target was to keep that theme sort of in there. I give story one a 4.8/5 only because I dislike reading repetitive things (though I know I can be repetitive, I obviously don't annoy myself) and it was somewhat predictable (though, all of McDaniel's books are somewhat predictable.)
Story two, like most of McDaniel's books, managed to get me to shed some tears by the end of it. Though I'm aware Lurlene McDaniel is known for writing some really sad books, I didn't really feel that I was even supposed to be sad at the end of the story. It was about time travel and a boy and a girl (ughh, that's the only spoiler) and I just get this vibe that I shouldn't have cried at the end of the story but I did. I do think it was well written. I feel like that similar idea has been used but she gave the story more depth than just a typical idea. I enjoyed the way the characters were developed, but the ending was just too much. I feel like there could have been a better way of ending it. 4/5
The third story, my least favourite of the three (I liked all of them very much, but out of the three it wasn't up to par)gets a 3.5/5. I dislike how this story had an open ending...I don't think it was really suitable. I admire Maura's decision in the end but once again, very predictable and McDaniel's opinion on what will happen in the future is definitely not how I think the future will turn out to be.
Overall I recommend this book (and all of her works, really) for people of all ages. I love her writing and her stories are always touching.(less)

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Sep 16, 2011 Amy Lignor rated it 4 of 5 stars

Reluctant Ralph is a truly lovely story that children will absolutely get a kick out of reading; and parents will truly enjoy the laughter, fun, and valuable lessons that this book teaches. Not only is the story sweet and educational, but it is also based on two very real ospreys who arrive in North Carolina in the spring to hundreds of people who love to welcome them home. So, as readers get to know these beautiful creatures, they should keep in mind that this amazing ‘family’ DOES very much ex...more Reluctant Ralph is a truly lovely story that children will absolutely get a kick out of reading; and parents will truly enjoy the laughter, fun, and valuable lessons that this book teaches. Not only is the story sweet and educational, but it is also based on two very real ospreys who arrive in North Carolina in the spring to hundreds of people who love to welcome them home. So, as readers get to know these beautiful creatures, they should keep in mind that this amazing ‘family’ DOES very much exist in the real world.

Our story begins with an osprey couple who have migrated from South America to North Carolina for the past six years. Their favorite place is a nest that sits right beside a very active seafood restaurant. There, looking out over the beautiful water, the ospreys - Ricky and Lucy - begin to make their nest and find themselves extremely happy to be enjoying yet another season in the beautiful North Carolina landscape.

Now, after they have rebuilt their home, Lucy lays her three beautifully-colored eggs and makes sure to sit for the right amount of time and wait for them to hatch. Soon, into the world two ospreys arrive. The third, doesn’t arrive until a few days later. This is Ralph. Ralph is a baby osprey who simply likes to sit in the sunshine and enjoy himself. His siblings learn how to fly and learn how to catch fish, but Reluctant Ralph likes the fact that he can sit and get waited on. He’s not a lazy osprey, just reluctant to face the challenges of the world.

Unfortunately, when a storm comes in and threatens the family’s beautiful home, Reluctant Ralph has to find a way to not only survive, but learn how to fly, and become the osprey that his parents know he can become.

This is truly a charming story written by an elementary school librarian. And, like the military, many people believe that librarians should be heralded in this day and age of computers and disappearing books. (This reviewer is one of them!) It is an absolute pleasure to see such an amazingly lovely, fun story that teaches kids a great lesson. And the illustrations, done by a special education art teacher, are truly phenomenal. Readers will definitely want Reluctant Ralph on their bookshelves!

(less)

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Sep 21, 2011 Monica! marked it as abandoned

Shelves: attention-span-is-just-fi-ooh-shiny, great-now-my-eyes-are-bleeding, i-see-dead-people, this-must-be-what-pain-feels-like, what-is-this-feeling

I want you all to know, friends, that I love Lurlene McDaniel. She will forever hold a treasured, angsty place in my heart from all the time I spent dwelling over the impending death of baby Alicia, the impending death of various attractive Amish youths, the impending death of Kathy, the impending death of Anne, Meghan and Sarah, the impending death of Jessica, and of Melinda, and of April and Mark, and of Lacey and, of course, the impending death of Luke. I even have a couple of my books autogr...more I want you all to know, friends, that I love Lurlene McDaniel. She will forever hold a treasured, angsty place in my heart from all the time I spent dwelling over the impending death of baby Alicia, the impending death of various attractive Amish youths, the impending death of Kathy, the impending death of Anne, Meghan and Sarah, the impending death of Jessica, and of Melinda, and of April and Mark, and of Lacey and, of course, the impending death of Luke. I even have a couple of my books autographed by her. (Ms. McDaniel! Remember me!? We met at a bookstore at a mall and you signed my book and said that you could tell I had a bright future in front of meeee?!)

Okay.

That being said, I read one out of the three novellas in Reaching Through Time, and absolutely cannot finish the book. It’s not because, as Sam mentioned, there was reference to the main character’s "intimate mounds." It’s not the way that the dreamy male character’s name is Heath de Charon. (Because let’s be serious, calling him (view spoiler) would have been too obvious.) No, friends, it’s because I absolutely could not get over how many times in 76 pages the author managed to fit in mentions of Heath’s eyes.

Are you ready for this? I kept track, because I love you.

His eyes were the color of rain.

His eyes, the irises so pale, the pupils black and fathomless...

His deep-set eyes were now the color of smoke, the pupils as dark as before.

His eyes, ever-holding hers...

His pale eyes, seeing her breasts...

The beguiling depths of his eyes calmed her.

His irises were as clear as water. (Which, euw, what would that even look like?)

His eyes were like pools of liquid silver, and totally mesmerizing.

His eyes, pale gray in the light, bore into hers.

Such compelling eyes...

His eyes darkened...

Looking into his eyes made her feel spellbound.

She saw that his pale gray eyes had darkened.

His eyes, so pale moments before, darkened.

His eyes, riveted on hers, were clear as water, the pupils small and jet-black.

Heath’s eyes darkened slightly.

His eyes had turned dark and foreboding, like thunderclouds ready to storm.

His eyes opened, and they were a lighter shade of gray.

His skin was the color of the stone, his eyes, translucent.

His clear eyes sparkling...

His eyes darkened.

She couldn’t break the spell of his eyes.

Heath’s eyes were as clear as rainwater.

His eyes went dark, then, as he visibly controlled his anger, faded to a lighter shade of gray.

Heath’s eyes darkened once more to the color of charcoal.

Inky black eyes...

His eyes, dark orbs...

His deep-set eyes clear as glass, the color of rain.

Whew! I don’t know about you guys, but I feel really intimately acquainted with Heath and his eyeballs. More so than I cared to be, actually.

About anyone.

Ever.
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Jul 26, 2011 Midnight Bloom rated it 3 of 5 stars

Out of the many novels Lurlene McDaniel has written, I had only read Heart to Heart before now. I practically cried the entire time I was reading it but I loved how McDaniel could easily evoke such deep emotions in no time at all. Keeping that in mind, I was looking forward to reading Reaching Through Time, hoping to find another story I could lose myself in right away.

I’m not always a huge fan of anthologies or novellas because I always seem to find that as soon as I finally get into the story,...more

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Mar 22, 2011 Alana Massa rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: english-492-outside-reading

Three stories of time. The first one an eerie tale of a girl who doesn't know who she is or where she came from. By the time she realizes who she is it is almost too late. The second story of a boy born with a handicap comes across a strange place in which his watch and cell phone don't work. He doesn't know who is crazy himself or the professor he took a summer job with. He is falling in love with the professor's daughter but why won't she come down the mountain with him to see a movie? The las...more

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May 28, 2012 Abigail added it

Not a bad read, but vastly different from Lurlene McDaniel's usual offerings. I used to be a fan of hers in my teen years, so when I found this new one in the library I thought I'd give it a shot.

The first had a rather thin plot, within a few minutes of Heath's introduction I could already figure out what was going on and so could spot the tell-tale elements and know what the maze was for.

The second is less so, although the premise was predictable. Guy finds a mysterious place that no one else k...more

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Apr 20, 2012 Holly rated it 3 of 5 stars

While the stories were sweet and short, kind of sad. The better to have love and lost, than never to have loved at all rang true in these. I hate those kinds of stories. I don't like bittersweet, just sweet.

I did enjoy the last story the most though. It was heartfe

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Dec 19, 2010 Bridget P rated it 5 of 5 stars

It was a very good book with interesting characters and events that took place. Im done with the whole book so if anyone wants to read it I will be returning it.

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Sep 07, 2011 Beth rated it 2 of 5 stars

Shelves: 2011, ya-fiction

I was prepared to accept mediocre science fiction from Lurlene McDaniel, but I was disappointed that the romance was fairly mediocre, too.

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May 29, 2012 Kelli C. rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: 112-in-2012, perfect-4-middle-school, young-adult

This was a great, quick read. Three novellas about "reaching through time". We are introduced to three sets of teens facing curious circumstances. Middle school girls will love yet another title by Lurlene McDaniel.

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Mar 06, 2013 Cami rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition Recommends it for: teenagers

Shelves: library-book, read-in-2013, time-travel, young-adult, compendium

This book was ok, but I really didn't care for it much. It is a compendium of 3 stories: "What's Happened to Me?", "When the Clock Chimes", and "The Mysteries of Chance." The stories were a bit sad, and had sad endings. They were definitely written for teenagers, and were a bit boring to me.

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Sep 20, 2011 Mamers marked it as did-not-finish

Shelves: time-travel, teen-lit, short-stories

Yeah. She lost me at "intimate mounds" (pg 12).

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Mar 19, 2012 Brittany added it

I enjoyed this book. It was the same and different from her usual style.

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Apr 14, 2013 Arlee4eva rated it 5 of 5 stars

Very good!

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Aug 09, 2012 PWRL marked it as to-read

Shelves: 2012-new

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Aug 28, 2011 Christie's Book Reviews rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: own

Interesting set of short stories. Very different then other works by her. The stories were interesting. I personally liked the third story the best and wish there had been more to it. I was just left with a bittersweet ending without complete closure. In my opinion there were still questions of not knowing what happens after where she leaves us or the results of maura's actions.

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May 24, 2013 Deb rated it 4 of 5 stars

nice read

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Feb 12, 2012 Tweller83 rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: chick-lit, fantasy

Fantasy - time travel

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Jun 19, 2013 Erica is currently reading it

Jun 18, 2013 Erin Gaucher rated it 3 of 5 stars

Jun 15, 2013 Ashley Witko rated it 5 of 5 stars

Jun 15, 2013 Ido Apel is currently reading it

Jun 09, 2013 Julia rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: 2013-book-challenge

Jun 08, 2013 Mary True marked it as to-read

Jun 07, 2013 Dominique marked it as to-read

Jun 07, 2013 Weregirl rated it 5 of 5 stars

Jun 06, 2013 Kla rated it 4 of 5 stars

Jun 06, 2013 Mariah rated it 4 of 5 stars

Jun 06, 2013 Crystal Spencer marked it as to-read

Jun 02, 2013 Emma marked it as to-read

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About Lurlene McDaniel

Lurlene McDaniel (born c. 1948) is an author who has written over 50 young adult books. She is well known for writing about characters struggling with chronic and terminal illnesses, such as cancer, diabetes, and organ failure.

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