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The Rewind Agency/Conspiracy #1
15 Minutes
I have 15 minutes to save my mother’s life…
15 minutes is all the Rewind Agency gives you in the past, but for Lara Crane it’s enough time to race through the city, find her mother, and stop her from being killed in a mugging that happened over ten years ago.
But that’s not how it happened. The story she’s been told all her life is a lie and when Lara takes a bullet meant for her mother, her future changes forever.
The love of her life acts like a stranger. Her simple life is replaced with a giant house, glamorous clothes and a new boyfriend.
Except someone knows her secret. And he will try to stop her at every turn as she races against the clock to unravel a dangerous conspiracy.
15 Minutes is an edgy high octane YA thriller that can be described as Back to the Future meets Inception where the people Lara trusts change in an instant. She is in a timeline she doesn't understand, and is about to make one fatal mistake as she faces an enemy so familiar, he’s family.
15 minutes is all the Rewind Agency gives you in the past, but for Lara Crane it’s enough time to race through the city, find her mother, and stop her from being killed in a mugging that happened over ten years ago.
But that’s not how it happened. The story she’s been told all her life is a lie and when Lara takes a bullet meant for her mother, her future changes forever.
The love of her life acts like a stranger. Her simple life is replaced with a giant house, glamorous clothes and a new boyfriend.
Except someone knows her secret. And he will try to stop her at every turn as she races against the clock to unravel a dangerous conspiracy.
15 Minutes is an edgy high octane YA thriller that can be described as Back to the Future meets Inception where the people Lara trusts change in an instant. She is in a timeline she doesn't understand, and is about to make one fatal mistake as she faces an enemy so familiar, he’s family.
234 pages, Paperback
First published June 9, 2013
About the author
Jill Cooper
59 books601 followersAuthor of the YA Dream Slayer series, Jill loves to blend horror, comedy, the supernatural, and love, through her novels. A fan of genre blending, her work strives to cross boundries, but most of all strives to entertain.
She loves soft cuddly cats, warm blankets, and paranormal romances.
Jill resides in Massachusetts, is constantly renovating her home that she shares with her husband, young daughter, and two skittish cats.
She loves soft cuddly cats, warm blankets, and paranormal romances.
Jill resides in Massachusetts, is constantly renovating her home that she shares with her husband, young daughter, and two skittish cats.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 292 reviews
May 20, 2017
An enjoyable time travel romp. Proper review to follow when back from hols 😀
Shelved as 'ugh'
January 11, 2021DNF - 19%
Why?
Let's play a rousing round of 'I don't think that word means what you think that word means'!
I throttle her back, and she crumbles to the pavement.
According to my dictionary, 'throttle' means to choke; strangle or to censor or suppress or to slow by means of a throttle. So…she strangled her mothers back? Leaving the idea aside that I believe to choke or strangle something you have to have oxygen or fuel passing through what you're 'throttling' - how long would her arms have to be to throttle her mothers back? (Why not just use 'grab' or 'lunge to'?)
The throbbing will not abide, and something inside me is desperate to come out.
Abide, huh? You mean: to remain, or to await, to put up with? So, the throbbing will not remain? Or, perhaps, the throbbing will not put up with? (Abate, I think is the word that is meant to be here.)
His face is soft and understanding, but I want to wretch all over his fine pressed suit.
So she wants 'to a miserable or unhappy person all over all over his fine pressed suit'? Or maybe that's she want's 'to a despised person all over his fine pressed suit.' (Perhaps retch? Sure, saying it sounds the same, but the meanings are very different.)
My stomach wretches with a convulsion, and before I know it, I'm on my knees, and flashes of white mar my vision.
See previous. (I'm thinking the word that's wanted here might be 'wrench'.)
I've never been surrounded by expensive antiques before.
So…she's been surrounded by cheap antiques?
Twisting on my arches, I stare at him, but he won't look at me.
? What did she do, leave the rest of her feet behind?
Beyond the need of an editor, I kind of hate Lara.
There he is with his arm swung around my shoulder and a dumb grin on his face. Like he loves me. Like he thinks he owns me.
I'm all for independent girls that take no crap from guys, but where the hell does she get that conclusion from?
"I think I'm special.
Of course you do. -.-
Did I save her so she could go to work? Earn money? No, I saved her for me. Yes, that's selfish. But. I. Don't. Care.
Stupid, too.
Why?
Let's play a rousing round of 'I don't think that word means what you think that word means'!
I throttle her back, and she crumbles to the pavement.
According to my dictionary, 'throttle' means to choke; strangle or to censor or suppress or to slow by means of a throttle. So…she strangled her mothers back? Leaving the idea aside that I believe to choke or strangle something you have to have oxygen or fuel passing through what you're 'throttling' - how long would her arms have to be to throttle her mothers back? (Why not just use 'grab' or 'lunge to'?)
The throbbing will not abide, and something inside me is desperate to come out.
Abide, huh? You mean: to remain, or to await, to put up with? So, the throbbing will not remain? Or, perhaps, the throbbing will not put up with? (Abate, I think is the word that is meant to be here.)
His face is soft and understanding, but I want to wretch all over his fine pressed suit.
So she wants 'to a miserable or unhappy person all over all over his fine pressed suit'? Or maybe that's she want's 'to a despised person all over his fine pressed suit.' (Perhaps retch? Sure, saying it sounds the same, but the meanings are very different.)
My stomach wretches with a convulsion, and before I know it, I'm on my knees, and flashes of white mar my vision.
See previous. (I'm thinking the word that's wanted here might be 'wrench'.)
I've never been surrounded by expensive antiques before.
So…she's been surrounded by cheap antiques?
Twisting on my arches, I stare at him, but he won't look at me.
? What did she do, leave the rest of her feet behind?
Beyond the need of an editor, I kind of hate Lara.
There he is with his arm swung around my shoulder and a dumb grin on his face. Like he loves me. Like he thinks he owns me.
I'm all for independent girls that take no crap from guys, but where the hell does she get that conclusion from?
"I think I'm special.
Of course you do. -.-
Did I save her so she could go to work? Earn money? No, I saved her for me. Yes, that's selfish. But. I. Don't. Care.
Stupid, too.
December 14, 2014
This is getting a three because the ideas were interesting and I may be willing to read the sequel depending on the description of it. Cooper got better and better at making Lara's bounces through time more interesting as the books progressed. I also, I deeply appreciated that Cooper gave consequences and Lara kept making sacrifices and was still not getting what she wanted. Cooper left it wide open for a sequel .
That was the good. The bad is that I don't particularly like Lara and she is the only character in the book with any real character. Her bfs are all cardboard supportive male figures with very little personality. Her parents and siblings likewise. So if you read books solely for characters, skip this one. Also, the audio book reader's voice was incredibly annoying to me. She is incapable of lowering her voice to simulate a male character and yet still did it. Badly. So badly...
That was the good. The bad is that I don't particularly like Lara and she is the only character in the book with any real character. Her bfs are all cardboard supportive male figures with very little personality. Her parents and siblings likewise. So if you read books solely for characters, skip this one. Also, the audio book reader's voice was incredibly annoying to me. She is incapable of lowering her voice to simulate a male character and yet still did it. Badly. So badly...
August 20, 2015
Think: The Matrix meets The Time Machine with a more likable protagonist than either.
Ahha! Cooper demonstrates that young adult novels can be engaging without substituting childish or adult behavior. The first person, present tense point of view not only works, but keeps the reader tightly engaged with this time travel “thriller.”
Lara is a believable person thrown into unbelievable circumstances, and we’re dragged along. She responds with intelligence, even as she suffers confusion and doubt. The romantic interactions and depicted violence are age appropriate. Her determination and self-sacrifice more than offset her missteps. The plot is necessarily convoluted, though .
A quick, enjoyable read. Perhaps not four stars on any absolute scale of literature, but compared to similar young adult offerings.
Ahha! Cooper demonstrates that young adult novels can be engaging without substituting childish or adult behavior. The first person, present tense point of view not only works, but keeps the reader tightly engaged with this time travel “thriller.”
Lara is a believable person thrown into unbelievable circumstances, and we’re dragged along. She responds with intelligence, even as she suffers confusion and doubt. The romantic interactions and depicted violence are age appropriate. Her determination and self-sacrifice more than offset her missteps. The plot is necessarily convoluted, though .
A quick, enjoyable read. Perhaps not four stars on any absolute scale of literature, but compared to similar young adult offerings.
October 13, 2015
I wanted to love this book, because it started well. The premise is interesting and the story is well written. There's no lack of action. In fact, the action is a bit rushed, enough that there's little character development aside from Lara. That can be somewhat excused because of the rapidly changing timelines - Lara is the only constant.
Lara is a bit of a puzzle. She has reasoning skills that seem unusually well developed for a teenager. I had trouble accepting her ability to physically overpower an adult male, lacking any mention of martial arts training. I found it odd that her headaches and nosebleeds suddenly ceased to be an issue, in spite of a hospital stay and a brain scan. She bolts from the hospital, and the subject is not mentioned again.
Still, I enjoyed the story until it became increasingly confusing past the halfway point. By the end, I wanted a flowchart to keep track of the timelines and virtual realities. The last straw was Lara meeting her older self from a different timeline. I find that to be too much of a stretch. While this story was a decent one, I'm not particularly interested in pursuing the rest of the series. I don't anticipate that it would becomes less confusing or more logical.
Lara is a bit of a puzzle. She has reasoning skills that seem unusually well developed for a teenager. I had trouble accepting her ability to physically overpower an adult male, lacking any mention of martial arts training. I found it odd that her headaches and nosebleeds suddenly ceased to be an issue, in spite of a hospital stay and a brain scan. She bolts from the hospital, and the subject is not mentioned again.
Still, I enjoyed the story until it became increasingly confusing past the halfway point. By the end, I wanted a flowchart to keep track of the timelines and virtual realities. The last straw was Lara meeting her older self from a different timeline. I find that to be too much of a stretch. While this story was a decent one, I'm not particularly interested in pursuing the rest of the series. I don't anticipate that it would becomes less confusing or more logical.
May 16, 2017
Началось за здравие, закончилось за упокой. (((
Конечно, ляпы были с самого начала, нормальный редактор этого текста не читал. Хотя моё любимое, пожалуй, вот это, от чего сразу Чеховская "Жалобная книга" вспомнилась:
Pushing up on my elbows, my stomach sways back and forth.
За хорошую идею я готова была простить и ляпы, но логика сделала ручкой где-то в первой четверти книги и больше не появлялась. А отсутствие логики я простить не в силах. Конец уже домучивала - надо же узнать, как автор всё-таки вытащит свою красотку из неприятностей.
Пожалуй, мне понравилось последнее предложение - очень "киношный" крючок, мол, продолжение следует. Но всё равно читать дальше не буду, разве что если на русский переведут.
Конечно, ляпы были с самого начала, нормальный редактор этого текста не читал. Хотя моё любимое, пожалуй, вот это, от чего сразу Чеховская "Жалобная книга" вспомнилась:
Pushing up on my elbows, my stomach sways back and forth.
За хорошую идею я готова была простить и ляпы, но логика сделала ручкой где-то в первой четверти книги и больше не появлялась. А отсутствие логики я простить не в силах. Конец уже домучивала - надо же узнать, как автор всё-таки вытащит свою красотку из неприятностей.
Пожалуй, мне понравилось последнее предложение - очень "киношный" крючок, мол, продолжение следует. Но всё равно читать дальше не буду, разве что если на русский переведут.
February 6, 2018
This book was exciting. It had me from page one and kept me wanting to know if Lara would be able to pull off everything she wanted to do. Lara wanted to go back in time and save her mom from being murdered. Did she succeed? Was it worth it in the end? Or did she lose everything to gain back her mom she only barely knew? Great book!
September 10, 2013
*I received this book from the author in exchange for an honest review*
Okay, first things first; 15 Minutes is a time travel thriller. I know there are people out there that looove to argue all the time travel paradoxes until the wee hours and beyond. Not only do they drive me crazy but they also will miss out on a great book. Sometimes it's fun to suspend belief and just go with it. I mean it is fiction after all. So on that note, let me just say that I loved 15 Minutes, and we are checking any time travel paradox talk at the door for the remainder of this review.
Main character Lara is seduced by the 'coulda beens'. Her mother was killed in a mugging ten years ago and she has been raised by her father. When she realizes she can affect time during her Rewind pleasure jaunts, she decides to save her mother's life. I don't think she really thought about how much that act would change her life. Suddenly everything is different. She has her mother but a new step-father rather than her dad. She has a brother and a sister. And she's living the life of a stranger that looks like her. I liked Lara. Though her original actions were rather selfish, when push comes to shove she's a fighter and she tries to do what's right, even though it's hard.
There are two romantic interests: Rick and Donovan. Rick was Lara's boyfriend in the original timeline before she changed history. In her new life, she is in love with Donovan. For a while she struggles back and forth between the two, unable to decide what she really wants. As the original Lara's memories merge more with the created Lara's memories, lines become blurred. We are never introduced to the first Rick and Lara thinks he is quite different in the new timeline. I went from hoping Lara would work it out with Rick to firmly backing Donovan almost immediately. Donovan is just a great guy and he really loves Lara; it comes across in every scene.
The pacing of the story is fast and furious. It's very difficult to put the book down once started. As new information comes to light, it just drives the reader to keep turning the pages. The mystery is well done, as is the frequency and timing of Lara's flashes of returning memories about the past she missed due to her meddling. I wasn't quite sure how Jill Cooper planned to end the novel. She had a big conspiracy to work out and manages to do it in way that's satisfying for the reader.
I highly recommend 15 Minutes to everyone high school and up that enjoys a fast paced YA thriller with a touch of romance. You will not regret adding this one to your to-read list. Now, for all you time travel aficionados: Yes there are paradoxical problems, how could there not be...it's time travel after all. Get over it and suspend belief for a bit or you'll miss out on a fun read.
Okay, first things first; 15 Minutes is a time travel thriller. I know there are people out there that looove to argue all the time travel paradoxes until the wee hours and beyond. Not only do they drive me crazy but they also will miss out on a great book. Sometimes it's fun to suspend belief and just go with it. I mean it is fiction after all. So on that note, let me just say that I loved 15 Minutes, and we are checking any time travel paradox talk at the door for the remainder of this review.
Main character Lara is seduced by the 'coulda beens'. Her mother was killed in a mugging ten years ago and she has been raised by her father. When she realizes she can affect time during her Rewind pleasure jaunts, she decides to save her mother's life. I don't think she really thought about how much that act would change her life. Suddenly everything is different. She has her mother but a new step-father rather than her dad. She has a brother and a sister. And she's living the life of a stranger that looks like her. I liked Lara. Though her original actions were rather selfish, when push comes to shove she's a fighter and she tries to do what's right, even though it's hard.
There are two romantic interests: Rick and Donovan. Rick was Lara's boyfriend in the original timeline before she changed history. In her new life, she is in love with Donovan. For a while she struggles back and forth between the two, unable to decide what she really wants. As the original Lara's memories merge more with the created Lara's memories, lines become blurred. We are never introduced to the first Rick and Lara thinks he is quite different in the new timeline. I went from hoping Lara would work it out with Rick to firmly backing Donovan almost immediately. Donovan is just a great guy and he really loves Lara; it comes across in every scene.
The pacing of the story is fast and furious. It's very difficult to put the book down once started. As new information comes to light, it just drives the reader to keep turning the pages. The mystery is well done, as is the frequency and timing of Lara's flashes of returning memories about the past she missed due to her meddling. I wasn't quite sure how Jill Cooper planned to end the novel. She had a big conspiracy to work out and manages to do it in way that's satisfying for the reader.
I highly recommend 15 Minutes to everyone high school and up that enjoys a fast paced YA thriller with a touch of romance. You will not regret adding this one to your to-read list. Now, for all you time travel aficionados: Yes there are paradoxical problems, how could there not be...it's time travel after all. Get over it and suspend belief for a bit or you'll miss out on a fun read.
September 9, 2013
Lara Crane has 15 minutes in the past. Normally people can't change things or interact in the past but she can. She mapped out the town and is ready to save her mom who died when she was five years old. Lara runs to her mother and takes the bullet meant for her. Expecting to wake up in the perfect life, she realizes nothing is a perfect fix. In this reality her mom is alive but her dad was put in jail for hiring someone to kill her mom. She lives in a big house, with a step dad, twin siblings, and the rich guy that never paid attention to her is now her boyfriend. And her old boyfriend, Rick, barely knows her. Now she must figure out who framed her dad and try to fix the new life she created for herself.
I loved that this book starts right off with a bang. No introduction, just Lara's immediate journey to the past. You have to figure everything out right along with Lara. There are flashbacks to her old life and as Lara begins to receive the memories from her new life, you begin to learn how her new life developed. It is a constant thrill and guess as to what will happen next. Every time one clue was revealed and I sort of thought I had an idea of what happened, another twist would be revealed and throw my theory out the window.
There are two love interests, Rick from her first life, and Donovan from her new life. It was hard not to like both guys since Rick was her life long friend and boyfriend before she time traveled, and Donovan was the same in her new life. But since we didn't get any introduction I didn't see too much of her with Rick so I did like Donovan just a tiny bit more. Poor Lara has a hard time though because she feels guilty being with Donovan since to her she was just with Rick. It was hard to know which guy to trust since there are constant twists and reveals about the guys.
This was very exciting and surprising throughout. I just had to know how this would all work out. The time travel plot was very interesting. A company allows people to buy 15 minutes of time to visit their favorite memories in the past. They are just an observes but Lara realized she could interact with people which brought about her plan to change things. Lara's mom works for the company and the mystery revolves around her mom and what the time travel can be used for. I don't want to say any more because it is a fun ride and so much happens I probably couldn't even explain it. Looking for an action packed, edge of your seat, time travel thriller then this is perfect! I had a great time reading it!
Beginning Excerpt
I have fifteen minutes.
“Lara Crane?”
Standing in the sterile waiting room of the time travel agency known simply as Rewind, I turn towards the voice. A redhead technician with a tight ballerina bun offers me a handshake. I've met her before. Her name is Delilah.
I should be in second period lab class, but instead I cut. I have something more important to do than completing junior year chemistry.
“Nice to see you again.” After a glance over my shoulder, I follow her through a tiny hallway and into a secure room. I crinkle paper brochures in one hand, and with the other repeatedly tuck my hair behind my ears.
Her lips perch together in a tight smile. “You too, Ms. Crane. One of my favorite return visitors.”
I sit down in the overstuffed black recliner, and when she latches the door, the metallic boom makes my heart skip a beat.
This is it. Turning back is not an option.
The stark white walls, sparsely covered with posters, make me feel like a trapped rat. Time travel has rules, the posters warn, and I plan on breaking every one. A daughter will do anything for her mother.
I have one chance at this, and with my heightened blood pressure, it’s clear my body knows it. Once you travel back to a specific time, it’s catalogued as off limits. Frequent travel to the same moment, in the same space, causes a rut in space, like pacing across a worn floor. If I fail, if I can’t do this, my mother will remain dead forever.
I loved that this book starts right off with a bang. No introduction, just Lara's immediate journey to the past. You have to figure everything out right along with Lara. There are flashbacks to her old life and as Lara begins to receive the memories from her new life, you begin to learn how her new life developed. It is a constant thrill and guess as to what will happen next. Every time one clue was revealed and I sort of thought I had an idea of what happened, another twist would be revealed and throw my theory out the window.
There are two love interests, Rick from her first life, and Donovan from her new life. It was hard not to like both guys since Rick was her life long friend and boyfriend before she time traveled, and Donovan was the same in her new life. But since we didn't get any introduction I didn't see too much of her with Rick so I did like Donovan just a tiny bit more. Poor Lara has a hard time though because she feels guilty being with Donovan since to her she was just with Rick. It was hard to know which guy to trust since there are constant twists and reveals about the guys.
This was very exciting and surprising throughout. I just had to know how this would all work out. The time travel plot was very interesting. A company allows people to buy 15 minutes of time to visit their favorite memories in the past. They are just an observes but Lara realized she could interact with people which brought about her plan to change things. Lara's mom works for the company and the mystery revolves around her mom and what the time travel can be used for. I don't want to say any more because it is a fun ride and so much happens I probably couldn't even explain it. Looking for an action packed, edge of your seat, time travel thriller then this is perfect! I had a great time reading it!
Beginning Excerpt
I have fifteen minutes.
“Lara Crane?”
Standing in the sterile waiting room of the time travel agency known simply as Rewind, I turn towards the voice. A redhead technician with a tight ballerina bun offers me a handshake. I've met her before. Her name is Delilah.
I should be in second period lab class, but instead I cut. I have something more important to do than completing junior year chemistry.
“Nice to see you again.” After a glance over my shoulder, I follow her through a tiny hallway and into a secure room. I crinkle paper brochures in one hand, and with the other repeatedly tuck my hair behind my ears.
Her lips perch together in a tight smile. “You too, Ms. Crane. One of my favorite return visitors.”
I sit down in the overstuffed black recliner, and when she latches the door, the metallic boom makes my heart skip a beat.
This is it. Turning back is not an option.
The stark white walls, sparsely covered with posters, make me feel like a trapped rat. Time travel has rules, the posters warn, and I plan on breaking every one. A daughter will do anything for her mother.
I have one chance at this, and with my heightened blood pressure, it’s clear my body knows it. Once you travel back to a specific time, it’s catalogued as off limits. Frequent travel to the same moment, in the same space, causes a rut in space, like pacing across a worn floor. If I fail, if I can’t do this, my mother will remain dead forever.
November 28, 2016
Да-а-а, вот это я понимаю, скорость чтения. :) Почти год прошел. Почему-то я остановилась через несколько глав после начала и все время что-то интереснее находила почитать. И самое смешное, что я затормозила буквально за главу до того, как закрутилась такая жара, что когда я в эту субботу решила продолжить чтение, то наплевала на все, пока в воскресенье вечером не дочитала.
Автор завернула такую интригу... А ведь вроде бы поначалу все просто. Девочка Лара, которая живет с папой, еле сводившим концы с концами, получает от папы подарок: возможность посетить прошлое с помощью специального агентства Rewind. Агентство это давно поставило такие посещения на поток. У путешественника во времени есть 15 минут, и хотя окружающие будут его видеть, но он будет для них словно голограмма - повлиять на прошлое, дотронуться до предметов или людей путешественник не сможет, и после его исчезновения о нем все забудут.
Обнаружив, что все же может взаимодействовать с прошлым, Лара решает спасти свою маму, которую убили десять лет назад, придя в прошлое в тот самый момент, когда ее убивают. Маму-то она спасла... Но когда вернулась в настоящее, оказалось, что это не то настоящее, которое она помнит.
Вместо бедного района с однотипными многоэтажками она теперь живет в богатом особняке с бассейном, гаражом и прочими прелестями.
Вместо мешковатых джинсов и футболок в шкафу она обнаруживает короткие юбочки, обтягивающие футболочки, облегающие джинсы. И все розовое. Даже телефон. :)
Вместо любимого Рика, который жил с ней по соседству в бедном районе и с которым они вместе выросли и понимали друг друга с полуслова, ее парнем оказывается звезда класса Донован, которого они с Риком раньше терпеть не могли. И ведь он теперь тоже любимый. Ну, по крайней мере, он так утверждает. А мама у Донована - на минуточку сенатор США, она частенько пропадает в Вашингтоне и как раз курирует развитие того самого агентства путешествий во времени.
Ну и вдобавок ко всему мама Лары не просто выжила, а развелась с папой, которого обвинили в покушении на ее жизнь и засадили в тюрьму на двадцать лет, вышла замуж за своего коллегу по работе Джекса и родила ему близнецов, Майка и Молли, которым сейчас по шесть лет. При этом мама теперь пропадает на работе до позднего вечера (угадайте с одного раза, где мама работает) и почти не общается с семьей, а зато отчим - прекрасный человек, любящий Лару, как родную дочь, и даже удочеривший ее.
От такого у кого хочешь крыша поедет. Вот и у Лары начинает. Особенно когда к ней начинают понемногу возвращаться воспоминания этой, нынешней Лары, и оказывается, что ее жизнь - вовсе не идиллия в мире розовых пони, как может показаться на первый взгляд. И если копнуть поглубже - всплывет масса вопросов о том, чем занимается мама в агентстве Rewind, почему все так уверены, что покушение на нее совершил именно отец Лары, и кто вообще такой Джекс. А Лара, конечно же, копнет...
В общем, интрига становится запутаннее с каждым десятком прочитанных страниц, круг врагов сужается,Лару швыряет от Рика к Доновану и обратно, и как же хорошо, что у меня уже есть все три книги серии и не надо ждать! :)
Автор завернула такую интригу... А ведь вроде бы поначалу все просто. Девочка Лара, которая живет с папой, еле сводившим концы с концами, получает от папы подарок: возможность посетить прошлое с помощью специального агентства Rewind. Агентство это давно поставило такие посещения на поток. У путешественника во времени есть 15 минут, и хотя окружающие будут его видеть, но он будет для них словно голограмма - повлиять на прошлое, дотронуться до предметов или людей путешественник не сможет, и после его исчезновения о нем все забудут.
Обнаружив, что все же может взаимодействовать с прошлым, Лара решает спасти свою маму, которую убили десять лет назад, придя в прошлое в тот самый момент, когда ее убивают. Маму-то она спасла... Но когда вернулась в настоящее, оказалось, что это не то настоящее, которое она помнит.
Вместо бедного района с однотипными многоэтажками она теперь живет в богатом особняке с бассейном, гаражом и прочими прелестями.
Вместо мешковатых джинсов и футболок в шкафу она обнаруживает короткие юбочки, обтягивающие футболочки, облегающие джинсы. И все розовое. Даже телефон. :)
Вместо любимого Рика, который жил с ней по соседству в бедном районе и с которым они вместе выросли и понимали друг друга с полуслова, ее парнем оказывается звезда класса Донован, которого они с Риком раньше терпеть не могли. И ведь он теперь тоже любимый. Ну, по крайней мере, он так утверждает. А мама у Донована - на минуточку сенатор США, она частенько пропадает в Вашингтоне и как раз курирует развитие того самого агентства путешествий во времени.
Ну и вдобавок ко всему мама Лары не просто выжила, а развелась с папой, которого обвинили в покушении на ее жизнь и засадили в тюрьму на двадцать лет, вышла замуж за своего коллегу по работе Джекса и родила ему близнецов, Майка и Молли, которым сейчас по шесть лет. При этом мама теперь пропадает на работе до позднего вечера (угадайте с одного раза, где мама работает) и почти не общается с семьей, а зато отчим - прекрасный человек, любящий Лару, как родную дочь, и даже удочеривший ее.
От такого у кого хочешь крыша поедет. Вот и у Лары начинает. Особенно когда к ней начинают понемногу возвращаться воспоминания этой, нынешней Лары, и оказывается, что ее жизнь - вовсе не идиллия в мире розовых пони, как может показаться на первый взгляд. И если копнуть поглубже - всплывет масса вопросов о том, чем занимается мама в агентстве Rewind, почему все так уверены, что покушение на нее совершил именно отец Лары, и кто вообще такой Джекс. А Лара, конечно же, копнет...
В общем, интрига становится запутаннее с каждым десятком прочитанных страниц, круг врагов сужается,Лару швыряет от Рика к Доновану и обратно, и как же хорошо, что у меня уже есть все три книги серии и не надо ждать! :)
February 17, 2014
Science fiction stories featuring time travel can either go really, really well, or really, really badly. With an electrifying plot, an amazing concept and likeable characters, 15 Minutes is one of the best I've read yet.
A method of travelling into the past has been created, meaning that people can revisit fond memories. However, they only have fifteen minutes in that memory before they are jolted back to the present. This means that Lara Crane only has fifteen minutes to save her mum from being mugged and shot. However, what she doesn't anticipate is how much one seemingly small thing can change her future so drastically. Now Lara has her mum back - but with her dad wrongly imprisoned, a new family, a new boyfriend and a haemorrhaging brain, Lara needs to figure out how she can turn things around before it's too late.
To begin with, I was a bit cautious with 15 Minutes. The reader is instantly thrust into the story, no real explanation given as to Cooper's rules of time travel, as it differs from author to author. However, as I got further into it and explanations began to come forward, I found myself really enjoying it. No action is without consequence, and I loved the journey towards finding out what impact one small change did to the entire world.
I have to say though, the best bit is the ending - or the last few chapters, anyway! The story goes from a steady pace to suddenly action-packed, with everything happening all at once! It's kind of difficult to get your head around some of the finer details, but you get the gist of it; and boy, is it amazing! Cooper has thought of everything, and the plot is so intricate and well thought-out that time travel seems almost believable. Heck, maybe it will be in the future?
Lara was both likeable and annoying at the same time. She was easy to relate to, but that didn't mean the reader was immune from finding her decision-making skills lacking - because she made some really stupid decisions, and her priorities sometimes seemed to be in the completely wrong place. Not to post spoilers, but she was in the middle of a family crisis - yet her biggest concern was the fact that she had feelings for a guy other than her boyfriend. YA or not, I think the book could have still been breathtaking without the added teenage angst.
On top of that, I didn't really connect with either of the boys in the love triangle. The novel had a lot going on, so the boy drama didn't really register - the reader is just told the facts about these two boys, but you don't have a chance to get to know them or fall for them yourself. In my eyes, they were just minor secondary characters.
Overall, despite what I felt was an unneeded love triangle, 15 Minutes is amazing. It's new, it's fresh, and it is so addictive that you won't be able to put it down! Now all I've got to do is wait for the sequel to be released, because after that cliffhanger, no way am I going anywhere!
A method of travelling into the past has been created, meaning that people can revisit fond memories. However, they only have fifteen minutes in that memory before they are jolted back to the present. This means that Lara Crane only has fifteen minutes to save her mum from being mugged and shot. However, what she doesn't anticipate is how much one seemingly small thing can change her future so drastically. Now Lara has her mum back - but with her dad wrongly imprisoned, a new family, a new boyfriend and a haemorrhaging brain, Lara needs to figure out how she can turn things around before it's too late.
To begin with, I was a bit cautious with 15 Minutes. The reader is instantly thrust into the story, no real explanation given as to Cooper's rules of time travel, as it differs from author to author. However, as I got further into it and explanations began to come forward, I found myself really enjoying it. No action is without consequence, and I loved the journey towards finding out what impact one small change did to the entire world.
I have to say though, the best bit is the ending - or the last few chapters, anyway! The story goes from a steady pace to suddenly action-packed, with everything happening all at once! It's kind of difficult to get your head around some of the finer details, but you get the gist of it; and boy, is it amazing! Cooper has thought of everything, and the plot is so intricate and well thought-out that time travel seems almost believable. Heck, maybe it will be in the future?
Lara was both likeable and annoying at the same time. She was easy to relate to, but that didn't mean the reader was immune from finding her decision-making skills lacking - because she made some really stupid decisions, and her priorities sometimes seemed to be in the completely wrong place. Not to post spoilers, but she was in the middle of a family crisis - yet her biggest concern was the fact that she had feelings for a guy other than her boyfriend. YA or not, I think the book could have still been breathtaking without the added teenage angst.
On top of that, I didn't really connect with either of the boys in the love triangle. The novel had a lot going on, so the boy drama didn't really register - the reader is just told the facts about these two boys, but you don't have a chance to get to know them or fall for them yourself. In my eyes, they were just minor secondary characters.
Overall, despite what I felt was an unneeded love triangle, 15 Minutes is amazing. It's new, it's fresh, and it is so addictive that you won't be able to put it down! Now all I've got to do is wait for the sequel to be released, because after that cliffhanger, no way am I going anywhere!
September 5, 2013
I received a copy of this book for an honest review for my stop on the blog tour at Donnie Darko Girl.
This book is edgy, full of action, and I absolutely loved it!! There are all kinds of possibilities in 15 Minutes. I think Jill Cooper did an amazing job with telling a story of time travel.
I'd give anything to be able to travel back in time and experience good memories all over again. If I could use time travel to prevent my mom from dying, I'd do it in a heartbeat no matter the consequences, just like Lara did. So even though she went into this seemingly without much thought, I never blamed her for doing it at all. If we had this ability, there would be a ton of people time traveling just for that reason, I know it.
Lara was so focused on preventing her mother's death that she didn't think her life was going to change as drastically as it did, but it came to a point where nothing felt "right" to her. She couldn't shake the feeling that she was living a stranger's life. The author describes everything so well for Lara, that I understood her completely. There was a moment when Lara first sees her mother, and she's supposed to go up to her room but doesn't want to leave her mother's sight. She just wants to stand there and drink in the sight of her - my heart unraveled.
There are consequences to altering the past, and it's actually against the law. You're only allowed fifteen minutes in the past and aren't supposed to touch anything or change anything. Can you imagine if other people were changing things? One little thing could make an entirely different world. What if someone made a change that prevented time travel from becoming a possibility in the future? It's hard to wrap my mind around that!
This is a book I want to read again already. The minute it ended, I wanted to start over and relive everything. It kept me up at night because I didn't want to go to sleep when I could instead be reading this amazing story. I will read anything Jill Cooper writes!
This book is edgy, full of action, and I absolutely loved it!! There are all kinds of possibilities in 15 Minutes. I think Jill Cooper did an amazing job with telling a story of time travel.
I'd give anything to be able to travel back in time and experience good memories all over again. If I could use time travel to prevent my mom from dying, I'd do it in a heartbeat no matter the consequences, just like Lara did. So even though she went into this seemingly without much thought, I never blamed her for doing it at all. If we had this ability, there would be a ton of people time traveling just for that reason, I know it.
Lara was so focused on preventing her mother's death that she didn't think her life was going to change as drastically as it did, but it came to a point where nothing felt "right" to her. She couldn't shake the feeling that she was living a stranger's life. The author describes everything so well for Lara, that I understood her completely. There was a moment when Lara first sees her mother, and she's supposed to go up to her room but doesn't want to leave her mother's sight. She just wants to stand there and drink in the sight of her - my heart unraveled.
There are consequences to altering the past, and it's actually against the law. You're only allowed fifteen minutes in the past and aren't supposed to touch anything or change anything. Can you imagine if other people were changing things? One little thing could make an entirely different world. What if someone made a change that prevented time travel from becoming a possibility in the future? It's hard to wrap my mind around that!
This is a book I want to read again already. The minute it ended, I wanted to start over and relive everything. It kept me up at night because I didn't want to go to sleep when I could instead be reading this amazing story. I will read anything Jill Cooper writes!
August 22, 2013
15 Minutes was a fun and action-packed ride. I love time travel novels and this one didn’t disappoint. I liked the characters and although this book works as a standalone, I’m excited to read future books about Lara’s adventures.
The setup is simple enough: Lara decides to go back in time to stop her mom from being murdered. This single act changes her world completely and she finds that stopping her mom from being killed leads to more danger. Besides suspense, there’s also a lot of mystery, specifically trying to figure out who are the good guys and the baddies.
What I enjoyed most about 15 Minutes is that although it’s a time travel book it doesn’t drag. I find sometimes that these types of novels grow boring and confusing as the semantics of time travel are explained. Although the reader is asked to take the ability to time travel at face value, it really helped the flow.
I also liked the romance in the novel a lot. It was interesting to see how a single act could change Lara’s heart. I loved Donovan—I actually wished he were in the book a lot more. The romance isn’t a huge part of the plot, it mostly centers on Lara being able to change past events before her time runs out. The end was very exciting and it was definitely a nail-biter. I wish a few things were fleshed out a little more. SPOILERS What happened to future Lara when she was shot in place of her mom? What about the brain hemorrhaging? END OF SPOILERS But I still loved the novel.
If you love YA reads that feature a lot of action and drama, then you should check out 15 Minutes. I like the author’s writing style and I’m looking forward to reading more of her books.
Rating: 4.5/5 Stars
The setup is simple enough: Lara decides to go back in time to stop her mom from being murdered. This single act changes her world completely and she finds that stopping her mom from being killed leads to more danger. Besides suspense, there’s also a lot of mystery, specifically trying to figure out who are the good guys and the baddies.
What I enjoyed most about 15 Minutes is that although it’s a time travel book it doesn’t drag. I find sometimes that these types of novels grow boring and confusing as the semantics of time travel are explained. Although the reader is asked to take the ability to time travel at face value, it really helped the flow.
I also liked the romance in the novel a lot. It was interesting to see how a single act could change Lara’s heart. I loved Donovan—I actually wished he were in the book a lot more. The romance isn’t a huge part of the plot, it mostly centers on Lara being able to change past events before her time runs out. The end was very exciting and it was definitely a nail-biter. I wish a few things were fleshed out a little more. SPOILERS What happened to future Lara when she was shot in place of her mom? What about the brain hemorrhaging? END OF SPOILERS But I still loved the novel.
If you love YA reads that feature a lot of action and drama, then you should check out 15 Minutes. I like the author’s writing style and I’m looking forward to reading more of her books.
Rating: 4.5/5 Stars
October 14, 2013
I bought this book because, at first glance, the premise sounded a lot like my current novel-in-progress. 'Uh oh,' I thought. But when I read 15 Minutes, I discovered two things:
1. The similarities to my WiP are only surface level (phew!).
2. 15 Minutes is a great story.
I always enjoy a good time travel tale, and this book was no exception. The main character, Lara, is very likeable and I really felt for her as she struggled to deal with the awful alternate universe she inadvertently created. Although love triangles are becoming a bit cliche in YA fiction, the author uses the device in a fresh way and I found that my feelings towards Rick and Donovan were as conflicted as Lara's.
The fast-paced plot kept me so hooked that I read the whole book in one weekend, which is something I haven't done for a while. I even missed my favourite TV show so I could keep reading. Gotta love an addictive story!
There were a few events in the story that struck me as a little too convenient and I also spotted a handful of typos, but neither of these issues were enough to make a big impact on my overall enjoyment of the book.
One of the aspects I enjoyed most about 15 Minutes was the complicated relationship Lara had with her parents. The author does a great job of showing that everyone has faults and makes mistakes, but that love and respect for one another will help see you through the most challenging situations.
I'd recommend 15 Minutes to anyone who enjoys fast-paced young adult fiction and likes themes of family, trust and the big What If?
1. The similarities to my WiP are only surface level (phew!).
2. 15 Minutes is a great story.
I always enjoy a good time travel tale, and this book was no exception. The main character, Lara, is very likeable and I really felt for her as she struggled to deal with the awful alternate universe she inadvertently created. Although love triangles are becoming a bit cliche in YA fiction, the author uses the device in a fresh way and I found that my feelings towards Rick and Donovan were as conflicted as Lara's.
The fast-paced plot kept me so hooked that I read the whole book in one weekend, which is something I haven't done for a while. I even missed my favourite TV show so I could keep reading. Gotta love an addictive story!
There were a few events in the story that struck me as a little too convenient and I also spotted a handful of typos, but neither of these issues were enough to make a big impact on my overall enjoyment of the book.
One of the aspects I enjoyed most about 15 Minutes was the complicated relationship Lara had with her parents. The author does a great job of showing that everyone has faults and makes mistakes, but that love and respect for one another will help see you through the most challenging situations.
I'd recommend 15 Minutes to anyone who enjoys fast-paced young adult fiction and likes themes of family, trust and the big What If?
June 21, 2013
I absolutely loved this book. Of course, I love time travel and Inception-like books and movies, so when I read the premise, I knew I had to read it. And...I started and finished it all in the same day. I didn't plan to, but I absolutely couldn't put it down. Jill Cooper does an amazing job starting the story with a simple premise: Lara goes back in time for 15 minutes to save her mom's life. She returns to a completely different life, even though she knew there was always that risk.
Every chapter, some new secret or clue or twist is introduced. And sometimes it didn't come into play later. The whole storyline is pretty cool. But as each twist happens, I realized that what was happening was anything but simple. But, I was never confused. I just couldn't stop reading. I had to know what happened next.
Lara was a believable character and I loved the relationships in her life, with her family and her boyfriend in her new world, Donovan. I never saw anything coming and didn't know what was going to happen next until it did.
if you like exciting stories like Inception and The Butterfly Effect, you'll love this one.
Every chapter, some new secret or clue or twist is introduced. And sometimes it didn't come into play later. The whole storyline is pretty cool. But as each twist happens, I realized that what was happening was anything but simple. But, I was never confused. I just couldn't stop reading. I had to know what happened next.
Lara was a believable character and I loved the relationships in her life, with her family and her boyfriend in her new world, Donovan. I never saw anything coming and didn't know what was going to happen next until it did.
if you like exciting stories like Inception and The Butterfly Effect, you'll love this one.
March 8, 2016
La mia recensione completa sul blog Briciole di Parole: http://bricioleparole.blogspot.com/20...
La mia intervista all'autrice Jill Cooper:http://bricioleparole.blogspot.it/201...
Questo entusiasmante thriller/young adult di Jill Cooper mi ha lasciato letteralmente a bocca aperta grazie alla sua trama intricata, ricca di colpi di scena che mi hanno reso impossibile staccarmi dalle pagine.
Metto subito le carte in tavole: dovete leggerlo, punto. State cercando una storia originale, dove le bugie, cospirazioni e bugie la fanno da padrone? Avete un debole per la tematica dei viaggi nel tempo? Avete difficoltà a trovare uno young adult che racconti una love story che non sia uguale ai mille altri? Allora Quindici Minuti fa al caso vostro.
La mia intervista all'autrice Jill Cooper:http://bricioleparole.blogspot.it/201...
Questo entusiasmante thriller/young adult di Jill Cooper mi ha lasciato letteralmente a bocca aperta grazie alla sua trama intricata, ricca di colpi di scena che mi hanno reso impossibile staccarmi dalle pagine.
Metto subito le carte in tavole: dovete leggerlo, punto. State cercando una storia originale, dove le bugie, cospirazioni e bugie la fanno da padrone? Avete un debole per la tematica dei viaggi nel tempo? Avete difficoltà a trovare uno young adult che racconti una love story che non sia uguale ai mille altri? Allora Quindici Minuti fa al caso vostro.
June 23, 2017
This was fast paced, time travel mystery with a lot of surprises. And then it has the nerve to end with something that had me screaming "what does it mean!" The sequel is definitely highly anticipated.
September 16, 2017
Recensione a cura di Blue per Feel The Book
Chi non vorrebbe viaggiare nel tempo e poter cambiare qualcosa, rivedere qualcuno che amiamo o rivivere un momento preciso?
I viaggi nel tempo hanno delle regole molto precise, si hanno a disposizione solo 15 minuti, non si può interagire con nessuno e non si può tornare nello stesso istante più di una volta, ma Lara è intenzionata a infrangere ogni regola pur di riavere sua madre.
Le conseguenze delle sue azioni sono disastrose, lei è l’unica che può porre rimedio, ma non è così facile, oltretutto deve combattere contro gli effetti collaterali dei viaggi nel tempo, che rischiano di ucciderla.
Si ritrova con una nuova vita, un nuovo amore e con un padre che non è il suo, immischiata con la mafia, sarà una vittima e rischierà di perdere tutto di nuovo, anche se stessa.
Questo libro mi è piaciuto tantissimo, adoro i viaggi nel tempo ma questo ha qualcosa di più, tanti colpi di scena, un buon ritmo, un’ottima scrittura e tanta tanta avventura, personaggi descritti bene e anche la tematica è descritta e trattata in modo interessante, da catturare il lettore in un turbine di avvenimenti incredibili. Lo consiglio a tutti perché è bello vivere questa avventura, che continua con il secondo volume.
Editing recensione a cura di Lilith per Feel The Book
Chi non vorrebbe viaggiare nel tempo e poter cambiare qualcosa, rivedere qualcuno che amiamo o rivivere un momento preciso?
I viaggi nel tempo hanno delle regole molto precise, si hanno a disposizione solo 15 minuti, non si può interagire con nessuno e non si può tornare nello stesso istante più di una volta, ma Lara è intenzionata a infrangere ogni regola pur di riavere sua madre.
Le conseguenze delle sue azioni sono disastrose, lei è l’unica che può porre rimedio, ma non è così facile, oltretutto deve combattere contro gli effetti collaterali dei viaggi nel tempo, che rischiano di ucciderla.
Si ritrova con una nuova vita, un nuovo amore e con un padre che non è il suo, immischiata con la mafia, sarà una vittima e rischierà di perdere tutto di nuovo, anche se stessa.
Questo libro mi è piaciuto tantissimo, adoro i viaggi nel tempo ma questo ha qualcosa di più, tanti colpi di scena, un buon ritmo, un’ottima scrittura e tanta tanta avventura, personaggi descritti bene e anche la tematica è descritta e trattata in modo interessante, da catturare il lettore in un turbine di avvenimenti incredibili. Lo consiglio a tutti perché è bello vivere questa avventura, che continua con il secondo volume.
Editing recensione a cura di Lilith per Feel The Book
June 14, 2018
Super time travel story. Cooper does an excellent job managing multiple time streams. Well done, and not confusing. Great character development, particularly showing how her time travel exploits affect the main character, how the time lines mix together in her mind, how she resolves the dramatical differences between them. At the heart of the story though are the foundations of family and love - what happens when your very family is different in the other time stream, and you end up loving another guy instead?
It reads like a thriller, with a great political and ethical background to time travel, one that I'm sure is going to play out across the entire series.
There are nods here to great movies like: Bill and Ted, Inception and Edge of Tomorrow, and Cooper handles how your actions in the past affect the future very well.
Highly recommended.
It reads like a thriller, with a great political and ethical background to time travel, one that I'm sure is going to play out across the entire series.
There are nods here to great movies like: Bill and Ted, Inception and Edge of Tomorrow, and Cooper handles how your actions in the past affect the future very well.
Highly recommended.
November 18, 2017
When Lara Crane decides to travel back in time and save her mum from being killed, she sets off a chain reaction in the present and future. This was a good YA book, in the same vein as the film Frequency. Yes, you could pick holes in the plot, but why bother when it is this entertaining. Suspend your disbelief and just enjoy. Rating: 4 stars.
September 13, 2013
I received this book from the author in exchange for my honest review.
I have to say I've read my share of fiction books, but I can’t name one that was even remotely similar to 15 minutes. The suspense in this book made me to stay still, I didn't even moved a muscle until I finished reading the book. I can easily say, Jill Cooper knows how to write an incredible book. Just WOW!
We meet Lara Crane, a beautiful young women, with a sad past. Her mother was killed ten years ago in a terrible mugging, and since then, Lara was raised by her father. Lara can’t let go of what happened to her mother, she would do anything to go back and save her, so the little 5 years old girl could have her mom back. Sad... But, she gets the chance to save her. A company sells 15 minutes into the past and Lara wants this chance. She knows it's an one and only thing. So, Lara has 15 minutes to go into the past and save her mother from that shot.
I don’t think Lara thought about how this it’s going to affect her and change everybody’s life. She goes back into time, saves her mother by jumping in front of the bullet. The problem is she really does save her mother, but she thinks when she wakes up everything will be the same. Wrong...Her father it’s in jail because he was accused of hiring somebody to kill her mom. She has a new step-dad, two siblings: a sister and a new brother, and a new boyfriend, Donovan who it’s rich and doesn't pay any attention to her. The worst part, her old boyfriend Rick barely knows her and he isn't the old boyfriend she knew. She hates her new life, hates that she is surrounded by people that look like her, but they are strangers. She has her mother back, but things changed too much. The big issue is, she has to figure out who framed her dad to get in him out of jail, so Lara could try and change everything back to normal.
The story really intrigued me right from the start. You don’t have an introduction like other books, the author jumps right to the point and let’s you discover all the things with each page, with each step the characters make. Lara it’s a strong girl with an ambition that knows no limits. She makes mistakes but she owns up to them, fights for them so things will end the way it supposed to be.
The love triangle, to say so, really made my head spin. Rick isn't introduce properly at the beginning of the book, we get to know him better after Lara saves her mother and everything changes. Lara sees Rick different, and all her thoughts become a little blurred, because she is different as well. Donovan on the other hand, we get to meet him, to see the way he loves her and Lara is indeed in love with him as well. I think I liked Donovan a lot more. I don’t know if it was because I got to know him better, or the way he acted around Lara. But, within the hole book, it’s hard to know who to trust, because secrets and twists keep coming out about Rick and Donovan.
First of all I have to say the characters were well build, and the fast paced story really did the trick. As I said earlier, I couldn't put down the book because something new always happened and I wanted to know more. Jill Cooper created a conspiracy in the book that will absolutely blow you’re mind and it will amaze you! I highly recommend 15 Minutes to everyone! You wont regret reading it!
I have to say I've read my share of fiction books, but I can’t name one that was even remotely similar to 15 minutes. The suspense in this book made me to stay still, I didn't even moved a muscle until I finished reading the book. I can easily say, Jill Cooper knows how to write an incredible book. Just WOW!
We meet Lara Crane, a beautiful young women, with a sad past. Her mother was killed ten years ago in a terrible mugging, and since then, Lara was raised by her father. Lara can’t let go of what happened to her mother, she would do anything to go back and save her, so the little 5 years old girl could have her mom back. Sad... But, she gets the chance to save her. A company sells 15 minutes into the past and Lara wants this chance. She knows it's an one and only thing. So, Lara has 15 minutes to go into the past and save her mother from that shot.
I don’t think Lara thought about how this it’s going to affect her and change everybody’s life. She goes back into time, saves her mother by jumping in front of the bullet. The problem is she really does save her mother, but she thinks when she wakes up everything will be the same. Wrong...Her father it’s in jail because he was accused of hiring somebody to kill her mom. She has a new step-dad, two siblings: a sister and a new brother, and a new boyfriend, Donovan who it’s rich and doesn't pay any attention to her. The worst part, her old boyfriend Rick barely knows her and he isn't the old boyfriend she knew. She hates her new life, hates that she is surrounded by people that look like her, but they are strangers. She has her mother back, but things changed too much. The big issue is, she has to figure out who framed her dad to get in him out of jail, so Lara could try and change everything back to normal.
The story really intrigued me right from the start. You don’t have an introduction like other books, the author jumps right to the point and let’s you discover all the things with each page, with each step the characters make. Lara it’s a strong girl with an ambition that knows no limits. She makes mistakes but she owns up to them, fights for them so things will end the way it supposed to be.
The love triangle, to say so, really made my head spin. Rick isn't introduce properly at the beginning of the book, we get to know him better after Lara saves her mother and everything changes. Lara sees Rick different, and all her thoughts become a little blurred, because she is different as well. Donovan on the other hand, we get to meet him, to see the way he loves her and Lara is indeed in love with him as well. I think I liked Donovan a lot more. I don’t know if it was because I got to know him better, or the way he acted around Lara. But, within the hole book, it’s hard to know who to trust, because secrets and twists keep coming out about Rick and Donovan.
First of all I have to say the characters were well build, and the fast paced story really did the trick. As I said earlier, I couldn't put down the book because something new always happened and I wanted to know more. Jill Cooper created a conspiracy in the book that will absolutely blow you’re mind and it will amaze you! I highly recommend 15 Minutes to everyone! You wont regret reading it!
July 6, 2013
Well, this is definitely a mysterious, suspenseful thriller with full on action and adventure; and of course a little romance to boot. I haven’t read a time travel novel since Lauren Kate and it was certainly an interesting read. I really enjoyed the writing style of Ms Cooper and will certainly pick up another one of her books. All the characters are strong and complex.
Lara Crane is an ordinary teenager, although her Mother was shot and killed when she was younger, so therefore she lives with just her Dad, John. There is new technology available that allows users to travel back in time to visit past memories. For her birthday, her Dad got her some sessions to visit memories that included her Mum. That’s when an idea struck; she could go back in time to when her Mum was shot and save her, so they would have a happy family.
Lara has a boyfriend, Rick and he is adamant that her idea is horrible. Rule number one in the time travel agency, Rewind is that you cannot change the past, the consequences would be enormous. But Lara only wants to save her Mum so they would be a family again and her Dad would be happy too. The other rule in Rewind is that you only have 15 minutes in the past before being taken back to the present. You appear as a hologram and cannot touch or change anything.
Lara finds out she is different though, special, during her sessions she was able to touch, bump and speak to the people in her memories and that is when she makes her decision; she will save her Mother.
Determined to make her Father happy and herself, Lara changes the past!
Waking up from her trip, Lara discovers that her changing the past has certainly changed the present. Waking in her bed in a mansion of a house in an expensive neighbourhood, Lara is excited to see her Mother again. Being a school day though, her Mother has already gone to work; so off to school she heads.
School is different as well, apparently Rick isn’t in the picture and Donovan is her boyfriend, but Donovan was not even acknowledged before the change. Things only get stranger.
Lara starts receiving new memories from the present and during which bleeding noses and massive headaches arrive as well. Lara has heard of travel sickness and this is another reason why the past isn’t to be changed. But Lara wouldn’t take it back if only she can see her Mother again.
The mystery only thickens when she arrives home from school and finds out she has a Step-Dad, plus twin siblings. Where is her paternal Father?
Who are the men following Lara in black suits? Why is her Father in prison? Why is her Mother working at Rewind and experimenting on people illegally? Who will Lara choose, Rick or Donovan?
Lara wants to know why her Father is in prison, she is finding clues all around for her and the memories come in short bursts. She may need some more time jumping in order to save her family, herself and find the truth.
I was a little confused towards the end, I didn’t know if Lara was in reality or memories; but the twisty path that you take with Lara and the ending is well worth the journey to get there. I really enjoyed reading 15 Minutes and recommend this to time travel readers.
Lara Crane is an ordinary teenager, although her Mother was shot and killed when she was younger, so therefore she lives with just her Dad, John. There is new technology available that allows users to travel back in time to visit past memories. For her birthday, her Dad got her some sessions to visit memories that included her Mum. That’s when an idea struck; she could go back in time to when her Mum was shot and save her, so they would have a happy family.
Lara has a boyfriend, Rick and he is adamant that her idea is horrible. Rule number one in the time travel agency, Rewind is that you cannot change the past, the consequences would be enormous. But Lara only wants to save her Mum so they would be a family again and her Dad would be happy too. The other rule in Rewind is that you only have 15 minutes in the past before being taken back to the present. You appear as a hologram and cannot touch or change anything.
Lara finds out she is different though, special, during her sessions she was able to touch, bump and speak to the people in her memories and that is when she makes her decision; she will save her Mother.
Determined to make her Father happy and herself, Lara changes the past!
Waking up from her trip, Lara discovers that her changing the past has certainly changed the present. Waking in her bed in a mansion of a house in an expensive neighbourhood, Lara is excited to see her Mother again. Being a school day though, her Mother has already gone to work; so off to school she heads.
School is different as well, apparently Rick isn’t in the picture and Donovan is her boyfriend, but Donovan was not even acknowledged before the change. Things only get stranger.
Lara starts receiving new memories from the present and during which bleeding noses and massive headaches arrive as well. Lara has heard of travel sickness and this is another reason why the past isn’t to be changed. But Lara wouldn’t take it back if only she can see her Mother again.
The mystery only thickens when she arrives home from school and finds out she has a Step-Dad, plus twin siblings. Where is her paternal Father?
Who are the men following Lara in black suits? Why is her Father in prison? Why is her Mother working at Rewind and experimenting on people illegally? Who will Lara choose, Rick or Donovan?
Lara wants to know why her Father is in prison, she is finding clues all around for her and the memories come in short bursts. She may need some more time jumping in order to save her family, herself and find the truth.
I was a little confused towards the end, I didn’t know if Lara was in reality or memories; but the twisty path that you take with Lara and the ending is well worth the journey to get there. I really enjoyed reading 15 Minutes and recommend this to time travel readers.
February 26, 2017
3.5
There were a lot of things I liked about this book, but a few flaws as well. Like, I really enjoyed how EVERYONE knew about time travel, it was a part of their lives, but I feel like the rules and exceptions should've been explained more because there were some parts that definitely left me really confused. I also feel like poor Mike was wiped out of existence for like, half the plot. I mean, yeah I know his twin played a bigger role, but he was a character too and shouldn't have been tossed aside so often like he was.
So, yes, this book was decent...but could've definitely used some more fleshening-out.
There were a lot of things I liked about this book, but a few flaws as well. Like, I really enjoyed how EVERYONE knew about time travel, it was a part of their lives, but I feel like the rules and exceptions should've been explained more because there were some parts that definitely left me really confused. I also feel like poor Mike was wiped out of existence for like, half the plot. I mean, yeah I know his twin played a bigger role, but he was a character too and shouldn't have been tossed aside so often like he was.
So, yes, this book was decent...but could've definitely used some more fleshening-out.
July 31, 2014
This review and many others can be found on my blog - Feed Your Fiction Addiction
Just as I'd hoped, 15 Minutes proved to be a time travel adventure with tons of twists and turns!
What I loved:
Converging pasts.
One thing that made this book different from other time travel books that I've read was the idea that Lara's memories from both versions of the past were converging. When she first changed her past, she only remembered her original life, but then she slowly started to gain memories from this new version of herself. This caused her quite a bit of emotional confusion, especially where her relationships were concerned. She had conflicting feelings about people - some based on her original life, and some based on her changed past - and she wasn't sure which set of emotions to trust. She wanted her original life back in many ways, but then the relationships in her new life were compelling too once she started gaining her memories of them - it left her confused and torn, and made for a much more interesting story!
The action.
This book was action-packed right from the get-go. It takes off running and the pace never really slows down - Lara is in a constant race to fix the past and then to fix her "improved" version of the past. It doesn't take long for Lara to discover that everything is not as it should be in her new life - not just the fact that her life is different, but that this new version of her life is much more dangerous. She has to unravel the truth in order to keep herself and her family safe.
The twists and turns.
There are some really interesting twists and turns throughout the book that keep you guessing. This is the type of book where you truly never know who Lara should trust or what's going to happen next!
The negatives:
The cliffhanger.
The book ends on a bit of a cliffhanger - something that I pretty much saw coming based on what had already happened in the book. I felt like the ending to this one was drawn out just a little bit and wished that I could have just gotten back to the meat of the story (but I can't say much more than that). Still, I'm definitely wondering what will happen next!
The romance.
I didn't find myself being completely sold on either of the two boys that Lara is torn between, though I do think the guy she ended up with (maybe?) is the right guy. Probably. We'll see when we get to the next book.
If you enjoy YA and time travel tales, I'd definitely check 15 Minutes out! I give this book 4/5 stars.
Just as I'd hoped, 15 Minutes proved to be a time travel adventure with tons of twists and turns!
What I loved:
Converging pasts.
One thing that made this book different from other time travel books that I've read was the idea that Lara's memories from both versions of the past were converging. When she first changed her past, she only remembered her original life, but then she slowly started to gain memories from this new version of herself. This caused her quite a bit of emotional confusion, especially where her relationships were concerned. She had conflicting feelings about people - some based on her original life, and some based on her changed past - and she wasn't sure which set of emotions to trust. She wanted her original life back in many ways, but then the relationships in her new life were compelling too once she started gaining her memories of them - it left her confused and torn, and made for a much more interesting story!
The action.
This book was action-packed right from the get-go. It takes off running and the pace never really slows down - Lara is in a constant race to fix the past and then to fix her "improved" version of the past. It doesn't take long for Lara to discover that everything is not as it should be in her new life - not just the fact that her life is different, but that this new version of her life is much more dangerous. She has to unravel the truth in order to keep herself and her family safe.
The twists and turns.
There are some really interesting twists and turns throughout the book that keep you guessing. This is the type of book where you truly never know who Lara should trust or what's going to happen next!
The negatives:
The cliffhanger.
The book ends on a bit of a cliffhanger - something that I pretty much saw coming based on what had already happened in the book. I felt like the ending to this one was drawn out just a little bit and wished that I could have just gotten back to the meat of the story (but I can't say much more than that). Still, I'm definitely wondering what will happen next!
The romance.
I didn't find myself being completely sold on either of the two boys that Lara is torn between, though I do think the guy she ended up with (maybe?) is the right guy. Probably. We'll see when we get to the next book.
If you enjoy YA and time travel tales, I'd definitely check 15 Minutes out! I give this book 4/5 stars.
July 7, 2014
Lara has longed to know her mother for her whole life. She had been killed when Lara was a young girl. Her father did his best, but he was broken by the loss. They get by, and Lara's happy.
For her 16th birthday, Lara's dad buys her a ten-trip package into her own past. That's right! REWIND can send people back in time for 15 minute jaunts. Lara jumps at the chance, visiting her past several times. She knows she's not supposed to change anything--in fact trippers CAN'T change anything--until Lara does. She thinks it's an accident, but soon recognizes her ability to alter the past is not a fluke. And now, she's going to save her mom.
Success is measured in doses. If one looked at the change in Lara's life after she saves her mom, to how it was before she interfered, one would say it was a toxic dose. Her beloved father is in prison accused of planning her mother's hit, and her mom is remarried to another man, Jax. Oh, and "new" Lara has siblings!
She also has a new boyfriend--she traded up from "bad side of the tracks" Rick to uber-rich Donovan. Life is totally messed up--plus, Lara's mom spends so much time working for REWIND she's never home. Jax is Lara's pro-forma parent, but was he involved in a setup to frame Lara's dad?
The more Lara uncovers about her new life the fewer people she can trust--starting with her mom. Seems she's a (diabolical) scientist being (perhaps) manipulated by an old colleague. It's a twisty mess, that even Lara can't unravel by going back. Plus, the memories of her old life are crashing the memories of her new one, causing nosebleeds and crushing headaches as she suffers life-threatening traveling sickness.
It's a worst-case Butterfly Effect scenario that Lara struggles to escape, without losing her grip on reality altogether. I enjoyed the ride, watching Lara dip back and forth in her timeline to right wrongs and fix problems. Such a mess sorting through her broken house of cards! Lara is always playing from behind as she gets dropped into her new reality as if she lived it--and learns that she suspected an evil plot even when her life seemed idyllic. The breadcrumbs were scattered far and wide, yet, Lara picks them up and reassembles the original loaf, not without difficulty.
Once you give people access to your mind, you find that they can control you quite easily, as Lara soon learns. The end leaves everything managed, albeit not "back to normal"--mostly because Lara isn't normal, and her new, new life is the best she can manage. Wonder if she ever thought about going back to her old life and tearing up that REWIND gift....
Maybe, just a little.
For her 16th birthday, Lara's dad buys her a ten-trip package into her own past. That's right! REWIND can send people back in time for 15 minute jaunts. Lara jumps at the chance, visiting her past several times. She knows she's not supposed to change anything--in fact trippers CAN'T change anything--until Lara does. She thinks it's an accident, but soon recognizes her ability to alter the past is not a fluke. And now, she's going to save her mom.
Success is measured in doses. If one looked at the change in Lara's life after she saves her mom, to how it was before she interfered, one would say it was a toxic dose. Her beloved father is in prison accused of planning her mother's hit, and her mom is remarried to another man, Jax. Oh, and "new" Lara has siblings!
She also has a new boyfriend--she traded up from "bad side of the tracks" Rick to uber-rich Donovan. Life is totally messed up--plus, Lara's mom spends so much time working for REWIND she's never home. Jax is Lara's pro-forma parent, but was he involved in a setup to frame Lara's dad?
The more Lara uncovers about her new life the fewer people she can trust--starting with her mom. Seems she's a (diabolical) scientist being (perhaps) manipulated by an old colleague. It's a twisty mess, that even Lara can't unravel by going back. Plus, the memories of her old life are crashing the memories of her new one, causing nosebleeds and crushing headaches as she suffers life-threatening traveling sickness.
It's a worst-case Butterfly Effect scenario that Lara struggles to escape, without losing her grip on reality altogether. I enjoyed the ride, watching Lara dip back and forth in her timeline to right wrongs and fix problems. Such a mess sorting through her broken house of cards! Lara is always playing from behind as she gets dropped into her new reality as if she lived it--and learns that she suspected an evil plot even when her life seemed idyllic. The breadcrumbs were scattered far and wide, yet, Lara picks them up and reassembles the original loaf, not without difficulty.
Once you give people access to your mind, you find that they can control you quite easily, as Lara soon learns. The end leaves everything managed, albeit not "back to normal"--mostly because Lara isn't normal, and her new, new life is the best she can manage. Wonder if she ever thought about going back to her old life and tearing up that REWIND gift....
Maybe, just a little.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
September 13, 2013
For this review and more, visit Such A Novel Idea.
Holy cannoli, this book sure did blow me away! We are thrown directly into the action almost as soon as the book begins. Within just a few pages, we see Lara complete what she sets out to do -- use fifteen minutes in the past to save her mom. So then what?
Well, it is a classic case of 'be careful what you wish for'. Lara finds the world she expected with her mom alive is MUCH different than she imagined. Her boyfriend and father, two people she loved most in her previous life suddenly aren't in the picture anymore. She has to navigate through her new world trying to put the pieces of her life back together.
The complications and tangled web that the time travel creates is just plain ooey-gooey goodness. It's like eating a homemade cinnamon roll right out of the oven -- the package kind can never compare. I did keep saying "oi, that's going to create a paradox", so obviously I've been watching too many time travel shows (coughdoctorwhocough), but I loved that it was almost too confusing to figure out. Time travel is SUPPOSED to be mind boggling.
I really enjoyed the character of Lara. She was smart and thought on her feet, but she was still a teenager who made mistakes. I loved how Cooper described the mind-meld of the two timelines Lara was in. How the memories almost downloaded into her brain, making the two realities bleed into one another. How she instinctively knew how to do some things in her new timeline, just because that was her innate behavior, versus learning the truth through the memories. And then the losing the old memories as the new memories became reality. I just can't contemplate having a memory of something that I never actually was present for. I definitely get why it causes your brain to bleed!
There was some romance in the book, but it was minimal, never really detracting from the story. I think in this instance the love triangle was absolutely warranted and think things played out perfectly.
The synopsis calls this book "high octane" and that is really the perfect way to describe it. The fast-pace never slows down and you will find yourself wrapped up in the middle of the story almost immediately. The book goes beyond science fiction, into a thrilling mystery that kept me on the edge of my seat. Oh and, can we just mention that beautiful cover for a moment. Fantastic. I thoroughly enjoyed this book and can't wait to see more from Cooper.
4.5/5 stars
Holy cannoli, this book sure did blow me away! We are thrown directly into the action almost as soon as the book begins. Within just a few pages, we see Lara complete what she sets out to do -- use fifteen minutes in the past to save her mom. So then what?
Well, it is a classic case of 'be careful what you wish for'. Lara finds the world she expected with her mom alive is MUCH different than she imagined. Her boyfriend and father, two people she loved most in her previous life suddenly aren't in the picture anymore. She has to navigate through her new world trying to put the pieces of her life back together.
The complications and tangled web that the time travel creates is just plain ooey-gooey goodness. It's like eating a homemade cinnamon roll right out of the oven -- the package kind can never compare. I did keep saying "oi, that's going to create a paradox", so obviously I've been watching too many time travel shows (coughdoctorwhocough), but I loved that it was almost too confusing to figure out. Time travel is SUPPOSED to be mind boggling.
I really enjoyed the character of Lara. She was smart and thought on her feet, but she was still a teenager who made mistakes. I loved how Cooper described the mind-meld of the two timelines Lara was in. How the memories almost downloaded into her brain, making the two realities bleed into one another. How she instinctively knew how to do some things in her new timeline, just because that was her innate behavior, versus learning the truth through the memories. And then the losing the old memories as the new memories became reality. I just can't contemplate having a memory of something that I never actually was present for. I definitely get why it causes your brain to bleed!
There was some romance in the book, but it was minimal, never really detracting from the story. I think in this instance the love triangle was absolutely warranted and think things played out perfectly.
The synopsis calls this book "high octane" and that is really the perfect way to describe it. The fast-pace never slows down and you will find yourself wrapped up in the middle of the story almost immediately. The book goes beyond science fiction, into a thrilling mystery that kept me on the edge of my seat. Oh and, can we just mention that beautiful cover for a moment. Fantastic. I thoroughly enjoyed this book and can't wait to see more from Cooper.
4.5/5 stars
August 13, 2015
five stars.
woah. just... woah.
this book was... epic!
well, where to begin?
i started it because it was free and since i'm currently on holiday in germany, i wanted something to do while travelling.
i wasn't particularly hopeful with this one, since the first chapters were a bit dull and uninteresting. i expected bad writing, a horrendous amount of romance and very bad time-travel ー you know, something like kerstin gier's books.
but this book surprised me in a very, very, very good way! not only it's really fast-paced and gripping, but all the twists and turns are well-plotted and the characters sound almost real.
yeah, there's a love triangle but it's not put there just to make the mc whine about who she should make out with / drool over sculptured abs. it is also important for the plot and the romance felt natural and it didn't hog the all the page-time.
i found myself enthralled and excited while reading all the that lara was caught into.
and speaking about lara... i loved her!
she's a simple girl, with her perks and her qualities; lara is clever and independent and her 'selfishness' made me like her even more. she's not a kick-ass heroine, but still, she managed to use her skills to accomplish her goals, without being over powered or mary-sue-ish ー unfortunately there's a lack of heroines like lara. i cheered for her throughout the whole book.
there's a vast range of characters, but i especially liked donovan , jax, molly and mike...
the plot is fast-paced, entertaining and quite complicated: the ending was a little confusing ad abrupt, but at the end, everything clicked in place, like a puzzle.
i read the whole book in, i think... three hours? believe me, it's worth it.
the only perk i think is the writing: it didn't really amaze me ー it was quite dull, but all in all, i didn't dislike it.
however, i loved this quick and entertaining page-turner and i would certainly recommend it!
so read it, read it, read it!
woah. just... woah.
this book was... epic!
well, where to begin?
i started it because it was free and since i'm currently on holiday in germany, i wanted something to do while travelling.
i wasn't particularly hopeful with this one, since the first chapters were a bit dull and uninteresting. i expected bad writing, a horrendous amount of romance and very bad time-travel ー you know, something like kerstin gier's books.
but this book surprised me in a very, very, very good way! not only it's really fast-paced and gripping, but all the twists and turns are well-plotted and the characters sound almost real.
yeah, there's a love triangle but it's not put there just to make the mc whine about who she should make out with / drool over sculptured abs. it is also important for the plot and the romance felt natural and it didn't hog the all the page-time.
i found myself enthralled and excited while reading all the that lara was caught into.
and speaking about lara... i loved her!
she's a simple girl, with her perks and her qualities; lara is clever and independent and her 'selfishness' made me like her even more. she's not a kick-ass heroine, but still, she managed to use her skills to accomplish her goals, without being over powered or mary-sue-ish ー unfortunately there's a lack of heroines like lara. i cheered for her throughout the whole book.
there's a vast range of characters, but i especially liked donovan , jax, molly and mike...
the plot is fast-paced, entertaining and quite complicated: the ending was a little confusing ad abrupt, but at the end, everything clicked in place, like a puzzle.
i read the whole book in, i think... three hours? believe me, it's worth it.
the only perk i think is the writing: it didn't really amaze me ー it was quite dull, but all in all, i didn't dislike it.
however, i loved this quick and entertaining page-turner and i would certainly recommend it!
so read it, read it, read it!
September 3, 2013
This review and more @ http://christysbookaddiction.blogspot...
I don’t read too many time travel books, because a lot of the time I end up getting confused if it isn’t written perfectly. And because of that reason, I had second thoughts about reading this book. But I’m so glad that I gave it a chance because 15 Minutes is a beautifully written book that is filled with non-stop action. After reading this book, I think I’m going to be more open with time travel books.
If you could go back in time to change something, would you? I know that there are things in my past that I wish I could undo. Unfortunately, time travel isn’t available in the real world so I can’t actually go back in time and change anything. But in Lara’s world, time travel is available. And while most people are just a hologram without the ability to change anything when they go back in time, Lara is different.
Lara is planning on going back to the night that her mother was murdered and stopping it from happening. But Lara doesn’t realize how much her life will change by stopping one thing from happening.
Lara’s world is now is completely different from her previous one and there are some things in this world that she doesn’t like and it’s up to her to fix them. But she’s not sure if she will be able to change anything before it’s too late.
I really liked how compassionate and determined Lara was. She could have just gave up and let things fall where they may, but she is such a caring person that she had to help the people she cared about in any way that she could, regardless of the consequences to herself. I also really liked Donovan. This really surprised me because when he was introduced to the story I really didn’t think that I would like him at all.
Overall, 15 Minutes is an amazing adventure with lots of twists that you won’t see coming. It will have you on the edge of your seat until the very last page. And that ending!!! I can honestly say that I am impatiently waiting the next book in this series and I will devour it the day I get my hands on it.
I don’t read too many time travel books, because a lot of the time I end up getting confused if it isn’t written perfectly. And because of that reason, I had second thoughts about reading this book. But I’m so glad that I gave it a chance because 15 Minutes is a beautifully written book that is filled with non-stop action. After reading this book, I think I’m going to be more open with time travel books.
If you could go back in time to change something, would you? I know that there are things in my past that I wish I could undo. Unfortunately, time travel isn’t available in the real world so I can’t actually go back in time and change anything. But in Lara’s world, time travel is available. And while most people are just a hologram without the ability to change anything when they go back in time, Lara is different.
Lara is planning on going back to the night that her mother was murdered and stopping it from happening. But Lara doesn’t realize how much her life will change by stopping one thing from happening.
Lara’s world is now is completely different from her previous one and there are some things in this world that she doesn’t like and it’s up to her to fix them. But she’s not sure if she will be able to change anything before it’s too late.
I really liked how compassionate and determined Lara was. She could have just gave up and let things fall where they may, but she is such a caring person that she had to help the people she cared about in any way that she could, regardless of the consequences to herself. I also really liked Donovan. This really surprised me because when he was introduced to the story I really didn’t think that I would like him at all.
Overall, 15 Minutes is an amazing adventure with lots of twists that you won’t see coming. It will have you on the edge of your seat until the very last page. And that ending!!! I can honestly say that I am impatiently waiting the next book in this series and I will devour it the day I get my hands on it.
November 12, 2013
I love time travel books and I love YA books, so combine the two genres into a story and it’s pretty much a given that I will want to read it! 15 MINUTES by Jill Cooper instantly sucked me into the story from the first page.
The story is based on the idea that time travel is possible through a time travel agency, however there are many rules and stipulations that a time traveler must follow. The main character, Lara Crane, is determined to break the rules in order to go back in time to save her mother who was killed when Lara was a young child.
4.5*
The story, which is a fast read, is told in first person by Lara Crane who is a very likeable character. As the story progresses, she is torn by romantic feelings for two guys who are very different from each other. Typically in a story when the character has to chose one guy over another, it’s pretty obvious who she should chose, but Jill Cooper has created two likeable love interests which keeps the reader guessing which guy Lara will end up with.
This is a well thought out book with several twists and turns in the plot. Think Back-to-the-Future, when Marty McFly changes one thing in the past everything else in the future changes as well; the same rules apply here. The results of this story definitely weren’t predictable and I read through it faster than I do most stories because I wanted to find out what was going to happen next.
I give the book 4.5 stars. It was absolutely fantastic; however, at some parts toward the end it seemed to go a little fast and I found myself confused at one or two parts and had to reread a paragraph or two to find out what had just happened. Other than that, I loved it and I am thrilled that this is only the first book in the series. I can’t wait to read book #2 in the Rewind Series by Jill Cooper!!
The story is based on the idea that time travel is possible through a time travel agency, however there are many rules and stipulations that a time traveler must follow. The main character, Lara Crane, is determined to break the rules in order to go back in time to save her mother who was killed when Lara was a young child.
4.5*
The story, which is a fast read, is told in first person by Lara Crane who is a very likeable character. As the story progresses, she is torn by romantic feelings for two guys who are very different from each other. Typically in a story when the character has to chose one guy over another, it’s pretty obvious who she should chose, but Jill Cooper has created two likeable love interests which keeps the reader guessing which guy Lara will end up with.
This is a well thought out book with several twists and turns in the plot. Think Back-to-the-Future, when Marty McFly changes one thing in the past everything else in the future changes as well; the same rules apply here. The results of this story definitely weren’t predictable and I read through it faster than I do most stories because I wanted to find out what was going to happen next.
I give the book 4.5 stars. It was absolutely fantastic; however, at some parts toward the end it seemed to go a little fast and I found myself confused at one or two parts and had to reread a paragraph or two to find out what had just happened. Other than that, I loved it and I am thrilled that this is only the first book in the series. I can’t wait to read book #2 in the Rewind Series by Jill Cooper!!
August 18, 2013
This is the 2nd book I've read by Jill Cooper and she has just amazed me again. I can't say enough good things about her books and the way she writes them!
I'm a fan of time travel books and for those of you who have read these genre of books before, you know that there are hits, misses, head scratching, and so forth with them. Jill has taken the genre and not just made a hit with it, but I'm just in awe of how incredibly she kept it all together and didn't give anything away until it needed to be known. I don't know if she wrote with diagrams all over her writing cave or what.
The characters were well thought out and well written with just the right amount of depth to each of them. Subtle changes here and there for the different time jumps were flawless and balanced. As a reader, I truly felt for Lara and shortly into the book found myself crying because the scene was just that touching. And when you think you have it all figured out, think again, because guess what, yep, you're wrong! Love it!
A Teen/YA novel, the main character is in high school, but she is the mature type of high schooler with a good head on her shoulders. You aren't going to see sex and all that other stuff, which provides fluff for many books out there, which brings me to another point, this book is a good read from start to finish. You will not want to put it down. You will want to share with fellow readers. I am recommending this to all readers 13+. Action, adventure, mystery, loss, love, hope, and more is intertwined with some chapters encompassing all of these at the same time but not overwhelming the readers senses.
I look forward to the follow up of 15 Minutes and look forward to reading further books written by the incredible author, Jill Cooper.
I'm a fan of time travel books and for those of you who have read these genre of books before, you know that there are hits, misses, head scratching, and so forth with them. Jill has taken the genre and not just made a hit with it, but I'm just in awe of how incredibly she kept it all together and didn't give anything away until it needed to be known. I don't know if she wrote with diagrams all over her writing cave or what.
The characters were well thought out and well written with just the right amount of depth to each of them. Subtle changes here and there for the different time jumps were flawless and balanced. As a reader, I truly felt for Lara and shortly into the book found myself crying because the scene was just that touching. And when you think you have it all figured out, think again, because guess what, yep, you're wrong! Love it!
A Teen/YA novel, the main character is in high school, but she is the mature type of high schooler with a good head on her shoulders. You aren't going to see sex and all that other stuff, which provides fluff for many books out there, which brings me to another point, this book is a good read from start to finish. You will not want to put it down. You will want to share with fellow readers. I am recommending this to all readers 13+. Action, adventure, mystery, loss, love, hope, and more is intertwined with some chapters encompassing all of these at the same time but not overwhelming the readers senses.
I look forward to the follow up of 15 Minutes and look forward to reading further books written by the incredible author, Jill Cooper.
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