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The Watchmaker’s Doctor: An Erase and Rewind Novella
Anaya, a disillusioned thirty-five-year-old doctor, has been looking after Gregory, a retired watchmaker and resident of an aged care facility. On her last visit, he gifts her his final creation, an exquisitely crafted watch, knowing she will die tragically that very day. What he doesnt reveal is that it will turn back time, with one condition: she must choose the time and place to reset the clock and redo just one thing in her life. Regrets, it seems, are easy to realize when youre dying or trying to stop it from happening. But what if, after one small change, her life would become much worse than it was? Or if this one decision shed made was meant to be? Would changing her course lead her to be punished in other unimaginable ways? When the alternative is to die now, her choice makes itself. And so Anayas story begins with her last thought. Would she have done this if she had any option but the grave? Would you?
114 pages, Paperback
First published April 1, 2018
12 people are currently reading
562 people want to read
About the author
G.M.T. Schuilling
1 book77 followersG. M. T. Schuilling is an author who writes for New Adults, mixing unequal parts of Urban Fantasy and Time Travel, to create a special blend of Up Lit Fiction.
To stay updated on the Erase and Rewind series, Anaya’s time travels, the dream cast, inspirations for the books and more, connect with the author on:
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 97 reviews
July 15, 2018
This book, The Watchmaker's Doctor, really intrigued me. I was not sure if I would like it. I have read countless good reviews, so I decided to see if there was a giveaway for this book. It was a great decision that I decided to look. I entered the giveaway and I won!
I read the book and could not put it down! It is a 5 star rating and it deserves more stars. So overall, I LOVED the novella.!
When I started reading this wonderful novella I started to think about time travelling. Would I want to time travel back in time to fix my mistakes or whatever else? It would be fun to do but I am not sure if I really want to. I liked my life with all the mistakes that has happened and believe me, I made some BAD mistakes. I don't want to correct them because then you really won't learn from your mistakes in the future. I believe if you go back in time to correct your mistakes, you will be destined to make the same mistake again in the future. So why travel back in time to correct it if you will make the same mistake again? There is a reason why God has lead you down this life, why fix it? I am going to leave it at that so you all can think about it.
The real reason why this book was written is to educate the readers about Bipolar I and Bipolar II disorders. In my opinion this book is actually urging the readers to look at yourself. If you sense something different and cannot pinpoint it, ask yourself what is different about yourself, if still not sure ask family members to help you. Get some kind of help if you think something is off about yourself. I did and I am more than happy right now. All I have is chronic depression and borderline MPD (multiple personality disorder). With meds and different kinds of therapy you can feel like yourself again☺.
I really wish I had a print copy of this book because my families would love to read a book like this.
I truly recommend this book to everyone no matter what genre you actually like.
I read the book and could not put it down! It is a 5 star rating and it deserves more stars. So overall, I LOVED the novella.!
When I started reading this wonderful novella I started to think about time travelling. Would I want to time travel back in time to fix my mistakes or whatever else? It would be fun to do but I am not sure if I really want to. I liked my life with all the mistakes that has happened and believe me, I made some BAD mistakes. I don't want to correct them because then you really won't learn from your mistakes in the future. I believe if you go back in time to correct your mistakes, you will be destined to make the same mistake again in the future. So why travel back in time to correct it if you will make the same mistake again? There is a reason why God has lead you down this life, why fix it? I am going to leave it at that so you all can think about it.
The real reason why this book was written is to educate the readers about Bipolar I and Bipolar II disorders. In my opinion this book is actually urging the readers to look at yourself. If you sense something different and cannot pinpoint it, ask yourself what is different about yourself, if still not sure ask family members to help you. Get some kind of help if you think something is off about yourself. I did and I am more than happy right now. All I have is chronic depression and borderline MPD (multiple personality disorder). With meds and different kinds of therapy you can feel like yourself again☺.
I really wish I had a print copy of this book because my families would love to read a book like this.
I truly recommend this book to everyone no matter what genre you actually like.
April 10, 2018
3 stars
The idea of this story really intrigued me – what if we were given the opportunity to go back in time and change one decision? How would our lives change? What would the trickle-on effect be? And how would it impact the people around us? It’s such a fascinating concept, and it’s the idea behind this novella as a woman who has lost her way is faced with that very decision.
Anaya Jones is a doctor who is struggling with her life. She regrets decisions she made in her past and the path she took to get to where she is. But most of all, she is feeling completely disillusioned with where she is at. While visiting with one of her patients in a nursing home – a watchmaker – she discovers that she is minutes from her untimely death and is offered the chance to use his watch to go back in time to whatever point she chooses and live out her life span all over again.
She decides to choose the day she dropped out of high school as a 17 year old and is thrown back into her teenage years with the memory of the choice she made, the knowledge of why she is there and all the wisdom of a 34 year old, but none of the details of how her life initially played out. She makes different decisions this time around, and only though we only get to see a few years into her new re-lived life, the changes are already significant and lead not only her life, but the lives of those close to her, in very different directions. But she is on a deadline, and the clock is ticking.
I enjoyed this book. It’s not as emotionally intense as I was expecting it to be, and I couldn’t really connect with the flow of the writing, but the concept is a good one. I’m still a little bit murky on the rules of how it all works, but I figure that will all be made clearer in the next book of the series.
It’s advertised as an urban fantasy, but to me it’s more like contemporary fiction with a sci-fi twist. And don’t be expecting a finished story because this is very much part 1 to the continued story to come, and I’m intrigued as to how the rest of the story will play out.
An Advanced Review Copy was generously provided by the author in exchange for an honest review.
The idea of this story really intrigued me – what if we were given the opportunity to go back in time and change one decision? How would our lives change? What would the trickle-on effect be? And how would it impact the people around us? It’s such a fascinating concept, and it’s the idea behind this novella as a woman who has lost her way is faced with that very decision.
Live as if you were to die tomorrow. Learn as if you were to live forever
--Ghandi
Anaya Jones is a doctor who is struggling with her life. She regrets decisions she made in her past and the path she took to get to where she is. But most of all, she is feeling completely disillusioned with where she is at. While visiting with one of her patients in a nursing home – a watchmaker – she discovers that she is minutes from her untimely death and is offered the chance to use his watch to go back in time to whatever point she chooses and live out her life span all over again.
She decides to choose the day she dropped out of high school as a 17 year old and is thrown back into her teenage years with the memory of the choice she made, the knowledge of why she is there and all the wisdom of a 34 year old, but none of the details of how her life initially played out. She makes different decisions this time around, and only though we only get to see a few years into her new re-lived life, the changes are already significant and lead not only her life, but the lives of those close to her, in very different directions. But she is on a deadline, and the clock is ticking.
I enjoyed this book. It’s not as emotionally intense as I was expecting it to be, and I couldn’t really connect with the flow of the writing, but the concept is a good one. I’m still a little bit murky on the rules of how it all works, but I figure that will all be made clearer in the next book of the series.
It’s advertised as an urban fantasy, but to me it’s more like contemporary fiction with a sci-fi twist. And don’t be expecting a finished story because this is very much part 1 to the continued story to come, and I’m intrigued as to how the rest of the story will play out.
“Death can’t be cheated, but there are endless ways that life can be lived.”
An Advanced Review Copy was generously provided by the author in exchange for an honest review.
July 30, 2018
I won this book in a Goodreads giveaway.
What if. It is such a terrible saying that haunts most of us. But, imagine if you had the opportunity to go back in time to change a part of your own story? This story was a super quick and easy read. It definitely is one that makes you think about your own life and the choices you make.
Mental illness is mentioned frequently in this book, to which I think is refreshing. It is a real thing and it is honestly never incorporated into stories. I think it made Ana that much easier to connect with because she had "real life" problems. I also think it is so awesome that the author is donating 10% of proceeds to the Brain & Behavior Research Foundation.
Overall I did enjoy the book, and I am curious to see what the next book holds.
What if. It is such a terrible saying that haunts most of us. But, imagine if you had the opportunity to go back in time to change a part of your own story? This story was a super quick and easy read. It definitely is one that makes you think about your own life and the choices you make.
Mental illness is mentioned frequently in this book, to which I think is refreshing. It is a real thing and it is honestly never incorporated into stories. I think it made Ana that much easier to connect with because she had "real life" problems. I also think it is so awesome that the author is donating 10% of proceeds to the Brain & Behavior Research Foundation.
Overall I did enjoy the book, and I am curious to see what the next book holds.
September 22, 2018
What would you do if you were told to live by this motto? "Live as if you were to die tomorrow. Learn as if you were to live forever."
This is exactly what Anaya was living by when she was given the second chance to redo her life. This time Anaya decided to make the most of it. She made better choices. This led her to meet Matt. He was kind and loving. Yet as Anaya learns when it is your time to meet your maker, it is your time. No matter the outcome of your second chance. Anaya learns that she is to become the new watchmaker.
I just fell in love with this book. It turned out to be even better than I had hoped or imagined. There was an ease about the storyline and the characters. Where I did not have to work hard to find myself connecting to both. A quick read that left me wanting more. In fact, I am saddened that this book ended so quickly as the wait to the next book will be long. In this case, I would not want to turn back time but fast forward it. A must read. Author, G.M.T Schuilling dazzled me with this book filled with a great storyline and endearing characters!
This is exactly what Anaya was living by when she was given the second chance to redo her life. This time Anaya decided to make the most of it. She made better choices. This led her to meet Matt. He was kind and loving. Yet as Anaya learns when it is your time to meet your maker, it is your time. No matter the outcome of your second chance. Anaya learns that she is to become the new watchmaker.
I just fell in love with this book. It turned out to be even better than I had hoped or imagined. There was an ease about the storyline and the characters. Where I did not have to work hard to find myself connecting to both. A quick read that left me wanting more. In fact, I am saddened that this book ended so quickly as the wait to the next book will be long. In this case, I would not want to turn back time but fast forward it. A must read. Author, G.M.T Schuilling dazzled me with this book filled with a great storyline and endearing characters!
May 18, 2018
What would you do given the opportunity to go back in your life and alter past actions that you now regret? That is the premise of this novella. Anaya is 35, she sits down on a park bench and is given a special watch. She gets up, walks away, and while crossing the road a speeding van comes straight at her. She dies, sort of, but then sees the watch backwinding, and she is back on the park bench. The watch allows travel back in time, but as might be expeted, there is a catch. The moment of death is fixed. She does not have to be run over, but she will die, however, she has the opostunity, if she wants it, to go back further. She is sent back eighteen years. Only problem is, she also forgets most of her now "future".
So what we now see is she recalls just enough, so she makes significant differences, only to discover there are new consequences. And she now knows how much time she has left. The writing is good, the character of Anaya is well drawn, and it is an intriguing concept. My only criticism, on which I cannot elaborate for fear of spoiling, is there was something of a rush to finish, and bearing in mind it is quite short anyway, the ending could have been expanded. Nevertheless, an interesting story of a young adult, for the second time.
So what we now see is she recalls just enough, so she makes significant differences, only to discover there are new consequences. And she now knows how much time she has left. The writing is good, the character of Anaya is well drawn, and it is an intriguing concept. My only criticism, on which I cannot elaborate for fear of spoiling, is there was something of a rush to finish, and bearing in mind it is quite short anyway, the ending could have been expanded. Nevertheless, an interesting story of a young adult, for the second time.
June 15, 2018
I really enjoyed this book! It took a really unique turn on time travel, yet was still realistic. I liked the fact that the author didn’t shy away from getting dark with the main characters past, and I felt she did a really good job writing a character with bipolar disorder. It was real, and light, yet dark and she still managed to make it humorous at times, and turned my heart into a big ball of emotions! The story flowed really well and I love the authors writing style! Would definitely recommend!
May 5, 2018
''Karma's not a bitch. She's a whore, acting like I've stolen her pimp.''
In this ''Erase and Rewind'' novella we follow Anaya, a 35-year-old doctor who's looking after Gregory, a retired watchmaker. Anaya didn't use her full potential in life and she left school when she was 17, which resulted in struggling her entire adult life and many traumatic experiences.
But Gregory gifted Anaya with his final creation, an exquisitely-crafted watch that can turn back time because he knew that particular day is actually the day Anaya dies. So she is given a choice - return to a moment in her life she regrets happening and change it or die. Anaya chooses to relive her youth and stay in school, landing back in time when she was 17.
However, tampering with time has it's conesquences and even if Anaya does her very best to live her second chance in life to the full potential, some things are set in time and can't be changed, no matter what she does. Now Anaya has to face consequences of the choice she made - consequences that impact not only hers, but also the lives of her family and friends.
This book is an intro into the ''Erase and Rewind'' series and I have to say I quite enjoyed it.
The writing style is very flowy and easy to follow, which made me finish the book in one evening.
The story is quite gripping and I just couldn't let go of the book, wanting to know how Anaya will tackle everything her past has to throw at her. Seeing how a grown-up would react when they are thrown back into their teens was just hilarious :D Lola from the Freaky Friday movie kept poping in my mind when Anaya landed into her teens after living as a full grown up, reminding me of the scenes when Lola's mother inhabited her body :D
The only thing I would like to change in the next books is the number of the pages and the pacing. Everything happened really fast and without much side story. That's why I think a bit more world-exapnding and more pages would do wonders for this story. I would also like to see the way Anaya fights her Bipolar in more deapth.
I really like time-travelling books and this work has a great potential to become an amazing series for all us timey-whimey things fans :D
I did not expect that plot twist in the end and can't wait to get my hands on the next book in the series, called ''The Watch Seeker''.
Another thing I like about this book is that 10% of the proceeds from The Watchmaker's Doctor will go to the Brain & Behavior Research Foundation. ''The Foundation is committed to alleviating the suffering caused by mental illness by awarding scientific research grants to improve treatment. Their vision is to ultimately develop cures and methods of prevention to enable people with mental health issues to live full, happy, and productive lives.''
In this ''Erase and Rewind'' novella we follow Anaya, a 35-year-old doctor who's looking after Gregory, a retired watchmaker. Anaya didn't use her full potential in life and she left school when she was 17, which resulted in struggling her entire adult life and many traumatic experiences.
But Gregory gifted Anaya with his final creation, an exquisitely-crafted watch that can turn back time because he knew that particular day is actually the day Anaya dies. So she is given a choice - return to a moment in her life she regrets happening and change it or die. Anaya chooses to relive her youth and stay in school, landing back in time when she was 17.
However, tampering with time has it's conesquences and even if Anaya does her very best to live her second chance in life to the full potential, some things are set in time and can't be changed, no matter what she does. Now Anaya has to face consequences of the choice she made - consequences that impact not only hers, but also the lives of her family and friends.
This book is an intro into the ''Erase and Rewind'' series and I have to say I quite enjoyed it.
The writing style is very flowy and easy to follow, which made me finish the book in one evening.
The story is quite gripping and I just couldn't let go of the book, wanting to know how Anaya will tackle everything her past has to throw at her. Seeing how a grown-up would react when they are thrown back into their teens was just hilarious :D Lola from the Freaky Friday movie kept poping in my mind when Anaya landed into her teens after living as a full grown up, reminding me of the scenes when Lola's mother inhabited her body :D
The only thing I would like to change in the next books is the number of the pages and the pacing. Everything happened really fast and without much side story. That's why I think a bit more world-exapnding and more pages would do wonders for this story. I would also like to see the way Anaya fights her Bipolar in more deapth.
I really like time-travelling books and this work has a great potential to become an amazing series for all us timey-whimey things fans :D
I did not expect that plot twist in the end and can't wait to get my hands on the next book in the series, called ''The Watch Seeker''.
Another thing I like about this book is that 10% of the proceeds from The Watchmaker's Doctor will go to the Brain & Behavior Research Foundation. ''The Foundation is committed to alleviating the suffering caused by mental illness by awarding scientific research grants to improve treatment. Their vision is to ultimately develop cures and methods of prevention to enable people with mental health issues to live full, happy, and productive lives.''
April 12, 2018
I received The Watchmaker's Doctor by G. M. T. Schuilling in exchange for an honest review. I have given this book five out of five stars ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
This was such a compelling read and I thoroughly enjoyed the 93 page novella very much!
Trigger warnings of bipolar and other mental health problems.
An incredible time travel story about second chances. As a novella, it is a short story but Schuilling has managed to pack it with a great storyline and suspenseful events that really capture the readers eye.
I loved Schuilling’s writing and thought it was well-written, fast paced fascinating story. The author creates a great main character, Anaya, who I thoroughly enjoyed learning about and, although it was short and sweet, I loved reading about Anaya and Matt. There are certain moments in this book where I found I could relate to Anaya, especially with the regrets she has. Sometimes I look back and think where would I be now if I had decided to go to university or took the job I was offered a few years back. However, I cannot dwell and will learn to make the most of what I have now and strive forward with improvement!
The storyline really made me think twice about regrets and mistakes you may have in life, along with how it is you choose to live your life. We discover how much of an impact each choice Anaya decides to make has on her life and the ones she loves. Every second counts and although true, it's quite a scary way of looking at things.
The last two chapters had me at a loss for words as I did not see the plot twist coming in the slightest! I'm glad there was a twist because I became very comfortable with the story that I thought was going to play out towards the end of the book, however it turned out to be completely different and have a clever turn on events.
I didn’t want this story to end and am so so glad there will be a second book coming out, I look forward to reading the next instalment!
I would definitely recommend everyone to pick this novella up, especially for fans of science-fiction, drama stories.
May 4, 2018
You can also find this review at The Reader and the Chef. Huge thanks to Kate Tilton's Author Services for the review copy in exchange of my honest opinion!
I love the story and it's concept! The Watchmaker's Doctor opens a world of what ifs and it makes you, as a reader, ponder about what would you do if you could go back in time and live your life all over again. I think it is an equally fascinating and scary situation because one decision could alter your whole life as you know it. Wouldn't that be amazing/terrifying?!
Ana (the MC) was given another chance in life seconds before her sudden death. She has the opportunity to redo her life and fix any mistake that she could have done. To top it all, she possesses the knowledge of her older self when she returns to her teenage years. She does not remember every aspect of her previous life, but she does recall the most important parts and sometime she has flashbacks whenever she makes alterations on the life she is living right now.
It is important to say that Ana suffers from a bipolar disorder. In this second chance in life, she decides to treat it as soon as possible and it did wonders to her new life. I thought that was one of the most important messages in this story. Because Ana made sure to treat herself as fast as possible, she was able to lead a life without the distractions of this disorder. Not to mention that she gave herself time to stop and rethink her choices and made one that she believed it suited her best.
Final Verdict:
The Watchmaker's Doctor is a captivating story and has such an engaging plot! It talks about the importance of early treatment of medical conditions (specifically mental conditions), the life choices that we have in life, the attitude in which we live and how easily destiny can take it away from us. A thought-provoking story, indeed! It is a fast-paced book that is read very quickly, but will leave you reasoning the many possible outcomes. It is a must read!
I love the story and it's concept! The Watchmaker's Doctor opens a world of what ifs and it makes you, as a reader, ponder about what would you do if you could go back in time and live your life all over again. I think it is an equally fascinating and scary situation because one decision could alter your whole life as you know it. Wouldn't that be amazing/terrifying?!
Ana (the MC) was given another chance in life seconds before her sudden death. She has the opportunity to redo her life and fix any mistake that she could have done. To top it all, she possesses the knowledge of her older self when she returns to her teenage years. She does not remember every aspect of her previous life, but she does recall the most important parts and sometime she has flashbacks whenever she makes alterations on the life she is living right now.
It is important to say that Ana suffers from a bipolar disorder. In this second chance in life, she decides to treat it as soon as possible and it did wonders to her new life. I thought that was one of the most important messages in this story. Because Ana made sure to treat herself as fast as possible, she was able to lead a life without the distractions of this disorder. Not to mention that she gave herself time to stop and rethink her choices and made one that she believed it suited her best.
Final Verdict:
The Watchmaker's Doctor is a captivating story and has such an engaging plot! It talks about the importance of early treatment of medical conditions (specifically mental conditions), the life choices that we have in life, the attitude in which we live and how easily destiny can take it away from us. A thought-provoking story, indeed! It is a fast-paced book that is read very quickly, but will leave you reasoning the many possible outcomes. It is a must read!
June 13, 2018
"How readily we crush our dreams, without even turning over the first stone, so willing to be the victims of circumstance.' Ahh isn't this so true? How we easily give up and make our own excuses.. This book is so relatable. And the quotes are just so powerful, you'll want to jump into action and do something monumental.
It has such a good potential. But the end just left me with quite a few questions. It left me hanging. Maybe there's book two? It is a short read. Read it still, cause it's one of those ultimate questions, if we can go back in time what are we going to change. Read it and maybe you'll have your iwn answer.
It has such a good potential. But the end just left me with quite a few questions. It left me hanging. Maybe there's book two? It is a short read. Read it still, cause it's one of those ultimate questions, if we can go back in time what are we going to change. Read it and maybe you'll have your iwn answer.
May 27, 2018
Wow, just plain wow!! I won this through Goodreads and I figured it wouldn’t be profound. What a mistake that thought was!!! I found myself questioning so much of my own life and choices... and wondering about my own future. Thank you for the insight and depth of self-evaluation this book brought to my existence.
March 27, 2018
I really liked this book. It’s about travelling in time and fixing mistakes and it’s making you think about how you live your life. The book makes you think about your mistakes and how you could have made better choices.
May 8, 2018
For my written review, please check out the link below:
Debra's Book Cafe
Debs :-)
Debra's Book Cafe
Debs :-)
July 16, 2018
When starting the book, we are informed that Anaya is disillusioned. Despite this, she was able to work diligently as a caregiver, and made the last days of Gregory both easy and happy. Anaya’s story started with her final thoughts; what would you have done if the only option you had was death? By thinking of this, the author has achieved his intent to make the reader meditate on life. We are informed of Anaya's bipolar condition, and this helps the reader understand a few things about persons with the disorder. I would recommend this book to anyone who sometimes questions their life choices. Being the first book in the “Erase and rewind” book series, I must say that the author has done a great job in aiding the reader think deeply about things that are sometimes ignored. The book is a great read for new adults and teens.
May 16, 2018
Amazing story, ready for the next one!
This book is intended for an audience of new adults, but I was interested in it from an older perspective. Anaya finds out that she will die, but an elderly watchmaker is giving her a second chance to go back in time to change one life decision. She goes back to the time that she decided not to go to college right away like her friends. She goes back to high school with the maturity of a woman in her thirties. That wisdom may help her to make decisions that put her life on a positive track, but it also comes with consequences that are beyond her control. This book is an interesting take on time travel and the choices we make in our life if we get a second chance. It also addresses bipolar II from the main character's perspective and how it affects the family when it is treated and misdiagnosed. Highly recommended.
This book is intended for an audience of new adults, but I was interested in it from an older perspective. Anaya finds out that she will die, but an elderly watchmaker is giving her a second chance to go back in time to change one life decision. She goes back to the time that she decided not to go to college right away like her friends. She goes back to high school with the maturity of a woman in her thirties. That wisdom may help her to make decisions that put her life on a positive track, but it also comes with consequences that are beyond her control. This book is an interesting take on time travel and the choices we make in our life if we get a second chance. It also addresses bipolar II from the main character's perspective and how it affects the family when it is treated and misdiagnosed. Highly recommended.
December 20, 2018
A though-provoking inspirational read about the philosophies of life played by an unexpected person. The author's aim of reflecting the perfect way of life, and a second chance to live is well served. Even though this read belongs to the time travel fantasy read, I believe it has something to say to everyone!
September 29, 2022
***Free ebook given in exchange for an honest review***
You can find my less spoiler-y review here: OnlineBookClub
Anaya, a 35-year-old doctor at St. Jude’s Residential Home, is in a slump. Feeling jaded with how her life has turned out, she makes her way to her session with her patient, Greg, unaware as to how this day would change the rest of her life. Greg, knowing she is going to die, gifts her his most prized possession; an watch he crafted during his time as a watchmaker. What she doesn’t know is that the watch will allow her to travel through time. With time running out she chooses to go back and correct what she feels was her biggest mistake, dropping out of school at 17. This novella takes us on a journey with Anaya as she relives her youth the way she wished she always had. What Anaya doesn’t realize is that everything she does, everything she changes, has a consequence and things don’t always go the way she wants them to.
“Everything we do, even the slightest thing we do, can have a ripple effect and repercussions that emanate. If you throw a pebble into the water on one side of the ocean, it can create a tidal wave on the other side.” – Victor Webster
Likes:
I loved finding out that the main character of this story had bipolar disorder. I have BP-Type 2. So finding a character, a main character no less, who had this as well in a sci-fi novella made me really happy. I also like that the money spent on this book goes to charity.
*** SPOILER WARNING***
Dislikes:
There are many, many things I dislike about this book. It’s really unfortunate because I had really wanted to like this because I am a huge fan of time travel books. The amount of inconsistencies in this book just amazed and annoyed me and that started just halfway through the second chapter. Not only that, but there was little to no description for things that really needed it and whole paragraphs or more spent on just describing clothing or something else that hardly needed that much detail. For example we are TOLD she has BP-Type 2 but there is literally nothing that actually shows me that she does. We are just told she does and are expected to believe it. As someone who actually has BP-Type 2 I can tell you there’s no way I could believe it for even a second.
I have no idea what date this entire book is taking place in. There are no dates. I had to actually do a lot of research just to come up with a timeframe that this could be set in. And the clues given are hardly enough to go by. I have it narrowed down to sometime between 1990-2000 after she time travels. We are only given “Present Day” and “Eighteen Years Backwards”. There were a couple itty-bitty clues that I almost completely missed. Don’t take my word for it though; I actually have no damn idea when and where this is all happening whatsoever. I also got fed up with the lack of description in this book. What does she actually look like? What does her house, ANY OF THEM, look like? What do her friends and family look like? I didn’t even know her friend was “dark skinned” until half way through the book when it was mentioned even though we had already been introduced to this person many chapters before. So much time is spent using flowery words rather than spending that time on on the setting or the characters when that is what we really needed.
As for the flow of the story, it reminded me of being stuck in traffic in Pittsburgh during rush hour. You sit there for 5-10 minutes waiting for someone to move and finally someone does and you get to move maybe a few inches and it just makes you want to rip your hair out. I was bored, tired and very, very irritated. I could not connect with a single thing. And don’t get me started on all that crap about how she and her father went through “several” different medications before they found the right mix. In less than a year… I will tell you right now it takes much longer than that. I’m STILL trying to find the right combination of medications for mine and it’s been years. You have to be on one medication for at least three months as far as I’m aware just to see even the slightest change and they always start you out on the smallest dose and you work your way up to what the normal dosage would be so that your body gets used to it. And most of them make you feel sick as a dog or like a zombie from my experience and the experiences of friends and family who also have bipolar disorder. We see NOTHING of that struggle or her struggle with the disorder before taking medications.
I don’t want to get into a full-on rant about how poorly bipolar disorder is represented in this book. It really disappointed me and irritated me so much I had to put the book down more than once. Here I will list all the things that made absolutely no sense, which is why I added a spoiler warning in my review:
1. After she time travels back to right before she died we’re told it’s 11:48. They spend a LOT of time trying to calm her down to get her to listen then we’re told she’s going to die again at 11:52. There is a huge amount of dialogue and pauses to baby her between 11:48 and when she’s supposed to die again. There is NO WAY you can fit that much into only 4 minutes. It was like watching DBZ and the 5-minute fight takes 10 episodes to finish.
2. Somehow Greg is able to send her back to the exact moment in time she wishes to go to, apparently to the minute, without her having told him the date or time or anything. She just tells him to do it and shoves the watch at him. Sure she talks to him all the time and they seem more like close friends than doctor and patient but it doesn’t even mention her ever telling him that exact information.
3. Unless I missed it we are never actually told what kind of doctor she actually is. We’re just told she’s a doctor and that was that.
4. As mentioned before there are no dates and not enough description for the setting or the characters, making me unable to connect with anything going on.
5. There was a lot of stereotyping regarding the cliques at the school. “The Models”, “The Stoners”, and “The Smartasses” to name a few. And there’s no description to any of them except for her friends and there’s so little that, as I mentioned earlier, I hadn’t even realized that one of her friends was a POC until way later in the book.
6. She collapses because for some reason remembering things from her “past life” make her almost faint. No. It isn’t actually her past life. It’s still technically her current life she just traveled back in time to when she was 17. She has had no problems whatsoever remembering anything else about her life and even remembers all her medical knowledge to be able to ace her Biology class. Even though we were told some time before that that she can’t remember ANYTHING from where she is now to the day she had died. If that we’re actually the case she would not remember anything from her time in medical school. At all. And there’s no explanation for any of this. Again, its something we’re just told and expected to accept even though it makes no sense.
7. I had assumed the setting for “Eighteen Years Backwards” was somewhere around 1990-2000. Yet two years later when MC is in college she mentions there being Guitar Hero in the bar she goes to. Guitar Hero wasn’t released until 2005. The book also mentions the use of an IV bottle, not a bag, a bottle two years before. I asked around and did some research and those stopped being used around anytime between 1960-1990 from what I’ve been told and read online. There’s a huge gap there but that seems to be consistent with what everyone else has said. (I have a grandmother and great grandmother who have worked as nurses in hospitals and retirement homes all their lives as well as my mother who worked as an EMT for a few years. I believe they would know.) There was also mention of there being a Toni Braxton CD in the friends’ car. (She went solo in 1993.) And the MC went as Trinity from The Matrix to a party and the movie came out in 1999. This is all the information I had to try to get an accurate time frame. So really, my guess of this being set around 2000 is really only a guess. And probably not a very good one. But because we get no real information on anything I was left feeling very annoyed and confused.
Rating:
I would only rate this a 1 stars out of 5. The reason being that this book is boring, slow, does not properly represent a person suffering from bipolar disorder or, assuming she also suffers from it due to what happened to her, PTSD. She shows no actual signs of having either, there’s no description of her struggle with either disorder. As a book claiming to give an accurate depiction of a person suffering from such disorders this is extremely disappointing to me. It was the main reason I picked it up aside from it being about time travel. The writing is poor, in my opinion, as it focuses more on unneeded info dumps and flowery prose rather than what actually needed such attention. I didn’t find too many grammatical errors and some people may still find this readable but not me. If you can get past all the things I’ve listed that made me so irritated and just want something that would be a quick read to fill time you would probably be okay with it.
Who Would Like This:
I would only personally recommend this if you were looking for some kind of beach read. Light, not too involved and something you wouldn’t feel bad about pulling down and completely forgetting about. If you like the movie The Butterfly Effect you may or may not like this novella.
Favorite Quotes:
“Would I have done this if I had any other option but the grave?”
“Karma’s not a bitch. She’s a whore, acting like I've stolen her pimp.”
You can find my less spoiler-y review here: OnlineBookClub
Anaya, a 35-year-old doctor at St. Jude’s Residential Home, is in a slump. Feeling jaded with how her life has turned out, she makes her way to her session with her patient, Greg, unaware as to how this day would change the rest of her life. Greg, knowing she is going to die, gifts her his most prized possession; an watch he crafted during his time as a watchmaker. What she doesn’t know is that the watch will allow her to travel through time. With time running out she chooses to go back and correct what she feels was her biggest mistake, dropping out of school at 17. This novella takes us on a journey with Anaya as she relives her youth the way she wished she always had. What Anaya doesn’t realize is that everything she does, everything she changes, has a consequence and things don’t always go the way she wants them to.
“Everything we do, even the slightest thing we do, can have a ripple effect and repercussions that emanate. If you throw a pebble into the water on one side of the ocean, it can create a tidal wave on the other side.” – Victor Webster
Likes:
I loved finding out that the main character of this story had bipolar disorder. I have BP-Type 2. So finding a character, a main character no less, who had this as well in a sci-fi novella made me really happy. I also like that the money spent on this book goes to charity.
*** SPOILER WARNING***
Dislikes:
There are many, many things I dislike about this book. It’s really unfortunate because I had really wanted to like this because I am a huge fan of time travel books. The amount of inconsistencies in this book just amazed and annoyed me and that started just halfway through the second chapter. Not only that, but there was little to no description for things that really needed it and whole paragraphs or more spent on just describing clothing or something else that hardly needed that much detail. For example we are TOLD she has BP-Type 2 but there is literally nothing that actually shows me that she does. We are just told she does and are expected to believe it. As someone who actually has BP-Type 2 I can tell you there’s no way I could believe it for even a second.
I have no idea what date this entire book is taking place in. There are no dates. I had to actually do a lot of research just to come up with a timeframe that this could be set in. And the clues given are hardly enough to go by. I have it narrowed down to sometime between 1990-2000 after she time travels. We are only given “Present Day” and “Eighteen Years Backwards”. There were a couple itty-bitty clues that I almost completely missed. Don’t take my word for it though; I actually have no damn idea when and where this is all happening whatsoever. I also got fed up with the lack of description in this book. What does she actually look like? What does her house, ANY OF THEM, look like? What do her friends and family look like? I didn’t even know her friend was “dark skinned” until half way through the book when it was mentioned even though we had already been introduced to this person many chapters before. So much time is spent using flowery words rather than spending that time on on the setting or the characters when that is what we really needed.
As for the flow of the story, it reminded me of being stuck in traffic in Pittsburgh during rush hour. You sit there for 5-10 minutes waiting for someone to move and finally someone does and you get to move maybe a few inches and it just makes you want to rip your hair out. I was bored, tired and very, very irritated. I could not connect with a single thing. And don’t get me started on all that crap about how she and her father went through “several” different medications before they found the right mix. In less than a year… I will tell you right now it takes much longer than that. I’m STILL trying to find the right combination of medications for mine and it’s been years. You have to be on one medication for at least three months as far as I’m aware just to see even the slightest change and they always start you out on the smallest dose and you work your way up to what the normal dosage would be so that your body gets used to it. And most of them make you feel sick as a dog or like a zombie from my experience and the experiences of friends and family who also have bipolar disorder. We see NOTHING of that struggle or her struggle with the disorder before taking medications.
I don’t want to get into a full-on rant about how poorly bipolar disorder is represented in this book. It really disappointed me and irritated me so much I had to put the book down more than once. Here I will list all the things that made absolutely no sense, which is why I added a spoiler warning in my review:
1. After she time travels back to right before she died we’re told it’s 11:48. They spend a LOT of time trying to calm her down to get her to listen then we’re told she’s going to die again at 11:52. There is a huge amount of dialogue and pauses to baby her between 11:48 and when she’s supposed to die again. There is NO WAY you can fit that much into only 4 minutes. It was like watching DBZ and the 5-minute fight takes 10 episodes to finish.
2. Somehow Greg is able to send her back to the exact moment in time she wishes to go to, apparently to the minute, without her having told him the date or time or anything. She just tells him to do it and shoves the watch at him. Sure she talks to him all the time and they seem more like close friends than doctor and patient but it doesn’t even mention her ever telling him that exact information.
3. Unless I missed it we are never actually told what kind of doctor she actually is. We’re just told she’s a doctor and that was that.
4. As mentioned before there are no dates and not enough description for the setting or the characters, making me unable to connect with anything going on.
5. There was a lot of stereotyping regarding the cliques at the school. “The Models”, “The Stoners”, and “The Smartasses” to name a few. And there’s no description to any of them except for her friends and there’s so little that, as I mentioned earlier, I hadn’t even realized that one of her friends was a POC until way later in the book.
6. She collapses because for some reason remembering things from her “past life” make her almost faint. No. It isn’t actually her past life. It’s still technically her current life she just traveled back in time to when she was 17. She has had no problems whatsoever remembering anything else about her life and even remembers all her medical knowledge to be able to ace her Biology class. Even though we were told some time before that that she can’t remember ANYTHING from where she is now to the day she had died. If that we’re actually the case she would not remember anything from her time in medical school. At all. And there’s no explanation for any of this. Again, its something we’re just told and expected to accept even though it makes no sense.
7. I had assumed the setting for “Eighteen Years Backwards” was somewhere around 1990-2000. Yet two years later when MC is in college she mentions there being Guitar Hero in the bar she goes to. Guitar Hero wasn’t released until 2005. The book also mentions the use of an IV bottle, not a bag, a bottle two years before. I asked around and did some research and those stopped being used around anytime between 1960-1990 from what I’ve been told and read online. There’s a huge gap there but that seems to be consistent with what everyone else has said. (I have a grandmother and great grandmother who have worked as nurses in hospitals and retirement homes all their lives as well as my mother who worked as an EMT for a few years. I believe they would know.) There was also mention of there being a Toni Braxton CD in the friends’ car. (She went solo in 1993.) And the MC went as Trinity from The Matrix to a party and the movie came out in 1999. This is all the information I had to try to get an accurate time frame. So really, my guess of this being set around 2000 is really only a guess. And probably not a very good one. But because we get no real information on anything I was left feeling very annoyed and confused.
Rating:
I would only rate this a 1 stars out of 5. The reason being that this book is boring, slow, does not properly represent a person suffering from bipolar disorder or, assuming she also suffers from it due to what happened to her, PTSD. She shows no actual signs of having either, there’s no description of her struggle with either disorder. As a book claiming to give an accurate depiction of a person suffering from such disorders this is extremely disappointing to me. It was the main reason I picked it up aside from it being about time travel. The writing is poor, in my opinion, as it focuses more on unneeded info dumps and flowery prose rather than what actually needed such attention. I didn’t find too many grammatical errors and some people may still find this readable but not me. If you can get past all the things I’ve listed that made me so irritated and just want something that would be a quick read to fill time you would probably be okay with it.
Who Would Like This:
I would only personally recommend this if you were looking for some kind of beach read. Light, not too involved and something you wouldn’t feel bad about pulling down and completely forgetting about. If you like the movie The Butterfly Effect you may or may not like this novella.
Favorite Quotes:
“Would I have done this if I had any other option but the grave?”
“Karma’s not a bitch. She’s a whore, acting like I've stolen her pimp.”
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
September 9, 2018
Summary:
Live as if you were to die tomorrow. Learn as if you were to live forever - Ghandi
Anaya is given the chance to re-make a decision she regrets, but she has no idea how her new choice will impact her, her friends, her family. Just at the point of death, she re-discovers what it means to live.
Main Characters:
Anaya: The protagonist, she travels back and chooses to go to school. What she doesn’t bargain for is the guilty feelings, as she sees how the lives of her friends pan out, and wonders should she tell/warn them? She changes her life in many ways - e.g. she now gets herself diagnosed early for bi-polar disorder, which helps her in her later life.
Gregory Augustine: We meet him at the start and the end of the novella, yet his presence is intertwined all the way through, as his is the gift allowing Anaya to “erase and rewind”. He has depths to him that he chooses not to reveal.
Minor Characters:
Anaya’s Friends: With Kait and Taye, she relives the full flush and power of her youth, but is torn by the fact of her being a thirty-five year old in a seventeen-year old body. The friends are really supportive, and as a group they are believable.
Her parents: We see them in both in “new” mode, and also as how Anaya remembers them. The same events happen to them, but Anaya’s choice now allows them to deal with the issues differently (at least, in Anaya's eyes - to them, this is their first time around!). They come across as loving, down-to-earth regular people, dealing with regular stuff.
Plot:
This is what is known as an erase-and-rewind novel, where the protagonist gets a second chance at life, to travel back to a certain point in time to make and take different choices.
Anaya is a 35-year old doctor, who really hates her job, and wonders at how she wasted so much of her life to end up so unfulfilled. We meet her doing her rounds in St. Jude’s Retirement Home (pretty apt for our heroine, as St Jude is the patron saint of lost causes!). She has a curious patient, Greg, a giant with purple eyes showing him to be an inheritor of “Alexandria’s Genesis (a story for another book), who gives her a watch as a souvenir of their time together. Literally just afterwards, she is killed by a lunatic driver.
Or is she?
The watch hands spin backwards, and Greg reveals himself as a time-traveller, giving a do-or-die option to Anaya to go back to one point in time where she would take a life-changing decision, and live her life forward again. Her only alternative being death, she chooses to go back to the day she decided to drop out of school, and we see her living a completely different life (she has flashbacks (flash-forwards??) of what she had done in her alternative, former life).
What I Liked:
- For a time-travel tale, things were kept relatively normal. No discussion around whether she should buy Microsoft stock, etc.
- The characters were very relatable, and I really engaged with the protagonist. She came across as honest, a loyal friend, and someone who really wanted to make the most of her second chance.
- At only 101 pages, it is a very quick read (took me about 40 minutes), but the author delivered an excellent story that really draws you in.
What I Didn’t Like:
- Definitely wish it had been longer, as I really enjoyed it.
- I would have liked more information on the curious purple-eyed Greg, but maybe that will come in future novellas.
Overall:
I would definitely recommend this, especially to a YA audience. I could see this as a class contemporary literature review assignment, as it is easy to absorb, a quick read that has a strong message, and would seed a great conversation. It is a cautionary tale, but not overly moralising or heavy-handed around getting the message across.
It is a well-worn premise, but the angle holds great promise for a series of novellas. I would have liked it to be longer, with more depth to the characters and more of the protagonists history (we only get glimpses), but looking forward to the next one.
Acknowledgements:
Thanks to the author and Melissa at Kate Tilton’s Author Services LLC for giving me a free .pdf in return for an honest and objective review.
Live as if you were to die tomorrow. Learn as if you were to live forever - Ghandi
Anaya is given the chance to re-make a decision she regrets, but she has no idea how her new choice will impact her, her friends, her family. Just at the point of death, she re-discovers what it means to live.
Main Characters:
Anaya: The protagonist, she travels back and chooses to go to school. What she doesn’t bargain for is the guilty feelings, as she sees how the lives of her friends pan out, and wonders should she tell/warn them? She changes her life in many ways - e.g. she now gets herself diagnosed early for bi-polar disorder, which helps her in her later life.
Gregory Augustine: We meet him at the start and the end of the novella, yet his presence is intertwined all the way through, as his is the gift allowing Anaya to “erase and rewind”. He has depths to him that he chooses not to reveal.
Minor Characters:
Anaya’s Friends: With Kait and Taye, she relives the full flush and power of her youth, but is torn by the fact of her being a thirty-five year old in a seventeen-year old body. The friends are really supportive, and as a group they are believable.
Her parents: We see them in both in “new” mode, and also as how Anaya remembers them. The same events happen to them, but Anaya’s choice now allows them to deal with the issues differently (at least, in Anaya's eyes - to them, this is their first time around!). They come across as loving, down-to-earth regular people, dealing with regular stuff.
Plot:
This is what is known as an erase-and-rewind novel, where the protagonist gets a second chance at life, to travel back to a certain point in time to make and take different choices.
Anaya is a 35-year old doctor, who really hates her job, and wonders at how she wasted so much of her life to end up so unfulfilled. We meet her doing her rounds in St. Jude’s Retirement Home (pretty apt for our heroine, as St Jude is the patron saint of lost causes!). She has a curious patient, Greg, a giant with purple eyes showing him to be an inheritor of “Alexandria’s Genesis (a story for another book), who gives her a watch as a souvenir of their time together. Literally just afterwards, she is killed by a lunatic driver.
Or is she?
The watch hands spin backwards, and Greg reveals himself as a time-traveller, giving a do-or-die option to Anaya to go back to one point in time where she would take a life-changing decision, and live her life forward again. Her only alternative being death, she chooses to go back to the day she decided to drop out of school, and we see her living a completely different life (she has flashbacks (flash-forwards??) of what she had done in her alternative, former life).
What I Liked:
- For a time-travel tale, things were kept relatively normal. No discussion around whether she should buy Microsoft stock, etc.
- The characters were very relatable, and I really engaged with the protagonist. She came across as honest, a loyal friend, and someone who really wanted to make the most of her second chance.
- At only 101 pages, it is a very quick read (took me about 40 minutes), but the author delivered an excellent story that really draws you in.
What I Didn’t Like:
- Definitely wish it had been longer, as I really enjoyed it.
- I would have liked more information on the curious purple-eyed Greg, but maybe that will come in future novellas.
Overall:
I would definitely recommend this, especially to a YA audience. I could see this as a class contemporary literature review assignment, as it is easy to absorb, a quick read that has a strong message, and would seed a great conversation. It is a cautionary tale, but not overly moralising or heavy-handed around getting the message across.
It is a well-worn premise, but the angle holds great promise for a series of novellas. I would have liked it to be longer, with more depth to the characters and more of the protagonists history (we only get glimpses), but looking forward to the next one.
Acknowledgements:
Thanks to the author and Melissa at Kate Tilton’s Author Services LLC for giving me a free .pdf in return for an honest and objective review.
June 17, 2022
Onlinebookclub.com gifted me with a free copy of the book in exchange for an honest review.
The Watchmaker's Doctor by G.M.T. Schuilling is a short novella that answers one of humanity's most compelling questions: what if you could go back in time and change the course of your life? Anaya, a thirty-five-year-old woman on the verge of death, finds herself presented with the opportunity to rewind her life and change something she regretted. She decides to go back to when she was seventeen and go to college, since that was one of the things she regretted the most. But life at seventeen, when you’re thirty-five, is not as easy as it seems: soon Anaya will see everything and everyone from a different perspective, and going through her teen years once again will signify a huge struggle for her. The novella ends with a cliffhanger that leaves the reader wondering what happened to the main character.
The novella was professionally written and edited; there were no errors whatsoever. I enjoyed this short story because it made me reflect on my own life and got me thinking about what I would do if I were in Anaya’s place. It’s not only an entertaining book, but also a read that will provoke the readers’ minds, allowing them to see beyond this story into their own lives. I wouldn’t define this book as merely pleasant; I think it is thought-provoking, which is one of the best qualities a book can have!
The only element I did not enjoy was not feeling part of the story and simply being a spectator; in order for me to love a book, I need to feel like I am one of the characters, and this time I wasn’t able to experience it. However, I can say that this novella is fast-paced and properly written. The short chapters are competently structured and follow Anaya between past and present moments, which gives the book an intriguing trait.
If you enjoy books that are thought-provoking and give you some food for thought, this is, without a doubt, the book for you! If you are looking for a quick read that will get you out of a reading slump, this novella is the perfect choice!
As previously stated, I liked this book and found it stimulating. Nevertheless, I won’t give it 4 out of 4 stars because it didn’t make me feel a part of the story. I must say I felt a little left out. Because of that, I will give it 3 out of 5 stars.
The Watchmaker's Doctor by G.M.T. Schuilling is a short novella that answers one of humanity's most compelling questions: what if you could go back in time and change the course of your life? Anaya, a thirty-five-year-old woman on the verge of death, finds herself presented with the opportunity to rewind her life and change something she regretted. She decides to go back to when she was seventeen and go to college, since that was one of the things she regretted the most. But life at seventeen, when you’re thirty-five, is not as easy as it seems: soon Anaya will see everything and everyone from a different perspective, and going through her teen years once again will signify a huge struggle for her. The novella ends with a cliffhanger that leaves the reader wondering what happened to the main character.
The novella was professionally written and edited; there were no errors whatsoever. I enjoyed this short story because it made me reflect on my own life and got me thinking about what I would do if I were in Anaya’s place. It’s not only an entertaining book, but also a read that will provoke the readers’ minds, allowing them to see beyond this story into their own lives. I wouldn’t define this book as merely pleasant; I think it is thought-provoking, which is one of the best qualities a book can have!
The only element I did not enjoy was not feeling part of the story and simply being a spectator; in order for me to love a book, I need to feel like I am one of the characters, and this time I wasn’t able to experience it. However, I can say that this novella is fast-paced and properly written. The short chapters are competently structured and follow Anaya between past and present moments, which gives the book an intriguing trait.
If you enjoy books that are thought-provoking and give you some food for thought, this is, without a doubt, the book for you! If you are looking for a quick read that will get you out of a reading slump, this novella is the perfect choice!
As previously stated, I liked this book and found it stimulating. Nevertheless, I won’t give it 4 out of 4 stars because it didn’t make me feel a part of the story. I must say I felt a little left out. Because of that, I will give it 3 out of 5 stars.
August 21, 2018
The Watchmakers Doctor succeeds as both a novel about time travel and a novel about regret, death, and life. In this way the time travel plot doesn’t feel tacked on as it often can, instead it feels like it thematically drives the plot.
The story is elegantly written, taking you instantly to the crunching leaves of an autumn day. This is possibly the best thing about the novel, that it has a unique ability to transport you into its pages. This opens up a discussion about our own transportive nature. In this way G. M. T. Schuilling understands what a time travel plot should be about.
Time travel must be symbolic in a plot, otherwise it feels unnecessary. Yet, in this, the time travel plotting creates a thematic interest and speaks volumes about the characters. Instead of it simply being about “a girl who travels in time” it’s all of a sudden about the time we ourselves have on this earth and what we choose to do or not do with it. It’s about life and death and regret.
The characters themselves also assist in driving this thematic poignancy home. Not only are they dimensioned and relatable, they’re believable.
I think the best way to integrate time travel to a book with a similar feel as this is simply to make it be a metaphor for regret. We’ve all done things that we wish we could go back in time and change, and this book understands this. It’ll feel like it’s talking to you and letting you know that changing for the better because of a bad mistake is better than scrambling into the past and trying to change it.
This is all assisted by the colourful, vivid writing of both setting and character, and the journey you’ll enjoy travelling with the characters themselves throughout time itself.
The story is elegantly written, taking you instantly to the crunching leaves of an autumn day. This is possibly the best thing about the novel, that it has a unique ability to transport you into its pages. This opens up a discussion about our own transportive nature. In this way G. M. T. Schuilling understands what a time travel plot should be about.
Time travel must be symbolic in a plot, otherwise it feels unnecessary. Yet, in this, the time travel plotting creates a thematic interest and speaks volumes about the characters. Instead of it simply being about “a girl who travels in time” it’s all of a sudden about the time we ourselves have on this earth and what we choose to do or not do with it. It’s about life and death and regret.
The characters themselves also assist in driving this thematic poignancy home. Not only are they dimensioned and relatable, they’re believable.
I think the best way to integrate time travel to a book with a similar feel as this is simply to make it be a metaphor for regret. We’ve all done things that we wish we could go back in time and change, and this book understands this. It’ll feel like it’s talking to you and letting you know that changing for the better because of a bad mistake is better than scrambling into the past and trying to change it.
This is all assisted by the colourful, vivid writing of both setting and character, and the journey you’ll enjoy travelling with the characters themselves throughout time itself.
May 18, 2018
Imagine you are at deaths door, and you are given a gift that could allow you to turn back the hands of time and jump back into an earlier point in your life. There is only one catch: that you change one thing in your life. Would you take that chance? The chance that your life could turn out much worse than it is now? We all have those moments where we wish a do-over, and the author of this book has cleverly taken that desire and woven it into a story that is intriguing in its premise. Anaya, a doctor is dying and one of her patients gifts her with a watch that can give her a chance at life again. Instead of dropping out of high school early, she chooses to attempt to change her life and do more than just drift away as she did the first time around. It was fairly evenly-paced for a novella and the writing style for this book at least gave me the impression that this was meant primarily for young adults, maybe a cautionary tale perhaps? All in all, this was an interesting read and you learned to care about Anaya and her family as they work through hard times towards a brighter future.
July 19, 2018
What would you do if you could foresee your death? Would you embrace it willingly or go back and change the path of your life? Do you have regrets that you would alter, if you had the option?
This is Anaya's story. She is a 35 year-old doctor who upon her death is given a chance to travel back in time and re-live her life. She chooses to travel back to her teenage years when she dropped out of college. She wants to make different choices from the ones she made first time around. She wants a second chance with her family especially her bipolar father and also the chance to prevent her friend's death.
But what is the impact of changing the course of your life? Is every consequence controllable and predictable?
This is an interesting and poignant read. Anaya is relate-able. I found myself examining her decisions and how each action had brought her to where she was.
The audio narrator is fantastic and her voice drew me easily into the story and held me there until the last word.
A wonderful and highly recommended listen.
This is Anaya's story. She is a 35 year-old doctor who upon her death is given a chance to travel back in time and re-live her life. She chooses to travel back to her teenage years when she dropped out of college. She wants to make different choices from the ones she made first time around. She wants a second chance with her family especially her bipolar father and also the chance to prevent her friend's death.
But what is the impact of changing the course of your life? Is every consequence controllable and predictable?
This is an interesting and poignant read. Anaya is relate-able. I found myself examining her decisions and how each action had brought her to where she was.
The audio narrator is fantastic and her voice drew me easily into the story and held me there until the last word.
A wonderful and highly recommended listen.
April 15, 2018
If you could go back in time and redo one thing in your life, what would it be?
I think I’m not the only one who at least had thought about that once in our life. There is always a moment, a minute you always want to come back to, but of course as we know, and especially me after reading a bunch of comics and stuff about time travel and its consequences, you really should think all of this twice, but the approach taken here is exquisite and so original, even now I’m still thrilled.
The main lesson here however, is to accept a simple fact, there will always be things you can change and others that you cannot change, you can avoid death one day, but there will always be things worse than death, our protagonist Anaya has come a long way for this, but the end of your story is the only thing you can control, read this book and start thinking, what are the things you can change for the best?
I think I’m not the only one who at least had thought about that once in our life. There is always a moment, a minute you always want to come back to, but of course as we know, and especially me after reading a bunch of comics and stuff about time travel and its consequences, you really should think all of this twice, but the approach taken here is exquisite and so original, even now I’m still thrilled.
The main lesson here however, is to accept a simple fact, there will always be things you can change and others that you cannot change, you can avoid death one day, but there will always be things worse than death, our protagonist Anaya has come a long way for this, but the end of your story is the only thing you can control, read this book and start thinking, what are the things you can change for the best?
May 21, 2018
What if you could go back in time and start over? Where would it begin?
Anaya was walking across the road when an out of control driver swerved towards her. Her body flew through the air landing in an unnatural heap on the ground. A long time friend then offers her his watch that will allow her to return to any point in her life that she would like to change. As the hands on the watch spin backwards, she finds herself return to the day she quit school. With the chance to do things differently, will she be successful or will this change things and make the future even worse than it was? We have all thought about the chance to go back in time and what we would change. This journey takes us down an incredible road through a rewritten past. A great storyline with developed characters and a gripping story that won't let you put the book down. I really enjoyed this one and suggest everyone try this journey.
Anaya was walking across the road when an out of control driver swerved towards her. Her body flew through the air landing in an unnatural heap on the ground. A long time friend then offers her his watch that will allow her to return to any point in her life that she would like to change. As the hands on the watch spin backwards, she finds herself return to the day she quit school. With the chance to do things differently, will she be successful or will this change things and make the future even worse than it was? We have all thought about the chance to go back in time and what we would change. This journey takes us down an incredible road through a rewritten past. A great storyline with developed characters and a gripping story that won't let you put the book down. I really enjoyed this one and suggest everyone try this journey.
June 2, 2018
I loooove time traveling books, they can be so thrilling, creative and thought-provoking. Of course, when the author is competent and knows how to make it interesting. I am so glad this book is like that.
While many time traveling stories are focused just on that aspect and the character is merely a vessel that travels in time and space and has wacky adventures, this is more deep. There is no Nazis, killing Hitler or traveling in the time of dinosaurs. It is a human, relatable story about a woman who wants to make it right this time, but that is not so easy as she, or any of us for that matter, think. I mean, who hasn’t thought that, if we could just travel back and do things differently, our life would be a fairy tale? I can think of a few moments I would like to go back just from the top of my head, and there are certainly many more. This book shows in a creative and interesting way why that isn’t always such a good idea. I loved it, writing is excellent, main character Anaya is very well rounded and the plot is superb. Loved it.
While many time traveling stories are focused just on that aspect and the character is merely a vessel that travels in time and space and has wacky adventures, this is more deep. There is no Nazis, killing Hitler or traveling in the time of dinosaurs. It is a human, relatable story about a woman who wants to make it right this time, but that is not so easy as she, or any of us for that matter, think. I mean, who hasn’t thought that, if we could just travel back and do things differently, our life would be a fairy tale? I can think of a few moments I would like to go back just from the top of my head, and there are certainly many more. This book shows in a creative and interesting way why that isn’t always such a good idea. I loved it, writing is excellent, main character Anaya is very well rounded and the plot is superb. Loved it.
May 14, 2018
The Watchmaker’s Doctor is a novel by G.M.T. Schuilling that tells the tale of a young doctor who is caring for an older man at a retirement center. This man knows a massive secret about his doctor’s life, that she is about to die, and as a former watchmaker, works to create a clock that can work to turn back time before this horrible event occurs. However, the catch is that she must turn the clock back to a specific time in her life and redo something that she regretted doing.
This novel is a unique and creative tale that will have you on the edge of your seat. Schuilling’s writing style is captivating which helps to make the story even more interesting. At 101 pages, it’s not necessarily that long of a read, so it’s perfect for those looking for a good book that isn’t too time-consuming. If you enjoy stories about time traveling or science fiction, you should definitely check this book out.
This novel is a unique and creative tale that will have you on the edge of your seat. Schuilling’s writing style is captivating which helps to make the story even more interesting. At 101 pages, it’s not necessarily that long of a read, so it’s perfect for those looking for a good book that isn’t too time-consuming. If you enjoy stories about time traveling or science fiction, you should definitely check this book out.
June 21, 2018
We all wonder at some point what might have been....
The Watchmakers Doctor (Erase and Rewind Book 1) by G.M.T. Schuilling is a a very quick read. But it’s packed full of thought provoking experiences. We all wonder what might have been if we had done things differently or even just one thing differently. Anaya is 35 years old and tending to a retired watchmaker at an aged care facility. Knowing that she will die tragically that day he gifts her a beautifully crafted watch which would allow her to go back in time and basically redo one thing differently, or for that day. Anaya decides that her biggest regret was dropping out of school at 17. She soon discovers that even just changing one thing pretty much changes everything. Sometimes that one choice could have actually made our lives worse rather than better. I’m actually very excited to read more of this series. It was a really quick read but it left me wanting more.
The Watchmakers Doctor (Erase and Rewind Book 1) by G.M.T. Schuilling is a a very quick read. But it’s packed full of thought provoking experiences. We all wonder what might have been if we had done things differently or even just one thing differently. Anaya is 35 years old and tending to a retired watchmaker at an aged care facility. Knowing that she will die tragically that day he gifts her a beautifully crafted watch which would allow her to go back in time and basically redo one thing differently, or for that day. Anaya decides that her biggest regret was dropping out of school at 17. She soon discovers that even just changing one thing pretty much changes everything. Sometimes that one choice could have actually made our lives worse rather than better. I’m actually very excited to read more of this series. It was a really quick read but it left me wanting more.
April 22, 2018
Thought-provoking – Story
Well the idea is not unique of travel back in times, but the way this book brings it up is surely different and a likable path to travel back in times. The idea of an opportunity to changes back one thing in your past that you regret, is surely good, but the warning and the realization or outcomes of that one decision is the real highlight. Anya Jones a doctor takes that journey of traveling back and changing her decision to drop out of school and surprising the outcome was different than what is expected. Well, it’s easy to say or think that your choices, decides your course of life, but difficult to predict what would have changed, if you would have made a different choice.
Well the idea is not unique of travel back in times, but the way this book brings it up is surely different and a likable path to travel back in times. The idea of an opportunity to changes back one thing in your past that you regret, is surely good, but the warning and the realization or outcomes of that one decision is the real highlight. Anya Jones a doctor takes that journey of traveling back and changing her decision to drop out of school and surprising the outcome was different than what is expected. Well, it’s easy to say or think that your choices, decides your course of life, but difficult to predict what would have changed, if you would have made a different choice.
May 8, 2018
I LOVED the plot of this story. It does beg the question...if you could have gone back and changed one thing in your life, what would it have been? So the story unfolds with doctor Anaya whose patient givers her a watch - a time-travel device if you will. She is to die that day, but he gifts her the option of changing one thing about her past that she truly regrets- or perish without changing anything. But is changing the past really beneficial to us? This story was not only well-written and told beautifully, it lead to self-reflection of my choices and what I regret and would have changed. Sometimes what we think is best may not always be the best - but that is all part of the story. This book was excellent. I thoroughly enjoyed it and I highly recommend.
May 12, 2018
I enjoyed this thought-provoking journey into a young woman’s past. The story was quite short, however; while the content was entertaining, there wasn't as much action as I thought there would be. It felt like at the end, the story had only just begun. It was interesting to see how the choices we make affect our lives and those of others. Yet, we cannot avoid destiny – those who are destined to die cannot be saved. I like the way the protagonist’s vulnerability is portrayed. A victim of bipolar disorder, she has her moments, but she also feels for those around her. Upon being given a chance to relive her life up until her date of death, Anaya learned much and helped others along the way. This made the story a heartwarming one as well as an interesting look at what makes us human. (I received a free copy of this book through a contest.)
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