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Timeless #1
Timeless
When tragedy strikes Michele Windsor's family, she is forced to move from Los Angeles to New York City to live with the wealthy, aristocratic grandparents she has never met. In their historic Fifth Avenue mansion, filled with a century's worth of family secrets, Michele discovers the biggest family secret of all - an ancestor's diary that, amazingly, has the power to send her back in time to 1910, the year it was written. There, at a glamorous high-society masquerade ball, Michele meets the young man with striking blue eyes who has haunted her dreams all her life. And she finds herself falling for him, and into an otherworldly romance.
Soon Michele is leading a double life, struggling to balance her contemporary high school world with her escapes into the past. But when she stumbles upon a terrible discovery, she is propelled on a race through history to save the boy she loves - and to complete a quest that will determine their fate.
Soon Michele is leading a double life, struggling to balance her contemporary high school world with her escapes into the past. But when she stumbles upon a terrible discovery, she is propelled on a race through history to save the boy she loves - and to complete a quest that will determine their fate.
280 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 2011
164 people are currently reading
19258 people want to read
About the author
Alexandra Monir
10 books1,685 followersAlexandra Monir, Iranian-American author and recording artist, has published seven popular young adult novels to date, beginning with her internationally-bestselling debut, TIMELESS (a Barnes & Noble Bestseller and an Amazon.com “Best Book of the Month”). She published the hit sci-fi novel THE FINAL SIX with HarperCollins in 2018, with Sony Pictures optioning the film rights in a major pre-empt deal. A sequel, THE LIFE BELOW, followed in 2020 and the series has been published in numerous countries and languages.
Alexandra was recently selected to write the first-ever YA novel about DC Comics superhero Black Canary, joining global bestsellers Leigh Bardugo, Marie Lu, Sarah J. Maas and Matt de la Peña as the fifth author writing for the New York Times-bestselling DC Icons series, published by Penguin Random House. BLACK CANARY: BREAKING SILENCE was released on December 29th, 2020 to rave reviews from critics and comic book fans alike, and a new paperback edition arrives in December 2021. Alexandra was also selected by Disney to write a historical fantasy YA novel about Princess Jasmine, which will publish in Fall 2022 as the third book in The Queen's Council series.
Alexandra is additionally a screenwriter, recording artist and composer, with both screenplay and musical adaptations of her own work in development. Her musical roots run deep, as she is the granddaughter of the late Monir Vakili, Iran’s foremost opera singer. She is a frequent public speaker at book festivals and literary conferences, fan conventions and schools. Alexandra currently lives in Los Angeles with her husband, toddler son, and one fluffy Shih Tzu, where she is at work on her next novel.
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AUTHOR LINKS:
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/AlexandraMon...
Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/TimelessAlex
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/AlexandraMonir
Alexandra was recently selected to write the first-ever YA novel about DC Comics superhero Black Canary, joining global bestsellers Leigh Bardugo, Marie Lu, Sarah J. Maas and Matt de la Peña as the fifth author writing for the New York Times-bestselling DC Icons series, published by Penguin Random House. BLACK CANARY: BREAKING SILENCE was released on December 29th, 2020 to rave reviews from critics and comic book fans alike, and a new paperback edition arrives in December 2021. Alexandra was also selected by Disney to write a historical fantasy YA novel about Princess Jasmine, which will publish in Fall 2022 as the third book in The Queen's Council series.
Alexandra is additionally a screenwriter, recording artist and composer, with both screenplay and musical adaptations of her own work in development. Her musical roots run deep, as she is the granddaughter of the late Monir Vakili, Iran’s foremost opera singer. She is a frequent public speaker at book festivals and literary conferences, fan conventions and schools. Alexandra currently lives in Los Angeles with her husband, toddler son, and one fluffy Shih Tzu, where she is at work on her next novel.
---
AUTHOR LINKS:
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/AlexandraMon...
Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/TimelessAlex
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/AlexandraMonir
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 1,250 reviews
December 24, 2013
There is nothing to this book except a staggering amount of teenaged infatuation. And it truly is infatuation, not love.
It is infatuation when you fall in love with someone's blue eyes after dreaming of him.
It is infatuation when your heart breaks when thinking of him when you've only met him once.
It is infatuation when you feel like you can't live your life without him after meeting him twice.
It is infatuation when you ignore your own future for his past.
It is infatuation when you ignore a perfectly nice young man who wish to date you in the present for a ghost of a character you barely know.
It may feel like love, but I know what love feels like, I know what heartbreak is, and it is more than the crush of a silly teenager. Let's not disgrace the name of romance by slapping that label on this book.
I understand we were all teenagers once, but let's not fool ourselves by saying we know what love means at such an impressionable young age. Let's not pretend we know the depths of our heart when we experience the first twinges of a crush. And rest assured, the romance in this book is nothing but a crush. If what passes in this book is in fact love, as the book tries to convince us, then it has utterly failed at the act of persuasion.
Some books are just a waste of my time. I'm not even talking about outrageously bad books. At least that shit makes me think about the hows and the whys that made them veer towards the path of NOPE; at least they make me feel something. Even anger is an improvement over mindless boredom, however much I hate bad books.
This book is YA literature at its most juvenile. I could provide a detailed analysis of this book, but it would be a waste of my time and effort, because there is absolutely nothing that stands out from this book for the better, and the rest of the book passed me by in a monochromatic blur of mind-boggling blandness. If I could sum this book up in one word, it would be "bland." I can't even get angry at anything in this book because it evoked no other emotions within me more than the persistent and constant act of rolling of the eyes throughout my reading progress.
The plot: nonexistent. A girl who is supposed to be mourning the death of her beloved mother thinks less of said mother than of her dreamy fucking lover of the past. She is also incapable of perceiving the fact that she might change the past by interacting with it except for one lone moment in time, which she then pretty much disregards.
School? What school?
Curfew? Fuck that.
Friends? Only useful to cover up the mysterious lapses of time in which she disappears to kiss and sigh with dreamy turn-of-the-century boy.
Mourning grandparents who want to do right by her? IGNORE. They be crampin' her early 20th century style, yo.
The plot device: dubious pseudo-science that evokes a vague idea of "Einstein" and leaves the explanation of time-travel to a stupid, meaningless device known as a deus ex machina without reason or due process because the heroine seems to be able to conveniently travel to whatever time happens to best suit her needs.
The characters: inconsistent, foolish. The main character, Michele, is a silly brainless girl who thinks of nothing beyond the sapphire blue eyes of her lover of the past, and really, fuck anyone who gets in her way.
The romance: gag-inducing insta-love. Teenaged romance at its worst, the simple first flush of overwhelming infatuation and nothing more. Michele feels as if she might die for need, for want of a guy she barely knows, to whom she has barely spoken. He feels the same way after seeing her for the first time. Michele contemplates with despair a lifetime without him after a few encounters.
It is infatuation when you fall in love with someone's blue eyes after dreaming of him.
It is infatuation when your heart breaks when thinking of him when you've only met him once.
It is infatuation when you feel like you can't live your life without him after meeting him twice.
It is infatuation when you ignore your own future for his past.
It is infatuation when you ignore a perfectly nice young man who wish to date you in the present for a ghost of a character you barely know.
It may feel like love, but I know what love feels like, I know what heartbreak is, and it is more than the crush of a silly teenager. Let's not disgrace the name of romance by slapping that label on this book.
I understand we were all teenagers once, but let's not fool ourselves by saying we know what love means at such an impressionable young age. Let's not pretend we know the depths of our heart when we experience the first twinges of a crush. And rest assured, the romance in this book is nothing but a crush. If what passes in this book is in fact love, as the book tries to convince us, then it has utterly failed at the act of persuasion.
Some books are just a waste of my time. I'm not even talking about outrageously bad books. At least that shit makes me think about the hows and the whys that made them veer towards the path of NOPE; at least they make me feel something. Even anger is an improvement over mindless boredom, however much I hate bad books.
This book is YA literature at its most juvenile. I could provide a detailed analysis of this book, but it would be a waste of my time and effort, because there is absolutely nothing that stands out from this book for the better, and the rest of the book passed me by in a monochromatic blur of mind-boggling blandness. If I could sum this book up in one word, it would be "bland." I can't even get angry at anything in this book because it evoked no other emotions within me more than the persistent and constant act of rolling of the eyes throughout my reading progress.
The plot: nonexistent. A girl who is supposed to be mourning the death of her beloved mother thinks less of said mother than of her dreamy fucking lover of the past. She is also incapable of perceiving the fact that she might change the past by interacting with it except for one lone moment in time, which she then pretty much disregards.
School? What school?
Curfew? Fuck that.
Friends? Only useful to cover up the mysterious lapses of time in which she disappears to kiss and sigh with dreamy turn-of-the-century boy.
Mourning grandparents who want to do right by her? IGNORE. They be crampin' her early 20th century style, yo.
The plot device: dubious pseudo-science that evokes a vague idea of "Einstein" and leaves the explanation of time-travel to a stupid, meaningless device known as a deus ex machina without reason or due process because the heroine seems to be able to conveniently travel to whatever time happens to best suit her needs.
The characters: inconsistent, foolish. The main character, Michele, is a silly brainless girl who thinks of nothing beyond the sapphire blue eyes of her lover of the past, and really, fuck anyone who gets in her way.
The romance: gag-inducing insta-love. Teenaged romance at its worst, the simple first flush of overwhelming infatuation and nothing more. Michele feels as if she might die for need, for want of a guy she barely knows, to whom she has barely spoken. He feels the same way after seeing her for the first time. Michele contemplates with despair a lifetime without him after a few encounters.
...how was she ever going to get through the days, months, and years ahead without him? Their love had saved her after her mom died. What was going to save her now? And now that she had found the kind of real, true love that everyone dreamed about but hardly dared to hope for, how could she ever even contemplate being with someone else? I can’t, Michele thought. There’s no one else I can marry, or even date. Philip was the one. And now I’m condemned to a lifetime of missing him.If you want a time-traveling romance with a little depth, stick to Outlander. Yeah, it's fucking long, but the romance might actually make you feel something. Anything.
April 13, 2013
I am surprised how many great reviews this book has. I've decided to read it because the plotline seemed thrilling and I am sucker for a romance, but I am also a picky reader and I demand some quality from the author. I've seen all the great reviews exclaiming how spectacular the book is. And I have to say that for me, reading it was literally painful. I feel that this book had such a potential, the story was beautifully layered but all that was very badly delivered.
If you click on "more", there are gonna be spoilers. That is so much I didn't like about this book. The most that annoyed me were shallow characters I couldn't make myself care about and their illogical actions and thinking. And, sometimes, the lack of continuity. (this is taken from my blog)
The beginning was okay and the first few lines really intrigued me. The author was observant and it the story was just a mystery that made you keep reading. You know, a girl having dreams of mysterious stranger for several years, living with a single yet cool parent, high school problems, yadda yadda. It’s true that I didn’t believe that nobody noticed her surname was the same as one of the most popular families in America. Hey, people tend to notice if they learn about your grandparents in a history class. So I didn’t believe that she led a quiet life, with everybody oblivious to who she really was.
Then her mom dies. And from then on it felt like being in a soap opera. The scene where the officer tells her that her mom died in a car accident? “Your mom died.” “No!” “Sorry.” “That’s not true!” “Yes it is.” “But she’s coming.” “No she’s not.” “Okay.” It lacked emotions. I mean, her only parent died. Someone, who's been not only her mother but also her best friend.
One thing that annoyed me was the overuse of exclamation marks. I felt like reading an english student’s book. I’d rather read about how the heroine felt than make it out from the cheerfulness of her sentence.
Another thing that I couldn’t swallow was the heroine’s mood swings. I think that the worst thing that can happen is a pliant, non-believable heroine. For example, Michele had a mission to warn Phillip not to kill himself. But when she hopped in time, she was suddently so occupied with the beauty of 1920's New York and spent time with her great-great-grandmother or who was she and she had a good time, like she completely forgot what she was there for. Yes, I would be astonished to see New York 90 years ago, but I think my mind would be more on "oh my God, my true love is going to kill himself, why am I wasting my precious time in the past?" She was suspicious with her grandparents and in the next moment, she let it all fall. What? Why?
Another thing that annoyed me was how rushed the romance felt. Yeah, I know what love at first sight means, but really. She saw him, he saw her and 50 pages later, they confessed their love for each other. Seriously? I know that she’s been dreaming about him she doesn’t actually know him. She spent a few hours with him and she already loves him? I just didn't buy it.
And the guy, Phillip. He saw her as a 15 year old just materialize before him and he was like “OMG what’s your name?!” Yes, very believable for a guy that lives in 1907 and tries to scream “Witchcraft!” at the mention of a computer. He’s oblivious to what she’s doing here, apparently he is so enthralled with her he doesn’t wonder what is a strange girl with strange clothes doing in his house, but okay.
And the lack of continuity. Michele got dressed in formal and went to 1910 so as not to scare the people in 1910 with her modern dress (so we forgot no one could actually see her except Clare, but well). And she got back at like… 4:30am and when her grandparents asked her where she was, she told them she’s been studying with her schoolmates and they bought it. Okay, so no one noticed her standing there dressed in formalwear? Was I the only one who found it strange?
Characters acted so out of their characters sometimes. I didn’t have the time to care for Michele and neither for Phillip because at the end of the book, I didn’t really know them. The author was too focused on describing the situation to give their characters life or a spirit. Who were her grandparents? Were they strict? Loving? Did they care? Were they hiding something? Did they know about her father? For most of the time I was just confused how the people really felt, who they really were.
They say she struggles to live her high school life and her life in the past. I didn’t see any struggle in high school. I thought that there would be some kind of a twist in a story, something happening. I thought maybe those snotty girls who grabbed her at the beginning were going to do something. That Ben kid, who asked her to a prom. She just replied “I’m spoken for.” and that was the end of the story. The author introduced us to the characters that got literally NO development and felt useless in the story. What was all that Caissie and Aaron hint of a romance for? It felt like something to write just to fill the blank pages. Nothing happened in high school.
Some of the so-called “surprises” didn’t really surprise me at all. I knew Henry Irving and Irving Henry were the same person like… 50 pages before she wrote “I know who he is. He is my father!” I hardly suppressed the need to roll my eyes and impatiently grunt “You don’t say.” Some of the twists were beautiful and they could be delivered really spectacularly, like the Phillip Walker/Phoenix Warren/Michele composition thing and how the story clicked in places, but it was written so bad and the characters were so unrealistic that I just couldn’t stomach it.
If you click on "more", there are gonna be spoilers. That is so much I didn't like about this book. The most that annoyed me were shallow characters I couldn't make myself care about and their illogical actions and thinking. And, sometimes, the lack of continuity. (this is taken from my blog)
The beginning was okay and the first few lines really intrigued me. The author was observant and it the story was just a mystery that made you keep reading. You know, a girl having dreams of mysterious stranger for several years, living with a single yet cool parent, high school problems, yadda yadda. It’s true that I didn’t believe that nobody noticed her surname was the same as one of the most popular families in America. Hey, people tend to notice if they learn about your grandparents in a history class. So I didn’t believe that she led a quiet life, with everybody oblivious to who she really was.
Then her mom dies. And from then on it felt like being in a soap opera. The scene where the officer tells her that her mom died in a car accident? “Your mom died.” “No!” “Sorry.” “That’s not true!” “Yes it is.” “But she’s coming.” “No she’s not.” “Okay.” It lacked emotions. I mean, her only parent died. Someone, who's been not only her mother but also her best friend.
One thing that annoyed me was the overuse of exclamation marks. I felt like reading an english student’s book. I’d rather read about how the heroine felt than make it out from the cheerfulness of her sentence.
Another thing that I couldn’t swallow was the heroine’s mood swings. I think that the worst thing that can happen is a pliant, non-believable heroine. For example, Michele had a mission to warn Phillip not to kill himself. But when she hopped in time, she was suddently so occupied with the beauty of 1920's New York and spent time with her great-great-grandmother or who was she and she had a good time, like she completely forgot what she was there for. Yes, I would be astonished to see New York 90 years ago, but I think my mind would be more on "oh my God, my true love is going to kill himself, why am I wasting my precious time in the past?" She was suspicious with her grandparents and in the next moment, she let it all fall. What? Why?
Another thing that annoyed me was how rushed the romance felt. Yeah, I know what love at first sight means, but really. She saw him, he saw her and 50 pages later, they confessed their love for each other. Seriously? I know that she’s been dreaming about him she doesn’t actually know him. She spent a few hours with him and she already loves him? I just didn't buy it.
And the guy, Phillip. He saw her as a 15 year old just materialize before him and he was like “OMG what’s your name?!” Yes, very believable for a guy that lives in 1907 and tries to scream “Witchcraft!” at the mention of a computer. He’s oblivious to what she’s doing here, apparently he is so enthralled with her he doesn’t wonder what is a strange girl with strange clothes doing in his house, but okay.
And the lack of continuity. Michele got dressed in formal and went to 1910 so as not to scare the people in 1910 with her modern dress (so we forgot no one could actually see her except Clare, but well). And she got back at like… 4:30am and when her grandparents asked her where she was, she told them she’s been studying with her schoolmates and they bought it. Okay, so no one noticed her standing there dressed in formalwear? Was I the only one who found it strange?
Characters acted so out of their characters sometimes. I didn’t have the time to care for Michele and neither for Phillip because at the end of the book, I didn’t really know them. The author was too focused on describing the situation to give their characters life or a spirit. Who were her grandparents? Were they strict? Loving? Did they care? Were they hiding something? Did they know about her father? For most of the time I was just confused how the people really felt, who they really were.
They say she struggles to live her high school life and her life in the past. I didn’t see any struggle in high school. I thought that there would be some kind of a twist in a story, something happening. I thought maybe those snotty girls who grabbed her at the beginning were going to do something. That Ben kid, who asked her to a prom. She just replied “I’m spoken for.” and that was the end of the story. The author introduced us to the characters that got literally NO development and felt useless in the story. What was all that Caissie and Aaron hint of a romance for? It felt like something to write just to fill the blank pages. Nothing happened in high school.
Some of the so-called “surprises” didn’t really surprise me at all. I knew Henry Irving and Irving Henry were the same person like… 50 pages before she wrote “I know who he is. He is my father!” I hardly suppressed the need to roll my eyes and impatiently grunt “You don’t say.” Some of the twists were beautiful and they could be delivered really spectacularly, like the Phillip Walker/Phoenix Warren/Michele composition thing and how the story clicked in places, but it was written so bad and the characters were so unrealistic that I just couldn’t stomach it.
March 20, 2015
First impression: I've heard about loving a book from the very first page, but I've never felt this way before. Not until now...
Later Edit:
If that was not clear enough then YES, I loved this book.
This was 'love at first page' and now my heart is broken because I want so badly to know what happens next. I'm holding my breath for the sequel and it's gonna take a lot of waiting until the next one comes out.
Back to the book:
The story starts with a dream, a beautiful dream that defines the whole story. It's bitter-sweet, and romantic, and full of mystery, and I felt compelled by it, so I just knew that I will love this book with all my heart... and it was even better than I had expected.
It was fantastic, a charming love story that has no limits, a time-travel story with so many twists.
There was nothing thrown in there for no reason, every single scene had a meaning, every single act had a consequence... It was mind blowing.
This time I won't say too much about the plot, because I can't seem to find a way to say it without major spoilers and I won't be able to put in a few words all the beauty of this story, but to keep it short this is a story about a girl that finds a way to travel through time not only to find true love in between the layers of time but also to help her ancestors find their way... A girl that would give anything for the people she loves to be happy, a girl that is destined not to change the course of things but to create it.
Meet Michele:
“Phoenix Warren,” Michele said with a small smile. “My mom named me after his composition 'Michele'. That’s why my name is spelled with only one L.”
“Really? I love that piece. It’s so beautiful".
So yes, this is a great love story beautifully written, with strong characters that I got to love... a story so full of surprises and twists that in the end just made me want more, so much more...
2012, please come faster :) And please Alexandra M. if you can possibly listen to my plead, just make justice to this story and make the sequel at least as good as this first book..
_ _
Note: Some people say that some things were not realistic... Well, it's fiction people, what did you expect? You should just take it as it is and enjoy it. In every time travel book there are things that seem forced or unrealistic... Some things are explained by science, some by magic elements, and some are just left to hang there, with no good explanation (and maybe we will have our answers in the next book of course)
Yes, it's true, even the dreams seemed to make things easier sometimes, but who cares, with a story as beautiful as this I just believe in whatever I have to believe and enjoy the story without questioning too much.
This review can be found at ReadingAfterMidnight.com
____________________________________________
Blog (EN) | Facebook | Twitter | Tumblr | Bloglovin' | Blog (RO)
____________________________________________
Later Edit:
If that was not clear enough then YES, I loved this book.
This was 'love at first page' and now my heart is broken because I want so badly to know what happens next. I'm holding my breath for the sequel and it's gonna take a lot of waiting until the next one comes out.
Back to the book:
The story starts with a dream, a beautiful dream that defines the whole story. It's bitter-sweet, and romantic, and full of mystery, and I felt compelled by it, so I just knew that I will love this book with all my heart... and it was even better than I had expected.
It was fantastic, a charming love story that has no limits, a time-travel story with so many twists.
There was nothing thrown in there for no reason, every single scene had a meaning, every single act had a consequence... It was mind blowing.
This time I won't say too much about the plot, because I can't seem to find a way to say it without major spoilers and I won't be able to put in a few words all the beauty of this story, but to keep it short this is a story about a girl that finds a way to travel through time not only to find true love in between the layers of time but also to help her ancestors find their way... A girl that would give anything for the people she loves to be happy, a girl that is destined not to change the course of things but to create it.
Meet Michele:
“Phoenix Warren,” Michele said with a small smile. “My mom named me after his composition 'Michele'. That’s why my name is spelled with only one L.”
“Really? I love that piece. It’s so beautiful".
So yes, this is a great love story beautifully written, with strong characters that I got to love... a story so full of surprises and twists that in the end just made me want more, so much more...
2012, please come faster :) And please Alexandra M. if you can possibly listen to my plead, just make justice to this story and make the sequel at least as good as this first book..
_ _
Note: Some people say that some things were not realistic... Well, it's fiction people, what did you expect? You should just take it as it is and enjoy it. In every time travel book there are things that seem forced or unrealistic... Some things are explained by science, some by magic elements, and some are just left to hang there, with no good explanation (and maybe we will have our answers in the next book of course)
Yes, it's true, even the dreams seemed to make things easier sometimes, but who cares, with a story as beautiful as this I just believe in whatever I have to believe and enjoy the story without questioning too much.
This review can be found at ReadingAfterMidnight.com
____________________________________________
Blog (EN) | Facebook | Twitter | Tumblr | Bloglovin' | Blog (RO)
____________________________________________
November 21, 2023
Expect my full review once I’m done with the duology!
But all I gotta say is. WOW, just WOW.
Not only is the plot very fast-paced, but the way you completely devour it is insane. I swear not a single chapter passed by without me being entertained.
The characters are absolutely formidable, overall strong female characters so that’s like, a total green flag. I’m super picky when it comes to main characters, but I truly loved her. She’s amazing, and unlike some other MC’s, she genuinely cares for other people and doesn’t whine every 10 seconds. Gosh I love her.
And hear me out, I’m not a romance type of person, BUT THIS ONE WAS SUPER SWEET. I AM IN THE VERGE OF TEARS BECAUSE I WANT TO FINISH WRITING THIS REVIEW JUST SO I CAN START THE SEQUEL ALREADY. I AM ROOTING FOR THEM SO MUCH.
OVERALL A REALLY GOOD AND ENTERTAINING READ EVEN IF IT TOOK ME DAYS BECAUSE OF MY READING SLUMP. I suggest giving it a try if you’re into time travel and fantasy :)! It’s not a complex plot so don’t expect something extremely detailed, but it’s… wow, just wow.
But all I gotta say is. WOW, just WOW.
Not only is the plot very fast-paced, but the way you completely devour it is insane. I swear not a single chapter passed by without me being entertained.
The characters are absolutely formidable, overall strong female characters so that’s like, a total green flag. I’m super picky when it comes to main characters, but I truly loved her. She’s amazing, and unlike some other MC’s, she genuinely cares for other people and doesn’t whine every 10 seconds. Gosh I love her.
And hear me out, I’m not a romance type of person, BUT THIS ONE WAS SUPER SWEET. I AM IN THE VERGE OF TEARS BECAUSE I WANT TO FINISH WRITING THIS REVIEW JUST SO I CAN START THE SEQUEL ALREADY. I AM ROOTING FOR THEM SO MUCH.
OVERALL A REALLY GOOD AND ENTERTAINING READ EVEN IF IT TOOK ME DAYS BECAUSE OF MY READING SLUMP. I suggest giving it a try if you’re into time travel and fantasy :)! It’s not a complex plot so don’t expect something extremely detailed, but it’s… wow, just wow.
March 10, 2013
Posted a review on my blog
Read
January 25, 2016Alexandra has a gift for description. I love all of the research and history found in this book. "Bee-stung pout" is an excellent phrase that made me giggle. I also think we have similar tastes in men since her romantic hero looks a lot like Ren. It's double the fun reading a book you like when you've met the author. I really like time travel stories and thought it was really cool how Michele got her name. Also the fact that the author is multi-talented and writes her own music and lyrics is amazing. Looking forward to more in this series.
I was asked to blurb this book. Here is my official blurb.
Alexandra Monir’s gift for description has wrought me a gift—a novel reminiscent of Somewhere in Time. I pined for the wandering hero, got lost amidst the New York glitter and opulence, and impatiently read on hoping the lost lovers would reunite. TIMELESS is a haunting, mysterious dream of an era gone by. A book you don’t want to miss.
I was asked to blurb this book. Here is my official blurb.
Alexandra Monir’s gift for description has wrought me a gift—a novel reminiscent of Somewhere in Time. I pined for the wandering hero, got lost amidst the New York glitter and opulence, and impatiently read on hoping the lost lovers would reunite. TIMELESS is a haunting, mysterious dream of an era gone by. A book you don’t want to miss.
July 17, 2011
Alright, let me tell you something, this book was simply amazing, and here are my reasons why:
For one, it literally left me with something I like to call a complete brain rape. What's a brain rape, you ask? It's a book that, at night, left me so totally shocked that I literally lay awake for an extra hour after finishing going what the hell just happened? This book was so intertwined with every single bit of information that Monir ever introduced to us (like her name! Come on don't tell me that't not cute). It does what few have done to me lately: it made me THINK. I had to look back at all of the moments that were so touching and personal, and realize that she had all of this planned from the start, and I didn't even realize it! Most books you know what's going to happen chapters before the idiotic protagonists do, but this book let me on to it so slowly, secretly, and carefully, that things I totally discounted in the first couple of chapters had such a great significance that I was teary-eyed by the end of the novel. It almost reminded me of a mix of Time Traveller's Wife and an old classic Great Expectations with all of the conjoined bits and pieces. All of the clues and info that she gave us had a specific purpose, and I just loved it.
And the love story here, I mean, come on! If you didn't love these two together then you're crazy. It was so pure, and simple, and just easy . I slid right into their relationship together as quickly as they did, and it never felt unnatural like Patch and Nora in Hush, Hush where the only "relationship" that they seem to have is making out and then arguing about them making out. I loved the whole composer-lyricist angle. To some that might seem cheesy, but to me it felt perfect, like they were the actual piece to the other's puzzle, and as cliche as that sounds, Monir makes it work splendidly. And then when Michele figures out that Phillip supposedly dies, I felt anguish just as she did. It was so incredibly heartbreaking and emotional, and when she made her decision I was so torn (which is exactly what I want when I read a novel) I wanted them to be together, but I didn't want anything to happen to Phillip! And like I said earlier, how she ties everything in, to Phoenix, to her name, even to her running into him three years earlier ( I went ohhhh that's why he said that at the ball! ). And the ending! It just came out of nowhere, and I'll talk about it farther down in my review so I can get my total geek out hahah.
What I also just adored was her writing and her amazing imagery. Describing New York and its streets with clopping horses and flickering glass lamps so I felt like I was standing in the middle of old New York which I'm sure was just as stunning as she wrote it, that's how real it felt to me while I read. She also did a phenomenal job describing the family members from her past. Lily Windsor had to be my favorite, though,I just loved her spunk and spontaneity; she just did whatever the hell she wanted with style (that disguise scene was hilarious). And how Michele played such a leading role in pretty much her whole family dating back to the 1900's was just so awesome; every time she went back had a purpose to change lives of her family and others. She didn't just go back all willy-nilly because she wanted to try a carriage ride or buy a dress or something really dumb, everything had a purpose, which is pretty rare in these days of YA disasters.
Another thing I really enjoyed was how much mystery she was able to back in about 30 short pages! I just need to know everything that happened, where is her dad and will she find her, what will they do? What is all that crap with the bump-in-the-night screams with her grandparents? And the biggest thing: That cliffhanger.
Oh.
My.
God.
That has got to be one of the WORST cliffhangers I've ever had to read, ever! It feels like she was going to keep on writing, but suddenly had a coma or something at someone took the book and published it! (totally plausible, guys) whyyy oh whyyy did she do this to us! I need to know what happens right now! Does he remember her? How did he get into the past? Was it because of his ring? Is he Phoenix's grandson or something?! Aughhhh I just don't understand, which makes me want the book that much more! This is serioulsy a problem, Monir!
In conclusion of this review, this book from beginning and on, picked me up and swept me into a whirlwind of writing, love, and sheer awesomeness, and dropped me off painfully on my ass just as I was getting used to the incredible ride. If I could use mind control on everyone, I would, because this book needs to be read by everyone, so if you're debating on picking this book up, I'm not asking, I'm telling, do it. Hopefully you will laugh, love, cry, and drool over this book just as much as I did.
[image error]
Phillip! *girly squeal* I have another picture of a guy who I think would make a sexy Phillip on my post of the second book so check it out and see who you think is sexier!:D I love them both ;)
For one, it literally left me with something I like to call a complete brain rape. What's a brain rape, you ask? It's a book that, at night, left me so totally shocked that I literally lay awake for an extra hour after finishing going what the hell just happened? This book was so intertwined with every single bit of information that Monir ever introduced to us (like her name! Come on don't tell me that't not cute). It does what few have done to me lately: it made me THINK. I had to look back at all of the moments that were so touching and personal, and realize that she had all of this planned from the start, and I didn't even realize it! Most books you know what's going to happen chapters before the idiotic protagonists do, but this book let me on to it so slowly, secretly, and carefully, that things I totally discounted in the first couple of chapters had such a great significance that I was teary-eyed by the end of the novel. It almost reminded me of a mix of Time Traveller's Wife and an old classic Great Expectations with all of the conjoined bits and pieces. All of the clues and info that she gave us had a specific purpose, and I just loved it.
And the love story here, I mean, come on! If you didn't love these two together then you're crazy. It was so pure, and simple, and just easy . I slid right into their relationship together as quickly as they did, and it never felt unnatural like Patch and Nora in Hush, Hush where the only "relationship" that they seem to have is making out and then arguing about them making out. I loved the whole composer-lyricist angle. To some that might seem cheesy, but to me it felt perfect, like they were the actual piece to the other's puzzle, and as cliche as that sounds, Monir makes it work splendidly. And then when Michele figures out that Phillip supposedly dies, I felt anguish just as she did. It was so incredibly heartbreaking and emotional, and when she made her decision I was so torn (which is exactly what I want when I read a novel) I wanted them to be together, but I didn't want anything to happen to Phillip! And like I said earlier, how she ties everything in, to Phoenix, to her name, even to her running into him three years earlier ( I went ohhhh that's why he said that at the ball! ). And the ending! It just came out of nowhere, and I'll talk about it farther down in my review so I can get my total geek out hahah.
What I also just adored was her writing and her amazing imagery. Describing New York and its streets with clopping horses and flickering glass lamps so I felt like I was standing in the middle of old New York which I'm sure was just as stunning as she wrote it, that's how real it felt to me while I read. She also did a phenomenal job describing the family members from her past. Lily Windsor had to be my favorite, though,I just loved her spunk and spontaneity; she just did whatever the hell she wanted with style (that disguise scene was hilarious). And how Michele played such a leading role in pretty much her whole family dating back to the 1900's was just so awesome; every time she went back had a purpose to change lives of her family and others. She didn't just go back all willy-nilly because she wanted to try a carriage ride or buy a dress or something really dumb, everything had a purpose, which is pretty rare in these days of YA disasters.
Another thing I really enjoyed was how much mystery she was able to back in about 30 short pages! I just need to know everything that happened, where is her dad and will she find her, what will they do? What is all that crap with the bump-in-the-night screams with her grandparents? And the biggest thing: That cliffhanger.
Oh.
My.
God.
That has got to be one of the WORST cliffhangers I've ever had to read, ever! It feels like she was going to keep on writing, but suddenly had a coma or something at someone took the book and published it! (totally plausible, guys) whyyy oh whyyy did she do this to us! I need to know what happens right now! Does he remember her? How did he get into the past? Was it because of his ring? Is he Phoenix's grandson or something?! Aughhhh I just don't understand, which makes me want the book that much more! This is serioulsy a problem, Monir!
In conclusion of this review, this book from beginning and on, picked me up and swept me into a whirlwind of writing, love, and sheer awesomeness, and dropped me off painfully on my ass just as I was getting used to the incredible ride. If I could use mind control on everyone, I would, because this book needs to be read by everyone, so if you're debating on picking this book up, I'm not asking, I'm telling, do it. Hopefully you will laugh, love, cry, and drool over this book just as much as I did.
[image error]
Phillip! *girly squeal* I have another picture of a guy who I think would make a sexy Phillip on my post of the second book so check it out and see who you think is sexier!:D I love them both ;)
September 21, 2011
Holy Cow did I adore this book! I've been sick the whole weekend and my husband was kind enough to let me spend Sunday in bed (Okay I lie, I put my foot down and told him I was not getting out of bed!) but anywho, I read this book in one sitting. I read A LOT, but even I have never finished a book in one sitting.... Almost makes being sick worth it. Almost. I loved the history, the friendship, the innocent but passionate romance ( although a little more steamy details would have been nice =) Without giving anything away, even though I should have seen something coming, I didn't and then when it happened I was blown away by the sheer genius of it. Overall this really is just a fantastic story, and the added bonus of an original soundtrack by the author was just amazing. Alexandra Monir is one hell of a talented young lady and I can not wait for book 2!
December 26, 2010
3.5 stars
For as long as she can remember, Michele's had the same recurring dream about a young, blue-eyed man. The dream always leaves her wondering and wanting to know more about him, but that's all she can do. Because he's not real, only a dream. But after a tragedy forces Michele to live with her grandparents all the way in New York City, and with the help of a key left behind by a family member, Michele is transported back in time and discovers that the mysterious man may not be a dream after all.
While I liked the idea of the story, it didn't hold my interest as much as I had hoped. I didn't feel a connection to the characters, and I also felt the relationships were a bit too rushed, which didn't make them seem very believable. Such as Michele and Philip's relationship. Michele has dreamt about Philip all her life, and Philip has seen Michele once before, but they didn't really know each other. When they finally met, there wasn't much suspense or build-up. They immediately accepted each other and fell in love. Then there's the ancestors Michele met. Clara, Lily, and Stella. I felt they also accepted Michele way too easily. First they freaked out, but after Michele gave them a pretty simple explanation as to why she was there, they calmed down and talked to Michele as if they've known her their whole lives. It just seemed too convenient.
As for the story, I didn't really get into it until the last 100 pages. I am glad that not everything was resolved by the end. I thought I had everything figured out too, and in a way I was right, but the ending still made me go, "How did that happen?" Thankfully, Timeless is not a stand-alone, and although this book didn't quite live up to my expectations, I'm curious to find out what happens next.
For as long as she can remember, Michele's had the same recurring dream about a young, blue-eyed man. The dream always leaves her wondering and wanting to know more about him, but that's all she can do. Because he's not real, only a dream. But after a tragedy forces Michele to live with her grandparents all the way in New York City, and with the help of a key left behind by a family member, Michele is transported back in time and discovers that the mysterious man may not be a dream after all.
While I liked the idea of the story, it didn't hold my interest as much as I had hoped. I didn't feel a connection to the characters, and I also felt the relationships were a bit too rushed, which didn't make them seem very believable. Such as Michele and Philip's relationship. Michele has dreamt about Philip all her life, and Philip has seen Michele once before, but they didn't really know each other. When they finally met, there wasn't much suspense or build-up. They immediately accepted each other and fell in love. Then there's the ancestors Michele met. Clara, Lily, and Stella. I felt they also accepted Michele way too easily. First they freaked out, but after Michele gave them a pretty simple explanation as to why she was there, they calmed down and talked to Michele as if they've known her their whole lives. It just seemed too convenient.
As for the story, I didn't really get into it until the last 100 pages. I am glad that not everything was resolved by the end. I thought I had everything figured out too, and in a way I was right, but the ending still made me go, "How did that happen?" Thankfully, Timeless is not a stand-alone, and although this book didn't quite live up to my expectations, I'm curious to find out what happens next.
February 24, 2012
Embarrassingly, I think what made me actually decide to buy this book was the cover, and I was possibly more convinced to buy the book because I wasn't thinking decisively.
I thought the whole concept of time-traveling and falling in love with some guy from like 200 years or whatever was interesting, but honestly, I felt like I was reading a book by a 12 year old. It was girly, and the characters were boring and didn't have enough personality.
I can't remember this very well, so I can't give as much detail as I would like to, but I can certainly say I really, really did not like this book and the only reason I am giving it two stars is because I thought the plot was interesting and could have had a LOT more potential.
I would really not recommend this book to anyone unless if they are fascinated by cheesy love stories, and I hope that the author has improved since writing this book.
I thought the whole concept of time-traveling and falling in love with some guy from like 200 years or whatever was interesting, but honestly, I felt like I was reading a book by a 12 year old. It was girly, and the characters were boring and didn't have enough personality.
I can't remember this very well, so I can't give as much detail as I would like to, but I can certainly say I really, really did not like this book and the only reason I am giving it two stars is because I thought the plot was interesting and could have had a LOT more potential.
I would really not recommend this book to anyone unless if they are fascinated by cheesy love stories, and I hope that the author has improved since writing this book.
August 23, 2012
It was beyond surprise for me to find a lot of people liking this book. And it rather made me shocked that this book got published. For the ones reading this review, I am sorry for the harsh comment. If you like this book and didn't agree with me, it's fine. I appreciate your thoughts and opinions.
Summary; Michele Windsor lives a beautiful life, with loving mother and perfect friends, until tragedy came; her mother died. She is then dragged to New York to live with her long lost grandparents in a grand and majestic Windsor mansion. Life wasn't easy for Michele, not until she discovered a key that can bring her to the past.In 1900s New York, she met Philip Walker, the boy she keeps seeing in her dreams.
************
**********SPOILER AHEAD************
(Because I can only make review with spoilers in it, to illustrate my point)
Timeless is a promising book. The whole idea of time travelling to the past and meeting the love of your life a hundred years behind was just great. Awesome. But the book didn't deliver it that well. I'm sad to say Ms. Monir wasn't the best author out there to present this story.
The writing sucks. Badly. The whole time reading this book I felt like I'm reading a fanfiction who somehow got published. Ms Monir's writing is just...less developed. You know why I'm saying this? Because I am a writer myself (I write for fun) and had been spending around 3 years of my life writing stories that I might or might not consider sending it to an agent, because life is of course not so simple and I am planning a different career in my future. I am glad to say that Ms. Monir's writing style is the same with me.......when I had first started writing. Everyone's writing sucks when they started, don't lie. We all still have lots to learn, lack of any idea where the story is going, no idea of such thing called characterization and plot development and settings. Basically, we just write what's in our head right now. And our brain is moving in all direction like crazy. One second we got a story and the next second we got an idea and another second we have another idea that replaces the previous one.
Alexandra Monir made me think she only writes what she is thinking. I understand that the author composes musics and songs and sings, but I got the impression that she only just started writing novels. She has almost no idea how to use pronouns (shown by the number of 'Michele' in every page of the book), pacing, story built-ups. She gets overexcited describing things which are historical and felt needed to be written in detail (more than 3 pages describing the Windsor Manor) and just said 2 sentences describing the new school and a paragraph describing what the kids in the private school wears. When she appeared in her friend Cassie's apartment, I almost could not imagine how it looked because she gives no details of it whatsoever. Ugh. And don't get me started on how she jumps from one scene to the other and into another in one page.
Michele Windsor is pathetic. She acts without thinking and consideration, lack of responsibility, immature, and helplessly in love with a man after meeting him like twice. The insta-love here is worse than Twilight. So Michele got this key and she was like,
Michele: Hm, I got a key. Let's put it down now.
*finds a diary*
Michele: Oh noooooo!!!!! I'm being sent back to time!
Clara: Who are you? Why did you appear suddenly?
Michele: Wait. Whoa. What year is this?
Clara: 1910.
Michele: (I'm being sent back in time?!?!?!?!?!)
Clara: Who are you again?
Michele: Uhm. I'm a ghost.
Without any considerations and careful thinking, she just jumps to conclusions that she was sent back to time. If I'm her, I would be panicking and frantically looking around and find out how I got there. All Michele did was, "Oh! The key brought me here." HOW? HOW? HOW DID YOU EVEN KNOW IT WAS THE KEY and not an invisible alien zapping you?!?!?
And the second time she meets Clara, she put on make up and a dress so as not to make Clara surprised by her modern clothing. Then when she was late getting back to the present time, her grandparents were like SO angry and she just said, "I have school work with Cassie". OH? OH? In a dress?? With make-up?? And her grandparents brush it off as Alexandra Monir FORGETS that Michele is wearing a dress and the grandparents were like, "One more time and you're GROUNDED Michele!"
Hint; if you have a daughter or a granddaughter or a sister and she is wearing a dress, and she came home late with an excuse of being home from some projects with her classmates, IT'S A LIE. Pretty sure Ms. Monir just forgets, and the publisher let this mistake zoom off behind them.
So when she got the hang of it, she went back in time constantly. She goes there, exchange a couple of talks with Philip, and SUDDENLY IT WAS NIGHT TIME. There's no "walking around" or any other actions that requires a lot of time. She just went with a character and TALK and "I have to get home now! I have curfew!". Hm. I can talk out loud the whole conversation and it would probably take me less than fifteen minutes.
What else do I want to say? Oh right. Michele is the worst Google-searcher ever. So she goes into Google and searched Philip's history and found out nothing. NOTHING, about Philip. HOW????!!! Unless Philip is plucked out of time and thrown into Galaxy, there if no freaking way he can't exist in Google. What's wrong with searching the whole family of Walker? The Walker family is said to be famous, so how could you not find it? Or like, find the friggin' family tree and look up if Philip's name in there. That's how you're sure you cannot find Philip anywhere.
I kind of laugh at how she help Lily Windsor to sneak off the mansion.
Llily: I'M PANICKING I DON'T KNOW HOW I CAN GET TO THE AUDITION!!
Michele: Sing my song so my fiancee can get back to New York.
Lily: Why would I want to help you?
Michele: If you help me, I'll help you.
Lily: Okay then. Help me get out of here.
Michele: You tell your parents you're staying with a friend overnight but you sneak off to the audition.
Lily: Oh! Yes! THANK YOU THANK YOU SOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO MUCH A MILLION!!!
*rolls eyes* This reminds me how dumb Lily is. She needs a girl from the future to tell her this? And THIS is the help Michele gave? *shudders*
The core problem of this book is probably the length. This might be weird for me to say, but this book *advisably* needs to be longer. Why? Because you can't make a romance story in a short book which is also packed with lengthy description. I'm pretty sure this book would be better if Alexandra Monir:
1. Cut off the lengthy historical descriptions.
2. Don't make it insta-love. Make it a love that stems out from constantly seeing each other.
3. Put a brain into Michele's head.
4. Kill off, or better, erase Lily, Clara, etc etc characters that just didn't help. Instead, focus on the romance. Focus on how Michele keeps coming back to time to Philip, and make them explore places together. THAT would make chemistry.
5. Develop her prose and writing style.
6. Take note of the plot points in each chapter so you know where the necessary part of the story is and make it consistent throughout.
Honestly, other than that, this book should be okay. Philip was a great guy in my opinion, the history (put aside the lengthiness) is well-researched and deeply dug, the time travelling idea was fun and fresh. I wish I could see more of what happened to Michele's father, although somehow at the first quarter of the book I could already guessed he was a time traveler.
Overall, 1.5 stars. I'm so sad I'm wasting my money on this when there are still other books I'm sure would be good.
April 23, 2011
3.5 Stars
For some reason I struggled a little with this book. I liked the beginning, it kind of dragged for me in the middle, but then somewhere, somehow, I feel in love with this book by the end.
Timeless is an elegant, exquisitely written book with such a brilliant concept. Alexandra Monir does such a fascinating job of transporting her readers and entwining the story through time. It's a slow moving piece, but I think it was written to be read that way, to collect the right atmosphere for the readers to really grasp and appreciate.
I've always loved time travel stories, even though I've read very few books on the subject, but this one was done very well. Historical books I've always seemed to struggle with, but I'm glad I didn't give up on this book, I would have missed out.
At first I didn't really buy into Michele and Philip's relationship, but those two became such an irresistible force that my heart really went out to them, wanting different circumstances so they can be rightfully together. That ending was so very unexpected that I just gawked at the pages for so long, willing for more words to appear. Evil and brilliant!
Basically, this book really surprised me. It's a very tender story filled with beautiful people and a gorgeous hopeful love story. I'm really looking forward to seeing what happens next in;The Timekeeper!
For some reason I struggled a little with this book. I liked the beginning, it kind of dragged for me in the middle, but then somewhere, somehow, I feel in love with this book by the end.
Timeless is an elegant, exquisitely written book with such a brilliant concept. Alexandra Monir does such a fascinating job of transporting her readers and entwining the story through time. It's a slow moving piece, but I think it was written to be read that way, to collect the right atmosphere for the readers to really grasp and appreciate.
I've always loved time travel stories, even though I've read very few books on the subject, but this one was done very well. Historical books I've always seemed to struggle with, but I'm glad I didn't give up on this book, I would have missed out.
At first I didn't really buy into Michele and Philip's relationship, but those two became such an irresistible force that my heart really went out to them, wanting different circumstances so they can be rightfully together. That ending was so very unexpected that I just gawked at the pages for so long, willing for more words to appear. Evil and brilliant!
Basically, this book really surprised me. It's a very tender story filled with beautiful people and a gorgeous hopeful love story. I'm really looking forward to seeing what happens next in;The Timekeeper!
April 15, 2011
Oh my gosh that was a truly magical story! So beautiful and romantic - I loved this book!
Michele is 16 and granddaughter of the super rich Windsor family in New York. When she has to move in with them she finds a key and suddenly her journey though Time begins.
Michele is living her family history through visiting her female ancestors when they are around the same age as she is. Only they can see Michele and she discovers so much about her family that she finally begins to warm up for them. And then ...
She meets the wonderful Philip Walker and he's the only one (apart from the girls) that can see her - they are clearly meant for each other although they come from different times. They fall in love and share a passion for music. They are so beautiful for each other...
But then Michele learns something about Philips future that makes her try to change this future for him. But she has to be brave so something that will break her heart.
I was crying at the end... truly I was and my heart jumped a beat at the very ending of the book. I need the second one right now and I hate the waiting.
In the middle the book was a bit slow and merely focused on her family's past and I got a tiny bit bored. But the ending made up for this small slower part which is why I can give it 5 stars.
I loved both Michele and Philip and I loved seing them together and loving each other... Everything felt so magic, the Time travel, the love and the characters. A wonderful and beautiful story!
Michele is 16 and granddaughter of the super rich Windsor family in New York. When she has to move in with them she finds a key and suddenly her journey though Time begins.
Michele is living her family history through visiting her female ancestors when they are around the same age as she is. Only they can see Michele and she discovers so much about her family that she finally begins to warm up for them. And then ...
She meets the wonderful Philip Walker and he's the only one (apart from the girls) that can see her - they are clearly meant for each other although they come from different times. They fall in love and share a passion for music. They are so beautiful for each other...
But then Michele learns something about Philips future that makes her try to change this future for him. But she has to be brave so something that will break her heart.
I was crying at the end... truly I was and my heart jumped a beat at the very ending of the book. I need the second one right now and I hate the waiting.
In the middle the book was a bit slow and merely focused on her family's past and I got a tiny bit bored. But the ending made up for this small slower part which is why I can give it 5 stars.
I loved both Michele and Philip and I loved seing them together and loving each other... Everything felt so magic, the Time travel, the love and the characters. A wonderful and beautiful story!
June 18, 2011
After an unsuspecting tragedy, Michele has to move to New York to live with her grandparents. Here, Michele finds the diary of her great-great-aunt, and with a key that her father gave her, she is transported, via the diary, through time, to 1910 where she meets her aunt, and then Philip, the boy she’s dreamt about for years. She travels back to this time several times, falling quickly in love with Philip, and they believe that they are destined to be together. As the story progresses, Michele travels to different points in time, meeting several of her ancestors, and helping them in their lives.
I love time travel books. The concept of it always fascinated me, and can at times be so mind boggling, especially if the author really knows what they’re writing, and is able to weave a truly remarkable story. Timeless is more of a light time travel YA romance. It didn’t confuse me, or boggle my mind (not that I don’t like having my mind boggled, because honestly, if the ideas and concepts in a book are able to do that, then it is worth my notice and love). Monir handled the time travel nicely, making it believable, and weaving a beautiful tale that has Michele going back in time, and watching the past unfold into the future, and what it will mean for her and the boy she has come to love.
The book begins with Michele dreaming about Philip, and I was instantly hooked with that entrancing, romantic scene. The romance was nice. I liked that Michele didn’t become dependent upon Philip’s love. She in fact loves him so much, that she can’t stand the thought of him being hurt, so she tells him that their relationship isn’t possible, but that no matter what, she’ll always love him.
Timeless was an enjoyable, easy read. The writing wasn’t exceptional, and there weren’t underlying thought provoking messages, but I did end up loving it. I loved how things came together and connected in the end. And that ending! I can’t wait to find out what that is all about, what it means, and what it will mean for Michele and Philip. That’s just wonderful. Another cliffhanger that has me anxiously waiting for the sequel. At least it wasn’t heartbreaking, like in Tiger's Quest, there is hope in it, so I’m not that anxious for the sequel.
I love time travel books. The concept of it always fascinated me, and can at times be so mind boggling, especially if the author really knows what they’re writing, and is able to weave a truly remarkable story. Timeless is more of a light time travel YA romance. It didn’t confuse me, or boggle my mind (not that I don’t like having my mind boggled, because honestly, if the ideas and concepts in a book are able to do that, then it is worth my notice and love). Monir handled the time travel nicely, making it believable, and weaving a beautiful tale that has Michele going back in time, and watching the past unfold into the future, and what it will mean for her and the boy she has come to love.
The book begins with Michele dreaming about Philip, and I was instantly hooked with that entrancing, romantic scene. The romance was nice. I liked that Michele didn’t become dependent upon Philip’s love. She in fact loves him so much, that she can’t stand the thought of him being hurt, so she tells him that their relationship isn’t possible, but that no matter what, she’ll always love him.
Timeless was an enjoyable, easy read. The writing wasn’t exceptional, and there weren’t underlying thought provoking messages, but I did end up loving it. I loved how things came together and connected in the end. And that ending! I can’t wait to find out what that is all about, what it means, and what it will mean for Michele and Philip. That’s just wonderful. Another cliffhanger that has me anxiously waiting for the sequel. At least it wasn’t heartbreaking, like in Tiger's Quest, there is hope in it, so I’m not that anxious for the sequel.
April 4, 2011
Ugh, I don't honestly understand what all the hype about this one is about. Even if I try to imagine myself as a teenager reading this, I still think I would have been let down.
First, I'll say that I can forgive a lot of bad writing if the story is fantastic/exciting/creative (don't hate me for saying so, Potter fans, but JK Rowling had this effect on me - her world was just so COMPLETE, even if I had to slog through endless pages that should have ended up on the cutting room floor, so to speak). But that's exactly where Monir let me down - a thin premise of time travel that was never clearly defined or explained, interspersed with a lot of one-dimensional characters. I don't care how much the book TELLS me that Philip loves music, or that Michele misses her mom. If you can't convincingly SHOW me these aspects of the characters at work in the story, I've tuned out. Monir exhausted her stash of adverbs at every turn - someone was always "shyly," "quickly," or "quietly" doing something - but all those descriptors fall flat if you as the reader don't get a chance to see it for yourself.
The time traveling felt like a bunch of stock characters paraded in front of me, cardboard-cutout style, and every description and scene in the book felt rushed or cursory. A few sentences about how "passionately" Philip and Michele kissed (again with the -y adverbs!) are not enough to have me convinced of their undying love, or even their momentary romance. I could have done with far fewer descriptions of the family mansion, in trade for some actual depth of character. The whole thing felt like a rushed teen dramedy, which it was. There may be a sequel, but I just don't care.
I'm coming across as too harsh, I realize. I didn't actually love or hate this book enough to get passionate about it either way. But please, don't ask me what I expected from a YA novel, because the answer is, these days, a lot actually. There are plenty of writers out there pushing this genre further out, and proving to themselves and their readers that we ought to be giving teen intelligence a little more credit. That kind of writing works well across multiple ages, especially if it finds new and creative stuff to write about that you're not finding in adult fiction or sci fi. But Monir's just fell flat on the page for me.
First, I'll say that I can forgive a lot of bad writing if the story is fantastic/exciting/creative (don't hate me for saying so, Potter fans, but JK Rowling had this effect on me - her world was just so COMPLETE, even if I had to slog through endless pages that should have ended up on the cutting room floor, so to speak). But that's exactly where Monir let me down - a thin premise of time travel that was never clearly defined or explained, interspersed with a lot of one-dimensional characters. I don't care how much the book TELLS me that Philip loves music, or that Michele misses her mom. If you can't convincingly SHOW me these aspects of the characters at work in the story, I've tuned out. Monir exhausted her stash of adverbs at every turn - someone was always "shyly," "quickly," or "quietly" doing something - but all those descriptors fall flat if you as the reader don't get a chance to see it for yourself.
The time traveling felt like a bunch of stock characters paraded in front of me, cardboard-cutout style, and every description and scene in the book felt rushed or cursory. A few sentences about how "passionately" Philip and Michele kissed (again with the -y adverbs!) are not enough to have me convinced of their undying love, or even their momentary romance. I could have done with far fewer descriptions of the family mansion, in trade for some actual depth of character. The whole thing felt like a rushed teen dramedy, which it was. There may be a sequel, but I just don't care.
I'm coming across as too harsh, I realize. I didn't actually love or hate this book enough to get passionate about it either way. But please, don't ask me what I expected from a YA novel, because the answer is, these days, a lot actually. There are plenty of writers out there pushing this genre further out, and proving to themselves and their readers that we ought to be giving teen intelligence a little more credit. That kind of writing works well across multiple ages, especially if it finds new and creative stuff to write about that you're not finding in adult fiction or sci fi. But Monir's just fell flat on the page for me.
August 11, 2016
4,5 Sterne.
Meine Güte, ich hätte nie so eine emotionale Geschichte erwartet und bin wirklich sehr angetan. Ich muss unbedingt wissen wie es weitergeht bzw ob es im zweiten Band mit den beiden Charakteren weitergeht.
Hier steht nicht die Zeitreise an sich im Vordergrund sondern die Liebe + ganz viel Herzschmerz.
Ich empfehle, lasst euch einfach in die Geschichte fallen und lest euch vorher nicht zu viel durch.
Meine Güte, ich hätte nie so eine emotionale Geschichte erwartet und bin wirklich sehr angetan. Ich muss unbedingt wissen wie es weitergeht bzw ob es im zweiten Band mit den beiden Charakteren weitergeht.
Hier steht nicht die Zeitreise an sich im Vordergrund sondern die Liebe + ganz viel Herzschmerz.
Ich empfehle, lasst euch einfach in die Geschichte fallen und lest euch vorher nicht zu viel durch.
June 7, 2017
5 stars❤
I have always been attracted to things that are related to time traveling, and therefore didnt hesitate to read this book..
I felt like this book was written in a very simple, yet attractive way..❤
I fell in love with Phillip !!❤
I absolutely loved it❤
It's a great book❤
I have always been attracted to things that are related to time traveling, and therefore didnt hesitate to read this book..
I felt like this book was written in a very simple, yet attractive way..❤
I fell in love with Phillip !!❤
I absolutely loved it❤
It's a great book❤
April 21, 2020
Bom...
Podemos considerar um 2,5 talvez... Mas calma, o livro não é uma bomba completa, vou explicar...
Muito Além do Tempo irá acompanhar a jovem Michele que sofre uma perda trágica logo no início do livro e se ver tendo que ir morar junto com dois desconhecidos. A partir daí, Michele irá se envolver em constantes viagens no tempo e por consequência, com amores impossíveis. Até ai, tudo bem. Se você não quiser spoiler, pare aqui, por favor!
O que me incomodou no livro em um primeiro momento foi a narrativa “sou uma garota diferente das demais” mas pela data de publicação do livro eu relevei... Porém, o que realmente me incomodou vem agora: De antemão preciso esclarecer que não há nenhum personagem negro no livro. E o que a gente encontra no livro? Dois branquelos ricos que gostam de cantar/tocar jazz e blues, gêneros musicais muito marginalizados pela alta sociedade da época desses tais personagens. E a autora tem a pachorra de falar, que eles sofrem racismo por não conseguirem cantar/tocar o estilo que gostam, impedidos por uma elite antiquada. Faça-me o favor!!!
Agora vamos a alguns pontos positivos da narrativa: é uma leitura leve e fluída e foi ótimo para que eu conseguisse sair da ressaca, apesar dos incômodos.
Não pretendo ler o segundo por motivos que espero estejam óbvios.
Obrigada e volte sempre. No caso desse livro, nunca mais.
Podemos considerar um 2,5 talvez... Mas calma, o livro não é uma bomba completa, vou explicar...
Muito Além do Tempo irá acompanhar a jovem Michele que sofre uma perda trágica logo no início do livro e se ver tendo que ir morar junto com dois desconhecidos. A partir daí, Michele irá se envolver em constantes viagens no tempo e por consequência, com amores impossíveis. Até ai, tudo bem. Se você não quiser spoiler, pare aqui, por favor!
O que me incomodou no livro em um primeiro momento foi a narrativa “sou uma garota diferente das demais” mas pela data de publicação do livro eu relevei... Porém, o que realmente me incomodou vem agora: De antemão preciso esclarecer que não há nenhum personagem negro no livro. E o que a gente encontra no livro? Dois branquelos ricos que gostam de cantar/tocar jazz e blues, gêneros musicais muito marginalizados pela alta sociedade da época desses tais personagens. E a autora tem a pachorra de falar, que eles sofrem racismo por não conseguirem cantar/tocar o estilo que gostam, impedidos por uma elite antiquada. Faça-me o favor!!!
Agora vamos a alguns pontos positivos da narrativa: é uma leitura leve e fluída e foi ótimo para que eu conseguisse sair da ressaca, apesar dos incômodos.
Não pretendo ler o segundo por motivos que espero estejam óbvios.
Obrigada e volte sempre. No caso desse livro, nunca mais.
April 7, 2013
Oh Man, I loved this! I had such a good time. un-put-downable
"What if the person you're meant to be with lives in another time?"
OH YEAH, Timetravel ladies and gentlemen!
is one of my all time favorites, so I fell for this one like a moth to a flame!
Is it just me or does the girl on the cover look like Jason Stackhouse from Trueblood, ex-girlfriend
So this is basically about Michele, whom mother has just recently died and left custody of her daughter to her estranged parents, whom just happen to be major socialites in New York. The Windsor family to be precise. Not only has Michele lost her Mother, but she has been drug across the country to live with her cold grandparents. She gets her Mother's belongings and one of the items is a Skeleton Key.... which is the key to lots of interesting things! She happens to get drawn back into time and meet some of her family and a special someone. This love story seems doomed from the onstart. How can two people be together if they are not from the same period of time?
AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!
Notes to self: Spoilers ahead
Michele = 2010
travels back to 1910, 1920 and 1940's.
Irving Henry= Henry Irving=father
Where is he now? Will Michele find him? Is he a time jumper as well? How?
New Phillip Walker brings a lot of questions with his late appearance. Is he the Philip Walker? Are the related? Nephew??? Son (i don't think so) Will Michele fall for the present day P.W.? Is that a little weird?
I can't wait for the next book! I must get my hands on it!
4.5 stars!
"What if the person you're meant to be with lives in another time?"
OH YEAH, Timetravel ladies and gentlemen!
is one of my all time favorites, so I fell for this one like a moth to a flame!Is it just me or does the girl on the cover look like Jason Stackhouse from Trueblood, ex-girlfriend
So this is basically about Michele, whom mother has just recently died and left custody of her daughter to her estranged parents, whom just happen to be major socialites in New York. The Windsor family to be precise. Not only has Michele lost her Mother, but she has been drug across the country to live with her cold grandparents. She gets her Mother's belongings and one of the items is a Skeleton Key.... which is the key to lots of interesting things! She happens to get drawn back into time and meet some of her family and a special someone. This love story seems doomed from the onstart. How can two people be together if they are not from the same period of time?
AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!
Notes to self: Spoilers ahead
Michele = 2010
travels back to 1910, 1920 and 1940's.
Irving Henry= Henry Irving=father
Where is he now? Will Michele find him? Is he a time jumper as well? How?
New Phillip Walker brings a lot of questions with his late appearance. Is he the Philip Walker? Are the related? Nephew??? Son (i don't think so) Will Michele fall for the present day P.W.? Is that a little weird?
I can't wait for the next book! I must get my hands on it!
4.5 stars!
June 18, 2011
I'm going to give this book a compliment that I'm discovering is really no compliment at all: It had potential.
So what do I mean by that? Well, that the book had potential but the author was too lazy to see to it. It reminded me of the pretty purple lighter in my car that's full of butane and sparks when I click it but for some reason never creates a flame. But hey, it was cheaply made in China, what do I really expect?
Like my lighter and its pretty purple exterior, this novel wasn't without a few attractive bits. For one, Philip Walker, Michele's mystery love interest, is actually an all-around nice guy. Screw the Patch's and the Jace's and the Ash's and the Shane's. Philip is perfectly bland and sweet. Like cantaloupe. God, who doesn't like cantaloupe?
Anyway, I give Monir props for trying (abysmally) to write a teenage version of The Time Traveler's Wife. But quite frankly, it was shitty. I did appreciate the research she obviously put into it. I remember early in the book where Michele is describing the Windsor manner and thinking, "somebody took Art History in college," but in the end it didn't really matter that the inside of the manor was the perfect balance of palazzo and rococo because the actual book was, well, it was shitty.
Oh, if only my father knew the things I was spending his hard-earned money on....
So what do I mean by that? Well, that the book had potential but the author was too lazy to see to it. It reminded me of the pretty purple lighter in my car that's full of butane and sparks when I click it but for some reason never creates a flame. But hey, it was cheaply made in China, what do I really expect?
Like my lighter and its pretty purple exterior, this novel wasn't without a few attractive bits. For one, Philip Walker, Michele's mystery love interest, is actually an all-around nice guy. Screw the Patch's and the Jace's and the Ash's and the Shane's. Philip is perfectly bland and sweet. Like cantaloupe. God, who doesn't like cantaloupe?
Anyway, I give Monir props for trying (abysmally) to write a teenage version of The Time Traveler's Wife. But quite frankly, it was shitty. I did appreciate the research she obviously put into it. I remember early in the book where Michele is describing the Windsor manner and thinking, "somebody took Art History in college," but in the end it didn't really matter that the inside of the manor was the perfect balance of palazzo and rococo because the actual book was, well, it was shitty.
Oh, if only my father knew the things I was spending his hard-earned money on....
might-read
September 17, 2010As long as it has a happy ending I'm all for it.
This looks like one of the impossible "star-crossed" romances. Such difficult situations do bring up strong feelings but I'm not one of those people who enjoy pointless angst.
That doesn't mean the story has to be all flowers and sunshine but an ending with a nice solid solution that leaves the heroine with a hopeful outlook on her life would be appreciated.
I would love to read this book then.
This looks like one of the impossible "star-crossed" romances. Such difficult situations do bring up strong feelings but I'm not one of those people who enjoy pointless angst.
That doesn't mean the story has to be all flowers and sunshine but an ending with a nice solid solution that leaves the heroine with a hopeful outlook on her life would be appreciated.
I would love to read this book then.
November 8, 2011
What would you do if you have fallen in love with a man who only existed in your dreams? What if you found out that he was real but existed in a different time? What would you do to be with that person? What would you give to be with that person forever?
Michele Winsor had a recurring dream. She had been having the same dream about a handsome blue-eyed man in a mirror and a skeleton key. She feels that she knows the person in the mirror but she couldn’t tell who it was, where they met or how she knew him. As for the key, she doesn’t recognize it at all. But she was curious as to why she kept on getting the same dream but that wasn’t going to be answered until later in the book.
Michele lived a simple life with her mother. She never knew who her father was because he left them when she was young and never returned. Still she was happy and contented even if they weren’t living the lifestyle of the rich and famous.
Her life crumbled after the death of her mother Marion. She didn’t know how to move on because she was the only family she ever had.
Now that her mother passed away her legal appointed guardians now were her grandparents who lived in New York. She was told that she had to leave her friends in California and move to New York to live with the Winsors.
The Windsors were filthy rich. They were considered as one of the richest family in New York. Michele didn’t know how rich they really were until she arrived at the Winsor mansion which was too ostentatious for her taste. She preferred to be with her mother in their bungalow in California but she knew that wasn’t going to happen anymore.
The Winsor mansion was not only huge and extravagant but it also holds her family’s history. At her room in the mansion, she found out that most of the Windsor girls actually stayed in her room even her mother. She was exploring her room when she came across a locked drawer. She didn’t have the key but she had an idea.
Rummaging through her mother’s stuff she found a key. The same skeleton key she had seen in her dreams. She tried to use the key to open the locked drawer which miraculously opened the drawer.
Inside the drawer was a diary. As she flipped through the first entry she was unexpectedly sucked inside the diary where she landed in her own bedroom back in 1901.
As she goes back in time, she learns about her family and most of all she learns about who the man in the mirror is.
REVIEW:
After reading “The Time Traveler’s Wife” I haven’t read any other books related to time travel. I loved the Time Traveler’s wife but reading it got me confused with all the jumping of time and stuff. With Timeless it was different; the flow of the book was fluid and continuous. It was not confusing since it was happening continuously. This book was narrated in the third person which I thought was great. Everything that was happening to Michele in the past and in the future was simultaneous so it won’t confuse you unlike in Time Traveler’s wife.
The story started off with a dream which I really liked.
Michele Windsor was down to earth and very simple. I liked that. She was raised well by her mother because even if she knew that she belonged to a rich family that didn’t get to her. She was a very likeable character. She falls in love with Philip. She continues to travel back in time not only to be with him but also to help the Windsor girls with their issues. She learned that what she does in the past definitely affects the future so she made every action and moment count.
Philip Walker was the man in the mirror. He was the blue eyed guy that Michele has been dreaming of. He fell in love with Michele even though he knew that she was from the future. He was a musician which drew me to him. He was everything that a perfect gentleman should be. (You would see why I said so). He kept his promise and that made me so happy by the end of the book I was still crying. I thought he wouldn’t be able to do it but he did! :)
Marion Windsor was a cool mom. She kind of reminds me of myself. I am a single mom and I know how hard it is to raise a child all on your own. She did a pretty good job in raising Michele. She didn’t go back to her parents after Henry left. She continued to live the life she chose even if the love of her life left her alone leaving her with a key and their daughter.
Dorothy and Walter Windsor were Michele’s grandparents. I think they were definitely keeping something from Michele regarding her father. Michele somehow has a clue because of what happened when she was in the past but still I think there was something else that they were hiding.
Caissie Walker was a good friend. I mean its not every day that you meet someone who would believe you if you say that you could travel back in time.
This book was the first in the series so you should expect that the ending was a bit of a cliffhanger but in a good way. I didn’t expect how it ended to tell you honestly.
I was in tears as I was nearing the end of the book. I thought that it was not going to have a happy ending. Boy was I so surprised! I won’t go into details on that because that part would ruin everything. The ending for me was the highlight of the book.
Love knows no boundaries. Love knows no time. Love knows no obstacles. To be with the person they love they would do anything or everything they could to be with that person. No one or nothing could ever tear two hearts apart.
I have been listening to one of Joshua Radin’s songs “When I find you” which fits Timeless.
“Oh I need you to know today
I’ll wait for you always.
Oh I need you to know today
I’ll wait for you always.
Coz when I find you
I’ll find me”
This book is totally a 5! I hope the next book gets released soon.
.
August 7, 2014
This and other reviews can be found on The Psychotic Nerd
Actual Rating: 2.5 Stars
MY THOUGHTS
I am inbetween about my feelings on this book. On one hand, I am very disappointed. On the other, I actually sort of liked this book.
Starting this book, I was worried. This book immediately starting following what I can YA Book Syndrome. Two side effects of YA Book Syndrome is that our main character (usually a girl) faces a tragedy and/or moves to a new school (usually a private or boarding school). This book follows both of these "side effects" and it made me worry that this book was going to be just like every other YA book.
I honestly didn't have to worry about this. Sure, this book isn't completely original, but none of this is what disappointed me.
I could not stand the romance.
I was actually fine with everything else, but whenever the romance took center stage, my opinion on the book went down. This book featured my least favorite type of romance: insta-love. Michele and Philip have an immediate attraction towards each other. It was cheesy and unbelievable. Maybe I could understand Michele, since she's had dreams about Philip her whole life, but Philip? I honestly couldn't believe it. This guy has never talked to her before (he did see her for a very brief moment), he's even engaged to someone, but he's willing to be with this girl for his life. I just honestly couldn't understand this instant attraction to one another.
Whenever the romance was in the book, which was maybe the middle portion of the book, I was very annoyed at the book, but the romance wasn't always the focus of the book. Obviously, there is time travel and time travel happens to be one of my favorite things that I can find in books. There are times when Michele goes back in time without going to see Philip and I loved those moments! I loved seeing the lives of the past! That's one of the reasons that I love time travel so much! And while I don't quite understand how it works, I do like the concept in the book.
IN CONCLUSION
The romance was annoying and cliche, but the time travel was amazing!
If it wasn't for the romance, this book would have such a higher rating, but I just can't ignore the stupid romance.
As far as reading the sequel, I'm not sure. I am interested in continuing, as I want some more answers. And this book ends in a bit of a cliffhanger (Although, I don't care because it's a cliffhanger used way too often and it also involves Philip). But the next book isn't at my library and I don't really feel inclined to buy it. I'll guess I'll have to see.
Actual Rating: 2.5 Stars
MY THOUGHTS
I am inbetween about my feelings on this book. On one hand, I am very disappointed. On the other, I actually sort of liked this book.
Starting this book, I was worried. This book immediately starting following what I can YA Book Syndrome. Two side effects of YA Book Syndrome is that our main character (usually a girl) faces a tragedy and/or moves to a new school (usually a private or boarding school). This book follows both of these "side effects" and it made me worry that this book was going to be just like every other YA book.
I honestly didn't have to worry about this. Sure, this book isn't completely original, but none of this is what disappointed me.
I could not stand the romance.
I was actually fine with everything else, but whenever the romance took center stage, my opinion on the book went down. This book featured my least favorite type of romance: insta-love. Michele and Philip have an immediate attraction towards each other. It was cheesy and unbelievable. Maybe I could understand Michele, since she's had dreams about Philip her whole life, but Philip? I honestly couldn't believe it. This guy has never talked to her before (he did see her for a very brief moment), he's even engaged to someone, but he's willing to be with this girl for his life. I just honestly couldn't understand this instant attraction to one another.
Whenever the romance was in the book, which was maybe the middle portion of the book, I was very annoyed at the book, but the romance wasn't always the focus of the book. Obviously, there is time travel and time travel happens to be one of my favorite things that I can find in books. There are times when Michele goes back in time without going to see Philip and I loved those moments! I loved seeing the lives of the past! That's one of the reasons that I love time travel so much! And while I don't quite understand how it works, I do like the concept in the book.
IN CONCLUSION
The romance was annoying and cliche, but the time travel was amazing!
If it wasn't for the romance, this book would have such a higher rating, but I just can't ignore the stupid romance.
As far as reading the sequel, I'm not sure. I am interested in continuing, as I want some more answers. And this book ends in a bit of a cliffhanger (Although, I don't care because it's a cliffhanger used way too often and it also involves Philip). But the next book isn't at my library and I don't really feel inclined to buy it. I'll guess I'll have to see.
March 15, 2011
hmmm how do I start.... this book was ok. I liked the whole time travel aspect of the book but that's about it. First I would like to say that the history and description of old New York was well done without being boring and the songs mentioned throughout the story I did look up and enjoyed. That being said the author lacked tact and finesse in her writing. For a good portion of the book the dialogue between the characters was kind of awkward as Monir tried to explain what was going on for the readers to understand and the characters but she didn't pull it off at all.
Another thing I found bothersome was the romance. I absolutely hate when the protagonists fall in love out of no where. I cannot stand a book where the romance in the story is not believable (I mean at least have a full conversation before you drop L word) and unfortunately this book was the quintessential example of what I dislike. That might have even be forgiven if the characters were likable. They weren't annoying just bland. I didn't see what it was about Phillip that michele liked so much besides the fact that he was good looking. It also bothered me how easily michele and her friend accepted the fact that she was time traveling. I mean wouldn't a normal person be a little freaked out and would want to figure out how it was he or she was doing it. In all there was as extreme lack of character development which therefore led to a lack of connection with the characters. I might give the second book a try if I have nothing to read (the ending did spike my curiosity a little) but I wouldn't hold my breathe.
Another thing I found bothersome was the romance. I absolutely hate when the protagonists fall in love out of no where. I cannot stand a book where the romance in the story is not believable (I mean at least have a full conversation before you drop L word) and unfortunately this book was the quintessential example of what I dislike. That might have even be forgiven if the characters were likable. They weren't annoying just bland. I didn't see what it was about Phillip that michele liked so much besides the fact that he was good looking. It also bothered me how easily michele and her friend accepted the fact that she was time traveling. I mean wouldn't a normal person be a little freaked out and would want to figure out how it was he or she was doing it. In all there was as extreme lack of character development which therefore led to a lack of connection with the characters. I might give the second book a try if I have nothing to read (the ending did spike my curiosity a little) but I wouldn't hold my breathe.
March 28, 2011
I have found that it takes a really amazing writer to to justice to the "time travel"genre, there is just a certain finesse needed to do it right. Which is why when done well it is one of my favourite genres but when it isn't, it really falls flat. This book just came across as juvenile. I realise it is for a young adult audience but somehow I feel the adult was lost along the way. The characters are severely under developed and unrealistic. The fact that not one of them seems anything but mildly surprised that Michele is jumping through time or is invisible seems a little strange to me.
These one dimensional character are extremely hard to connect with on any level. I will admit the the author did do some good work describing the roaring 20's and the music throughout, but I wish she had put as much passion into the love story. I have eaten dry toast that was less bland! There is no evidence of any real connection between the two main characters. All their dialogue and encounters seem stilted and uncomfortable and as far as I can tell the only thing Philip had going for him was his looks. Honestly If I were Michele I wouldn't bother travelling down the road to save such a stale relationship let alone through time. And please don't even get me started on the patched together ending!
These one dimensional character are extremely hard to connect with on any level. I will admit the the author did do some good work describing the roaring 20's and the music throughout, but I wish she had put as much passion into the love story. I have eaten dry toast that was less bland! There is no evidence of any real connection between the two main characters. All their dialogue and encounters seem stilted and uncomfortable and as far as I can tell the only thing Philip had going for him was his looks. Honestly If I were Michele I wouldn't bother travelling down the road to save such a stale relationship let alone through time. And please don't even get me started on the patched together ending!
May 18, 2011
There was absoulutely no depth here. It's written like a sixteen-year-old wanted to show off her poetry and her surface knowledge of American history - so she put those elements together and tried to build a story around it. The characters are undeveloped, the dialogue is mindless.
October 12, 2017
Michele Windsor es una adolescente común y corriente que vive en San Francisco con su madre; su vida trascurre en la escuela, planeando su próximo paso en la universidad y pasando los ratos libres con sus amigas y su aventurera madre. Todo cambia cuando su madre muere en un accidente automovilístico que envía a Michele a New York, a la mansión Windsor con sus abuelos maternos a los cuales ella no conoce. Ese no es el único cambio que experimente Michele: casa nueva, gente nueva, escuela nueva y la sorpresa mayor una llave misteriosa que al tocarla inmediatamente trasporta a Michele 100 años atrás en el tiempo.
Michele descubre que puede viajar en el tiempo, pero no sabe porque; mientras viaja constantemente al New York de 1910 conoce a sus antepasados, la historia y la estructura de New York en los años '10. En cada uno de sus viajes siempre hay uno de sus antepasados que puede verla; pero la sorpresa mayor es que Philip Walker puede verla todas las veces, no sólo eso la espera y busca cada día.
“I've been numb for years, and I didn't realize it until after you appeared and - and made me feel something. Since then, these past two weeks I've been awake. Alive. Restless for you to return - and afraid that you wouldn't.”
Michele y Philip son almas afines separadas por 100 años entre ellos, un romance bastante imposible pero bellamente narrado. Hay mucho misterio en el medio; hechos que Michele va develando sobre su familia, su madre y más importa la identidad de su padre. El problema es que al viajar en el tiempo los hechos históricos se modifican o pueden hacerse.
Realmente me gustó mucho!! Es una lectura dinámica, pura fantasía pero muy agradable. Quedan varias intrigas y ese final deja la puerta abierta para otra historia, lo que hace que uno comience inmediatamente con el segundo libro.
“I’m waiting for you,” he murmured, smiling a slow, familiar grin that seemed to hint at a secret
between them.
And for the first time, Michele and the mirror reflection were in sync as they both whispered, “Me
too.”
April 17, 2017
3.75 Stars
I bought this to save for later because it intrigued me but once I started perusing through it I found I couldn't put it down. Michele, having just lost her mother in a tragic accident goes to live with her old world wealthy grandparents who she has never met and finds she can time travel with the help of an old key that transports her to the year 1910. There she meets and falls in love with Philip Walker, a young man who has haunted her dreams her whole life. There are many facets to this story and without going into all the details this was a nice, easy going romance more suited for young adults but enjoyable nonetheless.
I bought this to save for later because it intrigued me but once I started perusing through it I found I couldn't put it down. Michele, having just lost her mother in a tragic accident goes to live with her old world wealthy grandparents who she has never met and finds she can time travel with the help of an old key that transports her to the year 1910. There she meets and falls in love with Philip Walker, a young man who has haunted her dreams her whole life. There are many facets to this story and without going into all the details this was a nice, easy going romance more suited for young adults but enjoyable nonetheless.
February 16, 2021
Der lockere Schreibstil und die interessanten Beschreibungen der einzelnen Epochen trösten gut über die sprunghafte Erzählung, die vielen losen Fäden und die oberflächliche Liebesgeschichte hinweg. Und auch, wenn ich um ehrlich zu sein, das Ende nicht verstanden habe, hat sich diese Zeitreise-Romanze doch angenehm flott und fluffig weggelesen.
April 12, 2011
More reviews My Reviews
Let’s see. What do I say about a book so amazing. I can’t put this book into words it was just so incredible. Imagine being able to time travel. *sigh*
Michele has been having dreams about this boy that has the most beautiful sapphire eyes. She is attracted to him, but never saw him in her entire life. In the same dreams she has been having since she was a little kid.
This book was filled with so many twists and mystery, I couldn’t keep my eyes from flying over every word, soaking it all it. Let’s start at the beginning.
Michele and her mom are like best friends, there very close. One day at school a police officer arrives at her school telling her the most tragic words she could ever hear. Her mom was in a car accident and is dead. Michele was devastated. She was an orphan. Her dad was never part of her life because her grandparents hated him. So her mom tells her.
In the will the next guardians are her grandparents who she never met. She flies to New York and goes to live with her very wealthy grandparents. Her stuff was packed and sent to the new house (mansion) that she is now living in. She finds an unfamiliar box that holds her moms stuff. The stuff she held in a safe in a bank. In the box of stuff she finds a key.
The key seems to be moving. She founds out the key opens up the locked drawer on the bottom of her desk. It opens up to be one of her ancestor’s diaries. It opens up and she is immediately sucked into the diary. She is in the year 1910. There she sees Philip Walker, the boy from her dreams. They lock eyes and both of them recognize each other but have never seen each other before.
This book tells a story of Michele’s romance with a boy from the past and unraveling the mystery of who her dad really is.
The book ended so dumb. It was such a cliffhanger and I hope that I can travel to the future to receive the second book. The time keeper, which comes out in 2012
Let’s see. What do I say about a book so amazing. I can’t put this book into words it was just so incredible. Imagine being able to time travel. *sigh*
Michele has been having dreams about this boy that has the most beautiful sapphire eyes. She is attracted to him, but never saw him in her entire life. In the same dreams she has been having since she was a little kid.
This book was filled with so many twists and mystery, I couldn’t keep my eyes from flying over every word, soaking it all it. Let’s start at the beginning.
Michele and her mom are like best friends, there very close. One day at school a police officer arrives at her school telling her the most tragic words she could ever hear. Her mom was in a car accident and is dead. Michele was devastated. She was an orphan. Her dad was never part of her life because her grandparents hated him. So her mom tells her.
In the will the next guardians are her grandparents who she never met. She flies to New York and goes to live with her very wealthy grandparents. Her stuff was packed and sent to the new house (mansion) that she is now living in. She finds an unfamiliar box that holds her moms stuff. The stuff she held in a safe in a bank. In the box of stuff she finds a key.
The key seems to be moving. She founds out the key opens up the locked drawer on the bottom of her desk. It opens up to be one of her ancestor’s diaries. It opens up and she is immediately sucked into the diary. She is in the year 1910. There she sees Philip Walker, the boy from her dreams. They lock eyes and both of them recognize each other but have never seen each other before.
This book tells a story of Michele’s romance with a boy from the past and unraveling the mystery of who her dad really is.
The book ended so dumb. It was such a cliffhanger and I hope that I can travel to the future to receive the second book. The time keeper, which comes out in 2012
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