A Time to Speak (Out of Time, #2) in Out of Time Series

Sep 20, 2016 Madelyn rated it it was amazing

Shelves: christian-fiction, favorites

My my my. A Time to Speak transcended its predecessor, A Time To Die, in so many ways I can hardly recount them all. If you happened to read my raving review of the last novel, you'd know how head-over-heels I am with Nadine's work, and how exceptionally hard it is to surpass A Time to Die's fabulousness. Nevertheless, Mrs. Brandes stunned us all again and left us hanging on her every word.

Spoiler Alert: If you have yet to read or finish A Time to Die, I wouldn't recommend reading the following ...more

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Jun 18, 2015 Nadine Brandes added it · (Review from the author)

Here's the parent's guide for book two! Thanks to everyone helping me make these as thorough as possible. :D

PARENT'S GUIDE

I recommend this book for ages 14 and up, like the first book A Time to Die. Again, keep in mind that the maturity of the reader plays a big part.

Profanity: NONE

Intimacy: There's attraction between a boy and girl, one kiss.

Violence: Like the first book, there's certainly a lot of action and violent moments. I mean, it's a dystopian book. :P Personally, I have a ...more

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Jan 21, 2015 Katie Grace rated it it was amazing

Shelves: dystopian, 5-star, christian-fiction, favorite-books-of-2015

Woooow.
I READ THIS IN ONE DAY DURING
Okay. Things I reallyyyy loved.

- Parvin's character development.
- SOLOMONNNN. <3
- The amazing amount of tension built up in this book. o.o
- The powerful but not preachy approach to God.
- Passing notes in the boxcar. *melts* So adorable. :P
- I was able to fall into the story right away despite it being a sequel.

Things I didn't love so much:

- The amazingly done but killer cliffhanger.
- This book made me feel cold. I don't like being cold. *raises fist* ...more

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Jun 10, 2015 Tricia Mingerink rated it it was amazing

Shelves: christian-fantasy-and-spec-fic

Sounds amazing, right? Well, it is. In my opinion, it’s even better than book 1 A Time to Die. While A Time to Die is a sucker punch in the gut that keeps aching in your heart long after you’ve finished it, A Time to Speak is a stirring marching song that straightens your spine and sends you out into the world determined to do something.

After the events of A Time to Die, Parvin has to come to grips with the fact that she’s still alive. Not only is she still alive, but her friends Willow and Elm ...more

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Sep 14, 2015 Megan Besing rated it it was amazing

I LOVED A Time to Die, the first book in the Out of Time series. (Notice I used ALLCAPS—can you feel my adoration for this series?) Book one took Parvin, the main heroine, down many trials and tests, but now she knows who she is—she’s God’s, and her purpose is to bring Him and Shalom to the world.

Most of my favorite characters return in A Time to Speak, and the author, Nadine Brandes, remembered the smallest of details about each individual personality, physical attributes, and even his or her I LOVED A Time to Die, the first book in the Out of Time series. (Notice I used ALLCAPS—can you feel my adoration for this series?) Book one took Parvin, the main heroine, down many trials and tests, but now she knows who she is—she’s God’s, and her purpose is to bring Him and Shalom to the world.

Most of my favorite characters return in A Time to Speak, and the author, Nadine Brandes, remembered the smallest of details about each individual personality, physical attributes, and even his or her own dialects. Parvin has learned her limitations, feelings some of them physically every second, but we encounter her obedience to what she’s called to do and observe what truly trusting and depending on God can look like. The Biblical stories directly and indirectly weaved into the characters’ lives were done appropriately and awesomely, causing the spiritual attributes to richly enhance the story. Parvin’s questions and communication with God appeared believable and vulnerable, never forced.

The world building continues to strengthen throughout this series, especially when rediscovering the High Cities, where the rich live. The places were vivid in my mind because the writer took the time to create new and exciting items and landscapes, giving specific details of it all. The love thread grew in a steady, hopeful direction and quite possibly became my favorite part. Jude will always have a special place in my reader’s heart, however, Solomon is a keeper. (And I hope the author knows this reader enjoys happily-ever-afters! Hint. Hint Ms. Brandes.)

Being well accustomed that the author won’t sugar coat her characters’ lives, I’d pause before a big scene would arrive (and they arrived almost around every page) because I didn’t know where the story might go next and what my “friends” might have to endure. If I thought the first book was intense, A Time to Speak was press-your-nails-into-your-palms, white-knuckle-grip, double-heaping of intenseness. The pace increased in a must-keep-reading kind of way until you reach the cliff-hanger of an ending, making you crave more.

Parvin may be fictional, but she provides the reader with a sense of hope, the desire for purpose in real everyday life, and a call to act. She may be on a quest for Shalom, but I have peace that the third and final book in this series will be the best one yet.

Good Christian dystopians stories are hard to find. This treasure’s a keeper!

Rated PG for violence.

I received an ARC in exchange for my honest review, which I have provided. ...more

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Jun 21, 2015 Megan McCullough rated it it was amazing

Oh. My. Goodness. I had such high expectations from this book and Nadine totally met them all! It brought back all the Jude feels. Oh yes, all the Jude feels. Nadine did a really great job of "helping me through that" throughout the book.

Characters
Parvin is great as she has always been. There are some new characters as well. Tawny, as we learned from book one, is now Reid's widow and she and Parvin have a strained relationship, which is completely realistic. It is amazing how deep each one of th ...more

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Oct 16, 2015 E.A. rated it it was amazing

Shelves: review-copy, ya-dystopian

Bold. Action packed. Unexpected. A Time To Speak is a book you won't soon forget!

Riding on the tales of A Time To Die (see my review here) Nadine offers the second, thrilling installment in the Out of Time Series, A Time To Speak. Here, the very same Parvin that we fell in love with in book one is back and ready to make a difference. She's faced with the challenge of living without a clock in a world where time is counted and almost everyone knows the day they will die.

The stage for A Time To S Bold. Action packed. Unexpected. A Time To Speak is a book you won't soon forget!

Riding on the tales of A Time To Die (see my review here) Nadine offers the second, thrilling installment in the Out of Time Series, A Time To Speak. Here, the very same Parvin that we fell in love with in book one is back and ready to make a difference. She's faced with the challenge of living without a clock in a world where time is counted and almost everyone knows the day they will die.

The stage for A Time To Speak is deceptively large and expands the further you progress into the book. The characters have strong motivations and the reader is dropped into a world they can both understand and imagine through Nadine's descriptions.

Overall, Parvin speaks and acts as a bastion of truth in a world that is saturated with fear and anger. She's a beacon--though often times her circumstances are so bleak that you wonder how she'll survive. We also see more of Salomon Hawke and, though he still remains partly a mystery, we get to see a lot more of what makes him who he is. He's definitely a favorite character of mine!

As I read, it did take me a few chapters to really get hooked. Once I was in it though, I was there until the end. You guessed it: laughing, tearing up, shouting at the pages...all the emotions! I enjoyed what felt like a little bit of additional action in this book (yep, the suspense writer in me coming out) and really liked Nadine's ability to keep me guessing. There were often times where I thought "how in the world will they get out of this situation". And yet, she had a way!

I definitely recommend this (and book one, of course) to fans of YA Literature, action, and those who like struggling through problems and issues with a main character that they at once love, are frustrated by, and are rooting for. You'll definitely end this book already wanting book three and the conclusion of the Out of Time Series. (P.S. Nadine just released the title: A Time To Rise and I LOVE it!)

My rating: 5*

Originally posted on my blog: http://eahendryx.blogspot.com/2015/12...
_______________

I received a free copy of this book for review purposes, but was under no obligation to read the book or post a review. I do so under my own motivation and the opinions I have expressed in this review are honest and entirely my own. ...more

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Sep 15, 2015 Rosalie rated it it was amazing

* I received a free copy of A Time to Speak from the wonderful Nadine Brandes in exchange for my honest review. *
*****************WARNING!!!!! If you have NOT read A Time to Die, read no further! If you HAVE read A Time to Die, read without fear of spoilers!!**********************
“I’ve been robbed of my death. A date was set, a coffin prepared, and a grave dug in the earth, yet I breathe against my own will as my brother is lowered six feet down. The smooth wood coffin displays the best of Fat * I received a free copy of A Time to Speak from the wonderful Nadine Brandes in exchange for my honest review. *
*****************WARNING!!!!! If you have NOT read A Time to Die, read no further! If you HAVE read A Time to Die, read without fear of spoilers!!**********************
“I’ve been robbed of my death. A date was set, a coffin prepared, and a grave dug in the earth, yet I breathe against my own will as my brother is lowered six feet down. The smooth wood coffin displays the best of Father’s carpentry skills. Did he originally carve it for me?”
Parvin Blackwater was supposed to die. She was ready to die. She wanted to die. But she didn’t. The clock she shared with her twin zeroed out, and he died while she survived – much to the chagrin of just about everyone. While battling grief, Parvin tries to protect Willow, schemes of how to rescue Elm, and tries to adjust to the strange place her home has become. And the faith and God Who carried her through the West seem hard to reach with Reid and Jude dead, Jude’s clock-matching invention in the hands of the Council, and Elm starving inside the Wall. When her situation goes from bad to worse, Parvin is called to lead, but how can she lead if no one wants to follow?
I literally had no words when I finished A Time to Speak at 1:30 in the morning. I just stared at my Kindle questioning my existence. I’m not even kidding.
When I began reading, I drank up the first lines slowly, appreciating the rich detail and sinking slowly back into the world of A Time to Die. But I couldn’t go slowly for long, for peril was quick to rear its heart-pounding head, and I was soon swimming through pages as quickly as possible. It was as if I was getting reacquainted with the old friends who I had come to love in A Time to Die.
I had liked A Time to Die Parvin, but I loved A Time to Speak Parvin. She was amazing, and it wasn’t because she was so brave or always made the right choice. I loved that she moving forward and making progress in every aspect. Her character arc continues in a beautiful way, and I can’t wait to see where it ends! Also, the reader gets to meet several new characters who add adversity or encouragement to the story while Ms. Brandes continues to flesh out the veterans from the first book.
Next to strike me was Solomon Hawke, Jude’s brother. I just… I mean…wow. He’s simply amazing. I was so glad to get to know him better than I had in A Time to Die, but I can’t quite put my finger on why I like him so much! He’s kind, gentle, and wise! Just… read the book and find out for yourself. I can’t tell anymore coherently and without spoilers.
One part of this book that gripped me was actually fairly small. It was the relationship between Parvin and her brother’s widow, Tawny. It was fragmented and difficult; it was real. Family isn’t all flowers, and Parvin’s family is no exception.
Ms. Brandes continued to build on her expansive world in new and exciting ways! While the technology was intuitive and interesting, the landscapes that she paints are stunning! I wish I could say more, but I’d give spoilers! 
Now, A Time to Die wasn’t a walk in the park and neither is A Time to Speak. It’s intense. The characters suffer a lot, and the body count is pretty high. However, Ms. Brandes doesn’t go into much gross detail; she shows enough for the reader to think, “Oh, wow. Oh, no. No, no, that can’t be good.” or “No, no, don’t do that! That’ll make it worse!”
Also, the stakes are much higher than they were in A Time to Die, but Ms. Brandes weaves in enough humor that the tension doesn’t kill the reader. I’m alive as a testament.
All of this was incredible. I love the style. I love the characters. I love the story. I love the conflict. I love the world. I love the detail. But it’s the fierce message that I love the most. A Time to Speak is about taking a leap of faith, stepping out, speaking for those with no voice, and trusting God with a wild faith.
It’s the idea that drawing near to God won’t solve problems, but that when you draw near to God, He carries you through the trials of life, fueling you as you do His will. I’ve been a Christian for almost twelve years now, and I’ve been told that very thing again and again all my life. But it never came home until I was reading about a girl with one hand who is so physically weak but called on God with faith that He would provide in His perfect will. Blast you, spoilers! I want to say more! I’ll just say that though Parvin has never existed beyond the imaginations and hearts of Nadine Brandes and her readers, the message she bears and the example she gives is clearer and more tangible to me than most deep spiritual discussions and complicated explanations.
When I finished A Time to Speak, I was exhausted but not from lack of sleep. I was exhausted from the emotional rollercoaster. I was exhausted from the strain of the story. I was exhausted from the spiritual hammer that continues ringing in my head.
A Time to Speak is the evidence that books can affect change in the reader. It carries an important message, and part of why it’s so impactful is that it’s wrapped in a well-written, witty, exquisite package. Therefore, I give A Time to Speak five out five wonderstruck, sleepless stars and a PG-13 rating.
...more

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Oct 17, 2015 (Jen) The Artist Librarian rated it it was amazing

Shelves: my-books, outread-aubrey-2015, christian-fic-fantasy-and-sci-fi, e-books, arcs-or-reviews, young-adult-fic

So if I thought Nadine Brandes' debut, "A Time to Die," was an intense dystopian/survivalist novel, this sequel doubles the stakes, the action, the romance, and the cliffhanger ending! After the devastating events at the end of Parvin's journey beyond the Walls, she returns to her "normal" life forever changed --and so are the people close to her. But too quickly, she finds herself responsible for the survival of the remnant of her townspeople. With her leadership, can they escape beyond the Cou So if I thought Nadine Brandes' debut, "A Time to Die," was an intense dystopian/survivalist novel, this sequel doubles the stakes, the action, the romance, and the cliffhanger ending! After the devastating events at the end of Parvin's journey beyond the Walls, she returns to her "normal" life forever changed --and so are the people close to her. But too quickly, she finds herself responsible for the survival of the remnant of her townspeople. With her leadership, can they escape beyond the Council's reach? Can they survive beyond the Walls? Can they unravel the mystery of the Clocks?

Brandes' dystopian world is expanded upon from the North American continent to the Southern Pole and back. We get to see new locations such as Lost Angel on the west coast and the Antarctica base, each with their own flavors and perils. We also get a glimpse into Prime, a High City, and it's unique culture and technologies.

The survival-against-nature aspect of this series is one that sets it apart from other dystopians I've read. While I did have a literary suspension-of-disbelief-moment again, I think most of that comes from the fact that I haven't lived through freezing, snow-inducing weather, so a lot of the Antarctica scenes made me think, "you can't survive that in real life." (I'm sure you probably can, but this warmth-loving girl just probably can't.) =P

Parvin continues her journey, growing both as a character and as a leader. If A Time to Die was about Parvin discovering that God has a plan for her life, A Time to Speak is about the details. Have you ever thought, "I know that God has a purpose for me, but what are those exact plans?" That's what Parvin's struggling with also.

Hawke, a Enforcer who first made an appearance in "A Time to Die," is one of several characters who are fleshed out in this novel and quickly became one of my favorites. While Parvin and Hawke kind of had more of an "online" or digital friendship in the first novel, their relationship changes when they find themselves working closely together to save an innocent girl. I really liked this progression. The fact that both Parvin and Hawke have faults and the differences in their personalities and how they handle stress or hurt are realistic. I also really appreciated the way they confront these differences and face them in a potentially romantic relationship. I think that's something important for readers to see. Their faults aren't glossed over just because they might be falling in love.

A Time to Speak is another action-filled page turner that left the romantic in me completely satisfied. But be warned: the ending is a huge cliffhanger which left me saying, "Did she just do what I think she did?!!!" However, if Nadine Brandes has shown me anything from this series, it's that she's a bold author. She's unafraid to take risks and do the unconventional. I'm absolutely dying to see how she opens the next novel in this series!

[Disclosure: I received a digital advanced reader's copy (ARC) from the author for review purposes]

...more

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Aug 17, 2016 Gabrielle rated it it was amazing

Shelves: sci-fi-dystopian, favorites, christian

*Note: This review contains spoilers from A Time to Die, the previous book.*

Normally, sequels fall pretty flat. They can drag along without a focused plot, just trying to shuffle along the reader from point A to point B, so the author can get to the exciting conclusion.

However, A Time to Speak is a rare exception. A stellar exception, even.

Surprisingly enough, I liked A Time to Speak better than its predecessor, A Time to Die. The characters were marvelous, and I couldn't help but to love them. ...more

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Oct 07, 2016 Camilla Cruz rated it it was amazing

A Time to Speak is the bridge from insecurity to faith, from selfishness to love, from prejudice to care, from hopelessness to hopefulness, from stubbornness to obedience, from fear to bold surrender. It makes me want to have and grow in "wild faith"! It is hard, heart-tearing challenge that leads to a good Way, the solid Truth, and purposeful, unconditional, encouraging Love. It directs us to Shalom.

I am so proud of Parvin. I love this series. ...more

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Jun 06, 2016 J.C. rated it it was amazing

A Time to Speak ruined my life. But it was simultaneously one of the best books I’ve ever read.

Where to even begin?

First of all, if you haven’t read the first book yet, please refrain from reading this review, because there are spoilers everywhere. If you have read the 1st, I’ve kept this spoiler-free from the second.

Everything about this book was beautiful.

Okay, so the book is 400+ pages, yet never once did I feel it was drawn out. This is a huge rarity for me, being drawn-out books are p ...more

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Sep 15, 2015 Adam Collings rated it it was amazing

Shelves: christian, speculative-fiction, dystopian

A Time to Speak picks up directly after the shocking end of A Time to Die. Parvin's recent adventure has changed her, but now she is being called to change the world. Her eyes are open to the corruption and evil that leads her world. Her quest takes her to the high city to challenge the council, but these things never go according to plan. Parvin soon finds herself, carted off like animals. This time her adventure will take her to frozen wastelands and beyond.

It was fun seeing Parvin transition ...more

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Aug 21, 2015 J.J. Johnson rated it it was amazing

Shelves: 2016-fall-reading

I must admit. Writing a post about a book is one of the most difficult things for me to do. Especially when you want to show how incredible a book has moved you. How on earth does one express the joys of a story in only a few hundred words? It’s near impossible.

I considered quoting a passage that I particularly loved. But honestly, what’s the point. Once I stepped across the threshold and started I’m not sure where I would stop quoting. The list is endless.

Let me simply say this with all honesty ...more

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Jan 18, 2015 Emily rated it it was amazing

Shelves: favorites, review-copies, christian-speculative, beta-reads

The time has come for Parvin Blackwater to speak out against the injustices the government has done to its citizens. The clocks that tell when a person will die are being used as one more way to control people, including refusing to allow medication for those people who don’t have clocks or only have a few months left to live. So Parvin must use her new influenced gained by becoming a hero for surviving whatever is past the wall to speak out. How many more people will have to die before problems ...more

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Dec 03, 2015 Rebekah Gyger rated it it was amazing

4. 5 Stars

A Time to Speak is even better than the first book, A Time to Die, which many of us can surely agree does not often happen in the middle book of a series. Yet I found this world far easier to digest and understand, with a good portion of the story taking place in Unity Village instead of an environment and culture that I am completely unfamiliar with. While A Time to Die was engaging, A Time to Speak was relatable.

When Parvin hears God telling her to SPEAK, I felt a true connection to ...more

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Jun 22, 2015 Clare S-B rated it it was amazing

Shelves: books-necessary-to-living

I have now recovered from the ending enough to write a review. (still why is it so long between when books in a trilogy/series are published?)

They thought she was controllable
and they were right
but one detail they hadn't taken into account
She obeyed and trusted another more than her fear
she followed the uncontrollable God.

I felt a deep connection with the characters. The plot was fast, amazing, but still believable, there was a constant rising tension throughout. I really enjoyed all the cool in ...more

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Oct 20, 2015 Bree Brandes-courtney rated it really liked it

The book started off a bit slow for me. After finishing Book 1, I was hoping the scene would take off with the energy it ended with. Now once you get into it, the action builds and hardly slows down. There are a lot of exciting and intense action scenes. Also be warned that it is very violent and there is a lot of death. Most of the gruesome details are spared, but it still leaves you with a sadness. Being in the dystopian genre, you expect things to be bad, but being a Christian and seeing gli The book started off a bit slow for me. After finishing Book 1, I was hoping the scene would take off with the energy it ended with. Now once you get into it, the action builds and hardly slows down. There are a lot of exciting and intense action scenes. Also be warned that it is very violent and there is a lot of death. Most of the gruesome details are spared, but it still leaves you with a sadness. Being in the dystopian genre, you expect things to be bad, but being a Christian and seeing glimpses of God throughout the story, you just pray that the end is full of redemption and glory. There are glimpses of hope.
I really liked getting to experience some new settings and places. Brandes does an excellent job with scene description, almost too good. There are a couple times where I had to bundle up to keep the bone chilling cold out. I also enjoyed the way that Brandes wrote the book in a first person point of view. We are either in Parvin’s head or seeing things from her perspective. It is interesting and really lets you know how the protagonist thinks. At the same time, Parvin can overthink things and drag thoughts on. I did enjoy her internal humor. I’m glad that she can laugh at herself even in intense situations.
The overall spiritual feel of this book was much more mature than Book 1, but still simple to understand. I really appreciated the growing spiritual depth. The use of scripture was powerful and aligned to the overall theme of the book. I enjoyed how Parvin would talk to God and pray. I wouldn’t mind if this happened even more in the next book.
I liked hearing about the new technology and inventions. They get my mind thinking about what is possible for the future, what I might want to happen and what I don’t want to happen. It’s fun to speculate. I also thought Brandes did an exceptional job with the last few chapters, really getting us involved. It is the first time in the series, that I really felt an inspiring unifying of people. I liked seeing a team come together for the same goal, imitating the body of Christ, whether they knew it or not. Parvin is so used to doing things alone, that I really felt like this was an important step in her faith and trust in God, to allow Him to use others to help her. But I won’t give it all away. It was an intense ending that leaves us begging for Book 3. I definitely recommend the Out of Time Series. ...more

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Oct 22, 2016 Tess rated it it was amazing

Shelves: favorites, christian-fiction

Loved it. I don't think Nadine Brandes will ever write a book I will not give five stars and an enthusiastic review.
The thing with a lot of 2nd books, is that sometimes the characters don't develop. They make the same stupid mistakes and it's sorta a repeat of book 1.
Not this one!!!! I enjoyed myself the entire way through and the book had an even spread of humor, action, and a tinge of romance (no spoilers).
The situations were real, bluntly so, and I felt as if I could see the whole book pla ...more

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Nov 03, 2015 Emily Fisher rated it it was amazing

Shelves: my-absoulute-favorites, christian-fiction-fantasy

I am ashamed at how long it took me to read this book.... IT WAS AMAZING!!!!!!! I loved Parvin's continually growing faith, and how she really let God direct her path! Solomon and Parvin were ADORABLE!!!!!! *squeals* not happy with the ending... Now I really want to read the next book!!! A time to speak was for sure a favorite book of mine and you should all read it!! ...more

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