Review Detail

I shamelessly traded a pair of fingerless mitts for this ARC, and I'm really, really glad I did.

Here's a secret: I think about time travel a lot. Probably more than the average girl. (Probably not as much as Myra or her characters.) When it comes to time travel in books and movies, I can drive myself insane finding paradoxes and getting annoyed by characters who don't consider the consequences of their actions or use their ability to its potential.

Not so with HOURGLASS.

HOURGLASS fully lived up to what I hoped it would be. Strong, sweet, intriguing, and completely unique.

There were a lot of things I loved about this book, starting with Emerson and her voice, on to the depiction of the Southern town, and to the romance. Emerson was a tough character with a rough past, but she never let it slow her down. She was strong, loyal, and the kind of person you'd want on your side if time were slipping.

I loved the Southern atmosphere. The way Myra captured it reminded me a lot of where I grew up: definitely Southern, but not stereotypically Southern. It felt like a real place, somewhere I'd like to visit.

And the romance-- If you like kissing books, this is for you. (And I'm not going to say anything else about that because I don't want to spoil you.)

What really impressed me is how well information is seeded, how cleverly hints are given, so reveals at the end are surprising, but not too surprising. You know there's something coming out of Myra's literary hat, but it's probably not a rabbit.

HOURGLASS is a strong debut novel written in a clean, enjoyable style. The pace never flags, the plot is solid, and the premise is unique. If you've been looking for a time travel story that's not your typical time travel, this is it.

Also, check out that beautiful cover. Now tilt your head to the left. (I know, right?)