Review: The Rearranged Life of Oona Lockhart

Title: The Rearranged Life of Oona Lockhart

Author: Margarita Montimore

Publisher: 25th February 2020 by Hachette Australia

Pages: 336 pages

How I Read It: ARC book

Genre: contemporary, time travel

My Rating: 4.5 cups

Synopsis:

Brooklyn, 1982. Oona Lockhart is about to celebrate her 19th birthday and ring in the New Year. But at the stroke of midnight, she is torn from her friends and boyfriend, finding herself in her fifty-one-year-old body, thirty-two years into the future.

Greeted by a friendly stranger, Oona learns that on every birthday she will enter a different year of her adult life at random. Still a young woman on the inside, but ever changing on the outside, who will she be next year? Wealthy philanthropist? Nineties Club Kid? World traveller? Wife to a man she's never met?

While Oona gets glimpses of the future and thinks she knows what's to come, living a normal life is challenging. As she struggles between fighting her fate and accepting it, Oona must learn to navigate a life that's out of order - but is it broken?

My Thoughts

I was fully onboard with the premise of this read. I mean think about it - we are most likely guilty of looking forward or looking to the past, imagining how things could or should have been. This alone makes for a very compelling story, especially when observing the main character, Oona, and witnessing how she does/not handle each new year she finds herself in - somewhere along her timeline. As the jumps are not sequential you really do find yourself wondering and eager to read what she will be facing for her new year. 

"I don't know, when you're experiencing time in order, there's probably so much you take for granted. But when you go from year to year randomly, I bet you see things differently. Notice more. Appreciate more."  

"Yeah, you'd think so, but sometimes you're too busy dealing with what a pain in the ass it is."

This is a really readable tale that easily lends itself to encouraging/forcing the reader to contemplate their own stance were such a situation to arise. Would you have led your life any differently if given the chance?  And, knowing your future, would you try to initiate preceding changes? Tie into this the tumultuous array of emotions and questions about fate and inevitability and there is much to consider. Ultimately the question remains, just exactly how much control does one have over their life? Love it!

"Stop micromanaging your life and just live it; joy and meaning will follow. Find the happy medium between being daring and responsible. Cultivate that balance. Do your best. Be good to yourself, even when - especially when - life isn't’ being good to you.”

To fully appreciate Oona and her life, you have to let go of questioning the logistics of how this all came about. Let it go! Who cares! Allow yourself to be transported to a range of time and places throughout Oona's life (all things well appreciated in retrospect) enjoying the armchair trip of ‘what would I have done?’ This illogical occurence is all about character development and story arc - the why, not the how. Even the events chosen by the author are interesting selections to think about. It might in fact leave you wanting more. 

"Another thing to consider - even if you could prevent it and ended up changing your         future, you wouldn't know how because you already lived through that year. And if you start going on about alternate timelines again, it'll give me a headache, so please let's not go down that road. Make your life more about letting in the good things than preventing the bad things.       

You're not going to stop any wars or stave off any big tragedies. You're not Sarah Connor, and the Terminator is now governor of California.You ... you do good by being a good person, making others happy. Embrace that."

I feel confident that this book will be sure to capture your heart on some level and most certainly your imagination for its uniqueness. It’s a different type of book that is frustratingly fun with a fitting closure. It will also make you reflect upon your own life’s journey: the things we do, the things we let go of, the times we treasure, the times we squander. Are there lessons that have to be learnt and one can never really outrun fate?

This review is based on a complimentary copy from the publisher and provided through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. The quoted material may have changed in the final release.

Review: The Tiger Catcher (End of Forever #1)

Title: The Tiger Catcher (End of Forever #1)

Author: Paullina Simons

Publisher: 15th April 2019 by HarperCollins Publishers Australia

Pages: 528 pages

How I Read It: ARC book

Genre: romance, time travel

My Rating: 2 cups

Synopsis:

Can true love ever die?

Julian lives a charmed life in Los Angeles. Surrounded by friends, he is young, handsome, and runs a successful business. Everything changes after he has a fateful encounter with a mysterious young woman named Josephine. Julian’s world is turned upside down by a love affair that takes him—and everyone else in his life—by storm. For the two new lovers, the City of Angels is transformed into a magical playground.

But Josephine is not what she seems and carries secrets that threaten to tear them apart—seemingly forever.

A broken man, his faith in tatters, Julian meets a mysterious stranger who tells him how to find Josephine again if he is willing to give up everything and take a death-defying trip from which no one has ever returned.

So begins Julian and Josephine’s extraordinary adventure of love, loss, and the mystical forces that bind people across time and space. It is a journey that propels Julian toward an impossible choice which will lead him to love fulfilled…or to oblivion.

The Tiger Catcher takes readers from the depths of despair to the dizzying heights of joy in the first novel of an unforgettable trilogy of love lost and found. For all fans of Outlander, The Time Traveler’s Wife, and Jojo Moyes.

My Thoughts

Paullina Simons fame from ‘The Bronze Horseman’ trilogy saw her loved by many far and wide. So news of a new trilogy had fans in eager anticipation. Billed as an ‘epic romance’ was encouraging. Sadly, however, Paullina has some known misses for her equally huge hits and I found this latest instalment fell into the former category. Whilst the concept (following along similar lines to Time Traveller’s Wife) was understandable, this book regrettably fails, in my opinion, due to some really poor and unlikeable characters. 

It would be hard to describe the relationship between the two main characters as epic, as the type of love portrayed was anything but. Both leads were difficult to connect with and the first part of the book is rather drawn out with little gained. Josephine I just did not like  (at all!) and Julian lacked a backbone. For me, it wasn’t love, rather convenience and infatuation. There was just no depth to their relationship and I could not be sold on it.

The concept is credible as stated and quite unique. I cannot really elaborate as it would give away some incredible twists and turns. Yet, I feel it is important for someone venturing into this read to understand that this is no regular romance as there are unusual plot twists. I could be more accepting of this if I was invested in the two main leads, however, that was never going to happen. 

I am so disappointed that I did not like this book as I was hoping for a romance on the scale of Tatiana and Alexander (Bronze Horseman) but it was not to be. Instead I was given shallow characters where one was manipulative and the other, gullible. Two stars for Paullina’s writing and research, with credit for creative imagination.

This review is based on a complimentary copy from the publisher and provided through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. The quoted material may have changed in the final release.

Review: The Little Shop of Found Things

Title:  The Little Shop of Found Things

Author: Paula Brackston

Publisher: 2nd October 2018 by St Martin’s Press

Pages: 320 pages
How I Read It: ARC book
Genre: historical fiction, time travel

My Rating: 3.5 cups

Synopsis:

A new series about a young woman whose connection to antiques takes her on a magical adventure, reminiscent of Outlander

New York Times bestselling author of The Witch's Daughter Paula Brackston returns to her trademark blend of magic and romance to launch a new series guaranteed to enchant her audience even more.

Xanthe and her mother Flora leave London behind for a fresh start, taking over an antique shop in the historic town of Marlborough. Xanthe has always had an affinity with some of the antiques she finds. When she touches them, she can sense something of the past they come from and the stories they hold. So when she has an intense connection to a beautiful silver chatelaine she has to know more.

It’s while she’s examining the chatelaine that she’s transported back to the seventeenth century. And shortly after, she's confronted by a ghost who reveals that this is where the antique has its origins. The ghost tasks Xanthe with putting right the injustice in its story to save an innocent girl’s life, or else it’ll cost her Flora’s.

While Xanthe fights to save her amid the turbulent days of 1605, she meets architect Samuel Appleby. He may be the person who can help her succeed. He may also be the reason she can’t bring herself to leave.

With its rich historical detail, strong mother-daughter relationship, and picturesque English village, The Little Shop of Found Things is poised to be a strong start to this new series.

My Thoughts

Having read a couple of Paula Brackston ‘witchier’ novels, I was up for trying the first in a new series for her. With an attractive cover and the promise of a dual time narrative, I signed up.

Being the first in a series, what we have here is a slow build - mother and daughter starting over in a small town ready to move on and begin anew after hardships. The main lead, Xanthe, has an ability to connect with objects that ‘sing’ to her the history of their previous owner. Their new abode has a resident ghost from the  1600s who demands Xanthe's help save her daughter in that time - thus the strong pull she feels for the chatelaine (had to look that one up!), that will in turn, assist her to time travel. What I did appreciate is the historic detail, inclusive of settings/buildings, clothing, servants lives, attitudes to religion, and sentencing of convicted criminals. I enjoyed the modern tale also and hope future books in the series will flesh out more with Xanthe’s mother Flora, helpful friend Liam and many in the local community who really needed to be fleshed out a bit more for the reader to engage.

With characters and plot taking their time in being established, I began to struggle. When  Xanthe so easily alternates back and forth between past and present, I had trouble letting go of logistics. To fully appreciate this scenario, one must suspend understanding in a number of matters eg. the time travel dynamics with no one surprised when Xanthe appeared or disappeared and in odd types of dress given the relevant time period. Her language was alluded to as being strange in the past, but the way she spoke and her forthright expectations really would not have been accepted in the 1600s; there were just too many unrealistic interactions if she was to assume the role of a servant. Add I did not really fall for the ‘insta romance’ if she was fearful of the retributions from the ghost in present day.

‘Xanthe felt suddenly swamped with guilt. How could she have been so easily and completely distracted from what she had come here to do?’

So, whilst the concept is clever and it may make for a good series, I was not overly convinced with the opening instalment. While there were parts I enjoyed, I couldn't fully get into this book. It is an easy read with time travel, romance, mystery and historical fiction all melded together with a sprinkle of magic thrown into the mix.

‘The present that she knew, the way things were in her time, could only have come about if she had traveled back to the past.’

This review is based on a complimentary copy from the publisher and provided through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. The quoted material may have changed in the final release

Review: The Psychology of Time Travel

Title:  The Psychology of Time Travel

Author: Kate Mascarenhas

Publisher: 9th August 2018 by HarperCollins Publishers Australia

Pages: 320 pages
How I Read It: ARC book
Genre: science fiction, time travel, fantasy, mystery

My Rating: 2.5 cups

Synopsis:

A time travel murder mystery from a brilliantly original new voice. Perfect for readers of Naomi Alderman's The Power and Emily St John Mandel's Station Eleven.

1967 - Four female scientists invent a time travel machine. They are on the cusp of fame: the pioneers who opened the world to new possibilities. But then one of them suffers a breakdown and puts the whole project in peril...

2017 - Ruby knows her beloved Granny Bee was a pioneer, but they never talk about the past. Though time travel is now big business, Bee has never been part of it. Then they receive a message from the future – a newspaper clipping reporting the mysterious death of an elderly lady...

2018 - When Odette discovered the body she went into shock. Blood everywhere, bullet wounds, that strong reek of sulphur. But when the inquest fails to find any answers, she is frustrated. Who is this dead woman that haunts her dreams? And why is everyone determined to cover up her murder?

My Thoughts

Reading the synopsis had me intrigued - the story sounded just so interesting - four pioneering women discover time travel and by 2017 there is this whole culture of moving back and forth in time. There is a lot going on here - drama, mystery, politics, murder, time travel and much more! There is also underlying themes surrounding how a life plays out and factors that influence (in any phase or time) how the many events unfold and some things are inescapable no matter how many times (or selves) you delve into it.

Sadly, however, this was not the book for me. There are just so many characters (multiple of the one character in different timelines as well!), so many timelines - it was all a bit too much. This is a shame as the premise was really quite original but one cannot help but feel for its length, simple would have been a more effective approach - it was just so very convoluted. Despite the titled chapters, the variety of time periods and traveling back and forth were responsible for losing the plot from what could have been a good murder mystery.

The Psychology of Time Travel is indeed a unique and commendable project. I fully appreciate just how complex putting something like this together would have been. The whole concept behind not only a murder mystery but the technicalities of time travel and even the whole culture surrounding how to govern it is really quite profound. There is no doubt it is a most fascinating subject to many. Sadly, however, I just can't get around the fact that with a huge cast of characters, a confusing plot with multiple threads and storylines this book ultimately fell flat and failed to accomplish its goal.

This review is based on a complimentary copy from the publisher and provided through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. The quoted material may have changed in the final release

Review: The Phantom Tree

Title:  The Phantom Tree

Author: Nicola Cornick

Publisher: 21st August 2018 by HARLEQUIN - Graydon House Books (U.S. & Canada)

Pages: 263 pages
How I Read It: ARC book
Genre: historical fiction, women's fiction, time travel, fantasy

My Rating: 4 cups

Synopsis:

“My name is Mary Seymour and I am the daughter of one queen and the niece of another.”

Browsing antiques shops in Wiltshire, Alison Bannister stumbles across a delicate old portrait – supposedly of Anne Boleyn. Except Alison knows better… The woman is Mary Seymour, the daughter of Katherine Parr who was taken to Wolf Hall in 1557 as an unwanted orphan and presumed dead after going missing as a child.

The painting is more than just a beautiful object from Alison’s past – it holds the key to her future, unlocking the mystery surrounding Mary’s disappearance, and the enigma of Alison’s son.

But Alison’s quest soon takes a dark and foreboding turn, as a meeting place called the Phantom Tree harbours secrets in its shadows…

My Thoughts

‘The secret of her past was safe at the cost it always exacted, that of isolation.’

The Phantom Tree I found to be a most engaging read. The story of two women, their relationship and how it unfolds over time. This is a time travel, historical novel - two aspects I love reading about. So you need to let go of preconceptions and enjoy some rich escapism, with a little bit of romance and mystery thrown in .

At its heart, this book takes up the fictional story of the very real, Mary Seymour. She was the daughter of Katherine Parr (sixth wife of Henry VIII) who went on to marry her true love (after Henry’s death), namely, Thomas Seymour. Mary’s parents both died while she was young and from that stage on, it appears that Mary herself disappears and there is little record of her in history books. Whatever became of her, no one really knows. So history lovers will delight as the author takes up a fictional possibility of what may have happened to Mary Seymour. It’s clever fiction presented in a most believable and well balanced tale of truth and fantasy.

The descriptions are fabulous, especially those in Tudor times, and I found the dialogue engaging in both periods. With a neat balance between events of past and present, the author allows us to appreciate life many centuries apart. The extraordinary element in this particular tale is that a character travels forward in time and this presents a whole range of issues unforeseen. Not only having to adapt from Tudor to modern day society, but also attempting to return to her own time. A nice switch up from the usual time slip novels.

So herein lies the challenge. Time slip situations need be handled with care and this one is okay. I chose not to question the workings of it to any great length. This story’s true strength lies in the historical tale (one story invariably tends to be stronger than the other) with the fantastical time travel aspect and modern day story not as strong. Still, I enjoyed it overall.

All up I found The Phantom Tree to be a most engaging work of historical fiction, mashed up wonderfully well by the unique travel forward in time. It felt somewhat plausible and that is of course, what attracts historical fiction readers - to delight in mixing things up occasionally.

‘This was not simply a case of what seemed on the surface to be a mad fantasy; there had been deceit on her part at every step.’

This review is based on a complimentary copy from the publisher and provided through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. The quoted material may have changed in the final release

Review: The Syndicate

Title: The Syndicate (Timewaves #1)

Author: Sophie Davis

Publisher: 1 March 2016 by Sophie Davis Books

Pages: 586 pages

How I Read It: ARC book

Genre: science fiction, teens/young adult, time travel, fantasy

My Rating: 3 cups

Synopsis:

In a future where time travel has been outlawed, a black market exists for anyone with the money, connections, and nerve to request items from days past. As a Runner for one of the underground syndicates that now controls the timewaves, Stassi 2446-89 has seen it all: the fall of Rome, the rise of Hitler, the end of democracy, the establishment of time tourism, and the devastating consequences of it. Her job is to seamlessly slip through the past, in search of items of value to the syndicate's clientele.

Stassi's next assignment takes her to Paris in the 1920’s, in search of a lost manuscript by one of the twentieth century’s greatest writers. She and her partner, Gaige, are swept up in the City of Light during the height of fashion and culture—as alluring a locale as they’ve ever visited. But a seedier side of life lurks beneath the glamorous façade, and the pair quickly learns this run is more dangerous than any of their previous missions.

Because history isn’t playing out as it should be—a first for the syndicate. When the stakes are raised and it becomes a matter of life or death, Stassi and Gaige must ultimately decide how far they’re willing to go to ensure the future as they know it.

My Thoughts

I was excited to read this book. It comes with a great premise - time travel to secure historical items:

"Runners studied people, events and cultures, learning to blend within past societies without becoming a part of recorded history. And without causing ripples in the timewaves."

Unfortunately for me, it did not live up to expectations. Don't get me wrong, this is not a bad book by any means, in fact it was an easy read. It just was not for me for a few particular reasons. Firstly, it was really wordy. Really. The almost 600 pages could easily have been culled to make a more dramatic and engaging read. Some sections really dragged and others failed to contribute to the plot in my opinion. Pages and pages of nothing solid in contribution, going nowhere fast and so very repetitive. 

I also found that there were too many current day references for a book set in 2446 and travelling back to the 1920s. For example:

"Even that wasn't enough to combat the neon signs flashing 'Danger Will Robinson?' in my head".

Really 'Lost in Space' reference from the 1960s! Would teenagers of today actually get that?

I also understand that the main idea was to find a manuscript for a book which had been lost, and that the lead character was trying to work out where the locket that she had been given originated from, in the hope of discovering her birth parents. However, the story just seemed to take forever to get anywhere, and I would lose interest and begin to skim through sections. 

The biggest factor is that this book is definitely more for teenagers than young adults and about half way through this became really apparent. Adults, like myself, who like to engage in YA reading will struggle with what I consider the immaturity on occasions:

"Being the mature professional I was, I stuck my tongue out at him."

Therefore if you know any young teenagers who are into science fiction time travel tales, this is the book for them.

This review is based on a complimentary copy from the publisher and provided through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. The quoted material may have changed in the final release.