Thursday, November 15, 2012

December 2012 Book 1: Hourglass by Myra McEntire

Read comments from your teachers below.

5 comments:

Mrs. Schatz said...

From Mrs. Northrup:
Look at that cover, is it not gorgeous?
From the beginning the story had me hooked. I loved Emerson's voice, her personality was kick butt, she was sarcastic, sassy, smart, curious, etc.  I loved her even more when she told Michael, "Most of what comes out is complete truth. My edit button is broken." How awesome is that!
The romance line in Hourglass takes the front seat and I actually loved the tension between her and Michael, as well as the awkwardness and then the jealousy when the third part of the love triangle, Kaleb is introduced. I personally would have preferred there not to be a love triangle since there was no question on who she would end up with from the beginning and I felt it was a bit weak, a few jealous moments here and there and that’s it. But it was funny to see Michael all jealous and broody. I just loved the progression of his and Emerson's relationship.
Now coming to the time traveling aspect, hourglass took its sweet time introducing the topic, and allowing Emerson to wrap her head around it, then trying to figure out how in the world she can time travel and why Michael sought her out and what’s the 'greater plan' that you find in every book (Well I thought that).

There were other characters, such as Emerson's brother and his wife, some of Michael's friends that I would have loved to see more of and find out more about, however I loved Hourglass and it was a definite amazing read. I would recommend it to anyone wanting to read a mix of supernatural and Paranormal or just wants to read an awesome YA novel!

Veronica Northrup

Anonymous said...

I enjoyed the storyline in Hourglass. It was an original take on time travel. The only downside to the book was that the main character was a bit whiney.

Mrs. Schatz said...

From Ms. Ogilvie:
I liked that this book's storyline was not predictable--things did not always go as planned. I liked that the main character was assertive, despite everything she has been through. She is funny and a little quirky, but you can still relate to her. In some ways it was good that the author did not lay out everything on the table, like with Lily's potential special ability. However, I would like to know more about why and how the rips show up, and why sometimes they seem to interact with her but others are locked in their own time.
It's easy for the reader to become invested in the romance between Michael and Emerson, especially as more obstacles keep emerging. I appreciated that while she depended on him for information and support in this new world, she was not completely lost or incapable without him.
Unlike Everneath, I am interested to see what happens to these characters in the future. I was a little sad when the book ended because it seems the story is just beginning to really unfold.

Brandy said...

I really enjoyed this book. Emerson's sense of humor and her lack of an "edit button" make this book a fun read. Readers often get an inside look into character's minds, but they don't often get to see the interplay when that inner dialogue comes out. It was refreshing. I also like that Emerson was not a perfect person and had her issues and struggles. The author did a great job with character development and I am especially interested to learn more about Kaleb, the broody friend of Michael, and Lily, Emerson's best friend. It might be fun to see how they get along together. Pick up this book and read it, you won't be disappointed!!

mfriedewald said...

This book is really intense! The tragic trauma experienced by some of the characters coupled with the electric/magnetic and truly infinite relationship between Emerson and Michael make for a very serious read full of real emotion.

The chapters are short and quick, which makes it even harder to put down. Unfortunately, I'm not sure that you can get through one chapter without someone blushing...not a big deal, but, at least in my experience, people just don't go around constantly blushing ALL THE TIME. McEntire is great a describing things in such a multi-sensory way that I felt like I was watching a movie. In fact, the suspense and anticipation I felt in the last chapters were so similar that I went and fixed a bag of popcorn to eat while I read! ...No, really - I did.

While there is enough closure at the end to leave the reader satisfied, the story is left open for the sequel, which is apparently written from another character’s perspective.

Lastly, I LOVE the cover! It has a mysterious, pearlescent quality and was oddly intriguing in a way that I just couldn't put my finger on... until the mess on my nightstand forced me to set the book down in a direction that caused me to look at it from a different perspective (seems so obvious now!). It's just a little like X-Men, but way more believable!