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Initial Thoughts:

This is the first book I read in 2013! I absolutely love the cover and was moderately excited to read it. I think time travel is a cool concept but it isn’t one of my favorite subjects ever. I got up to page 52 and thought I wasn’t going to be able to finish this book. I just didn’t feel much of a connection to the story or the characters. Around page 100, things definitely got interesting and I knew I’d have no problem finishing it.

Spoilers!

I felt pretty confused for a good portion of the book, mainly because Jackson (the main character) kept jumping back and forth to different time zones and different days and different people knew different information on different days and Ah! I eventually eased into the pacing of the book and began to understand more of what was going on. I did like that this book kept me on my toes. If I thought I knew what would happen next, Julie Cross took me in the opposite direction.

In the beginning of the novel Jackson has a girlfriend named Holly. Their relationship is breaking apart and quickly. Jackson ‘jumps’ back in time as the result of panic and a really bad situation and finds himself stuck. While he’s stuck in the past, he discovers some really freaky secrets about his family and about himself.

For some reason I didn’t feel connected to any of the characters, even though I really wanted to. Many reviews I’ve read said that Julie Cross had people bawling their eyes out multiple times. I could see where this would happen, but I only really teared up once (the scene with Jackson’s twin sister). I didn’t even find the ending sad, which makes me feel like a heartless person. Don’t get me wrong, I admire Jackson for his decision and have way more respect for him because of it, but I wasn’t invested in the relationship so the ending just didn’t pull any emotions out of me.

I thought the overall writing was good, with a few minor annoying bits. I was semi annoyed by the characterization of many of the guys in the novel. I think Julie Cross took the realistic parts of guys and multiplied those characteristics by two. They just didn’t seem real to me, but you never know, maybe Cross knows guys like the ones she wrote about. It’s a big world, lots of people, I guess it could happen.

The time traveling, once you understand it, is a really cool concept. I think the background as to why Jackson can do it is even more interesting. I really like the science and thought put into creating this idea and I loved the roll Adam played (an MIT student whom Jackson befriends and helps him understand his gift). If I was in a sticky situation like that, I would want a guy like Adam on my side.

Conclusion:

This book wasn’t at all what I was expecting but I enjoyed it. I can understand why other reads are so easily caught up in Jackson and Holly’s world and wish I could have gotten caught up too. Even though I couldn’t connect well with the characters I did enjoy the plot and the twists and turns. If the plot had not improved after page 52 there is no way I would’ve finished this book.

This is book 1 in the series. I might read book 2. Okay, I’ll probably read book 2. I have minor OCD about not finishing a series once I start it.

Rating: 3/5 stars