Every Hour Until Then by Gabrielle Meyer (Austenprose PR Tour)

 

What book did you read over the weekend?  I read Every Hour Until Then by Gabrielle Meyer while camping this weekend and I couldn’t put this book down!

Kathryn lives in two worlds.  In 1888, she is a Victorian lady from a rich and socially prominent  family while in 1938 she is a museum curator putting together an exhibit for the British Museum on Jack the Ripper.  She lives a day in one world, goes to sleep, and then wakes up in the other.  She has until the age of 25 to pick the timeline that she would like to live in forever.  As she goes through the material for the museum exhibit in 1938, she realizes that her beloved sister in 1888 is Jack the Ripper’s last victim.  How can she save her sister in 1888, but not impact history?

My thoughts on this novel:

·       This is the fifth book in the timeless series.  I seem to love each book even more than the last book.  This book can be read as a standalone, but it’s fun to see returning characters from other books and know their back stories.

·       I really liked how Kathryn was able to use both timelines to put together the clues to solve the mystery of her sister’s exile from her family, and to solve the ultimate mystery of who was Jack the Ripper.  It definitely kept me riveted!!  I have always been fascinated by Jack the Ripper and I though author Gabrielle Meyer really put the facts together in an engaging way while also putting together an interesting theory of who the Ripper was and why he committed his crimes.

·       The love between Kathryn and Austen in 1888 was palpable and alive.  I greatly enjoyed their romance.  It was very poignant in the future timeline when she saw old Austen from afar and he would not come to her.

·       This is a clean read.  There is some kissing.  Jack the Ripper and his crimes are discussed, but they happen off screen and the story doesn’t go into detail on the gruesomeness of the crimes.

·       There were lots of goodies at the end of this novel including an author’s note, historical note, a chapter from the next novel, and discussion questions.  I can’t wait for November and the next novel in this series – Through Each Tomorrow.  One setting is Fredericksburg, Virginia.  I have visited that beautiful city a few times in my life.

Overall, Every Hour Until Then is a captivating time travel historical romance with plenty of mystery and suspense and great characters.  I highly recommend it and this entire series!

Book Source: Thank-you to @gabrielle_meyer @bethanyhousefiction @austenprose for the review copy of this novel as part of the Austenprose PR Tour

Across the Ages by Gabrielle Meyer (Austenprose PR Book Tour)

 

Title: Across the Ages

Author:  Gabrielle Meyer

Narrated by:  Rachel Botchan

Publisher: Recorded Books

Length: Approximately 12 hours and 56 minutes

Source: Audiobook Purchased from Audible. Thank you @gabrielle_meyer @bethanyhousefiction @austenprosefor the review copy of the paperback version of Across the Ages by Gabrielle Meyer.

If you could pick, would you rather live as a pirate in the 1700s or as a young lady in Minnesota in the 1920s?  I think I would pick Minnesota in the 1920s if I lived somewhere with modern plumbing.

Caroline lives in both 1727 and 1927.  She will live a day in 1727 and fall asleep. When she wakes up again, she is in 1927.  She has lived two lives as she nears her twenty-first birthday.  In 1727, she runs away from a forced marriage on her grandfather’s plantation in South Carolina and joins a ship as a cabin boy to try to find her mother.  When her ship is captured by pirates, she finds herself now an unwilling pirate.  She starts to have feelings for the captain’s adopted son whom she serves. Will she find her mother?  Will she find love with a pirate?

In 1927, Caroline is the daughter of a prominent minister who is a leader in the prohibition movement.  She feels the weight of being the “perfect daughter” on her shoulders.  Her two brothers are living lives of sin involving adultery, prostitutes, and running illegal alcohol.  Caroline wants answers on why she travels through time, but looking for these answers with her childhood friend Lewis brings them into dangerous situations.  Will Caroline find the answers she seeks, and will she find love with Lewis?

My thoughts on this novel:

·       This is the fourth novel in the Timeless series.  I have read books 2, 3, and 4 now and I’ve really enjoyed them.  I still need to read the first book.  You can read this novel as a standalone, but it is fun when characters from the previous novels pop up in this story. 

·       It’s a fun love triangle to have the two different men in two different timelines and lives.

·       The two different time periods in this novel, the 1920s and the 1700s are equally intriguing to me. 

·       I liked how Caroline met famous people in the 1920s such as Charles Lindburgh and Ernest Hemingway.

·       I loved the descriptive detail of Caroline’s clothing in both timelines, but especially the 1920s.

·       The book had a great theme of redemption in both timelines.

·       This is a clean read.

·       The novel had a great historical note at the end that described the real history as well as sources to read more about it.  I had not idea that St. Paul was a “sanctuary city” for gangsters in the 1920s.

·       It was fun when Caroline in the 1920s visited real Minnesota landmarks that I have visited such as the Como Park in St. Paul.

·       There is a great sneak peak at the next novel in this series, Every Hour Until Then, which will be released in May 2025.

·       The audiobook was riveting and great listening experience.  The narrator had a wonderful voice brought the story to life.

Overall, Across the Ages by Gabrielle Meyer was a great historical time travel romance set in two fascinating time periods, the pirate age in 1727, and the roaring 20’s in 1927.  I greatly enjoyed it and the rest of this series, and I highly recommend it.

 BOOK DESCRIPTION

Caroline holds a deep secret. Living in 1727 and 1927 simultaneously, each night she goes to sleep in one life and wakes up in the other. In search of answers to her unique existence, Caroline stumbles upon a letter from her mother hinting at her own experiences as a time-crosser, sending Caroline on a daring quest to uncover the truth. In 1727, Caroline disguises herself as a cabin boy and joins a ship sailing for the Bahamas, her mother's last known location, where she crosses paths with a ruthless but handsome pirate and is caught in a web of secrets, deception, and unexpected alliances.

In 1927 St. Paul, Minnesota, Caroline grapples with her other life as the daughter of a renowned preacher. Her two older brothers have fallen prey to the corruption rampant during Prohibition, and Caroline struggles to keep their involvement hidden to save her father's career. As her search for answers about her time-crossing leads her to the dangerous yet exciting world of speakeasies, Caroline enlists the help of a childhood friend who is now a police officer. But with her family's future at risk and their loyalties tested, Caroline faces a life-altering decision that could reshape her destiny.

AUTHOR BIO

Gabrielle Meyer (GabrielleMeyer.com) is an ECPA bestselling author. She has worked for state and local historical societies and loves writing fiction inspired by real people, places, and events. She currently resides along the banks of the Mississippi River in central Minnesota with her husband and four children. By day, she's a busy homeschool mom, and by night she pens fiction and nonfiction filled with hope.

 

The Wedding Witch by Erin Sterling

 

Do you like when books combine two holiday seasons?  I do, it gives me a Nightmare Before Christmas Vibe.

Bowen Penhallow prefers to live life alone on a mountain in Wales studying ancient magic.  He ventures out to meet Tamsyn Bligh.  Tamsyn is not a witch, but she does procure magical items for witches.  She becomes exclusive to helping Bowen procure items.  She does decide to do one last private job on her own where she will make a lot of cash.  While on this job, she meets Bowen at a wedding that they are both crashing for different reasons. Will they be able to help each other with their projects?  Will sparks fly?

My thoughts on this novel:

·       This is the third novel in the Ex Hex series.  I have enjoyed this entire series.  It is a lighthearted and fun series that is great for the Halloween season.  I hope this series continues!

·       This novel was a steamy romance.

·       I really liked the time travel elements of the story.  Bowen meets his grandparents right before their wedding.

·       The story got a bit slow for me in the middle, but then it picked up again and held my attention to the end.

·       It was set a Christmas, so it was both a Christmas and a Halloween read.

·       I loved how Bown and Tamsyn had an opposites attract story.  Bowen is grumpy and Tamsyn is all sunshine.  They had good banter.

·       In the 1950’s storyline, the child Emerald is a hoot.  She is always catching the two of them at awkward times, and she knows that they are up to something.

·       I enjoyed that the author tried something different in this world to keep the story interesting.

Overall, The Wedding Witch by Erin Sterling was an enjoyable, fun story with great romance, time travel, and fun banter.  It is perfect for both the Halloween and the Christmas seasons.

Book Source:  Review copy from NetGalley. Thank-you!  Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

The Witches of El Paso by Luis Jaramillo

 

Title: The Witches of El Paso

Author:  Luis Jaramillo

Narrated by:  Raquel Beattie

Publisher: Simon & Schuster Audio

Length: Approximately 9 hours and 50 minutes

Source: Review Copy from Simon & Schuster Audio.  Thank you!

Do you like to read books for the Halloween season?  If so, what are your favorites?

The Witches of El Paso is a brand-new book that was just published in October.  It features a family that can travel through time with their inherited magic.  Nena is a teenager in 1943 El Paso, Texas.  She takes care of her sisters’ children, but she longs for her own life and adventure.  She prays for help and the mysterious Sister Benedicta arrives in response.  She then travels back in time to 1792 where her gift of “La Vista” is calling her.  There she lives in a convent until the day that a mysterious illness kills many and she is sent to care for a sick family member of one of the nuns and her life is changed forever.    

In the present day, Marta is a civil rights attorney living in El Paso with her husband and children.  She helps her old aunt Nena on her quest to find her missing child.  Marta also finds her own “La Vista” along the way.

My thoughts on this novel:

·       This was a multigenerational family drama, and I greatly enjoyed it.

·       I loved the magical realism of the story.  There wasn’t too much magic, but I did enjoy how both Marta and Nena found themselves and their magic.

·       I enjoyed the glimpse into Hispanic culture and the history of El Paso.

·       I really enjoyed Nena’s time in the convent in the 1700’s.  The history and day to day life was fascinating to me. 

·       I also enjoyed Marta.  As a mother, wife, and attorney, she feels herself pulled in many directions. She also cares for Nena and through Nena, Marta is finally able to find her authentic self. 

·       It was also interesting comparing the life of a woman in the 1700s, 1940s, and current day.

·       Raquel Beattie was an excellent narrator and made the story very enjoyable.

Overall, The Witches of El Paso was an interesting magical realism, family drama, and time slip novel that was perfect fall reading.

 

The Ministry of Time by Kaliane Bradley

 

Title: The Ministry of Time

Author:  Kaliane Bradley

Narrated by:  George Weightman and Katie Leung

Publisher: Simon & Schuster Audio

Length: Approximately 10 hours and 22 minutes

Source: Review Copy from Simon & Schuster Audio.  Thank you!

Do you like movies, books, or shows that feature time travel?  I love them!  The Ministry of Time is a brand-new time travel novel.

An unnamed civil servant works for the new Ministry of Time in London.  She is tasked with helping Graham Gore, an artic explorer from 1847, acclimate to modern times.  The ministry plucked five individuals that were going to die from different time periods and brought them back to London in modern times.  The time travelers form unlikely friendships with each other as well as their handlers.  As the shadowy “general” starts to stalk the time travelers, will they be able to survive in this new time?

My thoughts on the novel:

·       The Ministry of Time is a unique blend of sci-fi, historical fiction, mystery, and romance.

·       Graham Gore is an actual historic figure that was a part of the ill-fated Franklin expedition.  He has a parallel story in the novel narrated by him where he details what happened to him on the expedition.  This matches what is known about the real-life expedition.  A great note at the end discusses Gore.

·       I thought it was interesting that the main character was never named in the novel.  She has mixed heritage with an English father and Cambodian mother.  This brought some depth to her character.  I wanted to learn even more about her.

·       I enjoy that time travel makes one think through many moral and ethical quandaries.  What gives people the right to “save” people from the past from their certain deaths?  Is it really saving them?  What is the correct timeline if time travel keeps changing what happened?  Should you travel back into your own timeline?

·       It was also interesting that the narrator had basically fallen in love with a historical figure that she had researched in the past and then had the chance to meet him and get to know him.  Graham calls her out on it later in the book.

·       Graham and the narrator have a torrid romance towards the end of the novel.  It was slightly awkward to listen to it on audiobook, but luckily, I could skip ahead.

·        It was interesting that the future has different ways it could end.  It’s really a loop from the future to the past that those from the future are trying to alter.

·       I enjoyed the friendship between the time travelers.

Overall, I enjoyed The Ministry of Time.  It was a unique novel with a great story, characters, romance, and mystery.  I felt myself caring for both Graham and the narrator and wishing there was a book two.

 

For a Lifetime by Gabrielle Meyer (Austenprose PR Book Tour)

 

If you could time travel, what time period would you travel to?  I always loved the thought of time travel when I was young, but now in middle age, I realize I love modern sanitation and medicine too much to want to time travel.  If I did time travel, I think it would be fun to go back 100 years ago and visit my Great Grandparents when they were young.

Grace and Hope are identical twins that live in both 1692 Salem Massachusetts and 1912 New York City.  They live in 1692 for a day, and when they wake up the next day, they are in 1912.  In 1692, the Salem witch trials are starting to heat up.  The sisters start to get answers about the mysterious death of their mother when they were infants, while also fearing these answers could have them tried as witches.  In 1912, Grace is a journalist and Hope is a groundbreaking Aviatrix.  They must decide when they are twenty-five, which time period they will live in forever.  Which will they choose?

My thoughts on this novel:

·       I loved Book #2 in this series, In this Moment, and I still need to read the first book in the series.  I liked how this book was written in a different way by having twin sisters.  The chapters alternated between the two sisters with one narrating the 1692 chapters and the other narrating the 1912 chapters.  About halfway through, the sisters switched who was narrating.

·       This book works as a standalone, but there are characters in it from the previous books which is fun.

·       The Salem witch trials have always fascinated and terrified me.  Grace and Hope are unmarried twenty-four-year-old women, which was old for that time.  They were in a precarious position as their neighbors started to be accused.

·       I enjoyed the mystery during the Salem time period about their mother.

·       I hated the stepmother from the 1692 time period. She was a good villain.

·      

I didn’t realize there was such animosity between Quakers and Puritans.  I am descended from both, so I found that to be very interesting.

·       The romance was complicated as in each timeline one sister loved someone who did not love them.

·       I have always loved books about flying and early aviation.  It made this book extra fun having a subplot about flying in the 1912 time period.   It was very early for flight and very dangerous. 

·       The author’s historical note at the end of the story was fascinating about both time periods.  She meticulously researched both time periods and based Hope on an early aviator named Harriet Quimby.  I want to learn more about her!

·       I enjoyed the excerpt at the end of the novel for Across the Ages, the next book in this series which will be out this November.

·       This book is a clean read and a Christian novel.

Favorite Quote – I love the first line: “It was a strange reality to be on the precipice of tragedy and not be able to stop it.”

Overall, For a Lifetime by Gabrielle Meyer was an enjoyable time travel novel with a great plot and wonderful characters.  It was a great escape read for me during a very busy time.  I recommend this series!

Book Source:  Review copy from Bethany House as part of the Austenprose PR Book Tour. Thank-you!  Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

 BOOK DESCRIPTION

Grace and Hope are identical twin sisters born with the ability to time-cross together between 1692 Salem, Massachusetts, and 1912 New York City. As their twenty-fifth birthday approaches, they will have to choose one life to keep and one to leave behind forever--no matter the cost.

In 1692, they live and work in their father's tavern, where they must watch helplessly as the witch trials unfold in their village, threatening everyone. With the help of a handsome childhood friend, they search for the truth behind their mother's mysterious death, risking everything to expose a secret that could save their lives--or be their undoing.

In 1912, Hope dreams of becoming one of the first female pilots in America, and Grace works as an investigative journalist, uncovering corruption and injustice. After their parents' orphanage is threatened by an adversary, they enter a contest to complete a perilous cross-country flight under the guidance of a daring French aviator.

The sisters have already decided which timeline they will choose, but an unthinkable tragedy complicates the future they planned for themselves. As their birthday looms, how will they determine the lives--and loves--that are best for both of them?

AUTHOR BIO

Gabrielle Meyer (GabrielleMeyer.com) is an ECPA bestselling author. She has worked for state and local historical societies and loves writing fiction inspired by real people, places, and events. She currently resides along the banks of the Mississippi River in central Minnesota with her husband and four children. By day, she's a busy homeschool mom, and by night she pens fiction and nonfiction filled with hope.

In This Moment by Gabrielle Meyer (Austenprose PR Book Tour)

 

What is your favorite book or movie featuring time travel?  I first started to love time travel as a kid watching the 1980’s TV series Voyagers! This show featured Phineas Bogg, a time traveler who used a device to travel through time and try to fix mistakes.  He was joined by a young kid named Jeffrey.  This show only ran for a year as the actor who played Phineas, Jon Erik Hexum, died from an accident involving a firearm on set.  I also loved all of the time travel in Star Trek.  “The City on the Edge of Forever” in the original series is one of the best television episodes ever. The Back to the Future series are my favorite time travel movies, and Outlander has been my favorite time travel book series as an adult.

I was excited to have an opportunity to review In This Moment by Gabrielle Meyer.  This is a unique novel involving time travel.  Maggie inherited the ability to cross time.  She lives on day in 1861, the next day in 1941, and the third day in 2001.   She doesn’t age beyond her normal age, but she does retain the memories from all three time periods.  She has different sets of parents and friends in each time period.  When she turns twenty-one, she will need to choose which time period she wants to stay in permanently and she will die in the other time periods.  How will she choose?  She doesn’t want to complicate matters with romance, but there is a special someone in each time period.  She works in the medical field in Washington DC in all three time periods.  In 2001 she is a medical student working towards her goal of becoming a surgeon, in 1941 she is a navy nurse, and in 1861 she is trying to help wounded soldiers against her father’s wishes. 

I greatly enjoyed this book. The alternating chapters kept the story moving.  The time periods selected were all three equally riveting.  I really liked that.  I loved that Maggie was able to use her medical expertise in different ways in the different time periods, but that she had to take care to not alter time by sharing information from the future.  I also liked the romance.

This is the second book in the Timeless series but worked well as a stand alone novel.  I really want to go back now and read the first book!

Book Source: Review Copy from Bethany House.   Thank-you! I received a complimentary copy of this book as part of the Austenprose PR Book Tour. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

QUICK FACTS

·       Title: In This Moment

·       Series: Timeless (Book 2)  

·       Author: Gabrielle Meyer

·       Genre: Time Travel Romance, Historical Romance, Inspirational Fiction

·       Publisher: Bethany House Publishers (May 2, 2023)

·       Length: (400) pages

·       Format: Hardcover, Trade Paperback, eBook, & Audiobook 

·       ISBN: ‎ 978-0764239755

·       Tour Dates: May 1 – 15, 2023

 

BOOK DESCRIPTION

Maggie inherited a gift from her time-crossing parents that allows her to live three separate lives in 1861, 1941, and 2001. Each night, she goes to sleep in one time period and wakes up in another. Until she turns twenty-one, when she will have to forfeit two of those lives--and everyone she knows in them--forever.

In 1861, Maggie is the daughter of a senator at the outbreak of the Civil War, navigating a capital full of Southern spies and wounded soldiers. In 1941, she is a navy nurse, grappling with her knowledge of the future when she joins a hospital ship going to Pearl Harbor. And in 2001, she's a brilliant young medical student, fulfilling her dream of becoming a surgeon.

While Maggie has sworn off romance until she makes her final choice, an intriguing man tugs at her heart in each era, only complicating the impossible decision she must make, which looms ever closer. With so much on the line, how can Maggie choose just one life to keep and the rest to lose?

 

PRAISE FOR IN THIS MOMENT

·       "A unique thought-provoking read."— Mimi Matthews, USA Today bestselling author

·       "A breathtaking journey through time and history!”— Sarah Sundin, bestselling, and Christy Award-winning author

·       “I loved this novel and heartily recommend it.”— Elizabeth Camden, Christy and RITA Award-winning author of When the Day Comes

 

PURCHASE LINKS

AMAZON | BARNES & NOBLE | BOOKSHOP | GOODREADS

 

AUTHOR BIO

Gabrielle Meyer has worked for state and local historical societies and loves writing fiction inspired by real people, places, and events. She currently resides along the banks of the Mississippi River in central Minnesota with her husband and four children. By day, she's a busy homeschool mom, and by night she pens fiction and nonfiction filled with hope.

WEBSITE | INSTAGRAM | FACEBOOK | TWITTER | BOOKBUB | GOODREADS

Sea of Tranquility by Emily St. John Mandel

 

The Sea of Tranquility was a beautiful and unique book that I couldn’t put down.  My husband, Ben, and I are currently watching Station Eleven, but Sea of Tranquility was my first novel by Emily St. John Mandel.  It takes place during four different time frames and involves time travel.  I loved it.

The novel starts with the younger son from an aristocratic family being shipped to Canada in 1912 because he has “radical” opinions that embarrass the family.  He has a strange experience in the woods on Vancouver Island.   In 2020, a concert is taking place where footage is displayed that was taped in the same woods in 1994 and a strange event occurred.  In 2203, Olive Llewellyn is on a book tour on Earth.  She is a resident of the second moon colony.  While at an airport, she has a moment where she hears music, sees trees, and has a strange experience.  Is this a glitch?   In 2401, Gaspery-Jacques Roberts is a security guard at a hotel on the first moon colony.  His sister and old friend work for the Time Institute.  He gets a job there and is soon an operative traveling through time to try to solve the question of these strange disturbances.  What are these glitches?

The writing of this novel was beautiful.  It started somewhat slow with different pieces of the story that seemed unrelated.  Then the pieces finally started to come together.  I was fascinated.  There were some deep thoughts about life and reality.  It is a short book and I read it quickly.

Favorite Quotes:

“Illness frightens us because it’s chaotic.  There’s an awful randomness about it.”

“I’ve been thinking a great deal about time and motion lately, about being a still point in a ceaseless rush.”

Overall, Sea of Tranquility is a book I can’t stop thinking about.  It’s a beautiful novel with an intriguing story.