Jan Von Schleh

I really liked the main characters, Sonnet and Emma, as well as some of the secondary characters, like Kerry. I also enjoyed how everything was interconnected: objects, relationships, etc. the story did fall a little flat at times, and I found it a little difficult to believe that so many people knew someone who was familiar enough with time travel to help the girls out. Overall, though, I couldn’t wait to find out what would eventually happen.

*I received a free copy of this book from the publishers in exchange for an honest review.*… (mer)

I received an ARC of this book for free as part of BookSparks’ YA Summer Reading Challenge.

This was a fun and fast read. It wasn’t super intricate but it was still enjoyable.

I loved the characters, especially the side characters like Kerry (she was the best!) and Sonnet’s cousins.

The ending was really good. I didn’t quite know how it was going to end but I loved the reveal that happened. I was on the fence about this book while I was reading it, but the ending tipped me over and made me decide that I liked the book.

As for the things I didn’t like, there were a few things I wasn’t huge fan of. The first being that the book read a little too juvenile for my taste. The characters are 15 and 16 but the writing style felt very middle grade.

Second, there really was no explanation at all for the time travel aspect. That didn’t bother me a lot, but I still would have lot to have seen more depth to it. How it happened still remains a mystery.

Lastly, two of Sonnet’s cousins were half Filipino and half white (just like me!), and I wish there would have been more done with their heritage, since Filipinos hardly get any representation. I knew it probably wasn’t going to happen, but I kept hoping that there would be some sort of nod to Filipino culture in the book.

Overall, while this book wasn’t 100% perfect, it was still an entertaining read.… (mer)

The plot of a time-traveling-romance is what initially drew me to the book in the first place. That's my favorite genre to read, because I just love the idea of a couple who's not supposed to meet (because they're from different eras) do and fall in love. And this book is going to be in my top 5 of that genre.

I thought the first person narrative from Sonnet and the third person narrative from Emma worked well. It gives the readers a good look at the late 19th century, and an interesting look at how Emma sees our present.

I enjoyed the slight spookyness of the Sweetwine's house in 2015. Part of me expected a ghost to float in, not a living person to emerge. The other settings...the rich descriptions made me feel I was actually there.

I love that the story continues on even after Sonnet and Emma switch back to their respective times and learning how their lives still lie into one another's (no spoilers here). It was surprising and interesting and made me smile.

For fans of teen romance, or time travel, or both, this book is a must. You will not be disappointed.… (mer)