Review: Hourglass

Hourglass by Myra McEntire

publisher: EgmontUSA

release date: June 14, 2011

hardcover, 397 pages

intended audience: Young adult

rating:




source: from publisher for honest review

description:

One hour to rewrite the past . . .

For seventeen-year-old Emerson Cole, life is about seeing what isn’t there: swooning Southern Belles; soldiers long forgotten; a haunting jazz trio that vanishes in an instant. Plagued by phantoms since her parents’ death, she just wants the apparitions to stop so she can be normal. She’s tried everything, but the visions keep coming back.

So when her well-meaning brother brings in a consultant from a secretive organization called the Hourglass, Emerson’s willing to try one last cure. But meeting Michael Weaver may not only change her future, it may change her past.

Who is this dark, mysterious, sympathetic guy, barely older than Emerson herself, who seems to believe every crazy word she says? Why does an electric charge seem to run through the room whenever he’s around? And why is he so insistent that he needs her help to prevent a death that never should have happened?

Full of atmosphere, mystery, and romance, Hourglass merges the very best of the paranormal and science-fiction genres in a seductive, remarkable young adult debut.

Review: This book had me wrapped around it's little finger. The southern atmosphere, the old buildings, the creepy visitors, Emerson and her absolutely hilarious voice (how cool is her name, btw?), Michael's charm, and little surprises around every corner,...this is one debut not to be missed.

Myra McEntire's has a writing style that draws the reader right in. It's a perfect mixture of casual, relatable dialogue and intriguing plot that makes you really care about each of the characters, even minor ones. Some of them I loved immediately (Emerson, Michael, her brother, Thomas and sister-in-law, Dru---she was so cool, one of my favorite characters.). Some I really disliked but definitely found myself empathizing with at one time of another (Kaleb, Ava). Emerson is great---complex, unsure, witty and sarcastic, and when it come to sticking up for herself, she can be downright bad-ass! Loved Michael, just couldn't help it, he was a charmer with a good dose of mystery and propriety. I really like their chemistry, and although the spark between them happens pretty instantly, I'm totally okay with that when it happens to be significant to the plot. I love that even though she was attracted to him, she stuck to her guns until she made sure he wasn't another "crack-pot" like the previous people her brother had hired to help her.

The plot of Hourglass is so wonderfully twisty! First you think you're reading a ghost story, then it turns out to be something else entirely. You come to love certain people and hate others, and then that completely switches around ( a couple of times!). You think something is over and final, and then something fantastic happens and completely changes the game. Definitely a roller coaster of emotions going on! I came very close to tears more than once---and I definitely laughed out loud more than a few times.

As you can tell, I highly recommend this one. Wholeheartedly. 100%. :)

A fantastic debut.

Visit Myra McEntire's site here.

Purchase Hourglass at: Amazon • BN.com • BookDepository • Indiebound

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