Review: Hourglass

Hourglass by Myra McEntire
Publisher: Egmont USA
Published: 14th June 2011


Goodreads 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.

My thoughts:

Perfect.

Ha, I bet you thought that was my whole review, right? To be honest though-it could be. That’s exactly what this book is. It is perfection.

Emerson is one of my all time favourite narrators. Her voice is the perfect mix of snarky humour and empathy inducing prose. She’s so strong despite the horrors in her past-she deals as well as she possibly can and it’s clear to see that.

For once, the protag of a YA novel has a supporting and loving family. Emerson’s brother Thomas and his wife are the loveliest people you could imagine. I loved them instantly.They raised Emerson since the death of her parents and it was so refreshing not to have a protag from a broken home, but one raised by people who, despite not asking for ward, had her best interests at heart and clearly cared a great deal for her.

I really liked Michael as well. He was obviously the goodie goodie love interest, which I usually dislike, but Michael really worked for me.  The tension between them was so obvious and so gripping. It wasn’t insta-love. Instant attraction sure, but there was a reason for it and also banter and relationship building going on between them which I really appreciated.  I liked Kaleb too, possibly slightly more than Michael if I’m honest. He had that whole careless exterior carefully shielding a soft interior thing going on. Like a smartie (the nestle chocolate). And Emerson was pretty good at cracking that shell and letting the smooth, chocolatey centre out. Okay, enough chocolate comparisons, let’s move on.

The plot was just outstanding. A lot of thought and research clearly went into this concept and I appreciated the hard work as much as I appreciated the plot itself. It was exciting and different and kinda geeky. Again, my Star Trek watching days really paid off whilst reading this. I’m a huge huge fan of time travelling novels, I love wrapping my head around the concepts they display and this book was no different. It was perfect. I genuinely didn’t see any of the plot twists coming which is rare for me and they knocked me for six. There was the perfect combination of mystery, romance, heartbreak and humour in this story which I don’t have to tell you is an exceedingly tough recipe to perfect.

The writing was almost my favourite part, it was just so good. The tete-a-tetes between Emerson and the other characters were hilarious-but realistic enough that each exchange fitted with the characters and not with the witty author giggling away at her pithy one liners.

This is one of those books I wish I could read for the first time all over again. One of those books where I desperately want to finish it and find out what happens, but dread every page turn that takes me nearer to the end.  You’ll be hard pressed to find a better book this year. I cannot do justice to this book in 500 words. 6/5