Tempest by Julie Cross
Jackson is a college kid with a girlfriend, oh and one other thing, he’s a time traveler. He can travel to the past and then back to 2009. Nothing he does in the past has any impact on 2009. He even got run over by a bus on one trip back in time and ended up with only a sore leg and a bruise in 2009. But time travel does take a toll on him, making him tired and achy. Jackson was just figuring out how his ability worked with the help of Adam, a brilliant science geek. Then everything changed when his girlfriend was shot. In the midst of his panic, Jackson traveled back into the past out of instinct. Then he was not able to return to 2009. Stuck in 2007, he has to figure out who to trust and why people are trying to kill him.
This book was a challenge for me to get into. I chafed at the way that consequences of time travel were ignored in the story. As I kept reading though, it all made sense and the pacing and rush of the storyline made it compelling. Even better, whenever I thought I had figured things out, the story took another twist. I love it when that happens!
This book is less about characters and more about action, and that is not a criticism. The action is thrillingly written and riveting. The book also has mystery elements to it, where glimpses of the past and current experiences meld together to form the complete truth. It is a diverting read, almost impossible to put down and definitely one that lingers in your mind long after you finish reading.
A great pick for teen collections, where the age of the protagonist at 19 and the action/mystery elements will keep them riveted. Appropriate for ages 15-18.
Reviewed from ARC received from St. Martin’s Press.
Also reviewed by:
Waking Brain Cells 