Hourglass by Myra McEntire

Oh “Hourglass” how I love thee... let me bullet point the ways.

• Smart - It’s obvious that Ms. McEntire is a smarty pants and I mean that in the nicest way.
• Rich, real characters - I fell in love with these characters.
• Unique plot - This book kept me on my toes - THANK YOU.
• Cliffhanger free ending, but yet I am dying for more - THANK YOU x 2.

“Hourglass” is one of the best books I’ve read this year. It’s a time slip romance, but it’s so real. Em (short for Emerson, which is an awesome name and I may steal it if I have a little girl next time around) is probably my favorite YA heroine of all time. She’s snarky, yet tender hearted. She is definitely a brave and strong young woman, yet she’s vulnerable and has lived her teen years being troubled by her ability and the death of her parents. You see, Em can see (and talk to) images of the past. So, she may strike up a conversation with someone only to find out that she’s the only one who can see them. So, it’s hard to get close to people when most of the world thinks you’re coo coo for Cocoa Puffs. Em lives with her brother and his wife, who are kind souls who just want to help Em. Her brother hires consultants to try and deal with his sister’s ability. Most of the time, they turn out to be whack jobs, but this time... he hires a hottie who also sees the things Emerson does. To steal questions from the goodreads.com summary, “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?”

This book was addictive and I am sure it will become a big hit. I see it appealing to nerds like me (come on, she makes a reference to Star Trek AND Doctor Who!) and to girls like my sister who love a good addictive YA romance. All the characters are easy to relate to and very real. I love the relationship dynamic with Em and her brother. It’s adorable and so heartfelt. I honestly cannot rave enough about the authenticity of Ms. McEntire’s characters. So often in YA fiction, the character development is sacrificed in order to keep the plot moving and keep teens interested. Ms. McEntire was able to keep the plot moving at an engaging pace and create real, genuine people that we come to care about. (Be sure to have a tissue box handy. She had me sobbing!) She tops it all off with creating a lovely atmosphere for each scene. Seriously, this author is amazing. I cannot say enough nice things, so I think I’ll just shut up now. PRE-ORDER A COPY TODAY! (Oh and if you pre-order, you can also get yourself a poster of the “Hourglass” cover. Check out Ms. McEntire’s blog for details.)

“Hourglass” is published by EgmontUSA and is scheduled to be released on June 14th of this year. I received an ARC from the publisher for review. The author Myra McEntire will be on the AuthorsareRockstars.com podcast this month, so be sure to give it a listen for more on this wonderful debut title.