Review: If you could change history, would it be better or worse?
Rating: 5 out of 5
Date: 09 17, 2013
DISCLAIMER: I received a free copy of this book from the author (via the Shut Up & Read / Read It & Reap group) in exchange for an honest review.Synopsis:What if you had the ability to go back in time and change history?  Would your life be better, or would your revision somehow make things even worse?This is the choice that Constantine (an Editor) made, with devastating consequences to his family.  Now, wracked with guilt and stripped of his ability to travel time from the Guild ("you violated the Prime Dictate" -- the rule which basically says you can't edit your own timeline), he needs to find some way to make amends for his foolish mistake.Constantine's family relocates from Seattle to Boulder, in order to distance themselves from the events that paralyzed his younger brother, Devon, and left him angry, bitter, and abusive to both himself and the family that's desperately trying to help and heal him.  On Constantine's first day at school, he senses that there is someone like him nearby, and realizes that this may be his chance at redemption.  If only he can find that person and enlist their help.A.J. comes with her own tragic family history, as well as a secret known only to a few.  For some reason, she just disappears.  Sometimes for a few seconds, sometimes for much longer.  Unbeknownst to her, she is a Shadow (someone born with the abilities that Editors have, but untrained and off the Guild's radar).Her best friends, Lex and Ipod are truly her family.  They have her back, and do their best to help one another make it through each day.  They live together in an awesome treehouse built in the trees next to her father's house.  (Her dad still lives at home, but checked out emotionally after her mother's tragic death.  The kids take care of him, from a distance.)  The treehouse always makes her feel safe -- there's just something about it.Of course, being unaware and untrained means she can't control her abilities, which frightens her, and causes her to make herself as invisible as possible.  The last thing she needs is to disappear in front of strangers.  Or even worse, at school.  This all changes the day the New Guy shows up in her Spanish class.My thoughts about the book:I LOVED this book.  I really did.  I started reading it and had to force myself to put it down, due to my own personal reality timeline.  (Sleep.  Work.  Responsibility.  Ugh.)  Otherwise, I would have read it in one sitting, it was that good.There was considerable character development, especially of the main four (A.J., Constantine, Lex, and Ipod).  Throughout the book, there was an undeniable attraction between A.J. and Constantine, and some interesting time travel events, including minor events and characters that we meet early on that reap huge benefits later on.  (Plus it gives a whole new meaning to the term "tree hugger"!  And don't forget, "mighty oaks from little acorns grow".)There were times where the pacing was a little slow, and others that happened very quickly.  There were a few typos that the (other kind of) editors missed, but they really didn't detract from the total enjoyment of reading this book.I'm a sucker for a happy ending, and was glad to see several storylines tied up quite nicely.  I also like to see the bad guys get their come-uppance, and that happened several times to some characters that REALLY deserved it.  (Heh heh.)  In addition, doors were left open for a sequel.  (I believe one is being written right now, as we speak.  Yay!  I can't wait!)Just an afterthought:It was a little weird reading a book set in Boulder, Colorado, considering the massive flooding they've been experiencing recently.  My heart goes out to those good folks out there.