Review: Two books in one review
Rating: 3 out of 5
Date: 08 10, 2013
This is a bundle with two books.I just finished book 1 in the bundle and thought I would review it, although I think I will probably feel identical about book 2 as book 1, because I feel pretty much the same as I did after reading the prequel, but who knows?In the beginning of book 1 there is an awkward introduction of the time travel premise.  I felt the reaction of the Welch group was very odd and the reaction of Anna and David was also odd.  Odd=not natural.  I think that is what I meant before in my review of the prequel when I wrote that I gave up a lot for the time travel premise.  However, I have read a lot of time travel books where I did not have to "give up anything" in order to swallow the time travel concept.  So I decided as I read the same awkward "stuff" in this book as in the last that it was an awkwardness in writing that was the problem.  Once one gets past the awkward "hey, we are here from the future" part of the book, it is like the story settles down and gets somewhat better.I have never felt this way about a book before (I should say series of books since I feel the same as I did after reading the prequel).  Let me explain.  I scan-read, meaning I feel the writing is wordy.  The primary characters are not fully developed. Well, in this book David gets a lot of attention and I like him as a character but everyone else seems to be just cardboard cutouts and I have trouble liking them enough to really care a lot about them.  I think this is particularly true about the character of Anna who shows up so much in the story but is not three dimensional to me. It is also true of the reappearing mother of Anna and David who I felt pretty neutral about coming out of the prequel and that feeling has continuing into this book, and it is true of Llywelyn who I liked best in the prequel but now, reduced to a cardboard cutout of his former character, is not as interesting this go-round.  However, the story line or plotline seems to just hook me and compel me to keep reading. It is like I dislike AND like the books at the same time.  It is that combination I refer to when I say I do not recall feeling like this about another book/series before. I inexplicably bought the prequel AND this bundle at the same time.  Maybe I would have stopped after the prequel--given time for reflection--if I hadn't owned the bundle.  Truly, I might not read book 2 but for the fact that I already own it in the bundle.  On the one hand, I am curious where the author goes now that the "history" is clearly departing from what it would have been if the time travelors had not arrived--twice--and changed history. On the other hand, I am not as hooked as I was after the prequel so my commitment currently extends to reading on through book 2, for better or for worse.Okay, so what do I know?! The second book in the bundle was much smoother (not awkward) and better written than the previous two books.  Some little issues but overall so much better for me. Are these Young Adult fiction? They seem like it.  Now I need to read book 3.I would rate the first book in the bundle two stars and the second three stars. This averages 2.5 stars so in the "generosity" of the moment I will give it 3 stars.