The year is 2009. Nineteen-year-old Jackson Meyer is a normal guy… he’s in college, has a girlfriend… and he can travel back through time. But it’s not like the movies – nothing changes in the present after his jumps, there’s no space-time continuum issues or broken flux capacitors – it’s just harmless fun.Title: Tempest
That is… until the day strangers burst in on Jackson and his girlfriend, Holly, and during a struggle with Jackson, Holly is fatally shot. In his panic, Jackson jumps back two years to 2007, but this is not like his previous time jumps. Now he’s stuck in 2007 and can’t get back to the future.
Desperate to somehow return to 2009 to save Holly but unable to return to his rightful year, Jackson settles into 2007 and learns what he can about his abilities.But it’s not long before the people who shot Holly in 2009 come looking for Jackson in the past, and these “Enemies of Time” will stop at nothing to recruit this powerful young time-traveler. Recruit… or kill him.
Piecing together the clues about his father, the Enemies of Time, and himself, Jackson must decide how far he’s willing to go to save Holly… and possibly the entire world. - Goodreads
Series: Tempest Trilogy
Author: Julie Cross
Publisher: St. Martin's Press
Release Date: January 17th 2012
Format: Paperback (ARC)
Pages: 334
Age Group: Young Adult
Genre: Sci-Fi
Sub-Genre: Fantasy
Source: From the Publishing Company
Challenge: Debute Author Challenge
Rating: ❤❤❤❤
Where to Buy: Amazon | B&N | The Book Depository
Julie Cross has taken the idea of time travel to another level in fiction. Showing how one minute Jackson Meyer is living everyday life, the next he is thrown back two years into the past like a leaf being lifted on a breeze in fall.
So the story starts out with Jackson doing theories about his abilities with his research side-kick named Adam. They both have so many and Adam is kind of a genius kid in the book, so he is all about the logical mathematics in time-travel. Then again most scientists are logical. Anyway, after the first few chapters you learn Jackson is in college, 19 years old, is a english major doubling in french poetry, all the while living in manhattan and involved with his girlfriend Holly.
What really got me going character wise was the banter between Holly and Jackson. There was something enticing between them. I would have loved to seen more of it, but because of the storyline there was only so much available. It was more interesting seeing the two versions of Holly interact with Jackson. The younger version (aka - 007) is way more carefree and Jackson seems to fumble around trying to figure her out. All the while the current day version (aka - 009) is more level-headed and secure about herself. It's interesting seeing it play. I do admire him for being a gentleman toward the younger Holly. It's a breath of fresh air if you ask me.
Next for characters that intrigued me was Jackson's father. He had some layers going on there throughout the book. At first nothing was let on about him, just that he was a very important business man and was always traveling. By chapter 20, it was switched up and the story grew complexed for the father. Knowing what was true and what wasn't led to some interesting theories that Jackson and Adam come up with. I also think it was funny at one point that Jackson even thought that his father was involved with Russian Spies and such.
My favorite part so far is how the character Courtney, Jackson's sister in the year 2004 makes note in how his abilities and what's currently going on, is like the movie Groundhog's Day, with Bill Murray (awesome movie from the 80's. See it if you haven't, it'll make the book more fun!). This totally made me smile and really did make reading this more interesting. Major kudos to Julie Cross for adding that pop culture reference. I also love how Jackson is about his sister. It's something so amazing and pure about the bond they have as siblings. You can tell her truly loved his sister.
I do however love the secrets that get reveled in the book! It's a nice twist and can lead the story for the next book into great unknown territories for the character(s) involved with the first book. There is so much that I want to know and so much that still makes my head spin. For instance the historical back-story of time travelers… I wish there was more, like important dates in history that show these type of characters have been there and were somehow a part of this history. That would have built a bigger story and so much more.
I will applaud Cross for getting the details right about Manhattan. I love it when authors really incorporate that part of the story, because the location is as much of a character as well. From the way the atmosphere is depicted to the sounds of the buzzing streets, it transported me back to those many times I've walks through downtown and central park in warm weather, even in the cold. Manhattan is beautiful and it's one of the perks that made me enjoy the story more.
I do however love the secrets that get reveled in the book! It's a nice twist and can lead the story for the next book into great unknown territories for the character(s) involved with the first book. There is so much that I want to know and so much that still makes my head spin. For instance the historical back-story of time travelers… I wish there was more, like important dates in history that show these type of characters have been there and were somehow a part of this history. That would have built a bigger story and so much more. I do however, enjoy that one bit about the little red-headed girl running around, the mysterious girl you see in the beginning and a few times throughout the book. She looks like Courtney, Jackson's sister, but she isn't. This is one spoiler I can not ever place in this review, because it's a huge piece of information that will lead into the next book and why Jackson is determined about certain things in regarding time travelers.
Beyond that there isn't much I would change about this book. I think that in context I've noticed some people getting up in arms about is the "feminists" thing being stereotyped. This is more so in the very beginning with Holly's roommate who is being type-casted as this type of person, mostly because she is preaching for Holly to be strong and not give into Jackson, etc… Well to make things clear, there are two types of feminists: there are ones that are about equal rights for women and sexual revolution. The other type is more of what people think is stereotypical of ALL feminists, which isn't true. The 1970's brought in feminists revolution, but it's branched off since then into many different definitions of what makes a feminists. I know it's a little off topic, but I wanted to clear that up so that everyone who is reading this understands that whole issue.
Anyway, now a lot of people in reviews have mentioned that it has been hard to keep track, felt lost, or just didn't get the whole time-travel jump around during the book. I mean at first it made sense but I think one chapter kind of threw me for a loop. Yet so far I'm able to keep track. I can even picture in my head the kid just popping up like those scenes in the movie Jumper, where Hayden Christensen can randomly appear anywhere in the world at the drop of a hat (literally in that movie!). Plus I'm a huge geek about time-travel (I love the Back to the Future series, a LOT! lol)
All in all, this book has been fun for me to read. It wasn't my all time favorite, but I did enjoy the aspects of how the story was woven from beginning to end. I will be reading the sequel when it comes out and cannot wait to find out how the story continues for the protagonist in his journey. © 2012
