Crossing Over: Time Travel Books with a Focus on the History

Hey all. It's been awhile since my last Crossing Over post. If you're not familiar with Crossing Over it's a feature that stemmed from my desire to recommend an adult book with crossover appeal based on a YA or sometimes Middle Grade book that are similar. I hate that we pigeonhole books into a specific age range and so I try to combat that. Plus it's basically an if you liked, then try but for crossover books. It runs once a month (usually) here and I pick the books based on the theme of what I'm reading. So this month my theme is historical fiction and honestly that was a pretty hard one for me. I feel like I don't read a ton of adult historical fiction and the ones that I do are very different from the YA I read. So I did a little bit of a twist on the topic and do time travel stories with a big focus on historical fiction

Outlander by Diana Gabaldon
Read My Review / Add to Goodreads

So I feel like the first thing I have to say about this book is that it is not really a crossover book. It is very adult. VERY. There are some really explicit sex scenes and a ton of violence. And there are also plenty of violent sex scenes. This book is not for the typical YA reader. But it is still really good and I don't think teens should avoid these kinds of books because they aren't "adults." Alright, that's out of the way so let's get to the good stuff.

This book is about a woman who is ahead of her time who ends up, unbeknownst to her, having the ability to travel back in time. She ends up in the Highlands of Scotland right before the Jacobite uprising and becomes entrenched with a family who is more than meets the eye. There's a ton of action and drama, plus a good amount of political intrigue. As the series develops she starts to realize that if she wants to save the people she loves, she may have to change history.

This book also has amazing characters. I absolutely love Claire for one. As I said she is ahead of her time which often puts her at odds with the historical time period. She's sassy and tough, brilliant and resourceful, and shows a lot of confidence under pressure. She's an easy character to get behind. But Jamie Fraser is also quite amazing as well. He's not your typical war-hardened soldier. He's got a real vulnerability to him which makes him quite complex.  But even more than that, this is a series full of amazing and odious characters including some truly vile villains. Plus the book is way more character driven than you would expect.

But the thing I liked most about this book is that it's a time travel story that reads like historical fiction. The focus is definitely not on the time travel at least not in the first few books (yes, I admit I have only read the first one and seen the second season of the TV show). The time travel is just a means of getting the character to the time period which is a great setting. I loved the themes about the period that were explored and think fans of historical fiction will enjoy it as well.

In general, it's a good read. It defies genre classifications because it has elements of historical fiction, fantasy, and romance. If you are worried it's too romance heavy, don't be. Take it from this romancephobic person, there is much more about this series to love. If you are a historical fiction fan check it out.

Passenger by Alexandra Bracken
Read My Review / Add to Goodreads

So there are a lot of books out there that market themselves at Outlander for teens. Some because they are historical fiction that takle place in Scotland, some because they're time travel, some because they have both. But none of them quite get there. Passenger I think gets the closest. One because it's not trying to be Outlander and two, because it has the same kind of vibes,

This book is about a young woman who ends up, unbeknownst to her, having the ability to travel back in time. She ends up aboard a pirate ship right before the American Revolution and becomes entrenched with a family who is more than meets the eye. There's a ton of action and drama, plus a good amount of surprised. As the book and series develops she starts to realize that if she wants to save the people she loves, she may have to change history and travel through time even more.

This book also has amazing characters. I really liked Etta for one. Etta is a modern girl with modern sensibilities which often puts her at odds with the historical time period. She's tough, smart, resourceful, and shows a lot of confidence under pressure. She's an easy character to get behind. But Nicholas is also quite amazing as well. He's not your typical swash-buckling pirate. He's got a real vulnerability to him which makes him quite complex. But even more than that, this is a series full of amazing and odious characters including some truly vile villains. Plus the book is way more character driven than you would expect.

But the thing I liked most about this book is that it's a time travel story that reads like historical fiction. The focus is on the time travel but what it does right it perfectly capture the location and history of where it is taking you. The time travel is the main plot point but it doesn't neglect some of the larger implications and how the characters inhabit the locations. I loved the themes about the period that were explored and think fans of historical fiction will enjoy it as well.

In general, it's a good read. It defies genre classification by having great elements of historical fiction, fantasy, science fiction, romance. Basically it has it all. If you are a fan of historical fiction I think you will like it just as much as fans of time travel.

Have you read Outlander and/or Passenger? What did you think? What steampunk novels with crossover appeal do you like? Leave me a comment with your thoughts. Thanks for stopping by and HAPPY READING!

Book Review: Wayfarer by Alexandra Bracken

*** This is the second book in a duology. If you have not read Passenger be careful of spoilers. Also read those, they're great. ***

Title: Wayfarer Series: Passenger #2 Written by: Alexandra Bracken Published: January 3, 2017 by Scholastic (Amazon / Goodreads) Synopsis: All Etta Spencer wanted was to make her violin debut when she was thrust into a treacherous world where the struggle for power could alter history. After losing the one thing that would have allowed her to protect the Timeline, and the one person worth fighting for, Etta awakens alone in an unknown place and time, exposed to the threat of the two groups who would rather see her dead than succeed. When help arrives, it comes from the last person Etta ever expected—Julian Ironwood, the Grand Master’s heir who has long been presumed dead, and whose dangerous alliance with a man from Etta’s past could put them both at risk.  Meanwhile, Nicholas and Sophia are racing through time in order to locate Etta and the missing astrolabe with Ironwood travelers hot on their trail. They cross paths with a mercenary-for-hire, a cheeky girl named Li Min who quickly develops a flirtation with Sophia. But as the three of them attempt to evade their pursuers, Nicholas soon realizes that one of his companions may have ulterior motives.  As Etta and Nicholas fight to make their way back to one another, from Imperial Russia to the Vatican catacombs, time is rapidly shifting and changing into something unrecognizable… and might just run out on both of them.

I really loved Passenger and was so excited to read the next book in this series. And this book was another thrilling and action-packed read with great characters.

The biggest strength of this book is definitely the characters. I absolutely connected with the main characters in the first book in the series and in this one I was completely invested in seeing them succeed. Both Nicholas and Etta are strong, resourceful, and compassionate. They are the kind of characters that have strengths and weaknesses making them complex and well rounded. They spent most of the book apart which meant very little romance and I kind of loved that. Not only did I want them to get together but it made me appreciate them apart and allowed for some good character development.

This book also had a good combination of plot-driven and character-driven. On the one hand there was a ton of action in this book. It was full of thrilling escapes, fight scenes, and surprises. There wasn't a ton of action in Passenger but Wayfarer made up for that in stride. At the same time there were a lot of character based moments where the choices and motivations of Etta and Nicholas influenced the story and how it developed. It wasn't quite a Hero's Journey but it had those aspects in addition to the action based moments. For someone like me who prefers plot-driven reads Wayfarer struck the right chord.

Unfortunately however I didn't love the world building in this one. Passenger was one of those time travel stories that focuses more on the historical fiction aspects of the world building and I kind of wish that Wayfarer had done that as well. But the plot took more of the focus and that was kind of to he detriment of the word building. Now don't get me wrong, I think it's okay if there is more of a focus on the time travel aspect but if that's the case then there needs to be clear rules and understanding how all of that works, and that didn't happen here. A lot of the time it came off as confusing and muddied the book for me. I wish there was more explanation to the world.

Or maybe that was just because of the pacing of the book. This was a very fast-paced read, and it may have been too fast. It moved from moment to moment at such a breakneck speed that I almost didn't register what was happening now before it moved on to the next. I found myself kind of confused at times and even had to reread whole pages and sections because it moved too quickly. It did all build to a thrilling conclusion but when it was all over it didn't feel satisfying in the way I thought it would be. I know this series is only a duology but I feel like there's more. Or maybe I just want more.

This book wasn't perfect but I did rally enjoy it. It's a thrilling action-packed read with great character moments and exciting ending despite the fact that the world and pacing was a little confusing.

I give Wayfarer by Alexandra Bracken 9 out of 10 stars

Buy/Borrow/Bypass: Buy/Borrow. If you liked Passenger you will enjoy the second book in this series. It's not a perfect time travel series but it's definitely a really good one that I think fans of historical fantasy will enjoy.

Have you read Wayfarer? What did you think? Leave me a comment with your thoughts. Thanks for stoping by and HAPPY READING!

Waiting on Wednesday: Wayfarer by Alexandra Bracken

A weekly meme hosted by Breaking the Spine

Title: Wayfarer Series: Passenger #2 Author: Alexandra Bracken Published: January 3, 2016 by Disney-Hyperion (Amazon / Goodreads) Synopsis: All Etta Spencer wanted was to make her violin debut when she was thrust into a treacherous world where the struggle for power could alter history. After losing the one thing that would have allowed her to protect the Timeline, and the one person worth fighting for, Etta awakens alone in an unknown place and time, exposed to the threat of the two groups who would rather see her dead than succeed. When help arrives, it comes from the last person Etta ever expected—Julian Ironwood, the Grand Master’s heir who has long been presumed dead, and whose dangerous alliance with a man from Etta’s past could put them both at risk. Meanwhile, Nicholas and Sophia are racing through time in order to locate Etta and the missing astrolabe with Ironwood travelers hot on their trail. They cross paths with a mercenary-for-hire, a cheeky girl named Li Min who quickly develops a flirtation with Sophia. But as the three of them attempt to evade their pursuers, Nicholas soon realizes that one of his companions may have ulterior motives. As Etta and Nicholas fight to make their way back to one another, from Imperial Russia to the Vatican catacombs, time is rapidly shifting and changing into something unrecognizable… and might just run out on both of them.

Why I'm Waiting 

I'm a big fan of Alex's books. The Darkest Minds is one of my favorite YA dystopias and I loved Passenger. It was one of my most anticipated books of 2016 and I read it as it came out and really liked it. It was a bit slow, yes, but when it did pick it up wow, it was really good. So obviously I can't wait to find out what happens next.

But in particular, I can't wait to find out what happens next because of the way Passenger ended. I did not think I was that emotionally attached to this book and these characters until that ending hit and then I was reeling. I am anxiously awaiting finding out what happens to these characters and how they "make things right."

But I am also really excited to see where this book takes us. It's one of those time travel books, I think, that pays close attention to the historical elements of the story. I'm excited to see what new locations and time periods that it takes us too. And if the artwork for the Wayfarer pre-order deal is any indication, it's going to be cool.

I of course have a copy of this book preordered. I'm really excited to read it after the holidays, hunkering down and getting back to normal. Normal being not leaving my house and just reading.

What about you? What are you waiting for this Wednesday? Are you waiting on Wayfarer along with me? Leave me a comment with your thoughts. Thanks for stopping by and HAPPY READING!

Book Review: Passenger by Alexandra Bracken

Title: Passenger Series: Passenger #1 Written by: Alexandra Bracken Published: January 5, 2016 by Disney Hyperion (Amazon / Goodreads) Synopsis: passage, n.  i. A brief section of music composed of a series of notes and flourishes.  ii. A journey by water; a voyage.  iii. The transition from one place to another, across space and time.  In one devastating night, violin prodigy Etta Spencer loses everything she knows and loves. Thrust into an unfamiliar world by a stranger with a dangerous agenda, Etta is certain of only one thing: she has traveled not just miles but years from home. And she’s inherited a legacy she knows nothing about from a family whose existence she’s never heard of. Until now.  Nicholas Carter is content with his life at sea, free from the Ironwoods—a powerful family in the colonies—and the servitude he’s known at their hands. But with the arrival of an unusual passenger on his ship comes the insistent pull of the past that he can’t escape and the family that won’t let him go so easily. Now the Ironwoods are searching for a stolen object of untold value, one they believe only Etta, Nicholas’ passenger, can find. In order to protect her, he must ensure she brings it back to them— whether she wants to or not.  Together, Etta and Nicholas embark on a perilous journey across centuries and continents, piecing together clues left behind by the traveler who will do anything to keep the object out of the Ironwoods’ grasp. But as they get closer to the truth of their search, and the deadly game the Ironwoods are play­ing, treacherous forces threaten to sep­arate Etta not only from Nicholas but from her path home . . . forever

Wow! That book was just stellar! I really loved Alexandra Bracken's first series, The Darkest Minds so I was really excited to see here take on time travel. I was not at all disappointed. Alex has once again blown me away with her creativity, world building, characterization, and plot development.

Passenger is a book that defies genre categorization. That's why I'm sucker for time travel books and this was a good one. I love drama that comes with a person being outside of their comfort zone and within a world unlike their own. That was definitely the case with Passenger. Each location that we were taken to was compelling and interesting and placed the characters somewhere that challenged their perceptions. Fans of historical fiction will love exploration of these locales and the themes of the time. Whether it was being on a pirate ship during the American Revolution, war-torn London, or ancient Cambodia there was so much drama just within the setting of the book. But fans of science fiction and fantasy will love the time travel motifs even though the explanations were a bit front loaded with some info dumps in the beginning.

But what struck me about Passenger is that it's not a very action-packed book. You hear time travel, adventure, treasure hunt through time and you think it's going to be a plot-driven read. Usually I would be complaining about the lack of plot development but there was no lack, it was just very different. What I was expecting to be the main plot was really just the secondary plot. This was a much more character focused kind of book. It was more of a Hero's Journey. A call to action for reluctant characters thrust into an adventure they are both unprepared for and yet perfectly able to handle.

The characterization here did a great job of developing that uncertainty and growth throughout the narrative. I really enjoyed the complex and likable characters of Passenger. Of course that included the main characters of Etta and Nicholas. I was absolutely invested in their struggles and adventures. I wanted them to achieve their goals. Etta is a modern girl with modern sensibilities which makes her tough, smart, and independent. But she's also so uncertain. She doesn't know what she wants for herself and often puts others before herself and would do anything for them. Nicholas was more of a mystery. He's not your typical swashbuckling pirate and rogue. He's also tough, smart, and protective but he wants something more for himself. Unfortunately, he lives in a world that doesn't really allow for him to do that. They were great together too. Not necessarily romantically, although that was cute it was mostly their banter and cooperation. The book also had amazing secondary characters like Sophia who was brash and tough, Rose who is Etta's mom and really complex and mysterious, plus some really great antagonists.

Although keep in mind that the plot and pacing was a little slower but in a good way. This is the first book in a new duology so it had to give us a lot of exposition in the beginning. It had to build the world and set the rules, especially for the time travel elements. And yes, it did have some info dumps that took me out of the larger plot of the story but in the end it was all worth it. In the end this was a well-plotted book where things came full circle and built to a brilliant and thrilling conclusion. There were some really great plot twists that caught me so off guard that when I got to the climax of the book I couldn't put it down. When I finally did finish, it had me reeling and needing the next book.

On the whole this was a really great read that took me on a great adventure with complex characters in an interesting setting. It's a compelling time travel book and a great start to a new series that I can't wait to see where it leads.

I give Passenger by Alexandra Bracken 9.5 out of 10 stars

Buy/Borrow/Bypass: BUY! I had high hopes for this book and I was not disappointed. It was slow burn of a book that really built to something wonderful. I would recommend to fans of time travel books of historical mysteries. It might take a little while for the action to kick in but it's worth it in the end.

Have you read Passenger? What did you think? Leave me a comment with your thoughts. Thanks for stopping by and HAPPY READING!

Waiting on Wednesday: Passenger by Alexandra Bracken

A weekly meme hosted by Breaking the Spine

Title: Passenger Series: Passenger #1 Author: Alexandra Bracken Published: January 5, 2016 by Disney Hyperion (Amazon / Goodreads) Synopsis: passage, n.  i. A brief section of music composed of a series of notes and flourishes.  ii. A journey by water; a voyage.  iii. The transition from one place to another, across space and time.  In one devastating night, violin prodigy Etta Spencer loses everything she knows and loves. Thrust into an unfamiliar world by a stranger with a dangerous agenda, Etta is certain of only one thing: she has traveled not just miles but years from home. And she’s inherited a legacy she knows nothing about from a family whose existence she’s never heard of. Until now.  Nicholas Carter is content with his life at sea, free from the Ironwoods—a powerful family in the colonies—and the servitude he’s known at their hands. But with the arrival of an unusual passenger on his ship comes the insistent pull of the past that he can’t escape and the family that won’t let him go so easily. Now the Ironwoods are searching for a stolen object of untold value, one they believe only Etta, Nicholas’ passenger, can find. In order to protect her, he must ensure she brings it back to them— whether she wants to or not.  Together, Etta and Nicholas embark on a perilous journey across centuries and continents, piecing together clues left behind by the traveler who will do anything to keep the object out of the Ironwoods’ grasp. But as they get closer to the truth of their search, and the deadly game the Ironwoods are play­ing, treacherous forces threaten to sep­arate Etta not only from Nicholas but from her path home . . . forever

Why I'm Waiting 

This book combines so many things that I love. First off, who doesn't love a book about time travel? Not me. I'm a sucker for those kinds of books. I love the modern character in a historic setting. It's one of my absolute favorites. Plus this takes you back to one of my favorite periods, the Colonial era, and there are ships which mean pirates. Not to mention an epic quest for survival. Yup, sign me up.

But the biggest reason I'm excited for this book is because I'm such a fan of Alexandra Bracken. I absolutely loved The Darkest Minds trilogy. It is one of my favorite dystopias and I read it at a time when I was getting a little burned out from dystopias. But I loved the characters and the powers so much. I was incredibly invested in the final book that it gave me all the feels. I can't wait to see her write something else.

I know a few blogger friends picked this up at BEA, I didn't because I had heard it was an early draft and I wanted to wait, and the early reviews have been really good. I have this preordered and I can't wait to read it in January. I'm even hoping to do a whole time travel themed month around it.

What about you? What are you waiting for this Wednesday? Are you waiting for Passenger with me? Leave me a comment with your thoughts. Thanks for stopping by and HAPPY READING!

Waiting on Wednesday: Top Five Books I Will Be Waiting In Line For at BEA

A weekly meme hosted by Breaking the Spine

1.) Truthwitch by Susan Dennard
(Amazon / Goodreads)
Published: January 5, 2016 by Tor Teen

Synopsis: On a continent ruled by three empires, some are born with a “witchery”, a magical skill that sets them apart from others. In the Witchlands, there are almost as many types of magic as there are ways to get in trouble—as two desperate young women know all too well.

Safiya is a Truthwitch, able to discern truth from lie. It’s a powerful magic that many would kill to have on their side, especially amongst the nobility to which Safi was born. So Safi must keep her gift hidden, lest she be used as a pawn in the struggle between empires.

Iseult, a Threadwitch, can see the invisible ties that bind and entangle the lives around her—but she cannot see the bonds that touch her own heart. Her unlikely friendship with Safi has taken her from life as an outcast into one of reckless adventure, where she is a cool, wary balance to Safi’s hotheaded impulsiveness.

Safi and Iseult just want to be free to live their own lives, but war is coming to the Witchlands. With the help of the cunning Prince Merik (a Windwitch and ship’s captain) and the hindrance of a Bloodwitch bent on revenge, the friends must fight emperors, princes, and mercenaries alike, who will stop at nothing to get their hands on a Truthwitch.

Why I'm Waiting: Epic Fantasy, elemental magic, strong female protagonists, and a roguish prince all written by Susan Dennard

2.) Six of Crows by Leigh Bardugo
(Amazon / Goodreads)
Published: October 6, 2015 by Macmillan

Synopsis: Game of Thrones meets Ocean's Eleven in this brand-new book in the world of the Grisha by New York Times-bestselling author Leigh Bardugo.

Ketterdam: a bustling hub of international trade where anything can be had for the right price—and no one knows that better than criminal prodigy Kaz Brekker. Kaz is offered a chance at a deadly heist that could make him rich beyond his wildest dreams. But he can't pull it off alone...

A convict with a thirst for revenge.
A sharpshooter who can't walk away from a wager.
A runaway with a privileged past.
A spy known as the Wraith. A Heartrender using her magic to survive the slums.
A thief with a gift for unlikely escapes.

Six dangerous outcasts. One impossible heist. Kaz's crew is the only thing that might stand between the world and destruction—if they don't kill each other first

Why I'm Waiting: More from Leigh Bardugo set in the Grishaverse. Plus I seriously love heist stories. OHMYGOD I need this book!

3.) Passenger by Alexandra Bracken

(Amazon / Goodreads)
Published: January 5, 2016 by Disney Hyperion

Synopsis: Violin prodigy Etta Spencer had big plans for her future, but a tragedy has put her once-bright career at risk. Closely tied to her musical skill, however, is a mysterious power she doesn't even know she has. When her two talents collide during a stressful performance, Etta is drawn back hundreds of years through time.

Etta wakes, confused and terrified, in 1776, in the midst a fierce sea battle. Nicholas Carter, the handsome young prize master of a privateering ship, has been hired to retrieve Etta and deliver her unharmed to the Ironwoods, a powerful family in the Colonies--the very same one that orchestrated her jump back, and one Nicholas himself has ties to. But discovering she can time travel is nothing compared to the shock of discovering the true reason the Ironwoods have ensnared her in their web. 

Another traveler has stolen an object of untold value from them, and, if Etta can find it, they will return her to her own time. Out of options, Etta and Nicholas embark on a perilous journey across centuries and continents, piecing together clues left behind by the mysterious traveler. But as they draw closer to each other and the end of their search, the true nature of the object, and the dangerous game the Ironwoods are playing, comes to light -- threatening to separate her not only from Nicholas, but her path home... forever.

Why I'm Waiting: More from Alexandra Bracken! Plus you guys it's an epic adventure through time! Plus look at that cover and the synopsis and *dies*

4.) After Alice by Gregory Maguire
(Amazon / Goodreads)
Published: October 27, 2015 by William Morrow

Synopsis: From the multi-million-copy bestselling author of Wicked comes a magical new twist on Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland, published to coincide with the 150th anniversary of Lewis’s Carroll’s beloved classic

When Alice toppled down the rabbit-hole 150 years ago, she found a Wonderland as rife with inconsistent rules and abrasive egos as the world she left behind. But what of that world? How did 1860s Oxford react to Alice’s disappearance?

In this brilliant new work of fiction, Gregory Maguire turns his dazzling imagination to the question of underworlds, undergrounds, underpinnings—and understandings old and new, offering an inventive spin on Carroll’s enduring tale. Ada, a friend of Alice’s mentioned briefly in Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland, is off to visit her friend, but arrives a moment too late—and tumbles down the rabbit hole herself.

Ada brings to Wonderland her own imperfect apprehension of cause and effect as she embarks on an odyssey to find Alice and see her safely home from this surreal world below the world. If Euridyce can ever be returned to the arms of Orpheus, or Lazarus can be raised from the tomb, perhaps Alice can be returned to life. Either way, everything that happens next is “After Alice.”

Why I'm Waiting: More from Gregory Maguire. He has written some of my absolute favorite fairy tale retellings. I love the ones with more high concept fantasy stuff so I'm excited to see his take on Wonderland.

5.) Walk on Earth a Stranger by Rae Carson
(Amazon / Goodreads)
Published: September 22, 2015 by Greenwillow Books (HarperCollins)

Synopsis: The first book in a new trilogy from acclaimed New York Times bestselling author Rae Carson. A young woman with the magical ability to sense the presence of gold must flee her home, taking her on a sweeping and dangerous journey across Gold Rush–era America.

Lee Westfall has a secret. She can sense the presence of gold in the world around her. Veins deep beneath the earth, pebbles in the river, nuggets dug up from the forest floor. The buzz of gold means warmth and life and home—until everything is ripped away by a man who wants to control her. Left with nothing, Lee disguises herself as a boy and takes to the trail across the country. Gold was discovered in California, and where else could such a magical girl find herself, find safety? Rae Carson, author of the acclaimed Girl of Fire and Thorns trilogy, dazzles with this new fantasy that subverts both our own history and familiar fantasy tropes.

Walk on Earth a Stranger, the first book in this new trilogy, introduces—as only Rae Carson can—a strong heroine, a perilous road, a fantastical twist, and a slow-burning romance. Includes a map and author’s note on historical research

Why I'm Waiting: I haven't read any Rae Carson before (shhh, I know) but I've heard amazing things and a historical fantasy set in the gold rush with a girl who can sense gold. I want to go to there.

What are you waiting on this Wednesday? Are you at BEA with me? Will I see you in any of these line? Leave me a comment with your thoughts. Thanks for stopping by and HAPPY READING!