Quirk Review: Timepiece (Hourglass #2) by Myra McEntire

From Goodreads:

A threat from the past could destroy the future. And the clock is ticking...

Kaleb Ballard's relentless flirting is interrupted when Jack Landers, the man who tried to murder his father, timeslips in and attacks before disappearing just as quickly. But Kaleb has never before been able to see time travelers, unlike many of his friends associated with the mysterious Hourglass organization. Are Kaleb's powers expanding, or is something very wrong?

Then the Hourglass is issued an ultimatum. Either they find Jack and the research he's stolen on the time gene, or time will be altered with devastating results.

Now Kaleb, Emerson, Michael, and the other Hourglass recruits have no choice but to use their unusual powers to find Jack. But where do they even start? And when? And even if they succeed, it may not be enough...

A very big thank you to

 NetGalley

for the opportunity to read this book!

PREFACE:

I loved Myra McEntire's debut novel, Hourglass (my review here), so of course I was going to read the sequel, Timepiece. And when I found out that it was from a different character's perspective, specifically a character I adored from the first book, color me EXCITED. I was lucky enough to get my hands on it early, but did it live up to my expectations?

Um, Yes. So much YES.

WRITING:

McEntire's writing is clean and effortless (at least to read, lol). I loved that even though this book feels much like the first, the character of Kaleb, the narrator this go around, fits every word. I didn't feel like I was hearing Emerson when I was supposed to be hearing Kaleb. The description level is spot on and the dialogue is awesome. The characters do so much back and forth and I loved every minute of it.

SETTING:

For Timepiece, we're back in the Tennessee town of Ivy Springs, which I love. The town feels real and everything is easy to imagine. The same goes for when Kaleb and company take a little jaunt to Memphis, which was super fun to read about. I love that McEntire makes the places in the story important and distinct without making them the focus of the novel.

CHARACTERS:

As much as I liked Emerson and Michael, the protagonist and love interest from Hourglass, I can't help but be completely enamored by Kaleb. He was a stand-out character for me last go around, and to have him be the focus of this novel blew me away. I loved every second I spent reading from his perspective and would do so again in a heartbeat.

Another great thing about this book was that a minor character from Hourglass came to the forefront, and her name is Lily. Lily is Emerson's best friend and I had an inkling about her after reading the first book, and I was glad to be right. I was also glad that she nearly stole the show from Kaleb. I love them as a pair and their chemistry was every bit as palpable as Emerson's and Michael's, just think less literal electricity and more steam. ^_^

The rest of the cast from the first book came back, though some in more minor roles and others in more major roles due to the shift in narrator. What I loved about the overall set up of the characters is how many relationships, not just the romantic ones, are explored. It gave everyone another level of depth and made the story feel richer.

COOL STUFF:

One of the best things about this book is the amount of laughing and squeeing I did while reading. It was that kind of book that made you feel all the feels. The amazing characters just draw you in and you feel for them every step of the way. I usually have a tough time relating to book characters, but not with this series.

The action in this book was also taken up a few notches from Hourglass and it was great. So many exciting/scary things happen that keep the tension up and have you fearing for the characters. The book also had a killer ending that makes me excited to read the next installment, Infinityglass.

Speaking of Infinityglass, it looks like we're in for anther narrator shift, which I am totally on board with. I think not only has McEntire written a unique series, but changing the point of view allows you to get to know more characters while keeping the reader on his or her toes, which just makes things more fun.

VERDICT:

Timepiece was everything I wanted and so much more. As much as I loved Hourglass, I think Timepiece surpassed it. It has all the humor and mystery of the first book but more warmth and action. The characters, especially Kaleb and Lily, are well-developed and operating in settings that McEntire brings to life. If you at all loved Hourglass or enjoy a really good, all-the-feels kind of book, Timepiece should be at the top of your to-read list.