“HOURGLASS,” by Myra McEntire, Egmont, June 14, 2011, $17.99 (young adult)
Time travel, super powers and romance. Sounds like the perfect recipe for a new young adult read. Or is it?
All Emerson Cole has ever wanted is to be normal, but when you spend your days walking through Southern belles, Civil War soldiers and other people who died a long time ago, it’s pretty hard to fit in.
The 17-year-old has been plagued by these phantoms since the death of her parents in a tragic bus accident. And though Emerson and her brother have tried everything to make the apparitions disappear, nothing seems to work.
Emerson has all but given up on finding a “cure,” so when her brother brings a consultant into their lives, she’s less than enthusiastic about his arrival.
Michael Weaver works for the secretive organization called Hourglass. And though Emerson has her doubts, she agrees to give him a chance. It’s a choice that will change her life — past, present and future — forever.
“Hourglass” is part mystery and part romance. It’s full of atmosphere, and strong paranormal elements run throughout. It’s where the elements of science fiction come into play that might throw readers.
In some ways “Hourglass” feels like two books, with the beginning far removed from the end. If not for author Myra McEntire‘s gentle prose, this book would not feel like a cohesive whole. Most likely this dichotomy was planned by the author to show Emerson’s growth and how much change she faces, but some readers may find themselves trying to remember where this book started by the time they get to the end.
That’s not to say “Hourglass” isn’t worth reading. It’s still an intriguing debut novel that many will love for it’s romantic theme and time-related elements.
