Review: Hourglass by Myra McEntire

Title: Hourglass
Author: Myra McEntire
Publisher: EgmontUSA
Pub. Date: 6.14.2011
Genre: Paranormal YA
Keywords: Time Travel, Romance, Mystery, Paranormal
Pages: 397
Description (from Goodreads):

One hour to rewrite the past . . .
 
For seventeen-year-old Emerson Cole, life is about seeing what isn’t there: swooning Southern Belles; soldiers long forgotten; a haunting jazz trio that vanishes in an instant. Plagued by phantoms since her parents’ death, she just wants the apparitions to stop so she can be normal. She’s tried everything, but the visions keep coming back.

So when her well-meaning brother brings in a consultant from a secretive organization called the Hourglass, Emerson’s willing to try one last cure. But meeting Michael Weaver may not only change her future, it may change her past.

Who is this dark, mysterious, sympathetic guy, barely older than Emerson herself, who seems to believe every crazy word she says? Why does an electric charge seem to run through the room whenever he’s around? And why is he so insistent that he needs her help to prevent a death that never should have happened?

Full of atmosphere, mystery, and romance, Hourglass merges the very best of the paranormal and science-fiction genres in a seductive, remarkable young adult debut.


I fell in love with the cover of HOURGLASS the first time I saw it and thought there was a good chance I'd like the novel, but I was entirely unprepared for just how much I would love it.


Myra McEntire's debut novel is absolutely fantastic. I haven't read all the many time travel novels other than HOURGLASS, but, if other authors can do it half as well as McEntire, I feel I should make this a priority.


Time travel is such a crazy, whimsical idea and I'm pretty confident that most people have had time travel fantasies, so a novel in which a character, who has experienced great tragedy in her life, discovers that it isn't impossible to jump back in time - and perhaps even change the past -  is a very, very good idea. The entire premise is incredibly seductive. 


One of the best things about this novel? The romance. Hands down. At times, the whole 'we're ridiculously drawn to one another but are forbidden to actually pursue out feelings' thing can be annoying, but I really enjoyed it in HOURGLASS. I think it helped that Emerson and Michael weren't kept apart just because Michael had some deep, dark secret, but also for normal, teenage reasons - like Emerson's brother/guardian insisting she and Michael keep their relationship professional.


Plus, this novel is twisty. It has an epic air about it and just as soon as the reader gets comfortable, McEntire throws in a totally unexpected element. Readers won't sit back and casually enjoy the ride with this one - this author keeps you on your toes.


Sometimes I feel like I need a break from paranormal YA, but then I pick up one like this and I remember just why this genre is so wonderful!