Review - Sapphire Blue by Kerstin Gier

by Kerstin Gier
publisher: Henry Holt & Co.
date of publication: October 30, 2012
format: ARC
pages: 368
source: publisher
series: Ruby Red Trilogy

From Goodreads:

Gwen’s life has been a rollercoaster since she discovered she was the Ruby, the final member of the secret time-traveling Circle of Twelve. In between searching through history for the other time-travelers and asking for a bit of their blood (gross!), she’s been trying to figure out what all the mysteries and prophecies surrounding the Circle really mean.

At least Gwen has plenty of help. Her best friend Lesley follows every lead diligently on the Internet. James the ghost teaches Gwen how to fit in at an eighteenth century party. And Xemerius, the gargoyle demon who has been following Gwen since he caught her kissing Gideon in a church, offers advice on everything. Oh, yes. And of course there is Gideon, the Diamond. One minute he’s very warm indeed; the next he’s freezing cold. Gwen’s not sure what’s going on there, but she’s pretty much destined to find out.

Picking up where Ruby Red left off, Sapphire Blue at first suggests that things are going to progress in much the same manner as before.  Gone, however, is some of Gwen's carefree spirit.  She has been through a lot and it really starts to show in Sapphire Blue.  What I as a reader am not so sure about, however, is whether or not I like where things are going.  There are certain themes that I simply can't enjoy that are starting to crop up in the series that I sincerely hope don't come to fruition.  I don't think I could take it.  I will share those concerns with you as well as the things I enjoyed today.

Gwen.  What do I say about Gwen?  While she still has much of what made her such a great main character in Ruby Red, she is starting to fall victim to that most dreaded theme in YA:  the so-called bad boy.  More often than not, bad boy is code for jackass, which is unfortunately the case for Gideon.  This is probably one case where I would welcome a love triangle just in hopes that Gwen might come to her senses and kick Gideon to the curb.  Unless she falls for that pesky little gargoyle, however, that isn't likely to be the case.  While Gideon has his moments where he isn't completely heinous, there are also points that made me want to reach through the book and slap him on the back of the head a la NCIS.  When you spend more time outraged by the love interest than the villains, you know there's a problem.  Other than her penchant for questionable love interests, however, I enjoyed Gwen's reactions to the experiences she had.  Each trip into the past provided a lot of entertainment and really played up the sparkle of her personality.  I sincerely hope this doesn't go away in the next book, as it is definitely a favorite.

Just when I thought I couldn't enjoy the settings more, Gier pulls off scenes that are beyond all those that came before.  I was especially impressed with Gwen and Gideon's trip back in time to a party that occurred during the Rococo period (at least, I'm pretty sure that's the right one; it's been a few weeks).  As just one example of the vibrancy of Gier's world-building, let me just say that picturing this time period I am only vaguely familiar with was a breeze thanks to the great care taken in describing everything from the dress to the architecture.  That this was accomplished without an overload in information is simply great.

I am still holding out hope for the final installment in this series.  Though I remain not sold on the romance aspect of this story, the world-building and intrigue manage to make up for it.  If you enjoy a good time travel narrative, this series is definitely worth your attention.  With such vivid imagery and just the right amount of tension, Sapphire Blue was able to resist the sophomore slump and leads me to believe that there is still much to look forward to in Emerald Green.  So long as I don't feel compelled to rant and the world building remains as well-done as before, I will be a very happy reader.

Buy Sapphire Blue at the Following Locations:

Amazon / IndieBound / B&N / The Book Depository

Obligatory legal statement: This advance review copy was provided to me free of charge by the publisher. No monetary compensation was received in exchange for this fair and unbiased review.

Review - Ruby Red

by Kerstin Gier
publisher: Henry Holt BFYR
date of publication: May 10, 2011
format: hardcover
pages: 324
source: own
rating: 5 out of 5

From Goodreads:

Gwyneth Shepherd's sophisticated, beautiful cousin Charlotte has been prepared her entire life for traveling through time. But unexpectedly, it is Gwyneth, who in the middle of class takes a sudden spin to a different era!

Gwyneth must now unearth the mystery of why her mother would lie about her birth date to ward off suspicion about her ability, brush up on her history, and work with Gideon--the time traveler from a similarly gifted family that passes the gene through its male line, and whose presence becomes, in time, less insufferable and more essential. Together, Gwyneth and Gideon journey through time to discover who, in the 18th century and in contemporary London, they can trust.

I'll preface this by saying that my good friend Amy has earned the right to say, "I told you so!"  She told me how enjoyable this book is and, as always, she's right!  From the very first chapter to the very last page, there is so much to discover.  Time travel, plots, danger, humor, and clothes.  Oh, the clothes.  If you are at all interested in different points in English history, you should definitely check it out. 

Gwyneth turned out to be such a fun character.  She has gone through life in the shadows of her golden child cousin, Charlotte, yet she takes it all with good grace.  When she discovers that she is, in fact, the inheritor of the time travel gene, her world is pretty much rocked.  You have to hand it to her, she made quite the entrance on her second trip!  Though she is unprepared for her new role, Gwyneth, though unhappy, knows she will have to take charge.  She's not perfect, but her imperfections help to make her the great character she is.

I thought I would be spending the book just waiting for the time travel scenes.  That was definitely not the case.  Gwyneth's home time period has its very own charms that makes it just as engaging as the time periods she travels to.  After all, funny classmates and a friendly ghost don't exactly make for a boring reading experience!  Each setting is well thought out and vividly described.  It wasn't much of a stretch at all to picture Gwyneth's surroundings.  The writing in Ruby Red is smooth and well-wrought, as well.  It was so easy to become immersed in this fantastic story.

The only thing about Ruby Red that I'm sorry about is that I didn't read it sooner.  I practically tore through this book and couldn't believe it when I came to the last page.  It's all I can do to wait to read Sapphire Blue.  This series has the promise of a great story and fun reading.  Ruby Red is definitely piquing my interest in time travel novels.  I'm definitely a fan after having read this book.  I think many of you, dear readers, will enjoy it, too.