Review: Hourglass by Myra McEntire (Hourglass #1)

Title: Hourglass by Myra McEntire

Published: June 14^th, 2011 by Egmont USA

Source: Library

Challenge(s): Support Your Local Library

Grade rate: A-

 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?

My Review

I really enjoyed Hourglass.  It was an unexpected read with many twists and turns, but I loved the ride!

Emerson is a great heroine.  I loved that although she is short and is beautiful and looks delicate, she is everything but.  She has lived through tragedy, depression and the burden of an unusual “gift” and has conquered it all.  That doesn’t mean that it was easy, but she has a very strong character and it’s open to possibilities.  Emerson is funny, snarky, loyal and very stubborn.  I really loved Michael and I trusted him instinctively from the beginning, even though it looked like he was forever holding back part of himself and a lot of information.  The chemistry between Michael and Emerson was understandable given the premise of the book, but a little to instant for my taste. 

I really like that Emerson had family that cared about her.  Thomas and Dee are two characters that were attentive and loving and not MIA like so many parents seem to be in YA lately.  I hope we learn more about Kaleb and the other members of the Hourglass in the next installment.  One word about Jack: BOOO!

The plot is very original, even if you have read about time travel before.  It was unexpected, interesting and difficult to put down.  The writing was easy to read, straightforward and fairly fast paced, a lot happened in a short amount of time.  I really hope to get a better sense of the work that the Hourglass does (and how) and that they can find Jack soon.   I will eagerly await the publication of Timepiece, due in June.  

About the cover: It is breathtaking, is it not?  It portraits Emerson and gives the illusion of traveling, of movement and flow. 

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