Torrent by Lisa T. Bergren

This is the THIRD book in the River of Time series. Read Waterfall and Cascade before reading this review.

Thanks!

When Gabi and Lia finally learn to surf the river of time, they realize they must make hard choices about life and love in the third and final book in the River of Time series.

Gabi and Lia Betarrini have learned to control their time travel, and they return from medieval Italy to save their father from his tragic death in modern times. But love calls across the centuries, and the girls are determined to return forever—even though they know the Black Plague is advancing across Europe, claiming the lives of one-third of the population. In the suspenseful conclusion of the River of Time series, every decision is about life … and death.

I won't lie--I think this was my favorite book in the series. But....it's not for the reasons you may think.

Now, please don't throw things at me or ban me from your blog lists here, all you die-hard Marcello fans--

I am totally head over heels in love with Lord Rodolfo Greco.
Seriously.

Lord Greco first makes an appearance in book two, Cascade, and I absolutely hated him. Until, of course, I didn't anymore. Obviously. When I finished reading book two, I was wondering if (hoping, actually) he'd make an even bigger appearance in this book, Torrent. Oh boy. I was NOT disappointed. Well, until I was. Darn it.

I love the River of Time series. And honestly, I was all for Gabi-Marcello. (Gello? G-E-L-L-O! I digress.) Until Lord Greco made an appearance. Again, please don't hate me for this, but I was seriously rooting for him. I didn't even really care if he ended up with Gabi, I just want him to end up with someone I can root for. Which leads me to do something I'm sure I won't be proud of later. Grovel.

Lisa T. Bergren,

I know you've found me on here before, so I'm hoping (fingers crossed) that you'll venture back to my lowly little book blog. If you are reading this, please, PLEASE, PLEASE give me some more of sexy Lord Greco. I will be the happiest reader alive if you do.

Thanks so much,
Megan

P.S. Please?

If you have not read this series yet, I highly recommend it. They are wonderfully written, really and truly. This is one of those series that can suck you in one night and before you know it, it's three in the morning and the book has ended and you are counting down the hours 'til your local bookstore opens so you can go buy the next one. Seriously? READ THESE. :) You won't regret it. Unless you only buy them one at a time and have to wait.... But you can't say I didn't warn you! They are addicting. Enjoy!

Happy Reading!

Cascade by Lisa T. Bergren

THIS REVIEW CONTAINS SPOILERS.

DO NOT READ (YET) IF YOU HAVE NOT READ

Waterfall by Lisa T. Bergren.

THANKS!

Mom touched my underdress—a gown made six hundred years before—and her eyes widened as she rubbed the raw silk between thumb and forefinger. She turned and touched Lia’s gown. “Where did you get these clothes?”

Gabi knows she’s left her heart in the fourteenth century and she persuades Lia to help her to return, even though they know doing so will risk their very lives. When they arrive, weeks have passed and all of Siena longs to celebrate the heroines who turned the tide in the battle against Florence—while the Florentines will go to great lengths to see them dead.

But Marcello patiently awaits, and Gabi must decide if she’s willing to leave her family behind for good in order to give her heart to him forever.

As you know, all week I have been seriously struggling. It's not for lack of good reading material. I've just been in a kind of funk. Apparently book club was what I needed to get me back on the wagon. Last night was our monthly book club meeting and talking about the book we read and books to come, something clicked and I got excited about reading again. So, yay for me.

I read the first book in this series, Waterfall, last month and really enjoyed it. It seems like there's not enough YA books set in the time period of knights and chivalry. I fell in love with Gabi and Marcello and even Luca in book one, but I really didn't like Gabi's sister, Lia. That changed in this book for me. She makes much more of an appearance in this book and I got to know (and like) her character more. She's just as fierce and lovable as Gabi--you just don't see much of that side of her in Waterfall.

I really enjoyed the storyline, again. I've been really impressed with Lisa T. Bergren's books so far. I think she's a fabulous storyteller with a particular talent for writing without a lot of fluff or unnecessary description. I was thinking about this last night while discussing our book club pick, The False Princess by Eilis O'Neal and I couldn't help but compare the two books. Lisa T. Bergren does a fantastic job of giving great descriptions without getting wordy, very unlike the writing style in The False Princess. But we'll cross that bridge when we get to it on Tuesday.

If you haven't started this series yet, I recommend you get on it quick. I love this series. My snooze-fest all week was in no way related to my reading material, but more due to my hectic schedule I've been precariously trying to balance. So don't be scared that these books will put you to sleep. They most definitely will not! They'll leave you dying to read the next one....like I am now.

Happy Reading!

Waterfall by Lisa T. Bergren

Gabriella has never spent a summer in Italy like this one. Remaining means giving up all she’s known and loved… and leaving means forfeiting what she’s come to know…and love itself.   Most American teenagers want a vacation in Italy, but the Bertarrini sisters have spent every summer of their lives with their parents, famed Etruscan scholars, among the romantic hills. Stuck among the rubble of medieval castles in rural Tuscany on yet another hot, dusty archaeological site, Gabi and Lia are bored out of their minds… until Gabi places her hand atop a handprint in an ancient tomb and finds herself in fourteenth-century Italy. And worse yet, in the middle of a fierce battle between knights of two opposing forces.

And thus does she come to be rescued by the knight-prince Marcello Falassi, who takes her back to his father’s castle—a castle Gabi has seen in ruins in another life. Suddenly Gabi’s summer in Italy is much, much more interesting. But what do you do when your knight in shining armor lives, literally, in a different world?



I hope you all saw my note last week after my review of Tris and Izzie that this book was FREE on Amazon. It may still be, but I haven't checked. My friend Stacy can attest to my mini-freak out when it was offered for free less than a week after I paid eight dollars for it. I called her to have her look it up and see if it was really free or if it just said that on mine since I had already bought it. Nope. Free. Argh!

So, I hope you all took advantage of that awesome deal. (Argh, argh, ARGH!)

I really liked this book. I didn't know if I'd "dig" the whole knights and chivalry and medieval-ness of it all. I was wrong. This book had action, adventure, and romance complete with forbidden love. I didn't want to put it down, couldn't put it down. When it was over, all I wanted to do was hop on Amazon, download the second book in the series, and hide in a closet with my Kindle so no one would disturb my reading. (I miraculously refrained.)

Gabi rocked. She fought right alongside all the guys, sword and all. She was independent and sassy and driven. She knew what she was going to do and she did it. Her sister, Lia, was pretty awesome too with her bow, but she's really not in the book much. In fact that may have been the only thing I liked about Lia--her mad archery skills. I thought she was quite the prissy little brat most of the time, to be honest. I'm glad it wasn't her story, or I probably wouldn't have even finished it. And I liked Gabi with Marcello. Blast you 700-year-age-difference!

I am anxious to read the next book in this series. I hope you all had a chance to read it too, and I hope you  liked it! If you haven't had a chance to read it yet, check Amazon. See if the Kindle version is still available for free. Even if you don't have a Kindle, you can download it and read it on your PC.

Happy Reading!