Wednesday 31 July 2013

Book Review: All Our Yesterdays by Cristin Terrill.


Product details:
Publisher: Bloomsbury.
Paperback, 362 pages.
Release date: August 1st 2013.
Rating: 4 out of 5.
Ages: 12+
Source:Received from publisher for review.

A brilliantly brain-warping thriller and a love story that leaps back and forth in time - All Our Yesterdays is an amazing first novel, perfect for fans of The Hunger Games.

Em is locked in a bare, cold cell with no comforts. Finn is in the cell next door. The Doctor is keeping them there until they tell him what he wants to know. Trouble is, what he wants to know hasn't happened yet.

Em and Finn have a shared past, but no future unless they can find a way out. The present is torture - being kept apart, overhearing each other's anguish as the Doctor relentlessly seeks answers. There's no way back from here, to what they used to be, the world they used to know. Then Em finds a note in her cell which changes everything. It's from her future self and contains some simple but very clear instructions. Em must travel back in time to avert a tragedy that's about to unfold. Worse, she has to pursue and kill the boy she loves to change the future.


“You have to kill him.”

Present day: Isolated and tortured in the pursuit of information that will destroy the world, Em sees no future for herself. There’s no way out. Her only comfort is Finn, the boy in the neighboring cell who lifts her spirits and makes her laugh despite the fact that their whole world has fallen apart. But now Em holds a note in her hand, a note from herself that offers her a way out. Em must travel back to the past to save the future. She must kill the boy she loves.

Four years ago: Em and Finn arrive in a world where time travel hasn’t yet been invented; a world where love still exists.  Marina has been in love with her science-geek best friend James since forever, and it finally looks like he might be starting to notice her too. But then tragedy strikes and James’s world falls apart. Marina might be a little spoiled and selfish, but she would do anything to protect James. If it came to it; she’s sure she could even kill for love.

When past and present collide everyone is fair game, and somebody has to die if the future is to be saved.  

Confession: I have a love/hate relationship with time-travel novels. I love the idea of them; the fact that you might go back to the past to change your future, or that you might leap through time to get a sneak peek at what’s to come. In theory, time travel is totally my thing. However, when I read about time travel, boy does it tie my brain up in knots. I have to admit that time-travel more often than not doesn’t really work for me in books. It’s something that often seems to translate well to screen (Back to the Future – Yes!) but when it comes to books time-travel for me has been hit and miss. Until now. All Our Yesterdays is time travel done right. It’s time-travel made accessible.  Cristin Terrill doesn’t over-complicate matters, and though James, the boy whose dream it is to invent time-travel is a scientific genius, this book doesn’t suffer from an overload of scientific jargon. Phew for that, because science is so not my thing.

Romance, though, is, and Finn Abbott, you have my heart. I loved Finn from the start. I loved that he maintained his sense of humor and could make Em smile even when in life or death situations. Also, he’s cute.  As for Em, she’s a kick-ass heroine right from the start, determined to complete her mission for the greater good, even if it means breaking hearts; even if it means breaking her own heart.

One of the best debuts I’ve read in a long time, All Our Yesterdays is an unputdownable riot of action, adventure, time-travel and romance from start to finish, and is not to be missed. This book is also brilliantly plotted and though I thought the ending here was pretty perfectly formed, this one actually isn’t a standalone. A sequel is in the works! I look forward to much more from Cristin Terrill. This is an author to watch!
 

32 comments :

  1. I feel the same way too. There are some time travel books that are great and some that are plain awful. I'm glad to see that you enjoyed this one. I'll definitely be pre-ordering this one for sure.

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  2. Wow... I saw a lot of people being excited but reading your review totally and finally convinced me! I so want to meet Finn and I think I would fall for him too! Can't wait to read it too!

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  3. Wonderful review. Glad you liked it.


    new follower via twitter, fb, gr & blog

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  4. For some reason, I've been hesitant about this one (despite the fact that I'm on tour for it). I'll definitely need to pick it up soon based on that wonderful review! Thanks, Leanna! :)

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  5. Jenny @ Supernatural Snark31 July 2013 at 15:23

    I can comment Leanna. YAY!!!!!!


    I'm so crazy excited for this book, I've read nothing but outstanding reviews for it and I need it in my life immediately. You know romance is my thing too, so I'm thinking Finn Abbott will have my heart as well. I can't wait to meet him and Em!!!

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  6. Becky @ Stories & Sweeties1 August 2013 at 09:42

    I can't wait to read this one! I love time travel books, but I agree it doesn't translate well in books sometimes. Glad to hear this one does it right!

    Another Finn! Finn is such a popular name in YA this year! :D I love it. Can't wait to meet this character.

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  7. Great review, Leanna. I have a feeling Finn will be winging his way into many hearts during his time in this series :)

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  8. Rebecca Huish Matthews1 August 2013 at 15:38

    Great review, All Our Yesterdays is a book that has definitely got me excited, I have to admit that when you started taking about time travel I did wonder if I would still want to read it and guess what, I do!

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  9. Liz @ Planet Print1 August 2013 at 16:59

    Yes to everything you said! I love the idea of time travel, but in novel sit can often be too complicated, or too vague with massive plot holes and it's really hard to get right. But I agree that All Our Yesterdays was definitely done well. And Finn! I adored him. Great review.

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  10. This is a really great review and I can't wait to read the book!

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  11. For fans of The Hunger Games, yay! I read The Testing and really liked it so I know I'll like this too.

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  12. I have to say this is the most informative and least confusing review I've read on this book. Everyone raves about this read but I'm usually confused by what they have to say. I didn't know this was a series. I was wondering if it was a stand-alone,so thanks for clearing that up, too. Excellent review, Leanna! I REALLY want to read this now. :)

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  13. This sounds like a really good read! I've heard that Tempest was a bad time-travel book, so I'm glad to hear that this has done the topic right!

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  14. CYP @ A Bookalicious Story2 August 2013 at 10:32

    I love the idea of time travel too!! But yes, sadly it's been rather hit and miss with me too.. I'm a romance fan toooo, so hearing you say all that praise is making me want to read AOY! I'm still debating whether to add it to my TBR pile yet, but I think I might now! Haha, I do love my kickass heroines, haven't really read about a nerd love interest before though! But the love interest changed to Finn right? This is confusing, haha, I'm sure the plot twists in AOY must be amazing.

    Great review!

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  15. I've been curious about this one for a while but haven't seen a copy yet. I'd love the chance to add another time travel title to my list. When done well, they are some of my favourites.

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  16. Time travel is one of the most needs-to-be-explored-more-by-good-authors, genres ever. I really want to read this book!

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  17. It's been ages since I read a time travel story. The last was disappointing. It sounds like the author did a great job here.

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  18. daisychainbooks4 August 2013 at 11:31

    This is definitely one of the better time travel books I've read. Authors often tend to over-complicate things when dealing with time travel, but this one doesn't!

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  19. daisychainbooks4 August 2013 at 11:31

    Finn is pretty adorable! :)

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  20. daisychainbooks4 August 2013 at 11:32

    It's really good, Melissa. Honestly this one was never on my must read list, but I was asked to provide a quote for the finished copy which is why I made it a reading priority and I'm glad I did.

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  21. daisychainbooks4 August 2013 at 11:33

    Yay! I am so glad you can comment again. I'm sorry about that glitch (erm, which was totally my fault!)


    Can't wait to hear what you think of this one, Jenny!

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  22. daisychainbooks4 August 2013 at 11:33

    I think you'll like Finn, Becky. Can't wait to hear what you think of this one! :)

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  23. daisychainbooks4 August 2013 at 11:34

    Thanks, Liz! Time travel is really hard to get right. I've read some time travel books that just left me confused.

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  24. daisychainbooks4 August 2013 at 11:35

    I've read a couple good reviews of The Testing. I might look into that one!

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  25. daisychainbooks4 August 2013 at 11:36

    Ha! Thanks, Rachel. I am to not confuse! ;) I thought this was a standalone too, but there's an author interview at the back of the book where she confirms she's working on a second book.

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  26. daisychainbooks4 August 2013 at 11:37

    I've reviewed Tempest on here - that one confused me!

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  27. daisychainbooks4 August 2013 at 11:37

    There are lots of little twists in this book. You'll have to read it and find out! ;)

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  28. CYP @ A Bookalicious Story4 August 2013 at 12:19

    Haha, oh well!

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  29. Oooo so excited to get stuck into this one!! Great review! I feel the same about time travel books so I'm glad you liked this one!

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  30. I just finished this book, and it's haunting me so bad!!! I just literally sat on my seat and rehashed everything in my head, trying to wrap my head around this. IT WAS SO GOOD! Definitely one of the best ones that I've read this year.

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  31. Nice review about the characters

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  32. Like you, I love the concept of time travel in novels, but I've always been a bit leery of them. I've heard phenomenal thi

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