Loop (Loop #1)
by Karen Akins
Publisher – St. Martin’s Griffin
Release Date – October 21 2015
Buy – Amazon | Book Depository
At a school where Quantum Paradox 101 is a required course and history field trips are literal, sixteen year-old time traveler Bree Bennis excels…at screwing up.
After Bree botches a solo midterm to the 21st century by accidentally taking a boy hostage (a teensy snafu), she stands to lose her scholarship. But when Bree sneaks back to talk the kid into keeping his yap shut, she doesn’t go back far enough. The boy, Finn, now three years older and hot as a solar flare, is convinced he’s in love with Bree, or rather, a future version of her that doesn’t think he’s a complete pain in the arse. To make matters worse, she inadvertently transports him back to the 23rd century with her.
Once home, Bree discovers that a recent rash of accidents at her school are anything but accidental. Someone is attacking time travelers. As Bree and her temporal tagalong uncover seemingly unconnected clues—a broken bracelet, a missing data file, the art heist of the millennium—that lead to the person responsible, she alone has the knowledge to piece the puzzle together. Knowledge only one other person has. Her future self.
But when those closest to her become the next victims, Bree realizes the attacker is willing to do anything to stop her. In the past, present, or future.
I think I always start off a time travel book review with ‘Time Travel is an odd and complex genre to write in the world of YA…’ or something along those lines. I always tend to make comparisons to Doctor Who, Back to the Future, and other previous books I’ve read of that genre. BUT this time, I will not mention anything of the sort, because this book is so refreshing and different in terms of the way it is structured that I’m starting fresh, I kid you not… Karen Akins is the definition of time travel novels.
It’s the Twenty-Third Century….
Bree Bennis a sixteen year-old time traveler, known as a Shifter goes to a boarding school in the Twenty-Third Century. When she is put to an assignment to deliver a package and find a grave in the Twenty-First Century she didn’t realise this would be the turning point in her life that will change her timeline and the space between past and future itself. Bree isn’t your typical time traveler by far, she is your breaking-the-rules type of girl, she is curious, yet keeps to herself, she also like to tempt fate. I guess in times we do see two sides to her character and how she progresses throughout the novel to become the real Bree. This you can see through Finn, a boy, she never knew he could possibly be tagging along with her through time and space. Yet she doesn’t know a lot of things that is to come, and more importantly that she will fall someone that could possibly break apart reality itself.
Back in time to the Twenty-First Century…
We first meet Finn in the Twenty-First Century, he is the occupier of the place assigned to young Bree to deliver the package. But he knows nothing of time travel or even the existence of Shifters, when his father is one and so will his sister in the not too distant future. But in that one moment of his his entire life changed because of one girl and her extraordinary abilities and crazy personality in his mind. However…Bree comes back, only for Finn a lot has happened in six months, including being romantically involved with the Future Bree. Let’s say Bree 2.0 is trying to help present Bree from a dangerous future and one that involves the fate of her mother. Finn is such a likeable character, frustrating at times when he is put in the middle trying predicaments with two sides to Bree’s character.
Battling to figure out each other and time itself, both character really progress throughout the novel. I think Finn really tries to see the Bree 2.0 in the present Bree but also he just loves her a little more when he gets to see and meet both Bree’s of both timelines. Bree discovers a lot in herself too, in one way she wants be this Bree 2.0 so bad, to be want Finn knows and wants, to know all the answers but really what she wants is for Finn to know her and see that she can figure this out and progress to be this Future Bree, so she can fall for the boy that fell through time.
Page after page, time shifted, events changed, you really are kept on your toes. You transported to very depths of their character and the rush of adrenaline travelling through you as you go through this book. Combined with a female time traveler which was such a unique and welcome change to others I have read. With her written pros, style and structure Karen Akins has started a new paradox of a series and her sequel TWIST is coming in the very near future!
Rating – 5
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Ooooh 5 stars!! That's amazing! Maybe I need to add this book to my wish list after all! Time travelling for the win!
Great review Emma!
Yes you really should It's absolutely amazing. Thank you Pili!
Oh my gosh … I am SO going to read this. I LOVE time travel! And Bree totally sounds like a character I'd like. I'm adding this right now. Great review!
Aw I'm so glad. Bree certainly is a very loveable character. And if you love time travel, then I think you will love this! Thank you, Christy!
Wow 5 stars! This book has been getting a lot of love which is awesome–time travel is hard to get right and it seems that Ms. Akins nailed it!
Lovely review, Emma <33
Time travel is really hard, and I do love a good novel, when it has written really well. I hope you get to read it soon. 🙂
Ooooo this sounds AWESOME Emma!!!!! I absolutely love time travel stories, so I can't believe this one wasn't on my radar. Must read it immediately! So glad this worked well for you, I'm really excited about it.
I'm glad its on your radar. I really can't wait to see what you think of it Jenny! 🙂
I can't wait to finally read this book! I love books about time travel, I really enjoyed All Our Yesterdays and The Ruby Red trilogy so I'm hoping this will work out for me as well. The romance sounds cute and deep at the same time which just makes it ten times more interesting.
Lovely review. 🙂
All Our Yesterdays was probably one of my YA time travel book since then I've been trying to find one even better, and this one definitely is it. I hope you get to read it soon. Thanks Veronika! 🙂
I am so excited about your review! I won this over the holidays and can't wait to start it!!
Oh I can't wait to see what you think about it! 😀
I haven't heard of this one at all but I loove the cover and the genre is one of my favorites. Thanks for such a comprehensive review, Emma–I definitely need this in my life! 🙂
Aw I'm so glad. I have to say an author recommended it to me. So I had to read it and she wasn't wrong that it was great! 😀
Time travel books can be a little confusing! I'm wondering if present Bree and future Bree are jealous of each other, lol! I've never heard of this book but it sounds really intriguing. Lovely review, Emma! 🙂
Haha. That's a good point and present Bree wasn't jealous of Future Bree, that's for sure. I felt sort of sad for present Bree because Finn knew so much from Future Bree. Thank you Rachel! 🙂
I heard about this book a while ago, but for some reason didn't think much of it, but the fact that I've only read a handful of time travelling books that I've truly enjoyed really makes me want to give this book a go. after reading your review it does sound like something which I could enjoy! Lovely review as always Emma! 🙂
It hasn't been around a lot but I do certainly recommend it! I haven't read many time travelling books either, but I love when I find a brilliant one. Thank you, Jasprit! 🙂
I've been super curious about this one for some time! I absolutely love the cover and time travel books are my thing (if they're done right) and i'm hoping this one is done right *wink* Lovely review 🙂
I know exactly what you mean, I'm very picky with dystopia and sci-fi books. They have to be done right. I hope you get to read this soon. The cover certainly is gorgeous. Thank you, Lily! 🙂