Showing posts with label characterdriven. Show all posts
Showing posts with label characterdriven. Show all posts

Friday, June 27, 2025

Time Fixers - YA travel sci-fi, mystery, & emotional coming-of-age

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ 

After thoroughly enjoying Miles in Time, I had high hopes for its sequel and Time Fixers absolutely delivers. This second installment not only lives up to the original but deepens the story with a richer plot, higher emotional stakes, and continued character growth that makes it a standout in YA fiction.

Time Fixers

 

Set once again in the small town of Frontier, Iowa, the book quickly raises the stakes when brothers Miles and Simon Hardy face their most personal mission yet: traveling back to 1999 to save their mother from a traumatic past that set her life on a tragic course. The emotional core of this story, the brothers’ fierce determination to protect their mom, gives Time Fixers its powerful heart. Their sibling bond is both believable and moving, adding real depth to the fast-paced, twisty plot.

 

Time Fixers

Lee Mathew Goldberg expertly balances genres, blending time-travel sci-fi, mystery, and emotional coming-of-age moments into a story that feels fresh and surprisingly profound. There’s humor, danger, nostalgia, and a compelling mystery that draws you in deeper with every chapter. And while the stakes are high, the plot remains easy to follow, never bogged down by its complexity.

One of the things I appreciated most is how the characters have matured since book one. Miles, in particular, faces difficult moral choices, including where his loyalties lie and who he can trust. His developing feelings, complicated friendships, and the looming threat of their grandfather’s connection to a powerful corporation make for a layered and engaging narrative.

Miles in Time

 Time Fixers also continues a thread introduced in the first book, with Miles exploring his romantic identity. While in Miles in Time this aspect felt briefly included, it becomes more integrated into the plot here. 

⚠️ Content note: For readers who prefer to avoid romantic subplots involving bisexual themes in YA fiction, it plays a meaningful role in character development.

That said, the romantic angle doesn’t overshadow the emotional depth or the core themes of family, sacrifice, and self-discovery. It’s handled thoughtfully and remains in balance with the rest of the story.

If you liked Miles in Time, you won’t be disappointed with Time Fixers. And if you’re new to the series, start with book one, but know that the sequel is where the story truly hits its stride.

As BookHookup, I am a longtime book reviewer. I received a free review copy of this book from Blackberry Book Tours and have not received compensation for reviewing or recommending it. Some links in this post are affiliate links. 

Lee Matthew Goldberg
 

About the Author: Lee Matthew Goldberg 

Lee Matthew Goldberg is the Anthony, Lefty, and Prix du Polar nominated author of fourteen novels including THE ANCESTOR and THE MENTOR, and THE GREAT GIMMELMANS along with his five-book DESIRE CARD series. After graduating with an MFA from the New School, he’s been published in multiple languages and his writing has also appeared as a contributor in CrimeReads, Pipeline Artists, LitHub, Chicago Quarterly Review, Electric Literature, The Los Angeles Review of Books, The Jewish Book Council, The Millions, Vol. 1 Brooklyn, LitReactor, Mystery Tribune, The Nerd Daily, Monkeybicycle, Fiction Writers Review, Cagibi, Necessary Fiction, the anthology Dirty Boulevard, The Montreal Review, The Adirondack Review, The New Plains Review, Maudlin House and others. He is the publisher of Fringe Press, the co-curator of The Guerrilla Lit Reading Series, and lives in New York City. Follow him at LeeMatthewGoldberg.com

https://www.leematthewgoldberg.com/
https://X.com/LMGBooks
https://www.facebook.com/LeeMatthewGoldberg
https://www.instagram.com/leematthewgoldberg/
https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/8001634.Lee_Matthew_Goldberg

 

Saturday, April 19, 2025

The Indian and Me (Book 1) - richly woven saga

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ 

The Indian and Me is a captivating, character-driven historical romance that unfolds against the tumultuous backdrop of the American Revolutionary War. In this sweeping saga, Cathy Peebles delivers a timeless narrative propelled by vivid dialogue and rich character interaction—reminiscent of the classics by Jane Austen or Charles Dickens.

The Indian and Me

At its core, this is a love story—poignant, forbidden, and fraught with cultural and social tensions. Julia, a white British woman trapped in a loveless marriage to a greedy and cruel officer, finds herself drawn to Ki, a Native American man whose quiet strength and compassion offer a stark contrast to her suffocating life. Their bond deepens amidst the chaos of war and societal expectations, setting the stage for a dramatic and emotionally charged journey.

What sets this novel apart is its natural, immersive conversational prose. The dialogue doesn't just support the story—it is the story. Through the characters’ voices, Peebles reveals heartache, resilience, longing, and love, allowing readers to feel intimately connected to Julia and Ki’s journey. This approach gives the book a classic feel, where storytelling thrives on human connection and emotional depth.

While the manuscript could benefit from some gentle editing, it doesn’t detract from the reading experience. The story has all the hallmarks of a period drama—star-crossed lovers, family feuds, whispered scandals, near-death escapes—and it keeps the reader engaged from beginning to end.

The Indian and Me is a heartfelt tale of love, identity, and defiance in the face of societal boundaries. A richly woven saga that I highly recommend for fans of historical romance and classic storytelling.

 

Saturday, January 18, 2025

A Kestrel Circles - Smith's storytelling is nothing short of brilliant

An unpredictable, thrilling ride into the mind of a gifted detective, A Kestrel Circles is a brilliant blend of suspense, mystery, and fascinating character exploration.

A Kestrel Circles

G. Michael Smith's A Kestrel Circles is nothing short of captivating. From the very first page, the novel pulls readers into an intricate world where the boundaries of reality, perception, and intellect blur in the most engaging ways. The protagonist, Mathew Brown (also known as Augustus Cervantes), is a unique and eccentric character whose unusual abilities—specifically, his skill to "find anything" through his mind's eye, which he calls "the canvas"—form the heart of this deeply compelling story.

About the Book: A Kestrel Circles

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Initially, I found myself a little disoriented, much like stepping into a foreign language that has a few recognizable words but no clear context. It was a deliberate and purposeful confusion, however, as the narrative unfolds in the voice of Mathew, whose perspective seems disjointed yet strangely profound. At times, I wondered if I was witnessing the world through the eyes of someone with autism, struggling with communication but gifted in ways that elude the average person. Soon, however, I was fully invested in Mathew's world, eager to decode his thoughts and understand the significance of the "canvas" that guides him through his life.

What truly elevates this novel is how Smith introduces Mathew’s detective work. As an adult, Mathew has been largely written off by those around him—particularly his overbearing mother—who thinks him incapable of independent survival. Yet, Mathew is far from ordinary. His ability to navigate the chaos of the world through his strange mental lens becomes his superpower. The transition from a seemingly fragile individual to an extraordinary detective is flawlessly executed. As Mathew embarks on his latest case, the search for a missing pocket watch, the suspense escalates to dizzying heights.

Kestrel

BookHookup Review: A Kestrel Circles

Smith's storytelling is nothing short of brilliant. The multi-layered plot keeps readers on the edge of their seats, filled with unexpected twists and turns. The idea of the "canvas," a metaphorical space that Mathew uses to process information, provides a unique and almost surreal quality to the narrative. It’s as if we are peering into a Wonderland of his mind, where logic meets mystery and every puzzle is a challenge to unravel. It’s in these moments that the book truly shines, taking on an almost dreamlike quality as Mathew races to uncover the truth.

As the plot unfolds, Mathew finds himself entangled in a cat-and-mouse chase across Europe, pursued not only by criminals but also by his own sense of foreboding about the case. The stakes rise as he uncovers deeper secrets about the missing watch, and the tension builds toward a gripping conclusion. What’s remarkable is that, despite his incredible abilities, Mathew is not infallible—his humanity is woven into every page, making him a character you can't help but care about.

Minor details, like a brief confusion over a character’s name and the unresolved fate of a pizza delivery man, didn’t detract from the overall enjoyment of the novel. These are mere blips in an otherwise stellar narrative. And while the book does contain some profanity and mild violence, it never feels gratuitous—just an authentic reflection of the stakes Mathew faces.

In a literary landscape full of formulaic thrillers, A Kestrel Circles stands out as something unique and thought-provoking. It’s a novel that demands to be experienced, one that will leave readers eager for more. With its unpredictable plot, compelling lead, and the tantalizing mystery that lingers long after the final page, this book is a must-read for fans of intelligent thrillers.

I would rate it a solid 5 out of 5, and I’m certainly hoping for a sequel that continues Mathew’s journey.

Warning: Profanity, mild violence.