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review 2018-08-26 23:34
Marking Time (The Immortal Descendants #1) by April White
[ { MARKING TIME: THE IMMORTAL DESCENDANTS } ] by White, April (AUTHOR) Nov-05-2012 [ Paperback ] - April White
Saira Elian grew up moving every two years and so she has learned to be independent. At this point, Saira is pretty sure that she can handle anything that life throws at her but she didn't count on falling through a graffiti tag and ending up back in Victorian times.  The 17 year old Saira suddenly finds herself gearing up to battle Jack the Ripper and learning that the world is so much more complicated than she ever thought it was. Being a descendant of immortals and in her case, a descendant of Time  and apparently the one fated to bring the families together, means that Saira is going to have to race against time if she is going to save her mother. Thankfully, for the first time in her life, Saira has friends that she can count on and a vampire who has loved her for well over 100 years. 
 
I have never been a fan of YA, so I had my doubts when I picked up Marking Time but I'm happy to report that I quickly fell into the story and cannot wait to find out what journey White takes her characters on. I will admit to having my doubts about Saira at first but as White reminded us how stark and independent her childhood was, it makes sense that she would chafe under the suddenly imposed rules of a relative that she had never met, and being forced out of her comfort zone to embrace things like dressing for dinner and attending an exclusive boarding school. 
 
There is a strain of romance running through this story. When Saira first meets Archer, she has no idea who he is and how much he will come to mean to her.  It would be a mistake going into this believing that it is a paranormal romance because while the love story is important to the entire narrative, it isn't the point to the story.  I have to admit to not being a fan of teenage girls being paired with vampires hundreds of years older than them but this is mitigated somewhat by the fact that when Saira develops a relationship with Archer in the past, he is human and actually not much older than her. It's one of the few iterations of vampire/teenage girl that doesn't feel completely predatory. 
 
I'm absolutely fascinated with the world that White built.  There are shifters, vampires, werewolves, time travelers and people who can see the future.  I really cannot wait to learn more about the immortals who created these unique descendants. Because the world is so rich, there are so many directions that White can take the story, particularly if she chooses to focus on the war between the descendants themselves, or take the story into the future. 
 
I know I've gushed just a little bit but there are a few problems with Making Time.  The first book in every series sets up the universe and establishes the rules for what the characters can and cannot do but I do believe that White got bogged down with the details when she started discussing DNA and creating a scientific explanation for how and why the descendants are the way that they are. It was the only time I found myself skipping the page and I really felt that it added nothing to the story to speak of.
 
Being in Victorian England meant that Saira found herself in a world in which men and women were forced into rigid gender roles. I love that she didn't instantly comply with what was expected and stayed true to who she is - a modern woman.  Every time that Ringo and Archer worried for her reputation, she was quick to push it aside. I further love that Saira dressed in a masculine fashion in order to have the freedom that she required to what she needed to do. White made it clear that the choice to pass as male is something that many an enterprising young woman chose to do in order to free themselves from strict moral and gender codes. Marking Time easily passed the Bechdel test and it was good to see Saira form relationships with men and women equally, even if the routine at the schools sometimes weighed down the story.
 
White used Ringo to do a small interrogation of class.  Far too often when we have time travel books, they focus on the upper class but in this case, White decided to look at the precarious lives of the poor in Victorian England.  Ringo actually had to sneak into his home each nigh because it wasn't a legal lodging and he could only have a fire to stave off the cold at certain times.  Ringo also couldn't read and so Saira and Archer had to teach him. Even Archer, who did have some class privileges was forced into the seminary simply because he's the second son. 
 
 
 
Source: www.fangsforthefantasy.com/2018/08/marking-time-immortal-descendants-1-by.html
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text 2017-10-16 21:50
Self-Pubs That Shine
The Book of Kindly Deaths - Eldritch Black
Rewinder - Brett Battles
Ellie Jordan, Ghost Trapper - J.L. Bryan
Paladin - Sally Slater
Haven - A.R. Ivanovich,Michelle Ivanovich
Nightfall Gardens - Allen Houston
Marking Time - April White
Slumber - Samantha Young
Timebound - Rysa Walker
Nefertiti's Heart - A.W. Exley

Most of us these days are aware of the flood of self-pubbed books and how difficult it can be to find a gem in the sea of mediocrity.  We often see reviews of the sub-par and/or reports of unethical marketing schemes or unprofessional behavior on the part of some authors.

But some of us who have stuck a toe or two into those waters have come across a few gems.  I thought it'd be good to share a few self-pubbed & small press books I really enjoyed and that I feel stand well among their trade-pubbed counterparts. 

So here are a few I've discovered that I am proud to recommend.

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review 2016-01-26 19:36
#WagingWar: These are a few of my favorite things...
Waging War (The Immortal Descendants Book 4) - April White,Angela Houle

 

I can’t remember what made me pick up Marking Time, the first book of The Immortal Descendants series. Whatever the reason, it was most certainly a moment of brilliant insight on my part. Way to go me!

 

Each book in the series has been great fun to read, and Waging War didn't disappoint. Time travelers, good guys, bad guys, shape shifters, vampires, action, drama, love, happiness, sadness, highs, lows, history, WWII, code breaking, Bletchley Park...seriously, it’s like taking all the coolest things and putting them into one book!

 

Hmm…

 

…I wonder if I could talk April into working in some kind of original advanced magic system and sending everyone into space?

 

Probably not.

 

With or without magic and space travel, The Immortal Descendants series is great fun.  Start with Marking Time, and then get to Waging War as quickly as possible. I’m certain book 5, Cheating Death, isn't far away. At least, it had better not be—not with that ending!  (Can you really have a true cliff hanger when your book is about time travel? Just saying.)

 

Did I mention Marking Time is free?  Seriously people.  This isn't a hard decision.

 

Click here and then email me to say thanks:

 

http://amzn.com/B009ZC6666

 

Happy reading friends!

 

The Value of a Star: Ratings Explained

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text 2015-05-11 22:05
Series I Plan on Reading/Finishing This Summer
Cinder - Marissa Meyer
Across the Universe - Beth Revis
Ruby Red - Kerstin Gier
Marking Time - April White
Mistborn: The Final Empire - Brandon Sanderson
Throne of Glass - Sarah J. Maas
Doon - Lorie Langdon,Carey Corp
The Kiss of Deception - Mary E. Pearson
Dorothy Must Die - Danielle Paige
The 100 - Kass Morgan

The summer break is upon us and as I finish up this years course work I am already trying to discern which series' I need to consume over break. I have decided on the following...so far:

 

The Lunar Chronicles Series (Not Started)     Marissa Meyer

Across the Universe Series (Not Started)        Beth Revis

The Ruby Red Trilogy  (Not Started)               Kerstin Gier

The Marking Time Trilogy (Started)                 April White

The Mistborn Trilogy (Started)                        Brandon Sanderson

The Throne of Glass Series (Started)            Sarah J. Maas

The Doon Series (Not Started)                       Carey Corp and Lorie Langdon

The Remnant Chronicles (Not Started)          Mary E. Pearson

The Dorothy Must Dies Series (Not Started)  Danielle Paige

The 100 Series (Not Started)                         Kass Morgan

The Gone Series (Not Started)                      Michael Grant

The Unwind Series (Not Started)                   Neal Shusterman

The Divergent Trilogy (Started)                     Veronica Roth

The Winner's Curse Series (Not Started)      Marie Rutkoski

The Champion Series (Started)                    Marie Lu

The Raven Cycle Series (Not Started)          Maggie Stiefvater

The Chaos Walking Series (Not Started)      Patrick Ness

The Forensic Mysteries Series (Not Started)Alane Ferguson

The Infernal Devices (Not Started)               Cassandra Clare

 

Looks like I have a lot to read this summer! This isn't even half of the books I would like to read this summer. I would also like to read the Outlander Series by: Diana Gabaldon. I don't know how much of this I will accomplish, but I am excited to find out! There are also a couple of standalone novels I want to read and a couple of non-fiction books. I will probably hold off on The Book Thief until summer starts as well. I'm finding it a little slow. I would love to participate in a Read-a-thon this summer, as well! Thanks so much for reading!

 

Have a fabulous day lovelies!

 

Yours truly, signing off!

 

Kenzie

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text 2015-05-06 18:38
My First...Top 5 Wednesday!
Throne of Glass - Sarah J. Maas
Heir of Fire - Sarah J. Maas
The Night Circus - Erin Morgenstern
Mistborn Trilogy Boxed Set - Brandon Sanderson
Percy Jackson and the Olympians Boxed Set - Rick Riordan
Marking Time - April White
Crown of Midnight - Sarah J. Maas

This is the first, in what I hope will be a long line of T5W's. This originates in a Goodreads group found here: https://www.goodreads.com/topic/show/1608567-complete-list-of-wednesday-ers

 

I found this group while watching a book-tuber, WhyMermaids. Her channel is found here: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCd9B5bod9BC9z7nHK4wgV2Q

 

The Question for this week is (Drum roll please!)

 

 Books You'd Want to See as TV Shows (NOT movies)

 

1. Throne of Glass by: Sara J Maas (So much butt kicking!)

 

2. The Night Circus by: Erin Morgenstern (So enchanting!)

 

3. Mistborn by: Brandon Sanderson (So Enthralling plus butt kicking!)

 

4. Percy Jackson Series by: Rick Riordan (I know they have made a couple of movies, but a TV show would be better!)

 

5. Marking Time Trilogy: April White (This is a Time Travel book with Vampires!)

 

I loved all of these books and would love a TV show that I can watch weekly! This was a great question! If you haven't already go to the Goodreads link and join the Group. Leave a comment with a link to your blog/booktube channel and you can start T5W! Thanks for reading!

 

Have a fabulous day lovelies!

 

Yours Truly, signing off!

 

Kenzie

 
 
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