Book Review: Sapphire Blue by Kerstin Gier

Sapphire Blue by Kerstin Gier
Publisher: Henry Holt and Co.
Publication date: October 2012
Pages: 368
Source: ARC from ALA
For: Review
Series: Ruby Red, Book 2

*Spoilers are inevitable for the first book, Ruby Red*
Gwen's life has been turbulent, to say the least, since she's discovered she's the one with the time traveling gene. With all that prep time she missed out on, she's a bit backward when they visit the eighteenth century. But their travels to get the blood of all the time travelers is not going as well as it should and things in her own day are starting to heat up. Especially when the frustrating Gideon is involved.

Things I Liked:
Time travel.  Really, I always seem to remember when I'm reading books about time travel, that they are a weakness for me.  I just love a good, complicated time-bending story.  Obviously, the parts about time travel were my favorite.  I loved when the plot got complicated because of when things happened and who had gone back to do them, etc.  The romance was not a win for me, but I was able to overlook it most of the time and just enjoy the strange time travel delights and Gwen's fiesty reactions to many things.  I like the way she doesn't fit into a mold and most of the time, doesn't care about it.  I like how she's mad when they exclude her and then finds ways to figure things out on her own. 

Things I Didn't Like:
Seriously, I hate the romance.  I think the way Gideon treats her (hot and cold, etc) was just plain annoying.  But the way Gwen reacted was even more so.  She just couldn't help herself from loving him, he was so handsome and charming, except when he was cold and rude.  And she wouldn't let him kiss her again if he was going to act like that.  Until he tries to kiss her again.  She just should have smacked him upside the head and told him to hit the highway.  I think sometimes I like to impose my adult romantic sensibilities on teen romance.  My other beef with the story was the lack of story about Lucy and Paul.  Considering Lucy is the sapphire, I figured that she would play a big part in the story.  She only shows up maybe once or twice.  I was a bit disappointed by that, actually, because I'm very interested in what they are up to.  More than in Gideon and Gwen.  But, I still have high hopes for the last book.

Read-alikes:
Reminds me of Hourglass by Myra McIntire

BOOK CONTENT RATINGS:
s-factor: !
some, not too much

mrg-factor: XX
mostly talk, though with fairly loose views of teen sex

v-factor: ->
a fight or two, but nothing described

Overall rating: ***

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