Book Review: Torrent by Lisa Tawn Bergren

Torrent (River of Time #3) by Lisa Tawn Bergren
Genre: Young Adult (Historical Fiction/Fantasy/Romance)
Date Published: September 1, 2011
Publisher: David C. Cook

When Gabi and Lia finally learn to surf the river of time, they realize they must make hard choices about life and love in the third and final book in the River of Time series.

Gabi and Lia Betarrini have learned to control their time travel, and they return from medieval Italy to save their father from his tragic death in modern times.

But love calls across the centuries, and the girls are determined to return forever—even though they know the Black Plague is advancing across Europe, claiming the lives of one-third of the population. In the suspenseful conclusion of the River of Time series, every decision is about life … and death.

Torrent is the third and final book in the River of Time series. Like the previous two books, there was lots of action and adventure. There is seriously never a dull moment. I love watching how far along Gabi and Lia have come. They have truly embraced life in this time period and had major character growth when you compare them in this book to the first book. I never thought I'd say this, but Marcello has some competition this time around. What?? It's true. I still have a lingering question from book two that carried over though. Remember the big thing they went back in time to change in the last book? Did that not change their future at all?? Did their past selves not get a little..umm.. confused(I'm not sure if that's the right word, but it's the only thing that comes too mind)? I mean, I can see things happening the way they did all the same, but now they'd have this big unexplained thing. You know? If you haven't read the last book yet, you probably have no idea what I'm talking about. Sorry about that. Actually, no, I'm not sorry. You need to go read these books. *wink*

As a side note.. I don't know if I'm totally Team Greco yet, but it wouldn't take much, He definitely grew on me unexpectedly.

 

Check out my reviews of the other books in this series!

Lisa Tawn Bergren is the best-selling, award-winning author of over 40 books, with more than 2.5 million copies sold. She recently finished a teen series called River of Time (WATERFALL, CASCADE, TORRENT, BOURNE & TRIBUTARY and soon will be done with the last installment, DELUGE). She's also written the Grand Tour Series (GLAMOROUS ILLUSIONS, GRAVE CONSEQUENCES, GLITTERING PROMISES), and is now at work on the REMNANTS Series. REMNANTS: SEASON OF WONDER, releases in April 2014.

Lisa’s time is split between managing home base, writing, consulting and helping Tim with his business. Her husband Tim is a sculptor of ducks-out-of-fenceposts (RMRustic.com), graphic designer and musician. They have three kids–Olivia (19), Emma (16) and Jack (11).

All five of the Bergrens make their home in Colorado Springs, Colorado.

To learn more about Lisa T. Bergren and her books, visit her website.You can also find her on Goodreads, Facebook, Pinterest, and Twitter.

Book Review: Cascade by Lisa T. Bergren

Cascade (River of Time #2) by Lisa Tawn Bergren
Genre: Young Adult (Historical Fiction/Fantasy/Romance)
Date Published: June 1, 2011
Publisher: David C. Cook

Mom touched my underdress—a gown made six hundred years before—and her eyes widened as she rubbed the raw silk between thumb and forefinger. She turned and touched Lia’s gown. “Where did you get these clothes?”

Gabi knows she’s left her heart in the fourteenth century and she persuades Lia to help her to return, even though they know doing so will risk their very lives. When they arrive, weeks have passed and all of Siena longs to celebrate the heroines who turned the tide in the battle against Florence—while the Florentines will go to great lengths to see them dead.

But Marcello patiently awaits, and Gabi must decide if she’s willing to leave her family behind for good in order to give her heart to him forever.

Cascade is the second book in The River of Time series by Lisa T. Bergren. This book pulled me right into the story just as  much as the first one. I love how much Gabi and Lia have grown as characters, and I love there sibling bond. They are each other's voice of reason. It makes me want a sibling. This time around they bring their mom along for the ride. So, you can imagine her reaction. My one issue so far has to do with the time travel, and this may very well get resolved in the next book. We'll have to see. But they go into their past and do something that makes me wonder not only how their past selves will handle things, but how will it effect their futures? This could change things quite a bit I would think. I can't give details, because that'll mean a spoiler. But it makes me wonder. Hmmm.

I was hedging. I had no idea about what would happen if I told him something about the future.

Like that Siena would face a plague within a few years. And that Florence would eventually rule them.

What would happen if I let such things slip? All sorts of time/space continuum stuff might come crashing down. Or maybe it wouldn’t.

I should’ve watched more Star Trek as a kid.

Check out my reviews of the other books in this series!

Lisa Tawn Bergren is the best-selling, award-winning author of over 40 books, with more than 2.5 million copies sold. She recently finished a teen series called River of Time (WATERFALL, CASCADE, TORRENT, BOURNE & TRIBUTARY and soon will be done with the last installment, DELUGE). She's also written the Grand Tour Series (GLAMOROUS ILLUSIONS, GRAVE CONSEQUENCES, GLITTERING PROMISES), and is now at work on the REMNANTS Series. REMNANTS: SEASON OF WONDER, releases in April 2014.

Lisa’s time is split between managing home base, writing, consulting and helping Tim with his business. Her husband Tim is a sculptor of ducks-out-of-fenceposts (RMRustic.com), graphic designer and musician. They have three kids–Olivia (19), Emma (16) and Jack (11).

All five of the Bergrens make their home in Colorado Springs, Colorado.

To learn more about Lisa T. Bergren and her books, visit her website.You can also find her on Goodreads, Facebook, Pinterest, and Twitter.

Book Review: Waterfall by Lisa T. Bergren

Genre: Young Adult (Historical Fiction/Fantasy/Romance)

Waterfall is the first book in The River of Time Series by Lisa T. Bergren. Gabi and Lia are spending their summer in Italy with their mother. Although it's not a normal vacation. Their mother is an archeologist, so Gabi and Lia will be stuck at a dog site in Tuscany. That all changes when the sisters place their hands on ancient hand prints in a tomb. Gabi suddenly finds herself back in time with Italian knights and a battle that has raged on and off for years, but where is Lia? Gabi must learn to survive in this era while she searches for her sister and tries to avoid falling in love with a certain handsome knight.

Over the last year, I have heard wonderful things about this series, and it was about time I read it myself.  My only regret is that I waited so long. Waterfall is a non-stop adventure from the moment you start reading. Gabi is a very strong female character who even when her heart and head are opposing forces, she still tries to do what's right. She is confident, smart, funny, and real. She's someone we can all relate to. Plus, she has a great name. *wink* Marcello, the handsome Italian knight, is easy to fall in love with throughout the book. He is very intense, dedicated, and passionate about everything in life. Waterfall wisked me away into a fantasy world that was impossible to leave. I can't wait to re-enter this world as I read the next books in the series. As a teenager, I would have loved spending the summers at different dig sites especially in Italy. Of course, it would have been that much more amazing to go back in time to the fourteenth century for a summer. I can already tell this series is going to be a fast favorite. This is definitely a book I highly recommend to all readers.

To learn more about Lisa T. Bergren and her books, visit her website. You can also find the author on Facebook and Twitter.

I won Waterfall by Lisa T. Bergren through Once Upon a Twilight. The opinions are my own.
You can also read this review on Examiner

Check out my reviews of the other books in this series!

Teaser Tuesday: Waterfall Lisa T. Bergren

Teaser Tuesdays is a weekly bookish meme, hosted by MizB of Should Be Reading. Anyone can play along! Just do the following:

• Grab your current read
• Open to a random page
• Share two (2) “teaser” sentences from somewhere on that page
• BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS! (make sure that what you share  doesn’t give too much away! You don’t want to ruin the book for others!)
• Share the title & author, too, so that other TT participants can  add the book to their TBR Lists if they like your teasers!

My teaser this week is from Waterfall Lisa T. Bergren:

Whatever I imagined behind me, it was just that. Wild imaginings. I might have "stirred" Marcello. But these two were clearly meant for each other. They had an understanding, a bond. What was I going to do? Steal him away and fast-forward to the twenty-first century? I apparently left my brain back in modern times.

Do you have a blog? Post a link to your Teaser Tuesday post in the comments. No blog? Post a Teaser in the comments anyway!