Emerson said she was committed for talking to a ghost in public, says she was on drugs that put her into a stupor, several times admitted that it was all hallucinations, and then went ahead and treated her ghosts like ghosts? Eventually she got out of the institution because…she was better? Left because she felt like it? Brother pulled her out? Oh, so, so, so many things wrong here. First of all, the book has no fucks to give when it comes to displaying mental health care in…any sort of realistic light.
Positive, negative, fuck it, that whole committed thing is just in her backstory for sympathy points not to be examined or anything. Second, who the fuck decided to drug her? If it was done for the depression, then drugging someone into a stupor for depression seems counterproductive and would only be done if the person was a danger to themselves or others.
Not unlike a mental hospital. An excuse to write the same tropes as everyone else is not a justification, it just means you put more effort into excuses than into doing something original. The pacing dragged on and on and on and on. Then when he did tell her stuff, there was no actual reason for him to have been withholding that. But one of the biggest problems for me was the absolute slap-dash way the whole book was put together. Too many times were things just stated and accepted. Every chapter gave me something new to be annoyed about.
There were many, many more problems in addition to the ones listed here, but this review is already too long and my brain is trying to forget them.
Smashwords – The Worst 2 - A book by Tiffany Haynes - page 1
View all 7 comments. Feb 17, Mariya rated it really liked it Shelves: I could not stop reading Hourglass until I got to the last page. This book is a mix of romance, plot twists, and wicked mystery. I was so into this book I may have forgotten to go to sleep. So I stumbled upon this book and read the description and I was like what is this book about. It feel like the cover, book title, and book description is all a mystery of what the contents of this book contains.
I was curious, so I had to crack open the book and once the book was open I could not close it. Eme I could not stop reading Hourglass until I got to the last page. Emerson sees spirits and her brother is very worried so then she meets Micheal who is from Hourglass who ends up helping her with this gift of hers. Emerson goes deeper into the world of Hourglass. There are other people like Emerson who have these gifts, so she is not alone.
And her past may not be what it really is. This book was quite exciting because from the beginning you want to know what the hell Hourglass is, and it's like it's kept a secret for a while and every chapter you have more and more questions. Which brings me to Micheal.
SO he is Emerson's love interest and he is sweet and caring like any guy. One annoying habit that he had that drove me crazy was that Micheal sort of tried to do what he thought was best for Emerson. If he thought something was too dangerous or if he thought he was protecting her he would do it his way without considering her feelings on the subject. Another thing is he stresses at the beginning how they can't be together and I swear I sat through the whole novel wondering why the hell not? Only to find out it was something stupid. I thought Emerson's family, her brother Thomas and her wife, Dee.
But I thought her brother was way too protective and smothering her too much. If I was Emerson I couldn't handle it. I think he is the same as Micheal in doing what he thinks is best for Emerson without her consent and even though he is her legal guardian he should give her some space. We were introduced to some characters of the Hourglass that have some ablities like Emerson does and it was cool to meet them and I hope that we get to learn more about their ablities in the next book.
Overall this was a great author debut. I enjoyed it a great deal and look forward to reading the next book in the series. You will not want to miss Hourglass. It is a must-read.
Similar authors to follow
More of my reviews at Mystifying Paranormal Reviews View all 11 comments. Mar 28, Kristi rated it it was amazing. Hourglass was an incredibly impressive debut. I was captivated from the very first page. Emerson is an irresistible character, I loved everything about her.
Her snark, stubbornness, selflessness She was a very likable character, and I don't think the story would have been that impressive without her. Her relationship with Michael was heartfelt and warm, it just felt natural, no insta-love for these two. There were aspects of the novel that I didn't anticipate at all! And I don Hourglass was an incredibly impressive debut. And I don't really want to get into them, because I think the surprise of discovering it yourself is half of the fun! Myra does an excellent job of keeping the reader engaged and giving them just enough information without the overload.
Hourglass is a must read. It has a little bit of everything Add Hourglass to your reading piles, I know it'll be one of your favorites too! View all 3 comments. I absolutely love this mix of southern hospitality, snark, romance, plot twists, and mystery. Hourglass's fresh paranormal voice adds something new to the YA genre and left me wanting more. I enjoyed getting to know each of Hourglass's characters, especially the ma I absolutely love this mix of southern hospitality, snark, romance, plot twists, and mystery. I enjoyed getting to know each of Hourglass's characters, especially the main character Emerson.
She's broken, but in a different way. Having dwelt with tragedy before and having an awesome paranormal ability has taught her to be a fighter. She's strong and isn't afraid to say what she's thinking and will go after anything she sets her mind to. Not to mention she's a relatable teenage girl and one of things I admire about her is how honest she is with herself. Plus anyone who says buttered biscuits and honey gets props in my book. I loved getting to meet Michael and Kaleb, and can I just say how much I loved the way Myra wrote the chemistry between Emerson and these two, especially with Michael.
I'm a sucker for a well written love triangle, though this really isn't a love triangle per se. One of the things I really liked about the romance in the story is that it's not a love at first site kind, but one with an undeniable connection. I felt that made the love story much more relatable and realistic. My inner teenage self had a few nice laughs at the way Emerson describes the two hotties, Michael and Kaleb. My favorite of the two is of course the broken boy Kaleb. There's so much more to him than what he wants people to see, and I loved how careful and sweet he is with Emerson.
Plus these two provided the right amount of humor to the story. What I enjoyed the most about the characters is how Myra allowed me to get to know them, but didn't overly reveal everything about them, which makes me even more drawn to them. I absolutely loved the way in which Myra combined paranormal and history into her story. I'm a huge paranormal fan and I love the different paranormal abilities characters have and the way Myra created the ability for some of them to time travel.
I'm also a huge history fan and I really enjoyed the way in which Myra ties the ghosts Emerson can see into some of the more historical places in the story's TN setting, that Emerson's brother Thomas restores. Hourglass is a captivating story and I loved how every detail, big or small all ties into the story, either with the characters, the setting or the plot itself.
Hourglass is a fabulous debut that not only has a fresh voice, but it's an engaging, fast paced, fun read. It's one of those books that no matter how many times I read 3 times so far I fall in love with it all over again. If you're looking for a unique paranormal mixed with time travel, ghosts, betrayal, lots of romance, engaging mystery, exciting plot twists, wonderful characters and a great setting, than I highly recommend picking up Hourglass. It's one of those books that you'll sit down to read and before you're know you'll be sucked into into the story.
I'm really looking forward to what happens next and I can't wait to get my hands on the sequel when it's released next year. View all 5 comments. Sep 22, Christie rated it really liked it Recommends it for: Fans of shows like Heroes. Emerson Cole began to see people that weren't actually there right before her parents passed away. Relying heavily on the ghostly visitors attire to discern if they were real or an unwelcome "blast from the past". Emerson's condition caused numerous embarrassing situations, as well as her eventual admittance to a mental hospital. The Emerson we meet in Hourglass has come a long way since she was a ghost seeing patient at the local loony bin.
She seems like any other teen girl, but really she has Emerson Cole began to see people that weren't actually there right before her parents passed away. She seems like any other teen girl, but really she has just learned to keep her visitors a secret from her family and friends. She lives with her brother and his wife who both seem to easily accept Emerson's affliction. Even going so far as to recruit people claiming they can help her, but unfortunately they are just frauds.
Then Em's brother hires Michael who works for the secretive organization called The Hourglass. Emerson feels like she finally found someone who can truly understand and help her. What Michael eventually reveals Em never saw coming. I have to start by saying this is NOT a ghost story. I've seen it referred to as a "time slip" novel. Call it what you want, but what this book should be called is full of awesome! I was craving something unique and different.
Hourglass fit the bill perfectly. Having had bad luck with other time travel novels, I was worried I wouldn't be able to get into this one. Not the case at all. I grieved for this book when I finished the last page. It was that good! Protag Emerson is just amazing. I loved her moxie, and her ability to kick some serious ass. Em is just the beginning of what I loved about Hourglass.
This book starred such an array of well-developed characters and relationships. Even though I loved all the amazing characters, the aspect I appreciated most about this book was the dialogue. This author has a writing style that is uniquely her own. I can't even think of an author who is similar.
It gives her a definite edge that makes her writing stand out among other authors in this genre. AND it isn't dumb downed! I can definitely see this series appealing to teen and adult readers alike. Now I can't review this book without talking boys. There are two serious hotties in Em's world. Oh boy, oh boy, oh boy! I don't even know where to begin. They both bring something special to the table. I'd be hard pressed to choose a favorite. For the reader who is anti love triangle, please don't let the mention of two boys scare you off. This book doesn't go the expected route when it comes to the romantic relationships.
Yet another reason I love this book! The angst was practically nonexistent. Hourglass is a delicious mix of romantic and sci-fi elements. The plot was fast paced and packed with twists and turns. The dialogue was witty and smart. Talk about a page-turner! I am madly in love with everything this author has created. I don't think a series, let alone author debut, has ever impressed me more. Only complaint is the next book in this series won't be out for an entire year: I will be anxiously awaiting more of Emerson's story!
May 22, Angela rated it it was ok Shelves: When her well-meaning older brother brings in yet another "expert," Emerson expects another failed attempt to help her. Instead, she gets Michael, a gorgeous young man who believes her and thinks the visions are real. When Michael proposes that Emerson can harness her powers - and their electric connection - to change the past, she must decide how much to risk in order to save a life that should never have been lost.
While HOURGLASS had the opportunity to shine due to its time-travel aspect, it fell short for me due to its limited character development, stereotypical romance, and incomplete world building. The writing, while adequate, faltered sometimes due to unrealistic dialogue and the use of some silly metaphors. Constant physical descriptions of the characters, such as Emerson's short height or Michael's pouty lips, stood in for character development.
Despite being told repeatedly that Emerson is tough, she spent most of the novel swooning over Michael's beauty instead of being strong or making her own decisions. Michael may appeal to many readers due to his brooding and handsome nature, but his character developed little beyond his physical beauty and his condescending and controlling reactions to Emerson. Outside of their physical attraction and an "electricity" between them, the romance between Emerson and Michael was also never explained.
As expected, a love triangle was introduced, though it was never fully explored, which was a relief. Talents or abilities of other characters, like best friend Lily, were also left unexplained and unexplored. Plot-wise, the time-travel facet could have added a lot to the book but the time-travel process came across as too easily accomplished. Emerson accepted the risks involved without any real doubts or fears to save someone she didn't know; likewise, the utter willingness of other people to believe the time-travel explanation was unbelievable. Even though the villains and twists at the end were a surprise, their appearance and motivations didn't draw me into the story because I knew they were merely set-ups to drive the sequels.
On the positive side, I know there are many people who will enjoy this book for the brooding love interest, the time-slip aspect, and the relatively clean language and sexuality just a few curse words, kissing, and some innuendo. Emerson was sometimes very likable and sympathetic as a character, and family played a big role in Emerson's problems and how she worked through them.
In the coming books, I hope McEntire develops her characters, the romance, and the time-travel mechanics further to create a more compelling story. This review refers to an advance reader's copy. View all 10 comments. Jul 25, Amy Plum added it. This book sucked me right in and didn't let me out until the last page. And even then, I wanted to linger with it for a while longer.
I love McEntire's sense of humor, and really connected with Em. And Michael and Kaleb In books, of course. Thanks Myra McEntire for a fabulous read. I can't wait until Book 2! Feb 23, Misty rated it liked it Shelves: I'm not entirely sure what I want to say to you about this one. It had its high and low points, as all books do, and in the end it left me feeling a little middle of the road. I think a few years ago, I may have loved this, but now I feel so used to this story even though I hadn't read it that it didn't leave much of an impression. I find the ideas behind the book really interesting.
I like timeslip novels conceptually because I find the whole thing fascinating. It's then I'm not entirely sure what I want to say to you about this one. It's then down to whether or not the concept is carried off well, and in this case, it was. As a time travel book, it worked for me and was interesting. Yes, the "time gene" and all that was a little muddled. I had my questions, assuredly. But they didn't bother me too much, and I thought the different ways the "time gene" could manifest was very interesting. So it wasn't the crux of the story that sort of threw me off. Unfortunately, it was sort of the characters.
And here's where it gets tricky, and why I'm not sure what I want to say about the book. I liked the characters themselves for the most part. I liked Michael, though he was maybe a little flat I don't particularly care for flawless men. I really liked Emerson's best friend, Lily, and am curious to see where her storyline goes.
I liked Emerson's brother and his wife, Michael's friends and colleagues. I seemed to pretty much like them all. Cat-petting, mustache-twirling, hyena-cackling, Bond villain, bald-Brittany cray-cray. For whatever reason, I just never found myself completely invested in their stories, for the most part.
Part of this, I think, was because of the insta-love storyline. I have to hand it to McEntire, she certainly tried to make insta-love believable and gave it some legitimate scientific reasoning, which made me not loathe it the way I generally would. She gave it some good lustiness, too, which didn't hurt. But it remains one of my biggest pet peeves regardless, so I can't entirely let it slide. And I think it was part of what made me disconnect from the characters. I am a jaded hardcore bitch cynic, so this whole immediate twoo wuv thing just cancels out a lot of my WSOD.
So, there, I guess. That's a big part of my disconnect. Coupled with the caricatures that developed at the end. And it ended up a pretty balanced scale. I don't see it as a book I will be pushing people to go out and read nao , but it won't be one I'll discourage people from reading, either.
It ended with an interesting basis for further books in the series, so I likely will read them, even if I won't rush to buy them.
See a Problem?
The idea of time paradoxes and the multi-history lines, coupled with the consequences of changing the timeline provides fascinating potential, and the revelations of Emerson's past, and any revelations that I think may be to come, will likely keep me reading, even if the books don't end up on the top of my stack. Check out my interview with Myra here. Feb 18, nancy The Ravenous Reader rated it it was amazing Shelves: Hourglass by Myra Mcentire totally surprised me on how much I adored it and how amazing it was.
The reason I believe I was so pleasantly surprised is because I went in believing this book was about a girl with the ability to see ghosts, nowadays a plot that isn't original, but I was nevertheless intrigued. So you can imagine my surprise that the concept of this book was something altogether different. Hourglass is a story about Emerson Cole a teenage girl that has been plagued with ghostly appari Hourglass by Myra Mcentire totally surprised me on how much I adored it and how amazing it was.
Hourglass is a story about Emerson Cole a teenage girl that has been plagued with ghostly apparitions shortly before her parents death in a tragic accident. Since then she has had a difficult time coping but after a stint in a mental institution and years away at boarding school she is back in town as her scholarship runs out.
Luckily she has her older brother Thomas and his wife Dru that have become Em's anchor and support. It is Thomas who finds Micheal, a consultant from the Hourglass whom he hires to help Emerson with her "problem" and from that day on she is never the same again.
- One Wicked Naked Lady.
- Google Books Jonah Matranga By Adam Cornelius Bert Epub 9786136640891!
- The Worst by Tiffany Haynes?
- Get A Copy.
- GRENDEL and Other Tall Tales;
- Attracting True Romance: GIRL!!! Stop Sweatin That Dude!.
- .
Normal is so overrated anyway. There are many aspects of this story that I enjoy and one of them is the strong adult presence in Emerson's life. Many times stories have absent parents and adult guidance but this story is not the case. I also admire Dru for she is a great motherly influence that has an awesome sense of style and she gives Emerson that balance that she needs. As for Emerson Cole she a kick ass protagonist and she has won a special place in my heart. Her wicked sarcasm is consistently hilarious.
Her interactions with Micheal are sizzling, fun and you just never know what is going to happen next between them but you know you want more of it. Micheal lends that mystery and intrigue to the story that keeps you on the edge and as you get to know and understand him you are already half in love with him. As with the another character Kabel, yowza talk about someone to get the blood pumping faster than a roller coaster ride. Whenever he made an appearance I would be left fanning myself, what a lady killer and I cannot wait to see happens with him in subsequent novels as with the other characters that also became endeared to me.
I admired the whole science fiction concept of this book and considering that I am totally not a sci-fi fan that is saying alot. The idea behind Hourglass is so very innovative that I was eager to know what it was all about from the very beginning. I was made a captive audience and I did not want to stop reading.
Hourglass has so many amazing twists, and although I saw a few coming I was completely blind-sided by some of the others and I loved that about this book. I cannot sing enough praises for Hourglass and I know that the YA genre of readers will devour it greedily and demand more because it is that engrossing and original of a novel and in this market of overused themes and characters, that says alot.
Addictive and refreshing, this time-traveling romance had me glued to its pages right down to the very last. I got so much more than what I expected - I was utterly captivated. What's not to love about Emerson? This girl is a fighter. She's had to endure so much since seeing her so called ghosts. Coping with the death of loved ones, being committed into an institution, and now she must face the fact that maybe she's not crazy after all. With aid from gorgeous Addictive and refreshing, this time-traveling romance had me glued to its pages right down to the very last. With aid from gorgeous heart-throb Michael, Em finally understands her gift.
The chemistry between these two sizzles. Em had me cracking up with what she calls her "edit button. I enjoyed reading about some of the secondary characters and their abilities. One character in particular captured my heart. With the time traveling elements, sizzling chemistry between the characters, and the special abilities that the surrounded the Hourglass inhabitants, at times I forgot I was reading a book. It was quite the page turner for me.
I can't wait for the sequel! Nov 21, Irisheyz77 rated it it was amazing Shelves: I am a wreck. A complete and total wreck. This book has left me a jumbled mess and I spent a good 10 min willing more words to appear on the blank pages. Put it on your wishlist Because 5 stars isn't a high enough rating Jun 06, Amber rated it really liked it Shelves: Hourglass was fun, interesting and very well thought out. I anticipated reading this book and I'm so glad I jumped on it.
Raniyah rated it it was amazing Jul 09, Tiarra rated it it was amazing Jun 08, Indigo Bee rated it it was amazing Jun 17, Jade Jones rated it it was amazing May 12, Tavenna rated it it was amazing May 13, K Nikki Waden marked it as to-read May 09, Mirrlees marked it as to-read May 09, Sheryl Boyce marked it as to-read May 12, Danijasmine marked it as to-read May 12, Odetta marked it as to-read May 12, Flyazzmink Murphy added it May 12, Natasha marked it as to-read May 12, Marcie marked it as to-read May 12, June marked it as to-read May 13, Shon marked it as to-read May 13, Shawnna White marked it as to-read May 13, Shamae Duncan Crosswhite marked it as to-read May 13, Shannon marked it as to-read May 13, Valerie marked it as to-read May 13, Deidre marked it as to-read May 13, Nee marked it as to-read May 13, Naudy marked it as to-read May 13, Ti'Africia Lucas- Woodard marked it as to-read May 14, Learn more at Author Central.
Popularity Popularity Featured Price: Low to High Price: High to Low Avg. Hood Seduction Sep 30, Available for download now. In Love with a Hustler: Revised Version Feb 28, Available to ship in days. It's Not Worth It May 11, Only 1 left in stock - order soon. The Worst 2 Myra's Dilemma series Apr 24, Provide feedback about this page.