Review: Hourglass

Title: Hourglass

Author: Myra McEntire

Rating: 5 stars

The blurb: 
For seventeen-year-old Emerson Cole, life is about seeing what isn’t there: swooning Southern Belles; soldiers long forgotten; a haunting jazz trio that vanishes in an instant. Plagued by phantoms since her parents’ death, she just wants the apparitions to stop so she can be normal. She’s tried everything, but the visions keep coming back.

So when her well-meaning brother brings in a consultant from a secretive organization called the Hourglass, Emerson’s willing to try one last cure. But meeting Michael Weaver may not only change her future, it may change her past.
Who is this dark, mysterious, sympathetic guy, barely older than Emerson herself, who seems to believe every crazy word she says? Why does an electric charge seem to run through the room whenever he’s around? And why is he so insistent that he needs her help to prevent a death that never should have happened?

Review:

Emerson Cole sees things. She sees people from the past who are long gone and no one else can see them. She always thought she was crazy until her brother Thomas hires Michael Weaver, who understands what she is going through, to come and help her. Emerson and Michael have instant chemistry which is surprising to Emerson because she has virtually no experience when it comes to guys. She is initially wary of him and even ends up punching him, but slowly Emerson comes to trust him and she is able to tell him things that she has kept bottled up for years.  Michael helps Emerson and teaches her that she isn't a freak and shows her that there are others like her, including himself.

Oh my God, this book was so wonderful! The writing was spectacular and I was pulled in right from the beginning of the book. Author Myra McEntire is an excellent writer. She builds the world in a realistic way and the characters are fun and interesting. Emerson The seventeen year old protagonist is short, sarcastic, and feisty. She is certainly no damsel in distress, which I really appreciate. Michael Weaver, Emerson's love interest, is mysterious and sweet. Emerson really is an intriguing character. She has a very interesting back story that begs to be told.

There are some other really interesting and well written characters as well; such as Emerson's older brother, Thomas, who has taken care of her ever since their parents died four years ago. He is an architect who loves to renovate old buildings and he deeply cares for his sisters safety. There is also Drue. Dru is Thomas's wife. She is awesome! She fills the void left by Emerson's mother and has a very sweet nature. One of the things that I love in this book is that Thomas and Dru know what's going on. It's refreshing after reading so many books where the main character has to hide what's going on from her family so I really appreciate that McEntire was able to do this differently. The other characters include Lily, Emerson's best friend who may have a secret of her own. There's Kaleb, who is Michael's best friend. He can be a bit of a screw up but he has good intentions. He also has feelings for Emerson which cause a slight love triangle. There is Cat is a theoretical physicist who has her own special abilities. And last but not least there is Ava, who is seemingly Michael's girlfriend, which honestly upset me. It was obvious to me that Michael and Emerson should be together so I was very upset that this character had the gall to be with him.

This book was great. I read it in one sitting and it has everything: time travel, romance, action, twists, and references to Doctor Who and Harry Potter!! Those references honestly made me love the book even more so thank you Myra McEntire for being awesome.