Review: Dream a Little Dream

Info:
Title: Dream a Little Dream
Author: Kerstin Gier
Translator: Anthea Bell
Series: The Silver Trilogy #1Publisher: Henry Holt & Co. (BYR)
Publication Date: April 14, 2015
Source: I received an ARC in exchange for a honest review.

Synopsis:
Mysterious doors with lizard-head knobs. Talking stone statues. A crazy girl with a hatchet. Yep, Liv’s dreams have been pretty weird lately. Especially this one where she’s in a graveyard at night, watching four boys perform dark magic rituals. 

The really weird thing is that Liv recognizes the boys in her dream. They’re classmates from her new school in London, the school where’s she’s starting over because her mom has moved them to a new country (again). But they seem to know things about her in real life that they couldn’t possibly know, which is mystifying. Then again, Liv could never resist a good mystery. . . .

Review:
Somehow, Kerstin Gier's books always manage to feel light-hearted, even when the main character is in mortal peril. Dream a Little Dream is the story of Liv Silver, new girl at school who never could resist a puzzle.

Liv was a likable character certainly, although I have a soft spot for her little sister Mia. However, Liv's curiosity is a bit ridiculous, leading her to do things that are very obviously a very bad idea. I almost felt like I wouldn't feel bad if something happened to her, because she made such bad decisions. Despite that, which could have ruined things for me, I still liked Liv and rooted for her throughout. I found her pretty similar to Gwen from the Ruby Red Trilogy, although here we've swapped time travel for demons and crazy dreams.

As I mentioned, my favourite secondary character was Liv's little sister Mia, who had some mad detective skills. I also liked Liv's future stepbrother Grayson. However, I found Florence a bit overdone, Lottie a touch silly and Henry confusing. One of the things that bothered me was that the love story here felt rushed to me. I wish more time had been spent developing the attraction. I mean, it's a trilogy, so there's lot of time to develop the relationship and I wish it had gone a bit slower.

Another thing that didn't bother me, but I feel like I should mention, is that this book certainly reads like younger YA. I think that's why it managed to feel light-hearted, despite the danger and mystery. 

The plot of this one was interesting and the concepts behind Liv and the other's dreams were unique and pretty cool. Although I don't think I would want anyone intruding into my personal dreams!

Overall, I did enjoy this book and can't wait to continue the series and see what our villian has in store for Liv and her friends.

Find the Book:
Goodreads | Amazon | The Book Depository | Chapters
Find the Author:
 Goodreads | Website

Review: Emerald Green

Info:
Title: Emerald Green
Author: Kerstin Gier 
Translator: Anthea Bell
Series: Ruby Red Trilogy #3
Publisher: Henry Holt and Co.
Publication Date: October 8, 2013 (originally publised 2010)
Source: Purchased

Synopsis:
Gwen has a destiny to fulfill, but no one will tell her what it is.

She’s only recently learned that she is the Ruby, the final member of the time-traveling Circle of Twelve, and since then nothing has been going right. She suspects the founder of the Circle, Count Saint-German, is up to something nefarious, but nobody will believe her. And she’s just learned that her charming time-traveling partner, Gideon, has probably been using her all along.

This stunning conclusion picks up where Sapphire Blue left off, reaching new heights of intrigue and romance as Gwen finally uncovers the secrets of the time-traveling society and learns her fate.

Review:
I really loved this series, so it's certainly bittersweet to see it end (that's probably why I put it off for over a year O_o). I'm not 100% sure why I loved this series so much, just that I did. On one hand, it seems like pretty standard YA fare, but on the other hand, there was just something so lovely and wonderful about it.

I think my love starts with Gwen. She is such a likable, relatable heroine. Sure once in a while the things she says or thinks can sound a little canned, but as a character, she has everything I love. Funny, smart and resourceful, especially considering she is way out of her depth most of the time. The secondary characters were also great, especially Lesley and Aunt Maddie, who both had me giggling. And Gideon. Well, I certainly didn't like him much at the start of the book and, well, I'll try to avoid spoilers.

Another aspect I loved was the fact that Gwen could see ghosts. That just added a fun element, as their personalities came through big time. Most of them, I just wanted to hug, although I certainly could have done without 'Darth Vader'.

There were certainly a few huge plot twists in this one that I didn't see coming, which I loved, since I enjoy being blindsided with these kind of things rather than guessing them chapters before. But somehow, as crazy as things got, the story somehow stayed light and fun.


This is definitely a series I fell in love with and am sad to see it end and to have to say goodbye to my friend Gwen. That said, I know I'll read anything by Kerstin Gier that is translated into English, specially by Anthea Bell, who did a great job I think in the translation. And I was lucky enough to get an ARC of Dream a Little Dream, which I can't wait to dive into next week!

Find the Book:
Goodreads | Amazon | The Book Depository | Chapters
Find the Author:
 Goodreads | Website

Review: Sapphire Blue

Info:

Title: Sapphire Blue (Ruby Red Trilogy #2)
Author: Kerstine Gier
Translator: Anthea Bell
Publisher: Henry Holt and Co
Publication Date: October 30, 2012

Blurb:

Gwen’s life has been a rollercoaster since she discovered she was the Ruby, the final member of the secret time-traveling Circle of Twelve. In between searching through history for the other time-travelers and asking for a bit of their blood (gross!), she’s been trying to figure out what all the mysteries and prophecies surrounding the Circle really mean.

At least Gwen has plenty of help. Her best friend Lesley follows every lead diligently on the Internet. James the ghost teaches Gwen how to fit in at an eighteenth century party. And Xemerius, the gargoyle demon who has been following Gwen since he caught her kissing Gideon in a church, offers advice on everything. Oh, yes. And of course there is Gideon, the Diamond. One minute he’s very warm indeed; the next he’s freezing cold. Gwen’s not sure what’s going on there, but she’s pretty much destined to find out.

My Thoughts:

Gwen, Gideon, Lesley and company are back for more time-traveling adventures in the second book. Sapphire Blue was a great sequel to Ruby Red, which I absolutely loved. My love of Gwen continues in this installment. She's just so darn likeable. Even when she takes a few paragraphs to wallow in self-pity, it's somehow endearing, rather than annoying, like so many YA heroines. Maybe because it doesn't last long and because I know I would be doing the same thing!

A new character enters the story in Sapphire Blue: Xemerius the gargoyle demon. I loved Xemerius! He's really funny and I love his running commentary on everything. Another new character that we meet towards the end is Raphael, Gideon's little brother. While Raphael has inherited his big brother's good looks, he lacks Gideon's sense of duty and has little regards for rules. A very dangerous combination indeed and I'm certain we'll see more of Raphael in Emerald Green.

Gideon was a bit of a brat in this one. One minute he's hot, the next he's cold. There were definitely times that I wanted to give him a good shake! Despite how awkward this makes Gwen feel, I think she takes everything in stride, despite the wallowing in self-pity I mentioned above. And there's a bit of a revelation about Gideon's behaviour at the end, only to be followed by ANOTHER revelation in the prologue. I really can't wait for Emerald Green to come out so I can figure out exactly what's what.

And, there's some time travel fun, of course. Through Gwen's eyes, we learn that the eighteenth century perhaps wasn't as prim and proper as we all thought, at least in some social circles. And my opinion of Court Saint Germane has been cemented: all-around pompous ass! Also, Charlotte is so very hateable whenever she makes an appearance in Sapphire Blue. I always remind myself of how she must feel, but I still just want her to behave as nicely as everyone thinks she does.

Overall, Sapphire Blue was a lot of fun. I found that it lacked a little bit of the magic of Ruby Red, although I really can't put my finger on why. It's still a great read and I'm definitely looking forward to Emerald Green!

On the Cover:

 Once again, the paperback cover is pretty, but I prefer the ARC cover, which is also the ebook cover. I think it's more unique and charming than simple a girl in a pretty dress.

Rating: 4.5 Hearts

Source: Received from Macmillian Children's via twitter.

Other Reviews for the Series: Ruby Red

Find the Book: Goodreads | Amazon | The Book Depository

Find the Author: Goodreads | Website

Don't Just Take My Word For It: I'd So Rather Be Reading | Supernatural Snark | The Book Monsters

Review: Ruby Red

Info:

Title: Ruby Red
Author: Kerstin Gier
Translator: Anthea Bell
Publisher: Square Fish
Publication Date: May 22, 2012 (first published 2009)

Blurb:

Gwyneth Shepherd's sophisticated, beautiful cousin Charlotte has been prepared her entire life for traveling through time. But unexpectedly, it is Gwyneth, who in the middle of class takes a sudden spin to a different era!
Gwyneth must now unearth the mystery of why her mother would lie about her birth date to ward off suspicion about her ability, brush up on her history, and work with Gideon--the time traveler from a similarly gifted family that passes the gene through its male line, and whose presence becomes, in time, less insufferable and more essential. Together, Gwyneth and Gideon journey through time to discover who, in the 18th century and in contemporary London, they can trust.

My Thoughts:

I really liked this book! I'm not sure what I expected going in, but I found it to be a very sweet and fun read. Gwyneth is a wonderful character and I thought the concepts of time travel were treated very well. I wasn't unnecessarily confused with a bunch of technical jargon. Instead, we see the world through the eyes of Gwyneth, who's being mainly kept in the  dark about the whole thing, and learn as we move through the story.

As I said, Gwyneth is a really likeable and down-to-earth character and I connected with her almost immediately. She's just a normal teen thrust into some pretty crazy situations, but for the most part she takes everything in stride. Her male time-traveling counterpart, Gideon, is everything a YA love interest should be. He's snooty at first, but comes around to give Gwyneth the respect she deserves. My favourite character was Gwyneth's best friend Lesley. She is hilarious! In some YA books, I can't stand the best friend character, but Lesley is perfect. She is funny, but also really supportive of Gwyneth. I wish I was friends with both these girls.

I really enjoyed the plot of Ruby Red. Time travel, mixed with a secret society, mixed with even more secrets! There's a huge revelation at the end and I really can't wait to read Sapphire Blue to see what the heck is going to happen!

I think a lot of credit also needs to go to the translator, Anthea Bell. I haven't read a lot of books that weren't originally written in English, but I was really impressed with this one. Anthea Bell is able to make the story incredibly readable, lighthearted and humourous, which is I believe what Kerstin Gier was going for.

Overall, I loved this book and can't wait to read Sapphire Blue! Ruby Red is one of my favourite YA time-traveling novels I've read so far!

On the Cover:

The cover of my copy is very pretty, but I actually prefer the hardback cover (I couldn't find it at Chapters).

Rating: 5 Hearts

Source: Bought.

Find the Book: Goodreads | Amazon | The Book Depository

Find the Author: Goodreads (everything else is in German)

Don't Just Take My Word For It:
The Starry-Eyed Revue | Read For Your Future |  Nose In a Book