Remembrance opens by introducing us to Lizzie Davenport and her boyfriend Jeremy. Lizzie is a girl who isn't really comfortable in her own skin, seems really shy, and has a hard time making her own decisions. Jeremy, on the other hand, has no problem making them all for her. From telling her how to do her hair, to how she should behave, he is quite the boyfriend. Notice the sarcasm that is oozing out of those last words. If it was Michelle Madow's aim for me to want to punch Jeremy straight in the mouth, she definitely accomplished that.

Lizzie on the other hand was a fairly well written character. I liked her relationship with Chelsea, her best friend, and how beautifully it contrasted with other characters in the book. Lizzie's life is definitely normal high school fare. Surrounded by choices between popular people and staying true to herself. Trying her best to fight off bad grades and bad press. The only problem I had with Lizzie is that, like I mentioned above, she just wasn't really that great at figuring anything out for herself. Her lack of depth in that respect really made it hard for me to connect with her.

In terms of plot, Madow weaves a lovely romance that transcends the ages. Pulling influences from Austen, she brings Drew and Lizzie together in a heartbreaking manner. Star crossed lovers anyone? Readers who enjoy well written teenage dialogue will like their story. It is definitely sweet, but unfortunately it also very slow. It may just be me, but there were some chapters that dragged by. I found myself skimming over paragraphs to get to the meat of what was happening between Jeremy, Drew, Lizzie and Chelsea. I genuinely wanted to see where their story was headed. It just took a while to get there.

Ultimately this is a book that I ended up enjoying, but that took me a while to get through. I was intrigued enough by the story line to keep reading, but it was slow going. I'm interested to see where the story goes next and I'll likely pick up the next book. I sincerely hope though that the plot picks up a bit, and I'll get to see a little bit more depth in the characters. ( )

I received this audiobook as part of my participation in a blog tour with Audiobookworm Promotions. The tour is being sponsored by Andrea Emmes. The gifting of this audiobook did not affect my opinion of it.


I only started delving into the world of audio books two years ago and I went into it for a specific book that I was having trouble reading but I desperately wanted to finish. Even in audio it took me a crazy amount of time to finish but at least I didn't find myself reading the same page over and over. Since then I have gone on many epic adventures but this was the first real romance type book I have listened to.I read a lot of romance. A lot. Way more than I blog about or than goes up on my Goodreads account, and I will have to say I prefer it in book form.



That being said Andrea Emmes was a kick ass narrator for this and I will definitely seek her out for something else. She put fantastic emotion into a highly emotional story and that made it so much better.


Now as far as they story goes, dealing just with the first book I have to say I found I started developing a real dislike for our main character. Sure she did not really know what was going on but she came off as a real brat and was blaming all her problems on other people. Not cool, but super relatable. I know several people who act like that.


All in all the first book of the Transcend Time Saga was a really enjoyable listen. ( )

http://shesgotbooksonhermind.blogspot.com/

I admit it - I love Taylor Swift's songs. I don't know they're just so... me. The hopeless romantic side of me. Recently I even caught myself singing "We are never ever ever getting back together!" So to have a book inspired by one of the song's, Love Story, sent me into a little thrill. The extremely girly side of me was dying to read this book.

There's a problem of course with this love story. The culprit? The uncaring, unsupportive, never there boyfriend that Lizzie feels like she is forced to be with. Thinking that even her mother has their wedding planned already. One thing I really dislike about parents in general in books is how they are in their own little world. They have tunnel vision. The idea of a daughter is better than having to listen to her but I was pleasantly surprised with the few times I encountered her mother. How more caring she was then her daughter described. Lizzie seemed to be the one with the problem, not her mother. I wanted more scenes with the mother. I don't know why. Books usually have practically nonexistent parents or too existent parents for the main character. Lizzie complained about her mother and the imaginary wedding but that was it. I didn't really get much of her mother.

I wanted more background in the beginning too. I felt I was missing something when she started saying how she felt farther away from her boyfriend. I felt a little bit like I was pushed into the middle of the story without understanding much of what was going on but that's what I get for skimming over the part of her having a boyfriend in the summary. I much preferred reading about the boy she felt connected with the first time she laid eyes on him. Sigh... In the beginning I thought that her boyfriend was alright. I mean he got a little late picking her up to go to school which she was annoyed by which I get. Then she proceeded to complain about his loud rap music which I thought was pretty silly. She sounded like an old woman... well she kind of is. I thought he's just a teenage boy who cares more about soccer than in being in a relationship right now and maybe she was being a little too serious. I guess I didn't see the signs because this regular teenage boy showed his true colors in a big way. I started to see her "complaining" as truth. He has the biggest ego and does something that makes you want to tackle him onto the ground. I could feel the distance between them too because they never really talked to each other. I couldn't see them as boyfriend and girlfriend but that may also be because Lizzie's attention was on a different boy.

My interest in this story became instantly piqued when the new boy, that she felt she knew, spoke to her. He definitely knew her. I was in heaven. He knew things about her and I was so interested in what importance they had to the story. I love when there is a little mystery in a story. But this boy, Drew, was very hot and cold throughout the book and that bothered me. Not only that, but because of this Lizzie acted very whiny sometimes to me but I realized soon after I thought that, that she wasn't whiny at all. Here's this guy she clearly knew from a past life (he knows) but she doesn't know it and it's like he's hurting her deliberately. Given who he actually is it makes total sense. I can't tell you of course that would ruin the fun. I give props for Lizzie trying to figure out what was going on and never fully backing down. She handled things way better than Drew ever did but you can't really blame him... When Drew was sweet it was the cutest thing on earth! I did a little squeal of joy whenever they looked at each other a certain way or when he said something to her that made her happy. Loved those moments when everything was perfect.

There had to be some problems. There was the situation of him being hot and cold as well as the unfortunate ordeal of her having a boyfriend at the time but there was something else too. More like someone else. She had a best friend. I knew from the beginning - that friend was no good. She was the type that gets all the boys she wants and doesn't care what her friend is clearly feeling. The school's flirt. Those girls just kill me but it did bring some controversy into the story and I loved that. I like feeling some suspense and conflicts. It made the story that much more interesting. There was a time where I thought the friend, Chelsea, wasn't going to be a major problem. I mean Lizzie can't blame Chelsea really. Lizzie does have a boyfriend. But Chelsea also goes into the same category as the boyfriend. They both go too far. I loved it all though. I loved how you never knew what Drew was going to act like next, what his next move was. What Chelsea and the boyfriend were going to do about them being together. What Lizzie's final decision was going to be. If this second chance was really going to work. It was a beautiful love story. ( )

I found the plot for this book to be really striking so I decided to give it a try, and guess what? Michelle Madow doesn’t disappoint! Great writing combined with good characters with a sensational plot make for a compelling story. Narrator Andrea Emmes does a phenomenal job of bringing this story to life and there was never a dull moment! ( )

Throwing a disclaimer out there - I feel bad about what I'm going to say in this review, but I gotta be honest. Also when the author said that Taylor Swift's Love Story was inspiration her novel, it hit me that that's probably a reason (or part of the reason) why I didn't like it. I'm more of a realist, and if flowery sugary love-triangle (or love squares) are your thing, then this is the book for you. Which also means you shouldn't read my "rantview'' if you want your picture perfect image of romance preserved and intact.

I'm sorry if I'm pretty scathing about this book. I'm usually reserved with my reviews (and occasionally a bit too nice), but I'm gonna cut to the chase. My inner YA trope queen has been unleashed! Also you cannot imagine how many times I put this down while I was reading it. I was seriously considering DNF-ing this, but as that hasn't really happened in this entire year I have returned to reading, and I'm not the type to not finish a book, I endured and finished said novel. So time for some insight.



What I liked - There's a lone star accompanying this review, so lemme just say the cover was pretty. Really pretty. That's something I liked. And the one character that wasn't a complete douchebag or arsehole or whatever explicit word here - Keelie. Kudos to you Keelie for being the one sane friend who wasn't jealous or obsessed with love, and was just being that good friend. We need more of you in the world, and especially the YA world.

What I didn't like - Oh boy. This is gonna be a long one. But it's gonna be really fun to write this! But throwing it out there - Was I the only one who thought that the book was gonna have some cool flashback moments and reincarnation shiz and we actually get to see more of 1815 England and how past lives carried onto the present? Cuz I was waiting the WHOLE BOOK for something like that to happen. And it didn't. That's what happens when you assume hehe.

I think I'll write out the list of tropes/cliches I found in this book.

1. HS drama - Too much of it! She's a cheerleader, she's trying to get in his pants, oooh look it's that REALLY hot guy that all the girls want... What makes it even better? He's the new transfer who's dark and mysterious. And from NYC, so he must be even more hotter. (Fo realz, who came up with the stereotype that NYC guys are all hot and great? I live here and that isn't necessarily true >.>) The popular people suck, there's gossip about EVERYONE in a relationship, oh she's cheating with what's his face, etc etc. I went to high school at some point in my mundane life, and I was trying to remember if my high school had that much drama. Safe to say, it didn't.



2. The Male Protagonist is Perfect - Can people stop glorifying yo male protagonists and making them out to be god's greatest gift to man? I don't need to hear about the physical attractiveness, or how gorgeous he is. I need my male protagonist with some substance beyond being dark and brooding (erm-hem, Edward Cullen anyone?)

To quote -

I wouldn't have chosen the word "hot" to describe Drew - "devastatingly gorgeous" was more appropriate - but I tried to not let my feelings show on my face.

*throws up a little*

3. Female Protagonist is a Mary-Sue - Perfect boyfriend, perfect life, perfect all around, until Drew comes to town, with his bad-boy looks, and they stare each other in the eye, and it's this 'connection' that draws them together, turning her boyfriend into an asshole and her best friend as insignificant because obviously years of friend with these two makes them terrible people compared to this one guy she's know for a couple of months? And let me tell you, she is obsessed with him. Every second, every minute, she's compelled to him, even after he says stay away or she says stay away (I don't even remember at this point who was staying away because THEY CLEARLY WEREN'T DOING THAT). If there's one thing you can throw in a somewhat positive light, she's hella determined to get her man. Even disregarding all those years of friendship with Chelsea just to get with him RIGHT AFTER THEY BREAK UP.

I really could go on, but this is getting really long.

4. Why is everyone an asshole? - I'm gonna get fired up again about this too. There's something wrong with all the characters. Almost all, forgive me. Keelie didn't do anything wrong. But the main quartet - Lizzie, Drew, Jeremy, Chelsea - I couldn't tell whether I was supposed to hate you, or not hate you. Is it possible that you're all OOC in your own book?!

- Chelsea and Lizzie are supposedly BFFs since the fourth grade, since Lizzie helped Chelsea get over her mom's death. And you would think this would be friends until the end sort of friendship, thick and thin, that sort of thing. BUT NOPE. Chelsea dates Drew first, but Lizzie still wants him. (Even though she said for him to stay away or she'll stay away or something) And she even gets him. It may have not been cheating as labelled by the book, but all that dancing around with emotions - THAT'S CHEATING. What a terrible friend you are Lizzie. And Chelsea makes it even better b/c in said sequel (1.5), or at least, the preview to it, she's planning revenge over the guy! HOW IS DREW SO IMPORTANT? ALL HE DOES IS BROOD AND GRUNT AND BE DARK THAT'S NOT SOMETHING TO FIGHT OVER. *cries* Is this what friendship has come to?

- Jeremy. I will admit, he has his bad points, telling her that he likes her drawings of scenery and not of people and not caring if she got home from the game or not. But he was blown out to be more of a douchebag. He's been friends with Lizzie and Chelsea since they were little. He has soccer (football) practice to worry about. He does show he cares about Lizzie, and she doesn't give a shit. Yet, he's turned into jerk x1000 to emphasized the rightness in Lizzie breaking up with him. Poor guy. But wait. He still sucks.

- Drew. Stop sparkling pls. I don't know what else I could say about you lol. You didn't really do much except be hot and perfect.

5. Love triangles/squares aka I DON'T NEED MORE GEOMETRY IN MY BOOKS - Gonna sum it up. Okay there's a line segment between Jeremy and Lizzie. Then Drew shows up and dates Chelsea, line segment between them. Well, you can't forget that Lizzie and Drew have this connection, and don't like their significant others, so dotted line segment between them. When they break up with their SOs, their line segment becomes real, but Chelsea and Jeremy still have feels for em. And when Lizzie sees Drew with Chelsea, she "cries" thinking they're together again and Drew is some backstabber and she goes with Jeremy and this is starting to give me a headache so I'll stop.

Honestly, the amount of tears Lizzie has in this book are astonishing. 28 results peeps, in 330 something pages of book.

Tears blurred by vision, and I fell against the heavy door, leaning against it for support.

*sad violin*

Now do I want to go on? Nah. I think I made my case. As you can see, I am no longer a fan of flowery lovesick/obsessed romance novellas. But I got this for free on mah Kindle, so nothing wasted (except maybe the three hours of my life).

But don't let my cynicism knock you out from testing it out.



( )