The Time Thief

by Natalia Schellhaas

[Nadz@Totally Addicted to Reading]

When I received this for review, I had no idea what to expect. The author was new to me and I did not choose the book. I had no idea if I would enjoy it, but I was willing to go outside my comfort zone. I am glad I' took the chance as it proved to be a worthwhile adventure.


WHAT I LOVED

POV

The story narrated from the POV of Amelia and Sebastian made it easy for me to establish a connection with them as it relates to their fears, doubts, pain, triumphs and challenges. Although they exuded strength and bravery seeing their fears and doubts made them realistic, relatable and likeable.

The Characters

Amelia is the perfect character for a story such as this. She is a strong, feisty, intelligent and kick ass female who takes no crap from anyone. Initially, she is cautious about her approach to the searching of the stone, but as events became clearer, she assumed an authoritative approach.

Sebastian is having a hard time dealing with the loss of Amelia, so it is no surprise he accepted the offer to locate the stone. When he comes face to face with the woman who looks like his dead fiancé and shares the same first name he is determined to protect her at all costs. Not only is he protective, he is arrogant, short-tempered and impulsive.

Then there was Marco, Sebastian's best friend who works for the constabulary. How ironic. He is the polar opposite of Sebastian. He is optimistic, cautious and even-tempered. He is always making fun of his friend, insulting him in an amusing fashion.

I enjoyed their banter and loved how they had each other’s back. Their friendship appeared genuine and unshakeable.

The secondary characters helped to make things interesting and mysterious. Everyone appeared suspect making it difficult to determine the villains from the good guys.

The story moved at a solid pace. There was so much happening; I did not have time to be bored. From the moment, I began reading I was held captive. The manner in which the story was told would make it seem that there was a previous book as there were events in the protagonists' lives that took place prior to this story being told. However, the flashbacks provided helped in piecing the events together which made for a smooth and clear read.


WHAT I DID NOT LIKE

The ending was a big doozy of a cliffhanger, my biggest pet peeve. To make matters worse the second book is not yet available. I am so not amused.

Sexual tension existed between the protagonists, but I could not get on board with these feelings. This was due in part to me not getting a feel into the strength of the prior relationship that existed between Sebastian and Amela. All I was privy to, was how they met, but had no idea how they fell in love.


Conclusion /Recommendation
Overall, this was a great start to the trilogy. I enjoyed my journey through time, and I am eager to see what next is in store for Amelia and Sebastian.