7.21.2014 | Monday

Chrysoprase

category: Book Reviews
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Chrysoprasetitle: Chrysoprase
author: B. Kristin McMichael
series: Chalcedony Chronicles #2
published: 25 June 2014
publisher: Lexia Press
genre(s): contemporary, historical, romance, sci fi
pages: 198
source: bought
format: eBook
buy/shelve it: Amazon | Goodreads

rating: four-stars | series rating: four-stars

the blurb

Mari had her time in the past and is finally home. Unfortunately, she didn’t understand the goddess’ warning that traveling to the past would have consequences. She could never have imagined what they would be, but she quickly finds out that not everything is the way she left it. Now Mari must learn how to time travel if she wants to put her life back into the order it was before she went into the past to be with Seth. Mari soon discovers that time traveling isn’t as easy as she thought it, and the goddess refuses to help her learn. Mari must turn to an old friend, someone she never planned to see again, and get his help if she wants to right what she has changed. But even that might come with a price. 

Mari travels into the past again to find loved ones. Her journey brings more questions, and a few answers, to the puzzle that is her life. Mari can quickly see why her mother went to the future, and Mari needs to do the same as soon as she can to bring her loved ones back. The past is far more complicated, and dangerous than she ever imagined—particularly for Mari. She might just be the piece everyone is seeking in their own puzzles to control not only the past but the future, too.


my review

Chrysoprase is the second novel in the Chalcedony Chronicles, a time travel saga that blends created time travel mythology with ancient history.  This book was definitely my favorite of the two written thus far.

The mythology is much more developed in this book with much more significance given to it.  There are a lot of twists and turns and unexpected moments in this book that truly change the course of the book.  There are characters from the first book that play much more important roles now, while others move to the background a little bit.

We learn a lot more about the past and the brothers’ connections to it, as well as some surprising information about Mari’s world, too.  In the end, she finds help in the last place she ever thought she would, although whether or not the help is true is a question that we just don’t have an answer to!

The one thing that truly bothers me with this book, however, still has to do with emphasis paid to certain parts of the plot.  There is a whole lot of action on Mari’s part without a lot of respect to the well-known fact that messing with the events of the past significantly affect the future.  There doesn’t seem to be a whole lot of attention paid to that concept by Mari and her friends.  Nor do they seem to spend much time trying to understand what the goddess needs them to do, instead focusing on their own needs.  This is something that directly flies in the face of the goddess’ issues with children of time.  It will be interesting to see how this plays out.

Things to love…

  • The blend of created mythology and ancient history.
  • The stronger emphasis placed on the sci-fi/time travel.

Things I wanted more/less of…

  • More understanding of what it is that they are supposed to be doing with the time travel.

The story line of the overall series is much more developed in this book and I think the story will continue to grow!

About B. Kristin McMichael

Years ago while I was all alone on Saturday mornings, I decided to start writing again. I began by seeing if I could write a complete novel. So I sat down for a couple hours each Saturday of the month of April. I had written some short stories/novellas when I was in junior high and high school, but never a full length novel. After 150,000+ words in one month, I had a complete novel. It made me realize that maybe I could do the writing thing after all.

Five years, two kids, three cats, and a PhD later, I am still writing and have three completed manuscripts and twice as many started (a couple near finished). I try my best to find time each week to write, but now I find more and more that I need to spend time editing. To improve my writing I am back to reading lots and getting ideas and better understanding how to craft a story people will enjoy.

When I am not writing, I am normally working at my job as a scientist or playing with my two wonderful children. If I get any amount of free time I like to bake, garden, and sew (yes, I know- such a mom life, but I have liked to do those before I had children) I continue to enjoy writing and love the motivation my husband gives me to try to make it in the writing world. I may need a harder shell, but with his support, I just might be able to do this.

Rating Report
plot
four-stars
characters
four-stars
writing
four-stars
pacing
four-half-stars
Overall: four-stars

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