Book Review: Time Between Us

Goodreads summary:

Anna and Bennett were never supposed to meet: she lives in 1995 Chicago and he lives in 2012 San Francisco. But Bennett has the unique ability to travel through time and space, which brings him into Anna’s life, and with him a new world of adventure and possibility.

As their relationship deepens, the two face the reality that time may knock Bennett back to where he belongs, even as a devastating crisis throws everything they believe into question. Against a ticking clock, Anna and Bennett are forced to ask themselves how far they can push the bounds of fate, what consequences they can bear in order to stay together, and whether their love can stand the test of time.

Fresh, exciting, and deeply romantic, Time Between Us is a stunning, spellbinding debut from an extraordinary new voice in YA fiction.

My review:

I enjoyed this book so much.  I was anxiously awaiting its release for months, and I'm so happy it didn't disappoint.  I'm of the opinion that there is a huge lack of time travel books in YA fiction.  I've read some great ones - My Super Sweet Sixteenth Century, and the River of Time series - but also some disappointing ones, like Tempest.  So I'm pleased to say that Time Between Us is a book that I would consider great; it's beautifully written and filled with strong characters.

One aspect of Time Between Us that I really appreciate is that this book is not fantasy or paranormal.  The characters don't have special powers; they don't have to fight off an enemy or save the world.  They are just normal teenagers who fall in love with each other.  The focus on the characters and their relationships makes this book more refreshing and makes you feel more deeply for their struggles.

And I love the characters in this book so much.  You can't help liking Anna: she's so easy to relate to and you have to admire the calm way she deals with what she's going through.  Bennett is very sweet too.  He has that friendly boy-next-door personality, but there's also an air of mysteriousness about him.  I like that he tries so hard to protect Anna, and I love the way they are both honest with each other and care for each other so much.  Minor characters like Anna's best friend and her parents add depth to the storyline.

Another aspect of this book that I like is Anna's desire to travel.  I love how she's so adventurous and unafraid, and the scenes where she and Bennett travel through time to different places are some of my favorites in this book.

Lastly, the love story.  I like that it wasn't insta-love.  Bennett and Anna form a friendship that gradually develops into love for each other.  There is no dramatic "you must stay away from me, I'm too dangerous for you!" or "I can't live without you, there will be no purpose to life!" that is common in so many YA books.  Instead, Anna and Bennett's love story is realistic and heart-wrenching.  I quite like the fact that they are determined to find a way to be together, but they don't let it take over their lives.  It makes their romance so much more bittersweet.

I really enjoyed Time Between Us.  Definitely recommended if you are looking for a solid romance that stands out from most YA fiction.  Also, it works well as a standalone, but I'm pretty sure I heard the author say somewhere that there's going to be a sequel!  Yay!  I can't wait to read more from this talented author.

My rating:  10 out of 10

~ The Bookworm