Renee Collins

This book had a lot of potential. It was set in a version of 19th century American west where remains of extinct magical creatures are mined and used for their magical abilities. I liked the magic system a lot and wished that we had more information on it and the types of creatures that left the relics. The characters were the typical western story stereotypes: the evil brothel owner, the kind prostitute, the handsome cowboys, the mysterious Chinaman, the nobel natives, etc. I wanted a little more out of them than typical fill in the blank western town inhabitants. The story was OK, but the idea had such potential that the average execution was a disappointment to me.… (meer)

In Until We Meet Again, Renee Collins combines time travel and an intriguing mystery with a sweet romance and the resulting story is unique and engaging.

Cassandra is less than thrilled to be spending her summer vacation with her family in Massachusetts instead of Paris with her best friend. But all of that changes once she meets a mysterious stranger on the beach one moonlit night. Lawrence Foster is handsome, charming and by some strange twist of fate, he has time traveled from 1925 to the present. They are both living in the same house during the two different time periods and the only place they can be together is on the isolated stretch of the beach where they first met. Curious about the history of the house, Cassandra learns distressing information about Lawrence and in an effort to prevent the unthinkable, she and Lawrence are determined to uncover the truth about the events that took place 90 years earlier.

In the beginning, Cassandra is a little self-absorbed but once she meets Lawrence, she puts all of her energy into researching those long ago events. She is creative and resourceful and although she is afraid that their actions in the present could have change history, once she knows the truth about what happened to Lawrence, nothing is going to stop her investigation. Cassandra genuinely cares for Lawrence and as her concern for him deepens, she grows and matures into a very likable character.

Delightfully debonair, Lawrence is definitely hero material. Having lost his mother the previous year, he is spending the summer with his uncle before heading off to college. Although he has no interest in following in his father's footsteps, he is willing to do what is expected of him. However, his obedience begins to waver once he learns what his uncle has planned for him. The more information he and Cassandra uncover, the more afraid he becomes of the people his uncle is involved with. Not wanting to endanger himself or his uncle, Lawrence remains reluctant to defy him, but will that change once he learns the truth about what is going on?

The mystery aspect of the storyline is quite fascinating. Cassandra's research is often tedious and yields little results, but she perseveres in spite of her lack of progress. The investigation is also very interesting since the time travel element allows both Cassandra and Lawrence to track down information during the different time periods. Lawrence is able to fully explore the clues that she unearths while Cassandra can then use the internet and local library to research the information he uncovers.

The time travel portion of Until We Meet Again is equally well written and rather unique. The fact that they are basically living parallel lives in the same place yet different time periods provides added interest to the overall plot. The novel alternates between Cassandra and Lawrence's perspectives which gives readers the opportunity to experience life in both 1925 and the present.

Until We Meet Again is a captivating young adult novel that is the perfect blend of mystery and romance. The storyline is distinctive and well-researched with the Roaring Twenties springing vibrantly to life. The characters are multi-dimensional with distinct voices that remain true to their respective time periods. Renee Collins brings the novel to a suspense-laden conclusion that is poignant yet realistic. All in all, an outstanding novel that I recommend to readers of all ages.… (meer)

*I WAS SENT A PHYSICAL COPY BY THE PUBLISHER IN RETURN FOR AN HONEST REVIEW*
When I first laid eyes on the synopsis of this book, I fell head over heels for this story. I know you're never supposed to judge a book by the synopsis or cover, but I couldn't help but notice both! The synopsis pulled me in with immediate interest. The cover was even more gorgeous in person than I thought!

But now its time to get into the actual story. This book centers on a girl named Shelby who was in a terrible car accident that scarred her for life. Because of the panic attacks and events that happened afterward, she decided to have a treatment that erased her memories. It was after she returned, right before school started, that she began to see a boy. She's convinced herself that she's hallucinating him, but when he begins to bring up crucial evidence that proves it otherwise, she begins to freak out again.

The fact of the matter is that she begins to regret her decision of having her memory erased because of the fact that no one will tell her the truth. Everyone is keeping a secret: her mom, her best friend, even the boy she's "hallucinating." It all makes her angry because all she wants is the truth of what happened.

During this entire book, I was clawing my way through the pages. As someone who has experienced panic attacks before, I know the feeling of what the author was describing exactly. I felt that she delved deep into the medical background of how people experience these attacks and how they feel afterward. It really means a lot to me because it wasn't just forced onto the page without a care of how it would affect the people who actually experience them. It was thoroughly written out, and all of the characters were affected by it; even the ones who didn't have them.

I felt that Renee Collins did an amazing job of writing this story. The plot was well thought out, the characters were well described and had beautiful character development, and the setting was relatable to small-town residents and understandable to those who aren't. I have never wanted to reread a story more than I have this one, and I can't even believe something as real as this story exists.

For this, I give the book 5/5 stars. Everything was well plotted and well written, and I cannot thank the author enough for bringing such a book into this world.… (meer)