Emerald Green by Kerstin Gier

Summary:
Gwen has a destiny to fulfill, but no one will tell her what it is.

She’s only recently learned that she is the Ruby, the final member of the time-traveling Circle of Twelve, and since then nothing has been going right. She suspects the founder of the Circle, Count Saint-German, is up to something nefarious, but nobody will believe her. And she’s just learned that her charming time-traveling partner, Gideon, has probably been using her all along.

This stunning conclusion picks up where Sapphire Blue left off, reaching new heights of intrigue and romance as Gwen finally uncovers the secrets of the time-traveling society and learns her fate. (from GoodReads)

Review:
Ok, it's been awhile since I read this so short review! I love the series as a whole, especially the first two books. It has a great premise and the characters are hilarious. I also enjoyed the burgeoning romance between Gwen and Gideon. Unfortunately I didn't enjoy the conclusion quite as much. The plot started to get confusing with no great development and Gwen and Gideon's relationship started getting to that insta-love phase. Overall, I liked it but yeah, this one isn't as great as its predecessors.

Rating: 7 out of 10.
FTC: library

2013/Henry Holt/451 pages.

Sapphire Blue by Kerstin Gier

Summary:

Gwen’s life has been a rollercoaster since she discovered she was the Ruby, the final member of the secret time-traveling Circle of Twelve. In between searching through history for the other time-travelers and asking for a bit of their blood (gross!), she’s been trying to figure out what all the mysteries and prophecies surrounding the Circle really mean.

 

At least Gwen has plenty of help. Her best friend Lesley follows every lead diligently on the Internet. James the ghost teaches Gwen how to fit in at an eighteenth century party. And Xemerius, the gargoyle demon who has been following Gwen since he caught her kissing Gideon in a church, offers advice on everything. Oh, yes. And of course there is Gideon, the Diamond. One minute he’s very warm indeed; the next he’s freezing cold. Gwen’s not sure what’s going on there, but she’s pretty much destined to find out. (from GoodReads)

 

Review:

I immensely enjoyed Ruby Red when I first read it so I was super excited to continue on with the trilogy. Luckily for me, Sapphire Blue was just as good as the first book.

 

Time travel is always tricky to execute (right now I'm reading The Time Traveler's Wife and I'm pretty confused) but I think Kerstin Gier does a good job of writing it and having it make sense. It helps that Gwen and Gideon travel really far in the past, so they don't have to worry about meeting themselves. Their mission is a little confusing, especially since it's been a few months since I've been in this world. But Gwen and Gideon are trying to find their cousins who are hiding in the past with an important artifact.

 

What I don't like is that the events of these two books have taken place over the period of a week. That's a short amount of time for two whole books to be written about. It makes sense since the character are traveling in time, but it also makes character development tricky. Gwen and Gideon have a bit of a romance going but these characters have only known each other a week! So when the "I love you's" start coming out I get confused. Even though it feels like much longer, Gwen and Gideon should not be this serious. That's my one qualm about these books.

 

Even so, Sapphire Blue is still a fun read, especially since the characters are so funny. It's nice to get some humor in there. I do like the romance, even though it's a little rushed. I can't wait to see how everything wraps up in Emerald Green.

 

Rating: 8 out of 10.

FTC: borrowed from the library.

 

2012/Henry Holt/362 pages.

Ruby Red by Kerstin Gier

Summary:
Gwyneth Shepherd's sophisticated, beautiful cousin Charlotte has been prepared her entire life for traveling through time. But unexpectedly, it is Gwyneth, who in the middle of class takes a sudden spin to a different era!

Gwyneth must now unearth the mystery of why her mother would lie about her birth date to ward off suspicion about her ability, brush up on her history, and work with Gideon--the time traveler from a similarly gifted family that passes the gene through its male line, and whose presence becomes, in time, less insufferable and more essential. Together, Gwyneth and Gideon journey through time to discover who, in the 18th century and in contemporary London, they can trust. (from GoodReads)

Review:
I was really excited to finally read Ruby Red because it's been on my to-read list for awhile and I think it's so cool that it was translated from German! I read a lot of American books so I was looking forward to trying something different. Luckily for me, I loved Ruby Red.

The book is set in London and I'm not sure if that's change because they are speaking English now or if the original was set in London, as well. London is a fabulous city and a great setting for a time travelling novel because it's so historical. I thought the concept of time travel in Ruby Red was very well done - it wasn't too complicated and it's cool how it's this big secret that no one can know about.

I thought that Gwyneth's family dynamic was an interesting part of the novel. She lives with her mom, brother and sister in a big house with the rest of her extended family. Since the time travel gene runs in families, it's essential to have a good support system because no one else in the world knows about this ability (except Gwyneth's BFF and the other families who also have the gene).

When Gwyneth figures out that it's her and not her cousin that has the gene, it causes a big rift in the family. Gwyneth's aunt and cousin think she's lying somehow and they pretty much act like little kids who have had their favorite toy taken away from them. Gwyneth starts spending time with Gideon, a time traveler who is two years older than her whose family also carries the gene. I'm sure you can guess that a romance blossoms between them and I really enjoyed reading those parts.

There's some mystery in Ruby Red, mainly dealing with past family members who stole an important artifact and it's Gwyneth and Gideon's job to get it back. I'm excited to see what they uncover because I'm sure there will be several plot twists. Overall, I'm looking forward to reading the next installment.

Rating: 8 out of 10.
FTC: borrowed from the library.

2011/Henry Holt/322 pages.