ARC Review: Into the Dim by Janet B Taylor

 When fragile, sixteen-year-old Hope Walton loses her mom to an earthquake overseas, her secluded world crumbles. Agreeing to spend the summer in Scotland, Hope discovers that her mother was more than a brilliant academic, but also a member of a secret society of time travelers. Trapped in the twelfth century in the age of Eleanor of Aquitaine, Hope has seventy-two hours to rescue her mother and get back to their own time. Along the way, her path collides with that of a mysterious boy who could be vital to her mission . . . or the key to Hope’s undoing.

Published: 3/1/16

Publisher: Clarion Books

Review:

Such a great concept but it fell short.

I love the idea of time travel. I always love time travel. It's so intricate, so many parts, so easily done wrong. The author seemed to get a good bit of this right, though I could not picture exactly how it was done. But the execution of character building, their lack of connections, the pace, the cheesey romance,  all were lacking in connection for me. I needed more action, more suspense, more something. I felt like the characters got themselves into bad situations and then they easily solved how to get out of them. There was no intricate thought process, no way to really see the characters struggling to figure out how to solve the problems.

Unfortunately, I won't be moving on to future books in this series

Janet Taylor lives in such a small town in Arkansas that if you happen to sneeze when you pass by, you'll totally miss it. (Cause, you know, you can't sneeze with your eyes open. For real--try it--it's impossible)

Her first novel, INTO THE DIM, (which debuted 3/1/2016 from Houghton Mifflin Harcourt) is about a 16 year old girl who travels through time. Totally on purpose and stuff.

Her second book, SPARKS OF LIGHT (HMH, 8/1/2017) is the sequel, and continues three months after INTO THE DIM leaves off.

She's a reader/fan first and a writer second. She lives with her fantastic husband, two hilarious sons, and Dorda the diabetic dog who won't win any beauty contests, but has a "nice personality".

She would think you're the coolest thing since AC on a hot day if you'd like her on Facebook. Follow her on Twitter or visit her web site. And if you felt like adding INTO THE DIM to your Want to Read well golly! She'd probably come over to your house and do cart-wheels on your front lawn. (probably)

(PS-check out the bracelet on Janet's pic. That's a teeny-tiny Tardis. Uh, Whovian much?)