Tuesday, May 2, 2017

Release Day Review: Cold Summer by Gwen Cole

Title: Cold Summer
Author: Gwen Cole
Series: Stand Alone
Published By: Sky Pony Press (May 2, 2017)
Source: ARC Copy Provided by the Publisher (in exchange for an honest review)
Genre: YA Fantasy/Time Travel
My Rating: 3.5 Stars!


Book Description:
Today, he’s a high school dropout with no future. 
Tomorrow, he’s a soldier in World War II.

Kale Jackson has spent years trying to control his time-traveling ability but hasn’t had much luck. One day he lives in 1945, fighting in the war as a sharpshooter and helplessly watching soldiers—friends—die. Then the next day, he’s back in the present, where WWII has bled into his modern life in the form of PTSD, straining his relationship with his father and the few friends he has left. Every day it becomes harder to hide his battle wounds, both physical and mental, from the past.

When the ex-girl-next-door, Harper, moves back to town, thoughts of what could be if only he had a normal life begin to haunt him. Harper reminds him of the person he was before the PTSD, which helps anchor him to the present. With practice, maybe Kale could remain in the present permanently and never step foot on a battlefield again. Maybe he can have the normal life he craves.


But then Harper finds Kale’s name in a historical article—and he’s listed as a casualty of the war. Kale knows now that he must learn to control his time-traveling ability to save himself and his chance at a life with Harper. Otherwise, he’ll be killed in a time where he doesn’t belong by a bullet that was never meant for him. 







I'm not going to lie, the cover is what first drew me to this story, it is outright gorgeous and was pretty hard for me to resist. Once I read the description and saw that this would be told through the point of view of both a male and female I knew I needed to read it. Through in the time traveling aspect and I was sold. 

I'll tell you a little secret, I love books about time traveling but for whatever reason, they very rarely actually work for me. Either the concept of the actual time traveling is too tedious to understand or it isn't explained enough to make it believable and some how ends up ruining the story for me. But still, I am drawn to them and can't seem to resist them. So I'll admit, I went into this with absolutely no expectations at all and knowing this was the authors debit novel, I think they might even have been lower than usual, nothing against the author of course, you just never know what to expect from a first time book.

But you know what? This worked for me. Even if everything wasn't explained, it still just worked. I think I was so focused on the actual story and not the time traveling aspect and it just simply worked. It was pretty well written and even if nothing was ever explained completely, yeah, it worked.

This was a fun debut novel and one that I'm glad I took the chance and time on to read.





*All thoughts and opinions are my own and were not influenced by the author or publisher. I was not compensated for this review.*

34 comments:

  1. I'm glad this worked out for you! I need a lot of plausibility and explanation in my time travel novels, so I'm not sure this is precisely for me, but the cover is beautiful and I'm definitely curious enough to sample this now. Wonderful review!

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  2. I hope you'll have more explanation in the sequel.

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    1. I don't think there will be a sequel but you never know.

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  3. I love time travel books! I have to admit that book covers draw me in as well! Great review and thanks for sharing.

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    1. I know, I wish they didn't but they do every time. ;)

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  4. Kindlemom GREAT review! I also love time travel tales and like you have trouble with the believability aspect. Its a testament to the creativity of the author that even with unanswered questions, unresolved situations etc it works for readers. If you're looking for an adult VERY believable time travel trope try Beatriz Williams Overseas. It was her first published literary piece and is absolutely amazing. Here is my interview and post with her and my review-https://thereadingfrenzy.blogspot.com/2012/05/review-of-overseas-and-q-wauthor.html

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    1. Oh that looks good Debbie, thanks so much for the recommend!!

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  5. I'm glad this one worked for you. I don't read a ton of time travel books, but I do get curious here and there. I recently read A Murder in Time and that one worked really well I thought.

    Thanks for the review! This is one I'm curious about too.

    -Lauren

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    1. Thanks Lauren and that sounds intriguing, I like the title. I'll check it out. ;)

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  6. You know having low expectations always seems to work for me, nothing against the book or author. It just takes the pressure off.

    p.s. I'm about a quarter way through Letters to the Lost and I'm loving it. Can't wait for my lunch break to open it up again.

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    1. Oh I agree! And yay, so excited you are liking it!!

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  7. I love a good time travel novel, and like you sometimes they work, but more often they don't. Glad this one hit the right notes for you. You are right, the cover is lovely.

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  8. I love time travel books too and that cover is definitely one to make you pick up a book!! Great review!

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  9. I like time travel books especially when the story just really works. Thanks for the great review.

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  10. I completely understand what you mean. You can sometimes love a book, even if there are things you should like about it. It has happened to me many times. Oh well, I just call it a win that I enjoyed the book. This sounds like an interesting story. I'm completely with you on that cover too. Great review.

    Melanie @ Hot Listens & Rabid Reads

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  11. I love time travel, and that cover makes me want to pick this up too. Thanks for the awesome review!!

    Tori @ In Tori Lex

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  12. I am glad you enjoyed this one. I too am a fan of time travel stories.

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  13. I totally agree! That cover could've hooked me right then and there even though I'm not a big fan of fantasy books. But this sounds really intriguing. Glad to know this book was an enjoyable read for you. :)

    Blessie @ Mischievous Reads

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  14. This sounds like a fun book and I'm always down for a little time-traveling. I know what you mean though, it can be hit or miss depending on how the author approached the actual time-traveling.

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    1. Yeah and even though it wasn't all explained, really at all, I still liked it, which was strange LOL!

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  15. That cover!! ♥ And yes time travel can be amazing but also problematic. Glad this worked!

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  16. Sweet. I have to suspend belief with time-travel books so I can enjoy it. So glad this one worked for you and exceeded your expectations. Love it when a story does that!

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    1. I think you do sometimes to really be able to get into them, otherwise too much gets in the way.

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  17. This one intrigues me! I want to know if I'll break down crying when reading it though. I have to be in a certain mood for that.

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    1. It was emotional at times, it was hard not to feel for him and all his struggles.

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