HOURGLASS by Myra McEntire

For seventeen-year-old Emerson Cole, life is about seeing what isn’t there: swooning Southern Belles; soldiers long forgotten; a haunting jazz trio that vanishes in an instant. Plagued by phantoms since her parents’ death, she just wants the apparitions to stop so she can be normal. She’s tried everything, but the visions keep coming back.

So when her well-meaning brother brings in a consultant from a secretive organization called the Hourglass, Emerson’s willing to try one last cure. But meeting Michael Weaver may not only change her future, it may change her past.
Who is this dark, mysterious, sympathetic guy, barely older than Emerson herself, who seems to believe every crazy word she says? Why does an electric charge seem to run through the room whenever he’s around? And why is he so insistent that he needs her help to prevent a death that never should have happened?


     I cannot express how much I loved Hourglass. The story was completely original and somewhat unexpected, full of romance, mystery, and a certain amount of intrigue. I loved every single word. I don't want to get too detailed for fear of revealing some hidden surprises but here's a few of the things I loved most:

1. The developing relationship between Emerson and Michael. The heart and truthfulness in all of their dialogue was so appealing and completely realistic to average teenagers, and I could sense something building with every additional interaction between the two.

2. Emerson's ability. I won't reveal too much, but her gift in seeing scenes from the past is unlike anything I've ever come across in a novel before. Wholly intriguing.

3. The humor. Even in the most tense of scenes, Myra slipped in a line or two of laugh-out-loud conversation between the characters, before going straight back to the seriousness of the situation. Wonderful.

All in all, an extraordinary debut. Put it at the top of your reading lists! Even if you are not a fan of the paranormal genre, I have no doubt you will enjoy this engaging book.

5/5 stars