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3.6 AVERAGE
3.6 AVERAGE
I become lovesick every time a book this kind falls in my hands. Love across time and space, souls and incarnations with a hint of mystery in it, creates a perfect blend of a story!
"The next together" begins in the middle of 18th century when Katherine and Matthew meet for the first time into the Jacobite war. I did have a quick reminder of Jamie Fraser from the Outlander here but the point was that they defied class and society in order to be together.
In a continuous plotline we move from 18th century to 1855-56 in Crimaic war where another reincarnations of the same characters meet and then we move forward to 21th century where the last two reincarnations are closely connected to each other.
Except from the historical references which also were quite accurate, I loved how the author connected Matthew's and Katherine's lives through a twist I didn't quite expect. It left me astonished in a good way but with a small question mark about the future.
Maybe that is the love about this book; you reach the end and you can imagine what will happen in the future. The use of documents, letters, notes and computer searches also apply in the book which add a more material detail to the story.
This book is a true gem and you must read it since it is something that all the readers can enjoy!
"The next together" begins in the middle of 18th century when Katherine and Matthew meet for the first time into the Jacobite war. I did have a quick reminder of Jamie Fraser from the Outlander here but the point was that they defied class and society in order to be together.
In a continuous plotline we move from 18th century to 1855-56 in Crimaic war where another reincarnations of the same characters meet and then we move forward to 21th century where the last two reincarnations are closely connected to each other.
Except from the historical references which also were quite accurate, I loved how the author connected Matthew's and Katherine's lives through a twist I didn't quite expect. It left me astonished in a good way but with a small question mark about the future.
Maybe that is the love about this book; you reach the end and you can imagine what will happen in the future. The use of documents, letters, notes and computer searches also apply in the book which add a more material detail to the story.
This book is a true gem and you must read it since it is something that all the readers can enjoy!
I SHOULD NOT ATTEMPT TO WRITE REVIEWS LITERALLY THE SAME MINUTE I FINISH A BOOK, BUT OMG. I just yelled spoilery nonsense at my roommate because he was unfortunate enough to be sitting next to me as I finished it and OH I DIDN'T SEE THAT COMING AT ALL AND THAT RARELY HAPPENS AND OMG THOUGHTS AND QUESTIONS AND I DEMAND #2 NOW OKAY THANK YOU LAUREN JAMES!
*FLAILS*
I guess this book is sci-fi, but it's not until the end that you *really* know it's sci-fi over fantasy, so I'll put it on both shelves.
I started this book a few days ago, but didn't get more than a few pages in until today, and the things that wouldn't let me put it down today were the > messages, and I HAD TO FIGURE THEM OUT.. and they did not disappoint. It left more questions than it answered, but in the most delicious way.
Well, sorta, if book #2 wasn't a full year away. ;______;
Why do I keep reading new books and incomplete series? WHYYY? I'M A MASOCHIST. D:
(Other thoughts: I didn't find K as witty as she thought herself at all, but I also loved the snippets of their FB & other online messages, and the (MYSTERIOUS OMG WAT) wiki at the end, and also now i have to go read up on a bunch of history because I'm not sure which is real and which is alternative universe stuff anymore!)
*FLAILS*
I guess this book is sci-fi, but it's not until the end that you *really* know it's sci-fi over fantasy, so I'll put it on both shelves.
I started this book a few days ago, but didn't get more than a few pages in until today, and the things that wouldn't let me put it down today were the > messages, and I HAD TO FIGURE THEM OUT.. and they did not disappoint. It left more questions than it answered, but in the most delicious way.
Well, sorta, if book #2 wasn't a full year away. ;______;
Why do I keep reading new books and incomplete series? WHYYY? I'M A MASOCHIST. D:
(Other thoughts: I didn't find K as witty as she thought herself at all, but I also loved the snippets of their FB & other online messages, and the (MYSTERIOUS OMG WAT) wiki at the end, and also now i have to go read up on a bunch of history because I'm not sure which is real and which is alternative universe stuff anymore!)
Maybe my expectations were too high but this was quite mediocre. I chose this book because the author sounded very similar to me: she's a science student who really likes writing.
Don't get me wrong, this book is very enjoyable to read: the Katherine and Matthew of 2019 were quite entertaining and the 2039 plot was interesting from a biology point of view. Unfortunately, I found it hard to connect to the characters and the romance scenes were a bit too cringey for my tastes.
I think I was expecting more of a clever sci-fi novel that focussed more on the time travel - instead, this is through and through a love story, with the added obstacle of time travel.
Don't get me wrong, this book is very enjoyable to read: the Katherine and Matthew of 2019 were quite entertaining and the 2039 plot was interesting from a biology point of view. Unfortunately, I found it hard to connect to the characters and the romance scenes were a bit too cringey for my tastes.
I think I was expecting more of a clever sci-fi novel that focussed more on the time travel - instead, this is through and through a love story, with the added obstacle of time travel.
Initial reaction: WHATTHEHELLJUSTHAPPENED ????????????? SO CONFUSED.....
ANYWAY. Moving on: This was quite the star crossed love story with bits and pieces of both science fiction, time travel, historical fiction and contemporary. The story is told from three POVs, three different romances between Katherine and Matthew - and all of them worked together perfectly. I also really liked the idea of the story, even though the execution, after finishing this book, left me very, very confused and with more questions than answers.
Overall, this book was entertaining, unputdownable and, of course, romantic. 3.75 stars
ANYWAY. Moving on: This was quite the star crossed love story with bits and pieces of both science fiction, time travel, historical fiction and contemporary. The story is told from three POVs, three different romances between Katherine and Matthew - and all of them worked together perfectly. I also really liked the idea of the story, even though the execution, after finishing this book, left me very, very confused and with more questions than answers.
Overall, this book was entertaining, unputdownable and, of course, romantic. 3.75 stars
Official Rating:4.75
Thoughts:
I reserve the right to round my rating up to 5-stars because I've never read a book that's pulled off the reincarnation thing so well and I freaking loved it.
At first, I was a little uncertain about what to expect from this novel, seeing as it was attempting a dangerous combination of genres: YA, Romance, Time Travel/Reincarnation. Not to mention that it boasted a story which was not only a contemporary, but also a historical and a science fiction of all genres.
Like, wow. It seemed too good to be true. I was worried that they would all be imbalanced in a messy jumble of a story that tried to appeal to as many demographics as possible - as some authors are wont to do.
Well, did I get a bucket of cold water to the face or what.
Instead of the feared mess, instead I had the pleasure of reading a story which was so well-balanced that I felt for sure someone was playing a practical joke on me.
I'm so entranced by the story that I'm not even 100% sure where to start in my review. I mean, usually I try and look at a few main things: characters, world, story, pacing, writing. Right?
Well, for most of the book I struggled to find a flaw with any of those.
The protags, Katherine and Matthew could possibly write a book titled "How to OTP in 400 pages or less", and then write the sequel for Fanfiction authors, "How to OTP in 4 different time periods". I would read both. Avidly.
Whether they were Katherine/Kit/Katy/Kate and Matthew/Matt/Mr Galloway, their relationship (and their humorous exchanges) never ceased to entrance time after time - no pun intended.
Each plotline was well-developed and well-paced, so that nothing felt too rushed. A pleasant surprise was the effectiveness of the short passages from each plotline - due to their frequency and impact, I never once had to check back on a previous section to remind myself where the pair were up to in their respective times.
Every time that a section of story began to feel like it was dragging, the context would change, or something exciting and relevant would occur to keep the ball rolling. The overall effect may have been exhausting, but it was executed so smoothly that it simply kept me on the edge of my seat.
I absolutely adored Katherine and Matthew as characters. I loved that they were so well-developed that you could see each of them in the different times. I knew that I was reading Katy, because even though her overall speaking style might have been different depending on the time, she was still the same person, with the same (effective) humour, the same bravery and kindness, and the same flaws. She was just fabulous. I have no other word for it. As an extra note, I loved the way that this unique character adapted to each time zone. For example, 1745's Katherine was strong in her adaptability to her circumstances, and her ability to prioritise things in the way many regency women couldn't. 2039's Kate, however, was strong in her confidence and determination. Also, I loved the little hints here and there that 2039 Kate might be bisexual. I might be reading into things a bit, but still.
Matthew was possibly the greatest thing since sliced bread. I loved that I loved him - but for different reasons that why I loved Katherine. Matthew was not, in any way, a carbon copy of Kate - which can be a serious problem for some authors. Where Kathy was hard, Matthew was soft. Where she was kind, he was loving. Where she was snarky, he was cool and calm.
Also, what was great was that, although I knew what was going to happen in the end of each timeline, the twists and bumps that the two encountered along the way made each tragedy equally devastating.
ALSO, 2019 K&M's marriage was goals. I've never been so in love with love than I am with their's. Which, of course, made their end suitably gutting.
I really appreciated the different way that their story was told - while with 1745, 1854 and 2039 we got a proper narration of their lives, I enjoyed the adorable breaks that '2019 repartee' provided. And because so much of their story was explained in 2039, we only needed the little bits of character-building and communication that the sticky notes and chat logs provided.
I'm getting carried away. Obviously, the book was 100% perfection, or else my official rating would be 5. Well... I must admit, I found it a little confusing at times. I got a little overloaded with historical information that I ended up mildly skimming over. Also, the ending seemed a little... anticlimactic. I mean, effective - I was beginning to get a little emotional while reading it - but a little disappointing.
Leading on from that, I'm not really sure what to feel about the planned sequel. I mean, don't get me wrong, I'll eagerly await it. However, I enjoyed the way that The Next Together wrapped up. There were enough loose-threads for us as readers to be left asking some questions, but as far as I'm concerned, the main questions, problems and mysteries have been concluded. I have faith that Lauren James will be able to continue the story with elegance and sheer awesomeness, though. Maybe I'm just over-thinking it.
All in all, this book was something special. There were so many times when it could have gone wrong, but it just didn't.
I can't actually count the number of times that I used the word "loved" in this review, which is a testament to the novel's quality - that it has rendered me unable to find the right words to describe it.
Oh, what the hell, once more.
I absolutely loved this book. I will be forever sobbing over Katherine and Matthew's stories (plural intended) - which is a strange sentence in and of itself.
Thoughts:
I reserve the right to round my rating up to 5-stars because I've never read a book that's pulled off the reincarnation thing so well and I freaking loved it.
At first, I was a little uncertain about what to expect from this novel, seeing as it was attempting a dangerous combination of genres: YA, Romance, Time Travel/Reincarnation. Not to mention that it boasted a story which was not only a contemporary, but also a historical and a science fiction of all genres.
Like, wow. It seemed too good to be true. I was worried that they would all be imbalanced in a messy jumble of a story that tried to appeal to as many demographics as possible - as some authors are wont to do.
Well, did I get a bucket of cold water to the face or what.
Instead of the feared mess, instead I had the pleasure of reading a story which was so well-balanced that I felt for sure someone was playing a practical joke on me.
I'm so entranced by the story that I'm not even 100% sure where to start in my review. I mean, usually I try and look at a few main things: characters, world, story, pacing, writing. Right?
Well, for most of the book I struggled to find a flaw with any of those.
The protags, Katherine and Matthew could possibly write a book titled "How to OTP in 400 pages or less", and then write the sequel for Fanfiction authors, "How to OTP in 4 different time periods". I would read both. Avidly.
Whether they were Katherine/Kit/Katy/Kate and Matthew/Matt/Mr Galloway, their relationship (and their humorous exchanges) never ceased to entrance time after time - no pun intended.
Each plotline was well-developed and well-paced, so that nothing felt too rushed. A pleasant surprise was the effectiveness of the short passages from each plotline - due to their frequency and impact, I never once had to check back on a previous section to remind myself where the pair were up to in their respective times.
Every time that a section of story began to feel like it was dragging, the context would change, or something exciting and relevant would occur to keep the ball rolling. The overall effect may have been exhausting, but it was executed so smoothly that it simply kept me on the edge of my seat.
I absolutely adored Katherine and Matthew as characters. I loved that they were so well-developed that you could see each of them in the different times. I knew that I was reading Katy, because even though her overall speaking style might have been different depending on the time, she was still the same person, with the same (effective) humour, the same bravery and kindness, and the same flaws. She was just fabulous. I have no other word for it. As an extra note, I loved the way that this unique character adapted to each time zone. For example, 1745's Katherine was strong in her adaptability to her circumstances, and her ability to prioritise things in the way many regency women couldn't. 2039's Kate, however, was strong in her confidence and determination. Also, I loved the little hints here and there that 2039 Kate might be bisexual. I might be reading into things a bit, but still.
Matthew was possibly the greatest thing since sliced bread. I loved that I loved him - but for different reasons that why I loved Katherine. Matthew was not, in any way, a carbon copy of Kate - which can be a serious problem for some authors. Where Kathy was hard, Matthew was soft. Where she was kind, he was loving. Where she was snarky, he was cool and calm.
Also, what was great was that, although I knew what was going to happen in the end of each timeline, the twists and bumps that the two encountered along the way made each tragedy equally devastating.
ALSO, 2019 K&M's marriage was goals. I've never been so in love with love than I am with their's. Which, of course, made their end suitably gutting.
I really appreciated the different way that their story was told - while with 1745, 1854 and 2039 we got a proper narration of their lives, I enjoyed the adorable breaks that '2019 repartee' provided. And because so much of their story was explained in 2039, we only needed the little bits of character-building and communication that the sticky notes and chat logs provided.
I'm getting carried away. Obviously, the book was 100% perfection, or else my official rating would be 5. Well... I must admit, I found it a little confusing at times. I got a little overloaded with historical information that I ended up mildly skimming over
Spoiler
, and towards the end, when time began to be changed slightly both before and after 1745's Matthew was killed and we had no 1745 Matthew anymore, but the consciousness of two 1854 Matthews, and then one of them became Just-Matthew because he regained his memories and..... ugh. I'm getting a little bit of a headache just thinking about itLeading on from that, I'm not really sure what to feel about the planned sequel. I mean, don't get me wrong, I'll eagerly await it. However, I enjoyed the way that The Next Together wrapped up. There were enough loose-threads for us as readers to be left asking some questions, but as far as I'm concerned, the main questions, problems and mysteries have been concluded. I have faith that Lauren James will be able to continue the story with elegance and sheer awesomeness, though. Maybe I'm just over-thinking it.
All in all, this book was something special. There were so many times when it could have gone wrong, but it just didn't.
I can't actually count the number of times that I used the word "loved" in this review, which is a testament to the novel's quality - that it has rendered me unable to find the right words to describe it.
Oh, what the hell, once more.
I absolutely loved this book. I will be forever sobbing over Katherine and Matthew's stories (plural intended) - which is a strange sentence in and of itself.
mysterious
medium-paced
I have to say, the words 'Time Travel" are the ones that made me purchase this book. Along with the fact that there were newspaper clippings, diary entries and just general notes in this book, a bit like Illuminae but with normal writing added as well. The fact that this book's main genre was "Romance" was something I was willing to overlook.
<strong>The Next Together </strong>tells the story of Matthew Galloway and Katherine Finchley, star-crossed lovers who are destined or doomed to fall in love over and over again, and lose each other over and over again. In <strong>1745</strong> we have Matthew (a coachman) and Katherine (a noble lady) whose city is about to get overrun by the Jacobites. Then in <strong>1854</strong> we have Matthew (a journalist) and Katy (his assistant) who travel to Crimea to write about the war with the Russians. In <strong>2019</strong> there are Matthew and Katherine (both junior scientists at CSL) who have just discovered something awful about the company they work for (their story is only being told by means of notes, emails and other information 2039 Matt and Kate find). And last but not least, Matt and Kate (biology students) in <strong>2039</strong> who find out that their ancestors were labeled terrorists by the government and killed.
Though each of these characters are the same two people over and over again, they all have some different personality traits. I have to admit, I liked the 2039 Matt and Kate the best, and the 1745 ones the least; mainly just because I don't like historical fiction and I just simply didn't enjoy reading their chapters. The ones inbetween were okay, but I still have to say that I prefered the futuristic versions the best.
I honestly just wasn't interested in their romance, even though that was one of the main subjects in this story. It was certainly why they kept on being reborn again. They had to fall in love with each other over and over again because of a reason.And that reason was a baby. They had to produce a child, and when that happened I thought to myself 'Really? That's it? That's the reason they kept on having to do this? REALLY?!' So yeah, I don't know.
They way the story was written was very nice in my opinion, I loved finding out more about each couple in pieces. On one side I wouldn't have minded for one story to be told first, then the next, and so forth, but this way it kind of stayed interesting. Though there were some tiny things, I guess I could call them spoilers, that I found annoying. In the two historical stories, a Matthew dies and a Katherine dies, and because that happens, Matt gets send back into the past to replace that Matthew. While there, he has enough time to tell Katherine exactly what happened to his Katy, which is something that hasn't actually happened in the book yet. Does it (what I've just said) make any sense? Anyway, I don't like it when things get spoiled by the book already. Foreshadowing, okay, but actually spoiling the ending for a character before it happens? No. (I am looking at you, The Book Thief).
Anyway, I thought it was a very interesting book, but I just think it wasn't great. There were some questions I still had at the end of this book, that I hope will be answered in the second. I also didn't like half of the couples, mainly because of the historical aspect. So yeah, maybe I'll read the next book, maybe I won't. I'll see when it comes out!
I recommend this book to lovers of historical and futuristic romance stories, if you're a fan of either and definitely if you're a fan of both!
<strong>The Next Together </strong>tells the story of Matthew Galloway and Katherine Finchley, star-crossed lovers who are destined or doomed to fall in love over and over again, and lose each other over and over again. In <strong>1745</strong> we have Matthew (a coachman) and Katherine (a noble lady) whose city is about to get overrun by the Jacobites. Then in <strong>1854</strong> we have Matthew (a journalist) and Katy (his assistant) who travel to Crimea to write about the war with the Russians. In <strong>2019</strong> there are Matthew and Katherine (both junior scientists at CSL) who have just discovered something awful about the company they work for (their story is only being told by means of notes, emails and other information 2039 Matt and Kate find). And last but not least, Matt and Kate (biology students) in <strong>2039</strong> who find out that their ancestors were labeled terrorists by the government and killed.
Though each of these characters are the same two people over and over again, they all have some different personality traits. I have to admit, I liked the 2039 Matt and Kate the best, and the 1745 ones the least; mainly just because I don't like historical fiction and I just simply didn't enjoy reading their chapters. The ones inbetween were okay, but I still have to say that I prefered the futuristic versions the best.
I honestly just wasn't interested in their romance, even though that was one of the main subjects in this story. It was certainly why they kept on being reborn again. They had to fall in love with each other over and over again because of a reason.
They way the story was written was very nice in my opinion, I loved finding out more about each couple in pieces. On one side I wouldn't have minded for one story to be told first, then the next, and so forth, but this way it kind of stayed interesting. Though there were some tiny things, I guess I could call them spoilers, that I found annoying. In the two historical stories, a Matthew dies and a Katherine dies, and because that happens, Matt gets send back into the past to replace that Matthew. While there, he has enough time to tell Katherine exactly what happened to his Katy, which is something that hasn't actually happened in the book yet. Does it (what I've just said) make any sense? Anyway, I don't like it when things get spoiled by the book already. Foreshadowing, okay, but actually spoiling the ending for a character before it happens? No. (I am looking at you, The Book Thief).
Anyway, I thought it was a very interesting book, but I just think it wasn't great. There were some questions I still had at the end of this book, that I hope will be answered in the second. I also didn't like half of the couples, mainly because of the historical aspect. So yeah, maybe I'll read the next book, maybe I won't. I'll see when it comes out!
I recommend this book to lovers of historical and futuristic romance stories, if you're a fan of either and definitely if you're a fan of both!
I am SO confused. Can someone who has read this please explain to me wtf happened at the end?? I just don't get it???????????
Around the Year in 52 Books Challenge Notes:
- 32. A historical fiction book
Around the Year in 52 Books Challenge Notes:
- 32. A historical fiction book
Eine sehr nette YA-Zeitreisenromanze mit Science-Fiction-Anteilen. Die Geschichte von Katherine und Matthew wird auf insgesamt vier Zeiteebenen erzählt.
1745 wird Carlisle von schottischen Rebellen belagert. Katherine kommt aus gutem Hause und lebt nach dem Tod von Eltern und Großeltern bei ihrer Tante. Dort verliebt sie sich in Matthew, einem Bediensteten und überzeugt ihn, als Mann verkleidet bei der Verteidigung der Stadt helfen zu dürfen. 1854 ist Katy, Waisenkind und wieder als Junge verkleidet, mit dem Kriegsjournalisten Matthew auf dem Weg zum Krimkrieg, von dem aus Matthew über die Zustände der britischen Soldaten berichten will. 2019 werden die Wissenschaftler Katherine und Matthew als vermeintliche Terroristen erschossen, weil sie eine gefährliche Biowaffe in Umlauf bringen wollten. Und 2039 treffen die Studenten Kate und Matt sich im Labor und kommen ihrer gemeinsamen Vergangenheit auf die Spur.
Das ist alles ganz nett und insgesamt ohne größere Logikbrüche erzählt, man erfährt das ein oder andere über die britische und europäische Geschichte, die Charaktere sind gut ausgearbeitet und die Story kommt gut voran. Die Autorin erlaubt sich einige Freiheiten bei dem zu Grunde liegenden Überbau, der die Reinkarnation von Kate und Matt erst ermöglicht. Wer, wie und warum die armen Protagonisten immer wieder auferstehen und die Welt retten müssen wird hier nur angerissen, das ist auf der einen Seite nicht schlimm, lässt auf der anderen Seite aber auch mutmaßen, dass es hier das größte Konsistenzproblem gibt.
Aufgehübscht mit Chatprotokollen, Landkarten und Notizzettel-Konversationen am Kühlschrank ist das eine - im besten Sinne des Wortes - nette Zwischendurchlektüre, die man ohne Probleme all denen empfehlen kann, die weder auf besondere literarische Kniffe noch auf eine epische Geschichte aus sind.
1745 wird Carlisle von schottischen Rebellen belagert. Katherine kommt aus gutem Hause und lebt nach dem Tod von Eltern und Großeltern bei ihrer Tante. Dort verliebt sie sich in Matthew, einem Bediensteten und überzeugt ihn, als Mann verkleidet bei der Verteidigung der Stadt helfen zu dürfen. 1854 ist Katy, Waisenkind und wieder als Junge verkleidet, mit dem Kriegsjournalisten Matthew auf dem Weg zum Krimkrieg, von dem aus Matthew über die Zustände der britischen Soldaten berichten will. 2019 werden die Wissenschaftler Katherine und Matthew als vermeintliche Terroristen erschossen, weil sie eine gefährliche Biowaffe in Umlauf bringen wollten. Und 2039 treffen die Studenten Kate und Matt sich im Labor und kommen ihrer gemeinsamen Vergangenheit auf die Spur.
Das ist alles ganz nett und insgesamt ohne größere Logikbrüche erzählt, man erfährt das ein oder andere über die britische und europäische Geschichte, die Charaktere sind gut ausgearbeitet und die Story kommt gut voran. Die Autorin erlaubt sich einige Freiheiten bei dem zu Grunde liegenden Überbau, der die Reinkarnation von Kate und Matt erst ermöglicht. Wer, wie und warum die armen Protagonisten immer wieder auferstehen und die Welt retten müssen wird hier nur angerissen, das ist auf der einen Seite nicht schlimm, lässt auf der anderen Seite aber auch mutmaßen, dass es hier das größte Konsistenzproblem gibt.
Aufgehübscht mit Chatprotokollen, Landkarten und Notizzettel-Konversationen am Kühlschrank ist das eine - im besten Sinne des Wortes - nette Zwischendurchlektüre, die man ohne Probleme all denen empfehlen kann, die weder auf besondere literarische Kniffe noch auf eine epische Geschichte aus sind.