Take a photo of a barcode or cover
4.35 AVERAGE
4.35 AVERAGE
adventurous
hopeful
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
No second book syndrome here! I don’t know what to say that I didn’t already mentioned in my reviews of book 1 and 3, so I’ll just say: I loved this book and PLEASE GO READ THIS SERIES!
Rating: 3.5/5
Genre: YA Sci-Fi/Dystopian/Christian
Recommended Age: 14+ (violence, slight gore, some maturity needed)
Pages: 458
Author Website
Amazon Link
Synopsis: Parvin Blackwater wanted to die, but now she's being called to be a leader. The only problem is, no one wants to follow.
The Council uses Jude's Clock-matching invention to force "new-and-improved" Clocks on the public. Those who can't afford one are packed into boxcars like cattle and used for the Council's purposes.
Parvin and Hawke find themselves on a cargo ship of Radicals headed out to sea. What will the Council do to them? And why are people suddenly dying before their Clocks have zeroed-out?
Book Two in the "Out of Time" series.
This is the second installment to the Out of Time series by Nadine Brandes. This is the link to the first review. The dystopian adventure continues with our hero Parvin and her sometimes reckless but always heroic nature. I liked this book much better than the first one. I felt that it went much faster than the previous one and I enjoyed the plot and pacing much more. I also felt that Parvin’s faith made more sense in this book. In the previous I criticized for it being too quick of a faith change, so in this one her solid faith makes much more sense.
However, I still have some issues with the book. In this one there was a much bigger cast of characters, some of which I felt didn’t get enough character development. I also forgot a lot of characters as I was reading the book, only to come back to them later and be utterly confused. I also felt the development for the characters outside of Parvin and Solomon was lacking a little bit. The mother’s character in particular confused me as she seems to flip flop between caring and neglectful. I also wanted more world building in the book, especially since we saw some new areas of the west, and I felt some of the events with a group of people was a bit odd and unexplained. Finally, I felt that in some parts of the book the action scenes were a bit confusing.
Verdict: While I had some critiques about this book I did enjoy the story overall and I feel that the ending will leave me in an emotional wreck.
Genre: YA Sci-Fi/Dystopian/Christian
Recommended Age: 14+ (violence, slight gore, some maturity needed)
Pages: 458
Author Website
Amazon Link
Synopsis: Parvin Blackwater wanted to die, but now she's being called to be a leader. The only problem is, no one wants to follow.
The Council uses Jude's Clock-matching invention to force "new-and-improved" Clocks on the public. Those who can't afford one are packed into boxcars like cattle and used for the Council's purposes.
Parvin and Hawke find themselves on a cargo ship of Radicals headed out to sea. What will the Council do to them? And why are people suddenly dying before their Clocks have zeroed-out?
Book Two in the "Out of Time" series.
This is the second installment to the Out of Time series by Nadine Brandes. This is the link to the first review. The dystopian adventure continues with our hero Parvin and her sometimes reckless but always heroic nature. I liked this book much better than the first one. I felt that it went much faster than the previous one and I enjoyed the plot and pacing much more. I also felt that Parvin’s faith made more sense in this book. In the previous I criticized for it being too quick of a faith change, so in this one her solid faith makes much more sense.
However, I still have some issues with the book. In this one there was a much bigger cast of characters, some of which I felt didn’t get enough character development. I also forgot a lot of characters as I was reading the book, only to come back to them later and be utterly confused. I also felt the development for the characters outside of Parvin and Solomon was lacking a little bit. The mother’s character in particular confused me as she seems to flip flop between caring and neglectful. I also wanted more world building in the book, especially since we saw some new areas of the west, and I felt some of the events with a group of people was a bit odd and unexplained. Finally, I felt that in some parts of the book the action scenes were a bit confusing.
Verdict: While I had some critiques about this book I did enjoy the story overall and I feel that the ending will leave me in an emotional wreck.
adventurous
challenging
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Solomon. Parvin's relationship with Solomon. The themes. The portrayal of faith. The WRITING (so many great lines, man. I need a second copy that I can underline and mark up to my heart's content). THE ENDING. WHAT WAS THAT. I NEED BOOK THREE ASAP. I hugged this book at least once. I paused many times to squeal or let emotions settle. Have I mentioned SOLOMON??? And there were so many moments, especially toward the end, that gave little peeks at shalom and were so heartwarming and encouraging and real, and I loved those. I loved A Time to Die and I related to Parvin and I loved the faith elements and the worldbuilding and Jude... and A Time to Speak is even better. I would give it six stars if I could. I still related to Parvin. I still loved the faith elements and the worldbuilding, and I liked Solomon even better than Jude (even though Solomon didn't have a tune chip) and everything that was done so well in the first book was somehow even stronger in this one. It's simply amazing and encouraging and challenging and needs to be read by everyone.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Confinement
Moderate: Death, Gun violence, Slavery, Violence, Blood, Excrement, Vomit, Trafficking
This is the second book in Nadine Brandes’ Out of Time series that follows Radical Parvin Blackwater. I’m pretty new to the dystopian genre, having only read Nadine’s two books. I knew the basis of the genre, but I didn’t realize how deeply it could effect me. Both of Nadine’s books are excellent, that I don’t doubt, and they’ve both left me with much to think about. I picked up this book knowing that it would probably break my heart a bit, as the first one did, I just didn’t realize to what extent. And that isn’t meant to dissuade anyone. I loved this book! I just want to give fair warning that this isn’t a light read. Sometimes it’s dark, it’s heavy, the story carries weight and caused me to pause and think. I personally love a book that draws me so thoroughly into it that I do react. That I want to pitch it across the room, or cry, or run and tell my friends about it. Those are the books that I love the most, because they become almost real to me and I believe that it takes a gift to add that kind of weightiness to mere words.
Nadine does a fantastic job of returning me to Unity and to Parvin’s world. I love all of the characters that return and how she continued to build their ranks with new names and faces. I especially loved getting to know Solomon and watching Parvin grow even more. She’s definitely had quite the journey and I enjoyed seeing how that changed her, made her stronger. Though she has learned a lot, there is still yet more for her to find. I enjoyed following her as she grew, became a leader, and saw her vision happen. She is so realistic and I appreciated the fact that she’s never shown as perfect, or some pinnacle to be reached, but rather she’s broken. She is weak and sometimes she’s hurting, but she doesn’t surrender, even when it would’ve been the easier road. She’s a character that I found myself cheering for the entire way.
I also find myself fascinated by the world that Nadine has created and all of the gadgets that go along with it. I’ve never been much of a sci-fi person, but now I’m curious. There are so many ideas of what is possible and I love the way she explored them. They are definitely advanced, but not so far beyond my knowledge that I couldn’t comprehend. Her details are also wonderful. I could almost feel the cold and the elements, hear the waves and smell the sea. I loved how the story so thoroughly engaged me.
I have to admit that I almost envy Parvin’s faith. Though she’s been shaken and she has questions, she trusts. After giving it some thought, I really wonder if I could say the same. She’s tested beyond what she thought possible and found that God is so much stronger than anything they could imagine. I loved watching her faith grow and seeing her become more confident in who she is and who God called her to be. I loved how real this topic was throughout the book and how it played such a large part into their every day lives.
I honestly don’t have big complaints. My only negative comment is that I really disliked how the story ended. Major cliffhanger and just a “really?!” moment. I turned the last page, expecting another, and it was just over. I was anticipating that to some extent, because the first one ended the same way, but still. Really?! That being said, I definitely have incentive now to read the third book ASAP, though I think it may be a few months before it releases. I am so excited to read it and will most likely begin pestering the author shortly regarding a release date and how long I’ll be forced to wait.
I highly recommend this book to anyone who enjoys dystopian fiction (oh, and I also highly recommend reading the first book before this one if possible!)!
I received a complimentary copy of this book from the author for my honest review, which I have given. I was not required to write a positive review and have not been compensated for it in any way. All opinions expressed are my own.
Nadine does a fantastic job of returning me to Unity and to Parvin’s world. I love all of the characters that return and how she continued to build their ranks with new names and faces. I especially loved getting to know Solomon and watching Parvin grow even more. She’s definitely had quite the journey and I enjoyed seeing how that changed her, made her stronger. Though she has learned a lot, there is still yet more for her to find. I enjoyed following her as she grew, became a leader, and saw her vision happen. She is so realistic and I appreciated the fact that she’s never shown as perfect, or some pinnacle to be reached, but rather she’s broken. She is weak and sometimes she’s hurting, but she doesn’t surrender, even when it would’ve been the easier road. She’s a character that I found myself cheering for the entire way.
I also find myself fascinated by the world that Nadine has created and all of the gadgets that go along with it. I’ve never been much of a sci-fi person, but now I’m curious. There are so many ideas of what is possible and I love the way she explored them. They are definitely advanced, but not so far beyond my knowledge that I couldn’t comprehend. Her details are also wonderful. I could almost feel the cold and the elements, hear the waves and smell the sea. I loved how the story so thoroughly engaged me.
I have to admit that I almost envy Parvin’s faith. Though she’s been shaken and she has questions, she trusts. After giving it some thought, I really wonder if I could say the same. She’s tested beyond what she thought possible and found that God is so much stronger than anything they could imagine. I loved watching her faith grow and seeing her become more confident in who she is and who God called her to be. I loved how real this topic was throughout the book and how it played such a large part into their every day lives.
I honestly don’t have big complaints. My only negative comment is that I really disliked how the story ended. Major cliffhanger and just a “really?!” moment. I turned the last page, expecting another, and it was just over. I was anticipating that to some extent, because the first one ended the same way, but still. Really?! That being said, I definitely have incentive now to read the third book ASAP, though I think it may be a few months before it releases. I am so excited to read it and will most likely begin pestering the author shortly regarding a release date and how long I’ll be forced to wait.
I highly recommend this book to anyone who enjoys dystopian fiction (oh, and I also highly recommend reading the first book before this one if possible!)!
I received a complimentary copy of this book from the author for my honest review, which I have given. I was not required to write a positive review and have not been compensated for it in any way. All opinions expressed are my own.
Wow. I really enjoyed this book. Way more than the first one even. Review coming soon!
A Time to Speak had me riveted!! Y'all I could not pry myself from my eReader, much to the consternation of my children. I just had to find out what would happen to Parvin.
Parvin still flounders, but every time she does, she seeks God. Y'all there's just such an important lesson in that. Sure, these books are marketed for the YA crowd, but I can tell you the lessons and story will touch everyone...no matter the age of the reader. Parvin finds her voice in this story. Not only that, but her voice gives courage to many. In a time where too many unwise people are speaking, I find Parvin's pure reliance on God refreshing and inspiring. It's a disappointment she's actually not a real person. We could find much parallel between her world and the one popping up in our newsfeed and our news channels.
*I received a free copy in exchange for an honest review.
**Full review at http://tonishiloh.weebly.com/blog/review-a-time-to-speak-by-nadine-brandes
Parvin still flounders, but every time she does, she seeks God. Y'all there's just such an important lesson in that. Sure, these books are marketed for the YA crowd, but I can tell you the lessons and story will touch everyone...no matter the age of the reader. Parvin finds her voice in this story. Not only that, but her voice gives courage to many. In a time where too many unwise people are speaking, I find Parvin's pure reliance on God refreshing and inspiring. It's a disappointment she's actually not a real person. We could find much parallel between her world and the one popping up in our newsfeed and our news channels.
*I received a free copy in exchange for an honest review.
**Full review at http://tonishiloh.weebly.com/blog/review-a-time-to-speak-by-nadine-brandes
A Time to Speak picks up directly after the shocking end of A Time to Die. Parvin's recent adventure has changed her, but now she is being called to change the world. Her eyes are open to the corruption and evil that leads her world. Her quest takes her to the high city to challenge the council, but these things never go according to plan. Parvin soon finds herself, carted off like animals. This time her adventure will take her to frozen wastelands and beyond.
It was fun seeing Parvin transition from a character undergoing a transformation over the course of the first book, into someone with a greater destiny. She no longer lives just for herself. She is called to speak - but will anybody listen?
Nadine Brandes's Out of Time books speak to me and challenge me in a way that few fiction books do. Not only are they gripping adventures, but they make me think. While the first book challenged me to make my life count, this one challenged me with Parvin's example of faith and bravery. It's one thing to say you trust God. It's another to put everything on the line and place yourself in his hands.
Once again this book has a strong climax with an ending that will have you clamouring for book 3.
It was fun seeing Parvin transition from a character undergoing a transformation over the course of the first book, into someone with a greater destiny. She no longer lives just for herself. She is called to speak - but will anybody listen?
Nadine Brandes's Out of Time books speak to me and challenge me in a way that few fiction books do. Not only are they gripping adventures, but they make me think. While the first book challenged me to make my life count, this one challenged me with Parvin's example of faith and bravery. It's one thing to say you trust God. It's another to put everything on the line and place yourself in his hands.
Once again this book has a strong climax with an ending that will have you clamouring for book 3.
A Time To Speak is the second book of the Out of Time series. (Spoilers for book 1 ahead)
Parvin Blackwater is dealing with the shocking aftermath of A Time To Die. She had been so sure that her Clock was running out and she was about to die, but now she needs to find a reason to live. Her family struggles with the shock of the events, but Parvin finds a new ally in Solomon Hawke, an Enforcer with a conscience.
She learns how the Council has manipulated her and events to increase their hold over the populace. This leads to her new mission, to speak out against the Council and bring truth.
But no one wants to listen.
As Parvin wrestles with God over her seemingly ineffective actions, the Council pulls an unexpected stunt that has Parvin and hundreds of Radicals shipped far away for experimentation.
Now stranded in a barren wasteland, Parvin and Solomon have to rise up and lead the survivors if there's ever to be a hope of speaking out again.
--
Nadine has a unique voice and space in YA fiction. She loves dystopian, but there's an element of hope that doesn't usually cross over in this genre. The world-building that was set up in book one expands in this book, creating an interesting world with real consequences for characters.
Parvin continues to suffer. This is not a character who skates above the trouble, and details aren't spared. Sometimes Parvin gets down and doubts herself, but her faith in God is growing, and she clings to her perceived mission with dogged determination. She can be headstrong and a bit stubborn, but she's also a literary character that can be a strong role model for readers.
The action builds throughout the story. At one point it seems things are coming together too well, but Nadine ably blows our expectation at appropriate times.
I definitely enjoyed the book a lot. My main complaint would be that some segments drag on a little too long, and sometimes we spend too much time having Parvin's thoughts ruminate on a plot point or issue. Overall, the rich world-building, rising consequences, and damaged but determined heroine make it a strong read for lovers of YA or dystopian fiction.
I did receive a review copy in exchange for a fair review.
Parvin Blackwater is dealing with the shocking aftermath of A Time To Die. She had been so sure that her Clock was running out and she was about to die, but now she needs to find a reason to live. Her family struggles with the shock of the events, but Parvin finds a new ally in Solomon Hawke, an Enforcer with a conscience.
She learns how the Council has manipulated her and events to increase their hold over the populace. This leads to her new mission, to speak out against the Council and bring truth.
But no one wants to listen.
As Parvin wrestles with God over her seemingly ineffective actions, the Council pulls an unexpected stunt that has Parvin and hundreds of Radicals shipped far away for experimentation.
Now stranded in a barren wasteland, Parvin and Solomon have to rise up and lead the survivors if there's ever to be a hope of speaking out again.
--
Nadine has a unique voice and space in YA fiction. She loves dystopian, but there's an element of hope that doesn't usually cross over in this genre. The world-building that was set up in book one expands in this book, creating an interesting world with real consequences for characters.
Parvin continues to suffer. This is not a character who skates above the trouble, and details aren't spared. Sometimes Parvin gets down and doubts herself, but her faith in God is growing, and she clings to her perceived mission with dogged determination. She can be headstrong and a bit stubborn, but she's also a literary character that can be a strong role model for readers.
The action builds throughout the story. At one point it seems things are coming together too well, but Nadine ably blows our expectation at appropriate times.
I definitely enjoyed the book a lot. My main complaint would be that some segments drag on a little too long, and sometimes we spend too much time having Parvin's thoughts ruminate on a plot point or issue. Overall, the rich world-building, rising consequences, and damaged but determined heroine make it a strong read for lovers of YA or dystopian fiction.
I did receive a review copy in exchange for a fair review.