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4.43 AVERAGE
4.43 AVERAGE
adventurous
emotional
informative
inspiring
reflective
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
funny
reflective
sad
slow-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:
Yes
4 Stars.
🕰️ The vibes:
- Time jumping
- Historical fiction
- Salem witch trials
- Women in aviation
- Faith themes
- Book 3 in interconnected standalones
- Closed door
🕰️ My thoughts:
This book follows twins Hope and Grace through the chaos of time jumping through the two timelines of 1692 and 1912. It’s not only a story of adventure but also of the bonds of sisterhood through love and loss.
🕰️ The twists and turns on this one was unlike any other. I was on my toes the ENTIRE time. I love how the author can continue this concept of time jumping while adding new elements and new perspectives every time. It’s a fresh and exciting experience with each book, and this book gave me that.
🕰️ I appreciated seeing a character who abhorred the “gift” of time jumping. Seeing the “gift” as a curse and wanting to refuse it at every turn was a new perspective. One of the sisters wanted to break the rules of time jumping and follow her own path, and I was really invested in seeing how this idea played out because I am so selfish that I considered this during the previous books.
🕰️ The Salem Trials are heavy to read through, and at times I was questioning what was real and not real. I was somehow surprised at the evilness of humanity, but the author once again presents tough life situations with a lens of hope that is addicting to read.
Note- closed door
emotional
hopeful
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
For A Lifetime is just as compelling, surprising, and unpredictable as the first two installments in the Timeless series. This is the first book in the series that follows siblings—identical twins Grace and Hope—instead of a single perspective Timecrosser. Meyer continues to build her in-world lore in interesting ways. I am so impressed with her deft weaving of disparate time periods into a synchronized story, and how she is able to ensure that the plot is equally propulsive in both. And the amount of research that goes into each book in the series is truly awe-inspiring to consider.
Grace and Hope are as radically different in personality and demeanor as identical twins can be. Grace is sweet, quiet, and conscientious. She has such a kind soul, and is unfortunately accustomed to playing second fiddle to her more vivacious twin. Though she does have her own kind of tenacity when it comes to rooting out truth in both of her paths. Hope is a beautiful free spirit, whose spiritedness could land them both in grave danger if left unchecked. It might be a boon in the adventurous 1912 life she loves, but it might be deadly in the festering cauldron that is the Salem Witch Trials, soon to come down the pipe in her 1692 path. They can do nothing but buckle down under the onslaught for the months remaining until they reach their 25th birthday and can leave 1692 behind forever. In 1912, Grace is an investigative journalist and Hope is one of the first female aeroplane pilots, when being a pilot still came with an incredible amount of danger and a high mortality rate. They love their lives in 1912 and, though one sister has feelings for a man in 1692, they vow to stay together in time when they make their final decision. But, of course, even the best laid of plans can go horribly awry.
There are four building blocks of this series that have ensured that every single installment is utterly captivating: the history, the character development, the pacing, and the faith. I am, once again, in total awe of Meyer’s incredible research and attention to detail. I never skip her Author’s Note at the end of each book, as they are filled with fascinating information and resources readers can use to dig into these events and time periods themselves, should they so choose. The character development feels organic and believable. As does the faith, which is vital to that character development.
And the quick pacing, paired with the frequent cliffhangers at the end of chapters before flipping back to the other time period(s), make it incredibly difficult to put the books down. I’m coming to expect the unexpected in terms of plot twists when it comes to this series. And that expectation was met more than once in this installment. Hearing that the twins plan to travel on the maiden voyage of the Titanic added an extra layer of foreboding tension to the plot. And there was a twist at the end of part one that actually shocked a gasp from me. Even when I read about the fallout in the next chapter, I still had a hard time believing it. Much like our main characters.
The romantic element was also well done, if something of a tangled web. One sister loves a man in 1912, the other a childhood friend in 1692. But each of the men loves the other sister. It’s a mess, and the kind of mess that usually results in an eyerolling amount of drama. That wasn’t the case here. Meyer did a wonderful job developing her perspective characters before bringing the romantic elements truly into play. I was deeply invested in the romances because I was deeply invested in each sister.
Each of the books I’ve read in this series so have stuck with me and maintained their vibrancy in my memory for months, and will likely continue to do so for years down the road. The same is true regarding For A Lifetime. And I love the sweet ways Meyer finds to tie each new story back to those that have come before it. For instance, in the epilogue of this installment, there is a callback to the first book in this series, When the Day Comes. It was a lovely addition, one that managed to retroactively bring hope to a situation that seemed hopeless in that first book. This series is unlike anything I’ve ever read, and I can’t wait to see where Meyer takes it next.
Grace and Hope are as radically different in personality and demeanor as identical twins can be. Grace is sweet, quiet, and conscientious. She has such a kind soul, and is unfortunately accustomed to playing second fiddle to her more vivacious twin. Though she does have her own kind of tenacity when it comes to rooting out truth in both of her paths. Hope is a beautiful free spirit, whose spiritedness could land them both in grave danger if left unchecked. It might be a boon in the adventurous 1912 life she loves, but it might be deadly in the festering cauldron that is the Salem Witch Trials, soon to come down the pipe in her 1692 path. They can do nothing but buckle down under the onslaught for the months remaining until they reach their 25th birthday and can leave 1692 behind forever. In 1912, Grace is an investigative journalist and Hope is one of the first female aeroplane pilots, when being a pilot still came with an incredible amount of danger and a high mortality rate. They love their lives in 1912 and, though one sister has feelings for a man in 1692, they vow to stay together in time when they make their final decision. But, of course, even the best laid of plans can go horribly awry.
There are four building blocks of this series that have ensured that every single installment is utterly captivating: the history, the character development, the pacing, and the faith. I am, once again, in total awe of Meyer’s incredible research and attention to detail. I never skip her Author’s Note at the end of each book, as they are filled with fascinating information and resources readers can use to dig into these events and time periods themselves, should they so choose. The character development feels organic and believable. As does the faith, which is vital to that character development.
And the quick pacing, paired with the frequent cliffhangers at the end of chapters before flipping back to the other time period(s), make it incredibly difficult to put the books down. I’m coming to expect the unexpected in terms of plot twists when it comes to this series. And that expectation was met more than once in this installment. Hearing that the twins plan to travel on the maiden voyage of the Titanic added an extra layer of foreboding tension to the plot. And there was a twist at the end of part one that actually shocked a gasp from me. Even when I read about the fallout in the next chapter, I still had a hard time believing it. Much like our main characters.
The romantic element was also well done, if something of a tangled web. One sister loves a man in 1912, the other a childhood friend in 1692. But each of the men loves the other sister. It’s a mess, and the kind of mess that usually results in an eyerolling amount of drama. That wasn’t the case here. Meyer did a wonderful job developing her perspective characters before bringing the romantic elements truly into play. I was deeply invested in the romances because I was deeply invested in each sister.
Each of the books I’ve read in this series so have stuck with me and maintained their vibrancy in my memory for months, and will likely continue to do so for years down the road. The same is true regarding For A Lifetime. And I love the sweet ways Meyer finds to tie each new story back to those that have come before it. For instance, in the epilogue of this installment, there is a callback to the first book in this series, When the Day Comes. It was a lovely addition, one that managed to retroactively bring hope to a situation that seemed hopeless in that first book. This series is unlike anything I’ve ever read, and I can’t wait to see where Meyer takes it next.
adventurous
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
dark
emotional
mysterious
sad
tense
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
This is my least favorite book in the Timeless series because I found the Salem storyline to be dreary, drawn-out, repetitive, and generally miserable. I will say that it kept me at the edge of my seat at certain points, but at others I found myself just wanting to be back in the lively 1912 timeline. I also typically do not enjoy “scary” genres so my dislike of the Salem storyline is purely based on personal taste and not necessarily reflective of the writing.
On the other hand, I found it refreshing having two narrators between the twins, and it was clever how the author switched their narration point of view once Hope died in the 1912 path. The story overall was riveting and compelling, as all the stories in the Timeless series are.
I will say that one part I found hard to believe was the development of Hope and Isaac’s relationship. Hope’s growing interest in Isaac felt too quick in my opinion, especially since she disliked him so deeply in the past. It is an interesting plot line — switching the love interests between the twins like that — but I didn’t find it to be particularly well done for either couple.
I think there was more believable romantic development for Grace and Luc, which I enjoyed — especially the morning scene when Grace accidentally confesses her time-crossing secret to Luc, and he responds in a completely clueless manner. That. was. hilarious.
Again, what I enjoyed most about this book, as I do with all the others in the series, is the homage to the glory of God’s plans for our lives and the beauty in surrendering fully to His will.
On the other hand, I found it refreshing having two narrators between the twins, and it was clever how the author switched their narration point of view once Hope died in the 1912 path. The story overall was riveting and compelling, as all the stories in the Timeless series are.
I will say that one part I found hard to believe was the development of Hope and Isaac’s relationship. Hope’s growing interest in Isaac felt too quick in my opinion, especially since she disliked him so deeply in the past. It is an interesting plot line — switching the love interests between the twins like that — but I didn’t find it to be particularly well done for either couple.
I think there was more believable romantic development for Grace and Luc, which I enjoyed — especially the morning scene when Grace accidentally confesses her time-crossing secret to Luc, and he responds in a completely clueless manner. That. was. hilarious.
Again, what I enjoyed most about this book, as I do with all the others in the series, is the homage to the glory of God’s plans for our lives and the beauty in surrendering fully to His will.
This was my second favorite of the series! I think it's unfair to put it at second, just because for me the first book will always be my "number one" book! Libby in Williamsburg is just my favorite story ever.
But this story with the twins had me hooked from the beginning! This would be a phenomenal October read with its spooky themes with the witch trials. But don't wait to read it! I had no clue how this was going to have a happy ending, but as always Gabrielle blows me away with her intricacy. And I was downright shocked multiple times. But in the best way possible! This series will forever be my favorite!
But this story with the twins had me hooked from the beginning! This would be a phenomenal October read with its spooky themes with the witch trials. But don't wait to read it! I had no clue how this was going to have a happy ending, but as always Gabrielle blows me away with her intricacy. And I was downright shocked multiple times. But in the best way possible! This series will forever be my favorite!
adventurous
hopeful
inspiring
mysterious
reflective
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
With each new book I read of this series, I am in awe of the author and how she can develop new twists on the time-crossing plotline and her writing style. She never ceases to amaze me. I love this series so much and I still have a few more books to go.
This one was so different from the others but mysterious. I couldn't wait to see what happened with each turn of the page. The twins perspectives were intriguing and the love interests definitely kept me on my toes. I was so intrigued by how the romances were going to turn out. I was also fascinated by the history and the differences between Grace and Hope. I didn't see most of these twists coming and I love how the author really keeps you guessing throughout the book and delivers the unexpected. I really loved watching the romances unfold. The similarities between each twin's current love and their sister is interesting, how the contrasts as well to other characters. I enjoyed how it all played out. Great slow burn in the romance as well!
I was unfamiliar with the in depth history of 1692 timeline and it really was eye-opening. I do wish the lingo was a bit more explained since I was unfamiliar with it. But I do love how the author stays true to the era even in the dialogue. There was so much to unpack in the last part of the book and I was on the edge of my seat.
One of my favorite things about this series and author is the way she weaves in a faith theme throughout each book of the series and how important that theme is throughout the entire book. I love all the faith elements and Christian themes.
This one was so different from the others but mysterious. I couldn't wait to see what happened with each turn of the page. The twins perspectives were intriguing and the love interests definitely kept me on my toes. I was so intrigued by how the romances were going to turn out. I was also fascinated by the history and the differences between Grace and Hope. I didn't see most of these twists coming and I love how the author really keeps you guessing throughout the book and delivers the unexpected. I really loved watching the romances unfold. The similarities between each twin's current love and their sister is interesting, how the contrasts as well to other characters. I enjoyed how it all played out. Great slow burn in the romance as well!
I was unfamiliar with the in depth history of 1692 timeline and it really was eye-opening. I do wish the lingo was a bit more explained since I was unfamiliar with it. But I do love how the author stays true to the era even in the dialogue. There was so much to unpack in the last part of the book and I was on the edge of my seat.
One of my favorite things about this series and author is the way she weaves in a faith theme throughout each book of the series and how important that theme is throughout the entire book. I love all the faith elements and Christian themes.
adventurous
emotional
hopeful
reflective
medium-paced