Reviews

Lost In Time by A.L. Lester

millah's review against another edition

adventurous emotional lighthearted mysterious reflective sad tense medium-paced

4.25

Oh, I liked the time-travel theme! This was entertaining and kept my attention from start to finish. Some plotwise choices surprised me, but not enough to pull me out of the story.  I would have liked to see a glimpse (or two) of the characters and events from the prequel, but this new story was intriguing enough. I liked Lew and Alec, they were interesting and rich characters who gradually developed an interest in each other. Their romance was in the background, and I'd like to see more of their interaction and the build-up of their relationship. I liked the background characters, although I wished the few women in the book had bigger roles and more agency. Overall, a very entertaining read. Callum Hale did a great job narrating the book and making everything come alive. 

valerieullmerauthor's review against another edition

3.0

This book was more of a time travel/paranormal detective story than a true romance. When Lew uses magic to go after his sister in 1919 from his time in 2016, he meets Alec, a detective who he helps with a series of murders. There is no real romance until the end, but even then, you could consider the story a simmering attraction rather than a romance. Alec was a wonderfully rich character, but Lew and the time he was from seemed to be swept under the rug, even forgoing finding his sister for two years. The story seemed to be drawn out and there will probably be a sequel, but this story needed more closure and definitely more romance.

myzanm's review against another edition

3.0

This story was not what I expected from the blurb...
Some parts were good. Some were not good.

zed_dog's review

1.5

The premise was promising, but I think this book made some fatal pacing choices early on, and the whole thing ended up slow, haphazard, and unsatisfying. 

triftwizened's review

This is an odd book. There’s the random POV jump to one of the big bads that’s completely unnecessary, and just a general need for editing (ie. Alec suddenly referring to himself as Carter and then never again). But my breaking point was when Mira says that she knows her skin color will work against her, but she wants to stay in the 1920s anyway. I’m not a person of color but that ….feels supremely reductive. 

elementarymydear's review

dark mysterious fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

3.0

I’ve really enjoyed reading some of A. L. Lester’s newer releases over the last year or so, so I was very excited when I got the chance to review the audiobook of their debut novel!

There are lots of different aspects to this story, including a historical between-the-wars setting, a paranormal mystery and a slow-burn queer romance. At the start the different threads felt quite disjointed, but by the second half the story was well underway and it all blended together much more seamlessly.

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A lot happened in this very short book, and I think that’s where the audiobook format really has its advantages. If I had been reading this myself it might have felt a bit rushed, but the audiobook format slowed the pacing down to the perfect level. There were a few anachronisms and inconsistencies, but on the whole they didn’t impede on my enjoyment of the book.

The book was really well-narrated by Callum Hale, making it an engaging listen, and he brought the different characters to life with plenty of variety between each person.

While this book was a mixed bag for me, I can’t wait to listen to the next two in the series. Lost in Time felt less like the first book in a trilogy and more like the first part of one, longer book, and I’m excited for what happens next!

Thank you to the author for providing me with a free copy of the audiobook for review; all of their audiobooks are currently available on Spotify. All opinions are my own.

 

vae's review against another edition

3.0

Great characters, great worldbuilding, great set-up - and then it ended! Felt very much like a set up to a series rather than a standalone book.

cmvorra's review

I found the time jumps weird and jarring.

claudia_is_reading's review against another edition

4.0

I truly enjoyed this story. I loved the Universe created by the author, and I love the characters. The fact that the story is happening just after the end of the WWI is a plus :P

The relationship between Lew and Mira is lovely; and having him follow her to the past just shows how deep their feelings are. Well, okay, he wasn't aware that he was following her into the past, but still :P

The concept of the Border and the creatures following them into this dimension is fascinating, and I want to know more. And I love how people from this time kept popping up, knowing all about the whole thing *laughs*

And, of course, there is also the potential for a romance between Lew and Alec. At least, by the end of the book, we know they will be working together.

Callum Hale does a great job with the narration, but there are some issues with the editing, as chapters 14 and 22 are both twice in the audiobook.

casmonido's review

adventurous emotional mysterious medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

4.0