Wednesday, July 31, 2013

A Tale of Two Centuries by Rachel Harris -- ESSENTIAL

Harris, Rachel A Tale of Two Centuries 320 pgs. Entangled Publishing, Aug. 6, 2013. $9.99.

Language: PG-13 (27 swears, no 'f'); Sexual Content: PG-13; Violence: PG.

In this sequel to My Super Sweet Sixteenth Century, Cat's cousin Alessandra is tired of her quiet life of obedience in sixteenth-century Florence. She longs to speak out. Even more, she wants the rush she felt when acting out a play with Cat two years before -- something good girls in her time are not allowed to do. But when she has the chance to time travel to modern-day L.A., she discovers that being brave is not as easy as she expected. Still, she is determined to make the most of her scary but exciting journey. Good thing she has a little help in the form of her audacious cousin Cat and her government class partner, the obnoxious but undeniably attractive Austin.

This is a wonderful, uplifting tale of friendship, romance, and making your own destiny. It was a lot of fun to experience modern-day life through the eyes of a timid sixteenth-century girl, and my curiosity about how it would all work out kept me turning the pages.  The chemistry between Alessandra and Austin is undeniable, especially once they get to know each other, but what I appreciated most was that, ultimately, it wasn't Austin who saved her in the end. It was Alessandra's own strength, confidence, and willingness to speak up. Note: Does contain one instance of drinking, where Cat steals a shot glass in a bar and suggests Alessandra drink the liquor to calm her nerves. When Alessandra overdoes it, however, the results are unpleasant for her and the characters around her.

HS -- ESSENTIAL. Reviewed by: Caryn

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