Review: Waterfall by Lisa Tawn Bergren

Published Date: Febuary 1st, 2011
Finished Date: August 10st, 2011
Publishers: David C. Cook
Format: Paperback
Pages: 352
Series: River of Time book 1

Blurb from Goodreads: Lisa Tawn Bergren's new YA series, River of Time, is romantic, historical fiction in which the plucky heroine doesn't have to fear a vampire's bite but must still fight for her life.

In Waterfall, American teenager Gabi Betarrini accidently finds herself in Fourteenth-Century Italy . . . Knights. Swords. Horses. Armor. And Italian hotties. Most American teens want an Italian vacation, but the Betarrini sisters have spent every summer of their lives there with their archaeologist parents. Stuck on yet another hot, dusty dig, they are bored out of their minds... until they place their hands atop handprints in an ancient tomb and find themselves catapulted into the Fourteenth Century and in the middle of a fierce battle between knights bent on killing one another. -----------------------------------------------------------------

My Review: A definite 4.5 stars. I've just done a review for a 1-star rating book and switching to a 4.5 is kind of disorienting and is like a whiplash, in a way. I'm digressing, sorry.

Gabriella 'Gabi' Betarrini is a pretty, brunette, American teen who's, at the start of the book, stuck with her mom who has a real passion for her job (which is archaeology), and her pretty blonde sister. On trips like these, Gabi always feel marginalised by her mom, making her feel like a child. And on this very special excavation, she has better plans for herself and her sister who likes to follow her around.

So when her mom was conveniently distracted, Gabi and sis (ok i should probably name her now), by the name Evangelia 'Lia' Betarrini, climbs into an ancient tomb and does some things inside (dont be lazy and go read this for yourself. Trust me, it's worth it) and gets transported thru time. Somehow, during the ride back thru time, the sisters got separated and once there, Gabi sets off to find Lia and together, find a way back home.

*Major spoiler alert from here on out!* You've been duly cautioned... Tho i must say the below are really just my idle musings.

Gabi was a strong-willed, actually iron-willed would be more fitting, courageous, smart, loyal, list goes on, girl. Wow, she is some female-tiger. In a good way. In a very good way. I loved her (not the lesbian love, ew - not that im against it). She's just....... I really like her personality.:)

Male protagonists Marcello and Luca. They are handsome (ok which YA male protagonists arent nowadays?), skilled in combat, and real sweet. Even tho Marcello's the main dude here, i preferred Luca with his easy, charming attitude, but you can see deep down that he doesnt just possess the brawns, but the brains that defines him as perfecto with the pop at the p. I really, really liked Luca.:)

I shall go according to what i felt in chronological order, starting from whence i begun the book.

Initially when the girls first arrived at the excavation site in present-day Italy, the first thing that came to Gabi's mind was on finding hot and unattached Italian guys. Ok that, for me, was a major turn off point, but it was only the starting so i just tried to forget it and continue.

After being transported thru time to Fourteenth-Century Italy, she sees structures dedicated to Christ. When she saw said structures (ok the phrasing here is gonna get tricky so as not to offend any...religious folks out there), she said some things that i thought were rather anti-Christ. Well, I'm not Christian, but i thought it was offensive. But of course it didnt continue; She even ended up believing in God in the end. Lol,ok not a major point in this book.

Ending: She sustained this fatal wound and a terrible illness which at that time was still incurable. So the only solution that they could think of was to time travel back to the present in which advance technology was within reach. But somehow when they got back, Gabi was miraculously ay-okay. Well that's a convenient end, al' right.

One last random musing before i wrap up. Why is the title of this book WATERFALL? I mean, it does match the name of the series but there is no link whatsoever that i can find between it and the story. Which is weird.

Overall, i found this book oddly engrossing, i could hardly put the book down! Even tho it did get a little childish/immature at some points, but it still captivated me, heart and soul(woah, kind of exaggerating but you get the point). It was a beautiful novel and i cannot wait to start on CASCADE, book 2 in the River of Time series. Cheers!

My Rating: