A Thousand Lives Lived: Reaching Through Time by Lurlene McDaniel // Time-Travel Portrayed Quickly and Interestingly

Reaching Through Time: Three Novellas, by Lurlene McDaniel
Publication: August 9, 2011, by Delacorte Press BFYR
Genre: Young Adult Fiction, Romance, Time-Traveling
Pages: 240
Format: Hardcover
Source: Purchased
Rating:

What's Happened to Me? Sarah finds herself in a strange place, and she can recall only one thing—her name. A young man, Heath de Charon, explains to Sarah that he found her unconscious on the grounds of his family's estate and has been caring for her. Sarah is thankful, but when she starts hearing voices that whisper for her to come back, she is confused, and desperate to find out where she really belongs.
When the Clock Chimes Drake Iverson lands a summer job on Sandstone Mountain. There are no computers; he has to do all the work by hand in a large leather-bound book. He doesn't mind, as long as he can be near Gina, who is pretty and kind. But when Gina falls ill, Drake is asked to leave. He is determined to find out what happened to Gina and to uncover other mysteries he encounters on Sandstone Mountain.
The Mysteries of Chance Dylan Sorenson offers his help to a girl who seems to be in distress. The girl, Maura, explains that she's simply overwhelmed by the heat and quickly runs off. But Maura is soon drawn back to Dylan and a friendship and budding romance begins. However, Maura doesn't reveal the whole truth about herself, and Dylan has secrets of his own. Can their relationship withstand the deception?

My Thoughts:

So for some reason, I was super excited for this book although I have not really been into the subject of time-traveling. I have read Lurlene McDaniel's work in the past, the amazing Hit and Run, but this? To tell you the truth, the only reason why I actually picked it up was because it was in the bargain section, and I recognized the author's name. Reaching Through Time was short, quick and a breeze, with one story that I actually adored. So, really, let me just break my thoughts of each story down to make it simpler.

What Happened to Me?: So this would probably noted as the worst of the three. How many stars would I give it? 3. So basically the concept is about a girl thinking she has woken up in a weird place. Readers first suspect that she is in the afterlife or in a parallel universe, trying to get back home. But then again, she has amnesia and barely remembers who she is, what is her name, where is she or what has happened to her. The person who "saves her" is named Heath, and he is filthy rich. Sarah then tries to solve the mystery and get back to her family, as she knows Heath certainly is not.

I liked the revelation of who Heath really was and where Sarah is, but the points and details in-between were too storylike. Fairy-tale like. This is supposed to be a YA novel, not one about a teenage girl going on horses and someone falling in love with someone who is strictly forbidden in a way. I mean, there were some captivating things about this novella, but then again, it's not the right thing for me either. McDaniel's writing can either leave you obsessed or disgruntle.

It is evident that if you are a preteen, this short story might mesmerize you. Trust me.

When the Clock Chimes: YES. Reading this novella was like watching America's Got Talent or American Idol, watching the judges make certain individuals feel like they obtain the most memorable talent the show has ever seen. When the Clock Chimes was racing and left me aching for a full novel. It takes place in a span of fifty pages, and I was enchanted from the first one. This features a male protagonist named Drake, who has just moved to a small rural area of North Carolina where he immediately signs up for a summer job, working at the house of an ex-Harvard professor. He has a daughter named Gina, who Drake is attracted to, but as he sees that his boss feels weird with the fact that there's a romance between them, Drake tries to back off but his feelings make sure that he knows it's impossible.

If you enjoy time traveling, this story has everything you've ever wanted. A pure, innocent love story, mystery and a time machine. I am glad that I actually got to devour this all in one sitting. I cannot get enough of it.

The Mysteries of Chance: So as we read on, we're able to tell that all three stories focus on one kind of virtue: chance, forbidden love and finding yourself. Instead of the protagonist having to time travel and get into some mystery world, here we have the side character jumping into our male protagonist's world. Dylan saves a girl named Maura who he immediately thinks of as strange, but she quickly denies that nothing's wrong with her. I guess you can tell what is coming next. I wasn't too into this one either, but enjoyed the romance.

Reaching Through Time practically can leave you bursting. Bursting to research and see if these kinds of stories are possible, because really, who knows? McDaniel portrays her writing with brilliant protagonists who just seem lost in modern day society and end up trying something new. It's not something I may want to read again, but I enjoyed it either way for a few hours and sittings.