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Stealing Time Reviews
I just found these amazing reviews on my time travel romantic suspense novel Stealing Time.
I'm very excited to offer the first five chapters of the second book, Shattering Time, if you sign up for my newsletter here. Or you can read the first two chapters on my website here.
Shattering Time will be released this summer. Stay tuned for another blog post on the anatomy of my book cover. Yesterday my book cover biz partner, Jody Smyers and I had a photo shoot at an antique clock shop for the cover.
If you haven't yet read Stealing Time, now is your chance to be ready for the continuation of the story with Ronnie Andrews. It's only $2.99 for ebook or $14.99 for paperback. I can even send you a signed copy for $14.99 plus shipping, just connect with me on facebook here or my website.
I'd love for you to check it out Click on the link here:
Reviews on Goodreads
Jun 15, 2016
Jun 15, 2016Marcha Fox rated it it was amazing · review of another edition
Recommends it for: time travel fans, historical fiction fans, 18th Century England buffs, thriller fans
I have three fairly basic criteria that will earn a book an instant 5-star review: It's makes me laugh, it makes me cry, and it keeps me up past my bedtime. As you have probably guessed, "Stealing Time" definitely hit the mark.
I also have tremendous respect for an author who takes nine years to bring a book to completion. Now, of course, this is really bad news if you have to wait that long for the next episode, which hopefully won't be the case! But IMHO, there's a certain richness that a novel achieves with time versus those that are kicked out in a few weeks. No offense to those who do so, of course, I'm probably just jealous, because I'm another one who takes a while to finish up a book. Sometimes much longer than nine years, but that's another story. What I'm getting at is the quality of the characters, imagery and plot details show when a book, like a fine wine, has aged a bit, giving the author time to rethink, embellish and perfect their story. Yeah. Like a fine wine.
As a time travel story, this one is outstanding. The mechanism that transfers the heroine, Ronnie, back in time is in the realm of science fiction, i.e., credible, but not belabored. Thus, this is not true science fiction fodder, but more in the realm for those who love historical fiction since the majority of the story takes place in 18th Century England with some flashbacks (or would it be flashforwards?) to Florida enduring Hurricane Charley, back in 2004, which precipitated the transfer.
The research for this period of time was incredible. The reader is truly transferred back in time to a world so different than ours it feels like another planet. If you don't think the world has made any progress in the past two hundred fifty years, you definitely need to read this book. While today's world definitely has its problems and fundamental human nature doesn't change, it's incredible to get a glimpse of what England was like back in 1752. Wow. I, for one, am reminded how lucky I am to be living in this century. There are plenty of undercover lessons here, too, with regard to superstitious and unreasonable beliefs that drive a culture, in this case the ridiculous view of what qualified a woman as a witch and how she was subsequently tried and treated. Chilling and horrifying are the first words that come to mind.
The imagery and action was absolutely breathtaking, especially the last fourth of the book, at which point I just sucked it up regardless of the late hour and finished. Since this is the first book in a trilogy, I knew everything wouldn't be solved, but it did provide a satisfying ending, though there were certainly plenty of unanswered questions to drive the reader's hunger for the next volume. I highly recommend this well-written story to anyone who loves a thriller, historical fiction or romanticizes the past. Believe me when I say we have come much farther than you may think.(less)
I also have tremendous respect for an author who takes nine years to bring a book to completion. Now, of course, this is really bad news if you have to wait that long for the next episode, which hopefully won't be the case! But IMHO, there's a certain richness that a novel achieves with time versus those that are kicked out in a few weeks. No offense to those who do so, of course, I'm probably just jealous, because I'm another one who takes a while to finish up a book. Sometimes much longer than nine years, but that's another story. What I'm getting at is the quality of the characters, imagery and plot details show when a book, like a fine wine, has aged a bit, giving the author time to rethink, embellish and perfect their story. Yeah. Like a fine wine.
As a time travel story, this one is outstanding. The mechanism that transfers the heroine, Ronnie, back in time is in the realm of science fiction, i.e., credible, but not belabored. Thus, this is not true science fiction fodder, but more in the realm for those who love historical fiction since the majority of the story takes place in 18th Century England with some flashbacks (or would it be flashforwards?) to Florida enduring Hurricane Charley, back in 2004, which precipitated the transfer.
The research for this period of time was incredible. The reader is truly transferred back in time to a world so different than ours it feels like another planet. If you don't think the world has made any progress in the past two hundred fifty years, you definitely need to read this book. While today's world definitely has its problems and fundamental human nature doesn't change, it's incredible to get a glimpse of what England was like back in 1752. Wow. I, for one, am reminded how lucky I am to be living in this century. There are plenty of undercover lessons here, too, with regard to superstitious and unreasonable beliefs that drive a culture, in this case the ridiculous view of what qualified a woman as a witch and how she was subsequently tried and treated. Chilling and horrifying are the first words that come to mind.
The imagery and action was absolutely breathtaking, especially the last fourth of the book, at which point I just sucked it up regardless of the late hour and finished. Since this is the first book in a trilogy, I knew everything wouldn't be solved, but it did provide a satisfying ending, though there were certainly plenty of unanswered questions to drive the reader's hunger for the next volume. I highly recommend this well-written story to anyone who loves a thriller, historical fiction or romanticizes the past. Believe me when I say we have come much farther than you may think.(less)
...an intricately woven story with compelling strands... at the height of a powerful hurricane in Florida, a time warp envelops the lead female character, hurtling her across time and continents... from the modern day back to the eighteenth century, and transporting her to Olde London... but there’s more intriguing changes... her identity subsumes from her current persona to a completely different woman...even her appearance is altered... the single constant is her own mind, and therein lies the plot... dreadful, terrifying circumstances impact her new form with accusations from her ‘brother’ of witchcraft, leading to trials and travails of prison and impending death by hanging... but all is not completely lost... a distant ‘cousin’ emerges to attempt to rescue her... back in the present, the hurricane continues to rage with deft switching of scenes, stealing time twixt the old and the new... a clever novel, and a great tester for the ensuing books in the trilogy...
Jan 25, 2015
Roller coaster of a book that had me hooked. The 18th century London scenes are very well researched and written , and authentic in every detail. I really felt the past come alive. From the very beginning things go awry, and I was constantly wondering how the heroine was going to get herself back to the present. Great historical characters that were truly believable and in many cases hateful and cruel. I guess those were tough times!
Things just keep going from bad to worse. Waters mastered the pacing, drama and tension wonderfully. So many times I thought the worst was over for Ronnie and she landed right back into danger. Great story, right up to the end, and a fascinating hint at a mystery that will probably pan out in the sequels.
Super time travel book, especially if 18th century England interests you. Buy it.(less)
Things just keep going from bad to worse. Waters mastered the pacing, drama and tension wonderfully. So many times I thought the worst was over for Ronnie and she landed right back into danger. Great story, right up to the end, and a fascinating hint at a mystery that will probably pan out in the sequels.
Super time travel book, especially if 18th century England interests you. Buy it.(less)
Wow, K J Waters successfully keeps you turning the page and on the edge of your seat at the same time. Skillfully written, Stealing Time is a time travel adventure that has all the dramatic elements of a love story in the package of a fantasy thriller. The heroine, Ronnie, finds herself thrust back into a different time to an earlier century during a powerful Hurricane in Florida. But time travel is the least of her worries as she fights to prove who she is and return to her time before there are dire consequences. A very clever concept, nicely executed by a wonderful storyteller. (less)
As an avid fan of ANYTHING 17th or 18th century AND once addicted (...maybe still) to Quantum Leap, when I stumbled across Stealing Time, by author KJ Waters, I couldn't resist adding it to my long list of things to do! Being a teacher, father of two and busy author myself, I find it very difficult to read as much as I would like, but once I began reading Stealing Time, it did not seem to be a challenge at all. The realistic mental imagery of 18th century London, perfectly mixed with the enticement of a perfect storm, time travel and spicy characters kept me on the edge of my seat. KJ Waters undoubtedly researched her history! I found her book to be historically refreshing and educational, rather than eye-rolling and inaccurate, which I have encountered in other "time-travelish" books.
Stealing Time is pleasantly packed with believable, well-developed characters worth investing your time with. They all keep you involved, and I applaud the Ms. Waters with the flawless way the characters differ based on the century they were from. This must have been a challenge.
If you are looking for a suspenseful, historical, witch-hunt of a journey - read STEALING TIME...and like me, you'll be impatiently waiting for round two. (less)
Stealing Time is pleasantly packed with believable, well-developed characters worth investing your time with. They all keep you involved, and I applaud the Ms. Waters with the flawless way the characters differ based on the century they were from. This must have been a challenge.
If you are looking for a suspenseful, historical, witch-hunt of a journey - read STEALING TIME...and like me, you'll be impatiently waiting for round two. (less)
I was intrigued by the blurb on this book, especially as it mentioned Hurricane Charley which I experienced in 2004, so although it’s not the sort of book I would normally read, I was interested enough to give it a go and I’m glad I did.
The concept of the plot was very original and I liked the way Waters constructed the method for the time travel to take place. She weaved the plot well and it certainly kept me turning the pages. KJ had certainly done her research about London and the time period. Factually it was very accurate, especially when it came to how women were treated more as chattels to be sold into a loveless marriage to advance the standing or financial position of the family. She’d also done her homework on what happened to women who were accused of witchcraft. The detail she included gave the reader an accurate picture, but I’m glad to say there wasn’t an info dump. The author intertwined it with the plot so it read as a natural progression within the story.
The detail included in the hurricane scenes was scarily realistic. Trees crashing through roofs, bringing down power lines, loss of power and water – these were all things I remembered only too well!
The main character, Ronnie, was well crafted. She had depth, was realistic, and relatable. When Ronnie became Regina, after the time travel incident, the confusion and desperation she felt was palpable – something which isn’t easy to achieve without over-emphasising. However, the author accomplished it with ease. I enjoyed the blossoming love between Ronnie/Regina and Matthias and I hope they meet again in the future. Matthias was the perfect gentleman, perhaps a little too perfect, but I liked him just the same. Jack, Regina’s brother, on the other hand, was a monster and I had a hard time believing parts of his story. I couldn’t understand how a man could treat his sister in such a horrendous way and then denounce her as a witch and all because she didn’t encourage the suitor of an arranged marriage. It seemed to me that his behaviour was way too extreme for the circumstances, which made his character less realistic.
The supporting cast were well thought out and, for the most part, likeable. Jeffery wasn’t a character I warmed to, probably because he used Ronnie for his own ends and was cheating on her too. Those directly involved in the Hurricane Charley part of the story showed myriad emotions and reacted as most people would under the same circumstances; this was very well done. I particularly liked the two main characters in this section.
The writing flowed nicely, the story lines were easy to follow, and the descriptions of places and events were extremely well written, without going over-the-top.
My only real criticism was that the proof reader didn’t do the greatest of jobs, which lost it a star from me. However, this didn’t spoil my enjoyment too much. Overall, this was a page turner for me; I found myself invested in the story and characters to the extent that I really want to get my hands on book two. For a debut novel, I would have to say this is one of the best I’ve read in a while and would definitely recommend it.
I received a free copy of this book in return for an unbiased and honest review. (less)
The concept of the plot was very original and I liked the way Waters constructed the method for the time travel to take place. She weaved the plot well and it certainly kept me turning the pages. KJ had certainly done her research about London and the time period. Factually it was very accurate, especially when it came to how women were treated more as chattels to be sold into a loveless marriage to advance the standing or financial position of the family. She’d also done her homework on what happened to women who were accused of witchcraft. The detail she included gave the reader an accurate picture, but I’m glad to say there wasn’t an info dump. The author intertwined it with the plot so it read as a natural progression within the story.
The detail included in the hurricane scenes was scarily realistic. Trees crashing through roofs, bringing down power lines, loss of power and water – these were all things I remembered only too well!
The main character, Ronnie, was well crafted. She had depth, was realistic, and relatable. When Ronnie became Regina, after the time travel incident, the confusion and desperation she felt was palpable – something which isn’t easy to achieve without over-emphasising. However, the author accomplished it with ease. I enjoyed the blossoming love between Ronnie/Regina and Matthias and I hope they meet again in the future. Matthias was the perfect gentleman, perhaps a little too perfect, but I liked him just the same. Jack, Regina’s brother, on the other hand, was a monster and I had a hard time believing parts of his story. I couldn’t understand how a man could treat his sister in such a horrendous way and then denounce her as a witch and all because she didn’t encourage the suitor of an arranged marriage. It seemed to me that his behaviour was way too extreme for the circumstances, which made his character less realistic.
The supporting cast were well thought out and, for the most part, likeable. Jeffery wasn’t a character I warmed to, probably because he used Ronnie for his own ends and was cheating on her too. Those directly involved in the Hurricane Charley part of the story showed myriad emotions and reacted as most people would under the same circumstances; this was very well done. I particularly liked the two main characters in this section.
The writing flowed nicely, the story lines were easy to follow, and the descriptions of places and events were extremely well written, without going over-the-top.
My only real criticism was that the proof reader didn’t do the greatest of jobs, which lost it a star from me. However, this didn’t spoil my enjoyment too much. Overall, this was a page turner for me; I found myself invested in the story and characters to the extent that I really want to get my hands on book two. For a debut novel, I would have to say this is one of the best I’ve read in a while and would definitely recommend it.
I received a free copy of this book in return for an unbiased and honest review. (less)
I stumbled upon this book through a tweet and downloaded it just because I was not reading any book at that time. I was surprised at its flow, tenacity and the way it could captivate me. I have never read a book so fast!
I had no idea about its plot, which transported me to another century in the past and the way K. J. Waters has handled it is indeed gripping. She could draw out all those innate emotions of hatred, love revulsion and empathy spontaneously for the characters of 18th century, laying bare the challenges that the women of that century had to face! It could have been so hard to live in those dark times, with barbaric laws.
This is a wonderful novel, very gripping and alluring till the last page.
I had no idea about its plot, which transported me to another century in the past and the way K. J. Waters has handled it is indeed gripping. She could draw out all those innate emotions of hatred, love revulsion and empathy spontaneously for the characters of 18th century, laying bare the challenges that the women of that century had to face! It could have been so hard to live in those dark times, with barbaric laws.
This is a wonderful novel, very gripping and alluring till the last page.
