Book Review: Ruby Red

Long time, no blog, eh? I've actually been working on Cerulean a lot lately. I just started chapter six a few days ago and it's now over 20k!

Though I'm really excited about my writing, this isn't what this blog post is about Ruby Red. Ruby Red is the first book in the Ruby Red/Precious Stone Trilogy [edit 3/12/14]--and I've added the next book onto my list for books to get from the library (it's currently waiting for me but I'll be picking it up on Wednesday after this arctic blast has subsided). The summary according to Goodreads:

Gwyneth Shepherd's sophisticated, beautiful cousin Charlotte has been prepared her entire life for traveling through time. But unexpectedly, it is Gwyneth, who in the middle of class takes a sudden spin to a different era!

Gwyneth must now unearth the mystery of why her mother would lie about her birth date to ward off suspicion about her ability, brush up on her history, and work with Gideon--the time traveler from a similarly gifted family that passes the gene through its male line, and whose presence becomes, in time, less insufferable and more essential. Together, Gwyneth and Gideon journey through time to discover who, in the 18th century and in contemporary London, they can trust.

Before I begin discussing the book, I'd like to say this is probably the first review I've written in a long time that I finished the review after I finished the book. Also, it'll probably be shorter than every other review. Okay now that that's out of the way let's start with characters.

Gwyneth. Because of her monologue, I found I was tearing that book apart wanting to find out what was going to happen next. I also liked her relationship to her best friend Lesley. It was easy to related to in terms of my best friend and I. I look forward to reading the next book.

Gideon. At first I didn't like him--in part due to Gwen's monologue-- but over time, I grew to like him--until the end where I just got frustrated. I do want to know what happens to his and Gwen's relationship in the next book.

Charlotte. At first, I didn't care much about her--also due to Gwen's monologue--then I just bah! I know, I know it's really hard to get over something like that--she had to give up EVERYTHING because she was 'destined' to be the time-traveler in the family only to find out that she's not. I have a feeling that she will have a slightly bigger role in the next book. Love triangle anyone?

Alright now for plot. What really threw me off is that so much happened within the book. And it was only a few days--no more than a week. Maybe it's because they travel back in time so often within the book that it throws me off. |I will have to agree with many of the other reviews I've read on GR, the ending was rather anticlimactic. I know it's setting up for a series but there wasn't much of a climax. I will stay for Sapphire Blue though.

Three stars out of five for interesting characters, hidden secrets and lack of plot.