Review: Passenger by Alexandra Bracken

Release: January 5th 2016
Series: Passenger
Publisher: Hyperion
Source: Won in a giveaway from It Starts At Midnight book blog
Genre: YA fantasy (time-travel)
Rating: 6 Stars
Website

passage, n. i. A brief section of music composed of a series of notes and flourishes. ii. A journey by water; a voyage. iii. The transition from one place to another, across space and time.

In one devastating night, violin prodigy Etta Spencer loses everything she knows and loves. Thrust into an unfamiliar world by a stranger with a dangerous agenda, Etta is certain of only one thing: she has traveled not just miles but years from home. And she’s inherited a legacy she knows nothing about from a family whose existence she’s never heard of. Until now.


Nicholas Carter is content with his life at sea, free from the Ironwoods—a powerful family in the colonies—and the servitude he’s known at their hands. But with the arrival of an unusual passenger on his ship comes the insistent pull of the past that he can’t escape and the family that won’t let him go so easily. Now the Ironwoods are searching for a stolen object of untold value, one they believe only Etta, Nicholas’ passenger, can find. In order to protect her, he must ensure she brings it back to them— whether she wants to or not.


Together, Etta and Nicholas embark on a perilous journey across centuries and continents, piecing together clues left behind by the traveler who will do anything to keep the object out of the Ironwoods’ grasp. But as they get closer to the truth of their search, and the deadly game the Ironwoods are play­ing, treacherous forces threaten to sep­arate Etta not only from Nicholas but from her path home . . . forever.

My thoughts on this time-travel adventure...

First off let me apologize if this review sounds like I'm all over the place. I just read one of the best books of my life and I'm writing this review at 4am! I can certainly say that my year of reading definitely went out with a bang! Everything, and I mean EVERYTHING I wish and hope for in a book was within the pages of Passenger! Gah, I'm so excited about this book!

Epic unforgettable romance- CHECK!

Heart-stopping adventure- CHECK

The BEST PACING IN A BOOK EVER- CHECK!

Beautiful going-down-in-the-history-books writing- CHECK!

Keep you up all night kinda book- CHECK!

So let's talk romance. I don't know about you but I'm always in search of epic romance in a book. Quite often I find snippets of it in novels. Very rarely do I find TRULY MADLY DEEPLY FELT EPIC ROMANCE. Well it's in every grain of this beautifully written story. 

"The melody of her heart had no name; it was quick, and light. It rolled with the waves, falling as the breath left his chest, rising as he inhaled. It was the rain sliding down the glass; the fog spreading its fingers over the water. The creaking of a ship's great body. The secrets whispered by the wind, and the unseen life that moved below. 

It was the flame of one last candle." 

The adventure in this book was downright amazing! I just love diving into a book and feeling the heart-pounding excitement while reading! The pacing couldn't have been better, it was just perfect! What I loved about Passenger was the flawless mix of adventure and epic romance. Both elements were the perfect amount, nothing too overdone in the least. If you love a story with tons of romance and adventure then Passenger is for you! 

Now let's talk about Etta and Nicholas. I am telling you all now, you are going to hear about this couple for a LONG time! As I mentioned above we have the perfect blend of adventure, romance and pacing. What if I told you the character development is so amazing you won't want this book to end?!? Seriously I almost cried when I turned the last page! Alexandra Bracken, if this book was a thousand pages long I would still ask for more! 

Another thing I loved was the characters being extremely easy to follow. You won't have to try and keep track  and make notes. Bracken's writing is so clear and concise, she writes in a way that each character is defined in their own right and stands out from one another beautifully. 

One last thing I want to mention. This book covers some pretty serious social issues. The author does it in a way that is perfect for the story and doesn't seem forced at all. I love how we get to see how societal issues evolve and change over time. 

I'm so excited for you all to read this book! Please, if you've never listened to me on a book recommendation before, do so now. READ THIS BOOK! I promise that  you won't regret it! Now I'm off to wait for book 2, and I guess try to get some sleep since it's 5am! Happy New Year everyone! 

Quotes I loved...

“So you'd keep me here against my will-"
"Know this pirate," he said, his hands gripping the railing, "you are my passenger, and I will be damned before I let any harm come to you.”

+++

"I forget myself with you," he said roughly. "I forget the rules. I forget every other living soul in this world. Do you understand?"

+++

"Rest assured," he said, when he managed to find his voice, "there will always be a position for you on my ship."

Her face brightened with her clever, beautiful smile. "Will you let me climb up into the rigging? Reef the sails?"

A burst of thunder rolled through him. "Absolutely not."

She laughed again. "As if  you could stop me."