Rating: 1/2 star
I had high hopes for Hourglass (Hourglass #1). One of the reasons is the blurb made it sound much like the movie, The Sixth Sense. Unfortunately, the writing failed to engage me and the set up took too long. As a result, I gave up half way through.
Emerson Cole sees ghosts. This started when she was fourteen, most likely brought on by the sudden death of her parents. Emerson takes medication to keep from seeing the ghosts, but she stops taking the meds because they make her feel lethargic. She lives with her older brother, Thomas. Thomas and his wife renovate old buildings, in their town of Ivy Spring, which has a great deal of history, and ghosts are all over haunting to their delight.
Thomas finds a group called “The Hourglass” that could possibly help Emerson with her growing problem, and it’s there that Emerson is introduced to Michael Weaver, who also has a secret ability much like her. Michael is older and dashing and seems very interested in not only helping her, but being her friend and possibly much more.
As Emerson slowly unravels the mystery surrounding Michael and the Hourglass organization, she becomes a participant in an experiment that could destroy not only her own life but the very world.
Hourglass has many elements that will pull YA readers in. There’s sci-fi, supernatural, romance and a super hero comic book undertone, much like X-Men. I guess there's also a small-town-feel to this book, but then again I missed that aspect because it wasn’t defined enough. There’s nothing necessarily wrong with personality, but she didn’t bring any big thrill to the story; nor did Michael, who came across as too one-dimensional.
Myra McEntire’s writing is so-so and lacks that sparkle needed to succeed in today’s YA market. The only recommendation I can give Hourglass is for having one of the best covers this year.
Sorry to say, but Hourglass is a pass.
---------------------------------------------------------
Reading level: Young Adult
Hardcover: 400 pages
Publisher: EgmontUSA (June 14, 2011)
ISBN-13: 978-1606841440