Recent Reads: Extracted by Sherry D. Ficklin & Tyler H. Jolley

Extracted by Sherry D. Ficklin & Tyler H. Jolley
Series: The Lost Imperials Book #1
Publisher: Spencer Hill Press
Publication Date:  November 2013

 

Format: ebook
Source: From the publisher in exchange for an honest review. Receiving this book in no way effect my opinion or review.

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Goodreads Synopsis: 

Welcome to the war.

The Tesla Institute is a premier academy that trains young time travelers called Rifters. Created by Nicola Tesla, the Institute seeks special individuals who can help preserve the time stream against those who try to alter it.

The Hollows is a rogue band of Rifters who tear through time with little care for the consequences. Armed with their own group of lost teens--their only desire to find Tesla and put an end to his corruption of the time stream.

Torn between them are Lex and Ember, two Rifters with no memories of their life before joining the time war.

When Lex’s girlfriend dies during a mission, the only way he can save her is to retrieve the Dox, a piece of tech which allows Rifters to re-enter their own timeline without collapsing the time stream. But the Dox is hidden deep within the Telsa Institute, which means Lex must go into the enemy camp. It’s there he meets Ember, and the past that was stolen from them both comes flooding back.

Now armed with the truth of who they are, Lex and Ember must work together to save the future before the battle for time destroys them both…again.

 Review: 


I met Tyler Jolley a few years ago at BEA while he was promoting this book and recently I was asked if I would be interested in reading the other books in the series, obviously since I know and talk to Tyler on the interwebs fairly often I thought ‘heck yes!’ and I am SO glad that I agreed (and I am also glad it didn’t suck because Tyler seems like a pretty cool guy – So Yay! For not sucking!)

Extracted is the first book in The Lost Imperials series and it majestically sets the steampunk stage – warring time-traveler groups, awesome protagonists, and the crazy scenes and schemes captivate the reader from the very beginning of the story.

We follow alternating points of view, Lex and Ember, though their adventures and really it is the best of both worlds – since there is a male and a female POV this book really is for everyone (well at least lovers of YA fantasy). The book begins with an ongoing war between two groups of time travelers: those looking to cause chaos, the Hollows, and those looking to fix the mess the Hollows left behind, Tesla’s Rifters– all leading to a much grander overlaying theme. Inevitably, Lex and Ember must work together to make sure they have futures in the time stream they are in and at all.

Sherry and Tyler did such a wonderful job with these characters – they were engaging and funny, interesting and emotional, and I loved every minute reading their tales. The plot is fast paced and both keeps you guessing but also gives you just enough of what you want to get through the story.

As the story progresses you have more and more of an urge to read it – it is heart pumping and thrilling all the way to the last page.