Review: Forsaken Harbor by Laura Kreitzer

Forsaken Harbor (Summer Chronicles, #2) by Laura Kreitzer

Release Date: February 15, 2012

Publisher: Revolution Publishing

Available Formats: Paperback and eBook

My Shelf: Own eBook

Buy the Book: Amazon / Barnes and Noble / Books-A-Million

The Secret Clock Society has infiltrated every aspect of the government. You can’t hide from them, you can’t out run them—the only choice is to surrender or die fighting. Well, Summer’s found her voice and her confidence. She’ll fight if necessary, but for now she’s on the run. And the only place that can offer her refuge is the one city that’s been devastated with disease and death. Full of savages, Forsaken Harbor holds her life on the edge of a knife. Is there still hope to be found here after all? Or will survival mean savagery?

Review:

Forsaken Harbor picks up almost immediately where Phantom Universe left off. Readers are thrust back into Summer’s story and a future world filled with danger and intrigue. Summer’s life becomes more complex and perilous when Julian enters the mix, and he helps Summer better understand her power and who she is while still trying to escape the clutches of The Secret Clock Society. The story is fast-paced and intense, chocked full of action and emotional turmoil, and one that you should not miss out on.  

A note of warning before you proceed: I hope you are all prepared for a bias review. It is going to be Julian-centric, so please be ready.

I think this book was better than the first one (and no, not just because Julian was in it). There is more action, crazier plot twists, and even more emotional moments. Summer has rediscovered her voice after all these years, and she puts it to good use. She is stronger than before, actually bringing down some enemies herself, and she is also slowly developing her power (courtesy of Julian’s masterful teaching). She is definitely becoming a force to be reckoned with, and I like how she grew stronger, both emotionally and physically. Gage is also present with his flowery words (get it? FLOWER-y? hehe) and love declarations, and he is just as protective and strong as before. Some old and new faces also enter the fray, and the insertion of these awesome characters made me enjoy this book that much more!

And now, for the moment I am sure you were all waiting for. Let’s talk about Julian, shall we? I like to think of myself as a loyal person. In the first book, I liked Gage and thought that his and Summer’s relationship was golden. Even when Julian made an appearance, I never thought that my loyalty to Gage would be called into question! Well, Julian has stolen that loyalty. Wait, forget stolen! He shattered, decimated, completely eradicated all the loyalty I had for Gage. I am 100%+ Team Julian! (Are there teams for Gage and Julian? If not, then they have just been created!) Oh, Julian, you who goes against the grain, what have you done to me? I now find myself unable and unwilling to be content with Gage and Summer’s relationship! Do not get me wrong, I still love Gage, but I would definitely prefer seeing Julian and Summer together.

Alright, now it is time for me to defend myself. Why do I like Julian more than Gage, you ask? Gage is perfect, which is something I liked about him in the beginning. Everything he did was right and just, and everything he said was what everyone wanted to hear. While this is not a problem, necessarily, once Julian was introduced, I realized that Gage was too perfect. Compared to Gage, Julian is a little rougher around the edges, a little more fierce, and a little more warrior like. He could care less what others think or say of him, and he will tell people the truth, regardless of whether they want to hear it or not. Gage treats Summer like she is a porcelain doll, whereas Julian wants her to learn how to fight and use her powers. Summer even admits (multiple times) that Julian lets her be who she is, and he does not hide things from her or treat her like she is delicate, which Gage does. With Summer and Julian having somewhat similar pasts, he is better able to understand her desire for power and strength, and he gives it to her. Again, Gage is not a bad guy from wanting to protect Summer from all bad things, but I like how straight and direct Julian was, believing that Summer could deal with everything. Julian has flaws and weaknesses, and that makes his character seem more real than Gage’s. I will say this one last time: I LIKE Gage, but I LOVE Julian, and I’m completely, inescapably, irrevocably on the side of Team Julian (and my loyalty shall not be broken this time).

Needless to say, I really enjoyed this book! With the story being told from both Summer and Julian’s point of view, there is a deeper understanding of more of the characters with even more action and plot twists being thrown in. There will be two more books published to complete the series, and they have already been entitled Burning Falls and Silent Forest, respectively. I am excited to see how this series will progress, and I cannot wait for another (heavy) dose of Julian! 

A Great Escape

Forsaken Harbor Blog Tour: Character Interview with Julian!

Hello and welcome! I am super excited to be participating in the blog tour for Forsaken Harbor, book 2 in The Summer Chronicles. Today, I will be interviewing Julian, another human time traveler with abilities similar to Summer’s. He is my favorite character in the series, so I am happy for the opportunity to interview him! So let’s get right to it! Without further ado, here is Julian!

~~~~~~~~~

Hello, all! Today, we have the pleasure of being able to speak with Julian. Thank you, Julian, for joining me here on Storybook Escape! How about we start out learning a little more about you! Please describe yourself for us in your own words. How do you view yourself?

That’s a tough question. I know I’m not a normal guy, though I don’t fully understand what is normal. I’ve never had normal. I’d like to think I’m good and moral, though my perspective is skewed.

You have nothing to worry about! You are most definitely good and moral! You fight to protect those you care about, you stand-up for those weaker than you, and you are kind and considerate (especially towards Summer). No worries, sir, no worries!

So tell us, what was your childhood like? Did you have parental figures?

When I was younger, I had a caretaker. She was stern and wasn’t what I’d call a parental figure. I hated her. I was a means to an end, and when I couldn’t give her what she wanted, I was nothing. After Summer disappeared, I was sent to the Secret Clock Society’s headquarters in the U.S. After that I was given a room in their facilities and taken care of like a pet behind proverbial bars. Honestly? I don’t like talking about my past. Though it was nothing like what Summer endured, it wasn’t exactly a walk in the park.

I cannot even imagine. The Society does not exactly have the best reputation for raising and treating children well. Okay, so let’s not talk about bad memories anymore. What was one of your happiest memories?

The first time I stepped foot outside of the Society’s headquarters to find Summer. I’d never felt so free, even though deep down I knew I would never be free of them.

Let’s say you could be free, completely rid of the Society and all its influences, and you were just a normal guy, what would you want to be and why?

I’d want to be a racecar driver. I know it sounds silly, but that’s the one thing I’ve dreamed of doing every day from the first time I found a car magazine one of the techs left behind.

Racing is not silly! I actually raced myself when I was younger, and the exhilaration you feel being able to go as fast as you want is bar none (not to mention how awesome cars and motorcycles are). Trust me, racing will definitely give you a sense of freedom, so I completely understand why you would to be a racecar driver!

Alright, I have another question for you. What is the one thing you desire the most? It can be anything, a person, a thing, etc.

This is embarrassing, but I’m sure you probably already know. Summer. Every day I fight this urge to be with her in any capacity she’ll let me, because I know the Society has done this to me. Made me love her. Though part of me wonders if it’s just the Society, or is it really how I feel? Now that I’ve met her, know her . . . do I love her? It’s frustrating.

I do not want to make light of the topic, but I am a little intrigued as to how the Society was able to trifle with people’s emotions. Do you know how the society able to program the feeling of love into you? Have they trifled with other people's emotions as well?

I didn’t know it was possible to program anything like this into someone. I was told it was another experiment, which I was used to. It wasn’t like I could say no. The one time I had . . . well, let’s not talk about that. When I woke up after the surgery, I didn’t feel different. It wasn’t until Doctor Zhar came into my room and showed me a photo of Summer. Of course I knew who she was before, but the moment she showed me . . . I was done for. I was instantly in love. I didn’t understand where the intense emotion was coming from. Doctor Zhar questioned me, and it wasn’t until another researched came in that I found out what they’d done to me. I’d felt invaded, manipulated more than I had ever been before. Apparently this was something they’d been working on for a while, and once they perfected it, they’d put me under the knife to endure it.

As far as other people’s emotions, I’m not sure, though they probably have. We are talking about the Society, after all. They don’t have a conscious.

So while we are on the subject of emotions and relationships, would you mind talking about Gage and Summer and Gage’s relationship? I know this is a sensitive topic, but what are your true thoughts about Gage? Do you like him at all? How do you feel about Summer and Gage's relationship?

I don’t not like Gage, but I wouldn’t go as far as to say I like him either. I admit he’s good to Summer, and I can’t fault him that. It’s one of the only reasons I tolerate him. He always acts like he knows everything, especially what’s best for Summer, and it’s irritating. Especially when he’s right.

Summer and Gage’s relationship hurts. I try not to think about it, and I try not to let it bother me, but it stings. Seeing her with Gage breaks my heart, but I try not to let her see that. She’s precious to me, and I know her emotions run higher than a normal person’s. I don’t want her to see how much it bothers me when they’re together because I know it’ll hurt her. She cares about me in her own way—I’m positive about that. But there is something that Gage can give her that I can’t, and that’s a normal life. Well, as normal as one can expect in Summer’s position.

I think it is clear that you care for Summer and that she is someone precious to you. Could you describe how you view and what you think about Summer? If you can put it into words, how does she make you feel?

She makes me feel alive. I hadn’t realized what kind of hollow life I had been living until I met Summer. She changed me in ways that I don’t know if I could describe in words. She has a strength that is so inspiring I want to get down on my knees and worship her for it. How her situation hasn’t crippled her is beyond me. That alone makes me feel lucky she allows me to be in her presence.

(That was so poetic and beautiful!)

Okay, let’s get a little more serious now. What is your biggest regret? Do you have one?

My biggest regret is leaving Summer behind when I left the safe house. Though that also rivals the regret of going after her in the first place. If I was smart, I would have led the Society on a wild goose chase instead of going after Summer in New York. However, I know that if I had never shown up, Tanner would have brought Summer to the Society.

And, okay, maybe I regret not beating Gage senseless after he elbowed Summer in the head. Though I feel partially responsible for it, and Landon did a good enough job scolding both of us for being idiots.

Now that you are no longer housed with the Society and have a bit more freedom, let’s talk about you future. What are your goals? Is there anything you want to be sure to achieve?

I want to destroy the Society. I want to make them suffer. After that, I don’t know. What would I do if I had a normal life?

It is wrong of me to say this, but I hope you can succeed in stopping the Society. After what they have done to you, Summer, and countless others, it would be justice served, and you all deserve to live a normal, free life. 

And on that happy note, I am afraid we are out of time! Thank you for stopping by, Julian, and giving us insightful answers to some probing questions! It was definitely a pleasure, and I hope our paths will cross again soon!

Thank you, Bri, for allowing me on your wonderful blog!

Believe me when I say the pleasure was all mine!

~~~~~~~~~

And that, ladies and gentlemen, was one of my favorite men, Julian! I hope you all learned a little more about him (and I also hope I converted a few of you to Team Julian)! Thank you all for viewing, and I hope you enjoy reading Forsaken Harbor!


About the author of Summer Chronicles, Laura Kreitzer:

Laura is a motivated full time author, editor, reviewer, and publisher who hails from western Kentucky. She founded Revolution Publishing, a corporation that seeks the best and brightest online fiction writers. Her full-time 9-5 job used to be working in a lab devoted to water dye-tracing investigations at Western Kentucky University. In 2008 she traveled to Southwest University China to establish one of the first dye trace laboratories in China under the China Environmental Health Project. Though Laura was passionate in her work for the environment, her favorite hobby was always writing which blossomed into her debut series, the Timeless Series.

For more about the Summer Chronicles series, click on the cover for links to Goodreads:

Phantom Universe by Laura Kreitzer

Phantom Universe (Summer Chronicles, #1) by Laura Kreitzer

Release Date: February 15, 2011

Publisher: Obsidian Mountain Publishing (Paperback) and Revolution Publishing (eBook)
Genre: Dystopian, Dark, Romance

Available Formats: Paperback and eBook

Buy the Book: Amazon / Barnes and Noble

Sold into slavery to pirates at the young age of four, Summer learns to survive the rough seas of subterfuge and thieves through silence. When the boat she's lived on most of her life is destroyed, Summer finds herself washed up on the shore of a new world, a phantom universe full of the bizarre and extraordinary. She meets Gage, the one boy who understands the girl with no speech. But when their lives are put on the line, will Summer finally call out? Or will all be lost in the fathomless depth of silence?

Review:

Phantom Universe took my breath away. This book is unique, heart-wrenching, romantic, beautiful, and thought invoking. Laura Kreitzer has created an exquisite world, alluring story, and amazing characters. I was completely immersed in the story from page one, and I did not want it to end.

Tortured and beaten as a child, Summer became mute, learning that silence was the best policy to avoid the lash of a whip. She was sold to a slave ship at a young age, and her life became dominated by seafarers and the roll of the waves. She is able to find a companion on the ship, Landon, who is able to understand her, and they quickly become best freinds. However, they are wrenched apart when the ship is destroyed, and Summer finds herself stranded on an island. She is unknowingly thrust into a future world, a phantom universe. She meets Gage, who is unlike any other man she has even come across, and he helps introduce her to this new, wondrous realm. Just as Summer is adjusting to her new life, she learns that she is highly sought after, and some Secret Clock Society would love nothing more than to see her dead. When their lives are put on the line, will Summer finally call out? Or will all be lost in the fathomless depth of silence?

This book was a completely new type of story for me. I have never read a story where the main character is mute, nor one where slavery and torture is a major underlying theme. The moments when Summer recalls beatings or trauma are packed with raw emotions and pain, and my heart went out to her. Kreitzer does an amazing job bringing Summer’s emotions to life. I cannot remember the last time I have felt this strongly or deeply for a character. However, the thing that I respect the most about this story is how Kreitzer brings awareness to slavery and child trafficking. It is a very real thing, even today, and most of what Summer endured is not far from the truth. If anything, it is a softer version of what some children are forced to deal with. I really like how light was shed on this very real, albeit horrible, problem that we as people face. Hopefully some awareness can be raised, even if it is awareness derived from a fictional story. Ms. Kreitzer, I commend you. People, especially children, should never be exposed to this kind of treatment. I pray some kind of solution can be found soon.

Another thing I loved about this story was the emotional connection and depth between the characters. It is just beautiful and refreshing. With the main character being mute, things like emotions and thoughts have to be relayed through something other than words. The understanding between the characters is amazing! Landon and Gage can look at Summer and decipher her thoughts and feelings from just an expression, making the emotional connection and understanding between them astonishingly strong. The fact that a whole conversation could be held where one side basically used gestures and facial expressions and the other party could completely understand is simply brilliant, in my opinion. With articulation, who really knows a person this well? This deep level of understanding is hardly seen in books (or even in real life), and I really enjoyed it.

The characters themselves were fantastic. Summer, despite her past, is strong, and even through her moments of weakness, she is resilient. Throughout the book, I got to see her heal and learn to trust others, and I really found myself invested in her story. It was so easy to feel for her and connect to her. Gage is just…swoon. He is a soldier, strong and fierce, and he can deliver orders to subordinates with a cold, commanding voice. However, he becomes gentle and caring around Summer. I love how patient he was with her, and how he showed her it was okay to trust him and open up emotionally. He is romantic and kind, and I loved the chemistry between the two of them. Even the side characters were terrific, and I liked them all, especially Landon.  

Kreitzer has created a beautiful world and awesome characters in Phantom Universe, and I cannot wait to learn more about them and the Secret Clock Society. (I also am eager to learn more about Julian, who was introduced at the very end of the book. He seems like a very intriguing character! Who is that guy??) I was lucky enough to land an ARC of the second book, Forsaken Harbor, which I am currently getting ready to dive into. If you have not read this book yet, you should definitely give it a try. You will not be disappointed!

A Great Escape!