Timespell - Diana Paz (+ Interview)

Timespell by Diana Paz
Publisher: Rhemalda Publishing
Publication Date: April 1, 2013

Source/Format: Publisher (Thanks!) || e-galley

[I received this book for review from the publisher. This in no way affects the thoughts expressed in my review.]

In TIMESPELL, the brash and impulsive Julia must team up with her sweet and straight-laced best friend, Angie, and the malicious and power-hungry Kaitlyn in order to keep the witch-like powers of her inheritance. But these powers come at a cost. The girls are bound to serve the Fates, and their first mission sends them back in time to Marie Antoinette’s Paris and eventually, into the chaos and war of the French Revolution.

Timespell was truly a wonderful surprise! The cover was initially was tempted me to read it, but I enjoyed the story that was contained within its pages. Combining the elements of time travel and the Fates, Diana Paz does a remarkable job telling the story of three girls who need to go back in time and complete a mission in order to save the day.

The reader is immediately introduced to three very different girls early on in the book - Julia, Angie and Kaitlyn. Each girl is unique, and while the descriptions above (in the summary) are true, there is definitely more to them than meets the eye. I'm not only referring to their abilities, though that certainly sets them apart. What I really mean is that each girl has her secrets and her own story, and it was truly fascinating to get to journey along with each of them and get to know them. While I could tolerate Julia and didn't particularly like Kaitlyn (until something happened that got her on my good side), I think I related the most to Angie because we have similar personalities. There's definitely a lot more to learn (especially about Kaitlyn), so I certainly hope Diana goes into more detail in the next book.

What really makes this novel fun, at least for me, is that the girls get to time travel back in time to France, during the period that Marie Antoinette was alive and the French Revolution was on the brink of happening. I love history and European history is a particular favorite, so this was an instant win with me. There aren't a lot of particulars included in the book (and I do wish that there additional historical details!), but I just love the fact that they had to go back in time and revisit that era.

There's a hint of romance with a boy or two, but since the romance isn't the true focus of this story, I won't dwell too much on it in my review. I did think some parts were extra sweet, while others left a little more to be desired in terms of chemistry. (In case you were wondering, I didn't feel like including the names just so it's a surprise who ends up with who!)

The book ends on a solid note, while also leaving room for more adventures to come for Julia, Angie and Kaitlyn. Diana did a wonderful job combining these three unique characters and coming up with a whirlwind of an adventure for them to embark on. She certainly set the stage for the rest of the series, and I'm eagerly anticipating what's to come.

---

An Author a (Mon)day is my new little feature on the blog, one that will be posted every so often. Every month there's a theme, and I will be asking authors three questions related to it. I'll also tell you a little bit about why I loved their book. 

Today, we're welcoming Diana Paz on the blog for a quick interview about her book Timespell, which I just read and loved!

Alexa: How did you come up with the characters of Julia, Angie & Kaitlyn? These girls just seem so very different from each other! (Follow-up: Who do you feel is the most like you and who do you feel is the least like you?)

Diana: Julia, Angie, and Kaitlyn are definitely very different from one another. Most of the time, my characters take shape as I think out the events of a story. That happened with Angie and Kaitlyn... I wondered what it would be like to have the very nicest girl in school forced to work together with the very meanest one. It fascinated me to think about what their reactions would be, how they would feel, and how they might change. With Julia, though, things were totally different! I had this scene in mind about a girl and guy, a very complicated scene that was the first thing I wrote in Timespell, and it turned out to be the epilogue. In it, Julia was a completely formed character. That kind of thing hardly ever happenst o me, and it made writing Julia a real challenge, but a lot of fun!

As for the character I feel is the most like me, that would be Julia. She's a little silly, kind of immature, and a major procrastinator -- that's totally me! The character I'm the least like? Kaitlyn, that's for sure. Kaitlyn is confident, sexy, and fearless... three traits that aren't exactly my strong suits. ~embarrassed cringe~

Alexa: Why did you choose to bring the girls back to the era of Marie Antoinette and the French Revolution for this book? (Follow-up: If you had a mission in another era or time, where/when would you want to be, and why?)

Diana: When I first realized I wanted to write a time travel story, I really thought I would send my characters into the medieval era. Knights in shining armor were my favorite kinds of stories when I was growing up, and I always dreamed about writing something set in this time period. As I started writing Timespell, the story really took on a life of its own! The more I got to know the girls and the world, the more I realized that I lot of what was happening between the girls had to do with perception, and how the world saw them. Marie Antoinette's life has always captivated me for similar reasons, and I felt the era would give the girls the chance to learn about themselves and each other. Getting to write about gorgeous gowns and masquerade balls was the icing on the cake.

The next book in the Timespell series is set during the golden age of piracy, mainly in the Caribbean. So I'm lucky enough to have another mission in another era already started, and I'm having a blast writing it!

Alexa: If you could slip into the life of any book character for a day (where you never die or get hurt), who would you want to be and why?

Diana: Oooh, so fun! But so hard to choose. This kind of daydreaming usually makes me want to slip into a historical novel, but having the guarantee of never dying or getting hurt makes me want to choose something like Graceling by Kristin Cashore or The Once and Future King by T.H. White... but I think I'd go with A Great and Terrible Beauty by Libba Bray. I love the idea of magical realms where anything is possible, and on top of that, it's also a historical novel, so I still get the beautiful gowns and fun of living in the past. Win!

Alexa: Bonus - tell everyone why you think they should read your book in three sentences or less!

Diana: Oh wow, that's tricky! Well... when I look for a book, my favorite stories involve adventure, danger, romance, and magic, all wrapped up in characters I can relate to and who make me think even after I've finished reading. I hope other people who enjoy those kinds of stories find something in my book they like, as well!

Thank you so much Diana for visiting the blog! We would totally get along, since I'm a fan of history and pretty dresses and time travel too! (I'm super excited to read about the pirates!)

Why should you read Timespell? I basically covered this in my review earlier, but I will sum it up with these elements: a lot of time travel, a hint of romance, the French Revolution and unlikely yet awesome friendships!

MORE ABOUT DIANA PAZ

Diana Paz writes books about magic, adventure, and romance. She was born in Costa Rica, grew up on Miami Beach, moved to Los Angeles in high school, and went to college in San Diego. Basically, she’s a beach bum. Diana graduated from California State University, San Marcos with a Bachelor’s Degree in Liberal Arts. She loves old movies, epic fantasy, all kinds of music, and heading to the beach with a good book. Preferably sipping a highly sweetened iced coffee.

[ Website || Blog || Twitter || Facebook ]

 (For more information about the tour, click here.)