Tempest: A Novel

Written by Julie Cross

Narrated by Matthew Brown

In Julie Cross' Tempest, the year is 2009. Nineteen-year-old Jackson Meyer is a normal guy… he's in college, has a girlfriend… and he can travel back through time. But it's not like the movies – nothing changes in the present after his jumps, there's no space-time continuum issues or broken flux capacitors – it's just harmless fun.

That is… until the day strangers burst in on Jackson and his girlfriend, Holly, and during a struggle with Jackson, Holly is fatally shot. In his panic, Jackson jumps back two years to 2007, but this is not like his previous time jumps. Now he's stuck in 2007 and can't get back to the future.

Desperate to somehow return to 2009 to save Holly but unable to return to his rightful year, Jackson settles into 2007 and learns what he can about his abilities.

But it's not long before the people who shot Holly in 2009 come looking for Jackson in the past, and these "Enemies of Time" will stop at nothing to recruit this powerful young time-traveler. Recruit… or kill him.

Piecing together the clues about his father, the Enemies of Time, and himself, Jackson must decide how far he's willing to go to save Holly… and possibly the entire world.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Macmillan Audio
• Release date: Jan 17, 2012
• ISBN: 9781427223135

Julie Cross

Julie Cross lves in central Illinois with her husband and three children. Julie is a YMCA Gymnastics Program Director, which means she works with lots of teenagers, who help to inspire the characters she creates. Tempest is her first novel for young adults.

Reviews for Tempest

[Therese Hughes · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Fantastic book. Great audio. Really enjoyed this! Best wishes to the author!

[alaskabookworm · Rating: 2 out of 5 stars]

Synopsis: College-student Jackson has recently discovered he can time-travel. His girlfriend, Holly, doesn’t know. He The only person Jackson has confided in is his genius friend, Adam, with whom he is trying to understand the nature of his gift. When mysterious, murderous persons suddenly appear, Jackson is set on a journey through time to discover who and what he really is. In the middle of it all is Holly, the girl he realizes he loves above all else, and who seems destined to die.What I Liked: Time-travel stories are always fun, and this is a refreshing break from young adult literature saturated with paranormal creatures. There is plenty of unfolding action, and lots of plot twists and turns, most of which seem carefully thought out. Jackson and Holly are both likeable characters.What I Didn’t Like: At times I felt there was simply too much going on in Tempest. While a few “big reveals” are necessary to an action novel, in Tempest it seems overdone. Every few pages there was yet another revelation, and it got to be too much to the point of being confusing. Who is the target audience of this series? The two protagonists are college students, but the story is really too juvenile for the 17 and over crowd. Conversely, some of the content is perhaps too mature for younger audiences. Sexuality and under-age drinking are simply assumed and without consequence, and for some reason in the context of this book it bothers me. Too flagrant, perhaps? While the book is being aggressively marketed to Twilight fans (movie rights have already been secured by the Twilight filmmakers), Tempest doesn’t reflect the same values (yes, Twilight does contain values) as the former books. But marketing has little to do with “story”. The story is okay. It was moderately engaging, but I have to admit I just wasn’t sucked in. It’s a story filled with action, but lacks any real internal tension. And for me, that is this book’s fatal flaw. It’s unlikely I’ll read the next two installments in the trilogy. And I would probably discourage readers from this book. I read a lot of teen novels, and be assured, there is so much better out there. Nevertheless, it’s likely I’ll be in the minority in my opinion, and teens will love this.

[orchdork5 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

As I started Tempest by Julie Cross I found myself captivated by the uniqueness. I have never really been interested in the idea of time travel, but Tempest was a great read! Once I had the time to read it I couldn't put it down, unless for a bathroom break or to cook. I just had to stay up until 4:30 in the morning to find out what happened next and how the novel ended. And I have no regrets staying up. Julie Cross made me appreciate the scientific element for time travel by using characters I could relate to and breaking down the theories nicely. I absolutely loved the characters and plot. Near the end of the book there were so many surprises even I couldn't guess how the book was going to end. Throughout the novel I had laughed and cried (okay bawled my eyes out), and finished with contentment. I can't wait to read the second novel in this trilogy!

[pmlyayakkers · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

Jackson is about 17 when he realizes that he can travel through time. He keeps it a secret, using it as a research project with his friend Adam, until he meets other time travellers and finds himself in the midst of a battle between good and evil for the future of the world. But he is not sure which side is good, and which is evil.

[lag117 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

I really liked this book. It takes a lot to impress me in the young adult paranormal romance category these days, but this book isn't exactly that. It's adventurous and original and I can see why it's already in the works for a movie. Good stuff!

[jshillingford_2 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

I'd been considering preordering this book, so when I got the chance for an Advanced Reading Copy I jumped on it. The first quarter of the book was slow and a bit boring; I put it down to continue the next day. However, once Holly and Jackson are attacked (pretty early on), the book kicked into high gear and I read it straight through without stopping - it was that engrossing. The story reminds me of a cross between Steven Gould's "Jumper" and the movie "Next". Jackson can travel back in time, but never more than a few days and it doesn't change anything in the present. When Holly is shot, Jackson travels back two full years, and is unable to return. From there, the book takes on an almost relentless pace.The writing here is excellent, and the story well laid out. It could have become hard on a reader trying to follow a story where the main character is jumping around in time. But whenever Jackson changes times, a new chapter begins with the date when he is. The author also attempted to provide an explanation for Jackson's ability, and for the most part succeeded. As the first in a planned trilogy, I expected to be left hanging with no answers and very little plot development. Instead, I was thrown right into conspiracies! His father is not who he thinks; a mysterious girl who looks like his dead sister keeps appearing; someone may be trying to kill him. Moreover, Jackson thinks and sounds like a 19 year old guy, especially in his relationship with Holly. And he actually grows as a character as the story progresses. The main plot of this book was addressed - Jackson learns who and what he is - but an overarching plot was also introduced that will surely span the trilogy. The result was a book that had a fairly satisfying ending, but left me eager for the next book.The book isn't perfect. A few things are a bit cliché, or stretch credibility (the science geek friend who understands relative physics and can hack any computer? Check. And happens to have a friend in a DNA lab who'll run a test for him? Yeah right), but these are minor and didn't detract from the story. The romance was also well done, albeit understated. Readers looking for a Twilight, front and center romance, may be disappointed. It is fully secondary to the plot, though vitally important to Jackson's motives. Overall, this was an excellent first novel, and a prime example of why YA/teen fiction is so hot right now. I can't wait for more!

[emc_n · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Tempest was the second time-travel book I have ever read…Hourglass by Myra McEntire was the first. They were both very different from each other, so I’ll list what I absolutely LOVED about Tempest!1. The characters: all of them tugged at my heart…especially Holly & Jackson…and then Jackson’s twin sister Courtney…Oh man. I seriously cried a couple times throughout the book. [This is a good thing!]2. The setting: The where AND when! Hellloooo New York City and New Jersey. I thought that going back and forth would be confusing, but Cross did a terrific job with letting you know when Jackson was (009 vs. 007 Holly–brilliant)3. Conspiracies involving time-terrorists and super-covert government agencies–extra exciting!4. Sacrifice. Like I said–my heart hurt for our male protag and the love of his life. I felt like this book was very well set up and allowed for good pacing and great supporting characters that spiced everything up. From secretive, scary Dad’s, to Enemies of Time, super nerd best friends, and beautiful blondes that steal a young time-traveler’s heart.I highly recommend this book if you’re trying to get into the time-traveling sub-genre, looking for a heart-wrenching/warming romance, adventure, suspense, mystery, OR if you just love this sub-genre. I would caution anyone who is easily offended by explicit language [I am definitely NOT one of those people. ha!]. I loved this book and I look forward to seeing your thoughts about it, as well.

[faerydust1023 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Tempest by Julie CrossWow, time- travel is complicated. Jackson discovered that he could time- travel during his teens. He starts from the year 2009 and can travel back in time as far as two years. He always snaps back to 2009. However, in this particular scenario, he has traveled back to 2005 and is stuck there. This would not be as bad as it seems, but when he traveled back from 2009 this time, his girlfriend was getting shot by men who said that they knew what he can do. Now, he can’t get back to her, no matter how hard he tries. His friend, Adam, is not his friend in 2005 and he is the only one who knows that Jackson can time- travel and he really needs his friend. He has not met his girlfriend, Holly at this point either. So, Jackson has to find his best friend and girlfriend and convince them that he is not crazy. He also discovers that his Dad is not all he seems. He needs their help to find the truth, if he can convince them that they really do know him from the future. I will definitely read that others in this trilogy.

[bellamia_1 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

I really really liked this book. I wasn't sure about it but the story is written very well. Many times the characters, especially when they are young, are whiney and immature but I love the characters. Holly is strong character, she doesn't play the vulnerable little women. And their relationship is great! I can't wait for the next!

[popo_chan_xo · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

It was pretty good. Kind of long. A little confusing with the time jumps at first, but you get used to them

[mellymel171328 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

I really loved and enjoyed this book, it has such a clever story that is very hard to put down and stop reading. I can't wait for the other books to come out and continue to keep me guessing at each turn, I wanna know what happens! I also hope the movie rights come through so I can see it on the big screen, I really think this series is going to become a massive hit and very much recommend it for most everyones book shelf.

[ladylenneth · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

I really loved and enjoyed this book, it has such a clever story that is very hard to put down and stop reading. I can't wait for the other books to come out and continue to keep me guessing at each turn, I wanna know what happens! I also hope the movie rights come through so I can see it on the big screen, I really think this series is going to become a massive hit and very much recommend it for most everyones book shelf.

[eomalley_2 · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

I recently picked up Julie Cross's debut novel, Tempest, because the whole concept of the book seemed intriguing. The closest thing I could think of to this novel was the movie, “Jumper,” which I somewhat liked but ended up very confused by. Turns out I had the same reaction to this novel.

I’ve been enjoying books recently told from the male point of view and this is no exception. Jackson’s head is a very easy place to be. I liked his character and I thought it was a nice change to have a college male as the lead. His relationship with his girlfriend Holly is more mature than many books I’ve recently read; they have a physical relationship, and they are also experiencing some communication problems that feel realistic. Both of them, along with their friend Adam, work with privileged children at a summer camp and when we meet up with them they are working hard to keep the kids entertained and under control at the zoo (good luck!). Jackson has already been jumping back in time for short distances and durations, and has been documenting his experiences at the insistence of Adam, who is studying the phenomenon. Holly, however, is unaware of what Jackson has been doing and this is where the relationship problems are occurring; Jackson has been standing her up for dates as he attempts the time jumping and never even thinks of telling her why. I find it refreshing to see that Jackson and Holly are having normal communication difficulties that I think many people can relate to.

When the two reconcile after their most recent argument, they spend the night together and then are awakened the next morning to two men knocking at Holly’s dorm-room door. The two men insist Jackson accompany them to see his father, but since he has been trained since childhood not to leave with strangers (he is from a rich family himself) he refuses and a fight ensues. Holly is shot during the confrontation and Jackson accidentally jumps much farther than he ever has before – from 2009 to 2007. Any time he attempts to get back to Holly in 2009, he finds himself inexplicably boomeranging further back in time and then forward to 2007 – but no farther. Jackson now needs to find out what is causing him to stall in 2007 so he can correct the situation and get back to help Holly.

The rest of the book is about Jackson meeting up with the younger versions of Holly and Adam, and even his twin sister – who died when they were 14 years old. Along the way, he finds out his father is more than he seems and that the government agency he works for has been experimenting with time jumps for years. The agency is currently trying to prevent other time jumpers from altering anything along the time-lines so that the future can play out the way it is supposed to.

And this is where I had difficulty with Tempest. The characters are intriguing, the concept is great, but the whole thing gets bogged down by so many jumps forward and backward that I became very confused where Jackson was, which characters belonged where, and what the heck new characters introduced at the end were doing. There are “half jumps” and “full jumps,” sometimes things CAN be changed and sometimes they can’t, more characters keep showing up and jumping around…frankly, I became a bit lost. Since this is the first book of a trilogy I expect questions to be left open for the next book, but it felt like I was left with nothing BUT questions and no answers. Events and characters kept piling on with no resolutions. I have no clue who are the good guys at this point (except Jackson, Holly and Adam); everyone has an agenda and they are all conflicting. I’m not going to spoil the ending, but after everything Jackson did throughout this book and how his every action was an attempt to get back to Holly I found his final actions to be frustrating.

There is enough in Tempest to make me want to check out the second book in the trilogy and see where Cross is taking the story. I’ve been left with so many questions, though, that I found the book more frustrating than satisfying. Hopefully that is reversed with book two as Cross settles down with her story and characters, and I will be left anxiously awaiting the final chapter.

[blehner_4 · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

It's not a Tempest that's responsible for Jackson's talent to travel through time by mere thought. But I don't want to give away too much in that regard. Julie Cross's novel about a student who suddenly finds himself on the run through time (!) after his girlfriend got shot by some mysterious men, puts a whole new twist to time travel adventures.Not sure whether I'm the only one, but I thought this would be a paranormal read, and then I found myself in the middle of some kind of spy-novel which was definitely not what I expected, or hoped for. There's just too much of a James Bond undertone for my taste. All the potentially promising threads and intriguing clues that would have made this a great science fiction book, were touched upon only briefly and didn't really lead anywhere either (then again this is the first book in a trilogy).Oddly enough (also quite unexpectedly considering my expectations) it proved to be quite a suspenseful page-turner for me. Yet I wish the author would have taken the interaction between Jackson and his sister as an example of how to build up the other characters. And someone should change the misleading blurb as well.As to the readership for this novel, I recommend it to a mature YA audience.In short: Don't let the cover fool you, this book is not as paranormal as it looks. Love spy novels with a twist? This might be for you then.

[glmw_1 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Quick read, well written book that has everything! Though the cover is misleading, this is an adventure tale that will appeal to both boys and girls.

[emma_manolis · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

What. A. Ride. When I started reading this book I really did not think that I would love it this much. In fact I thought it was just another lame time travelling story. Then it had to get all "Alias" meets "The Time Travelers Wife" and I found that I could not put it down. I thought the book was going in one direction, only to find that we were going an entirely different direction all together!

My one complaint is that there were times when things were moving a little too quickly and I found myself having a somewhat difficult time figuring out who was who. I also wanted to know why Holly 007 was so different from 009. What had happened in her life to make her change so drastically? I thought the character of Jackson was great. I really liked that we as the reader grew alongside Jackson and learned more as he learned more.

I am incredibly excited because it looks as if this may be a series! I really hope the next book is released soon though because I feel as if I am in shock and I need to see what happens next! I am hoping there will be more about Courtney in this next book.

[lillibrary · Rating: 1 out of 5 stars]

Couldn't finish it. . .and after slogging through the first couple chapters, I found the characters flat and uninteresting. Despite a highly promising premise, the book wasn't compelling and lacked depth.

[xirxe · Rating: 2 out of 5 stars]

Jackson, 19jähriger Student, entdeckt, dass er immer wieder ein paar Stunden in die Vergangenheit und zurück reisen kann. Mit seinem Freund Adam, einem Physikgenie, beginnt er, dass Ganze systematisch zu erforschen und der Ursache dafür auf den Grund zu gehen. Doch bevor sie zu weiteren Erkenntnissen gelangen, werden Jackson und seine Freundin Holly von Unbekannten überfallen und Holly dabei erschossen. Nun beginnen sich Jacksons Fähigkeiten in unerwarteter Weise zu entfalten, was er auf seine Art nutzt: Er begibt sich auf die Suche nach den Hintergründen und versucht, die Geschehnisse in der Vergangenheit zu verhindern...
Was als Spannungs-Liebes-Science-Fiction-Roman begann, verliert sich zusehends in einem Kuddelmuddel von Agenten, Zeitfeinden, Verschwörungstheorien, Weltuntergangsszenarien, Ganz- und Halbzeitsprüngen usw. Als ob es der Autorin nicht ausreichte, ihren Helden als Zeitspringer zwischen die Fronten zu schicken um Hollys Tod zu verhindern, wird eine komplexe Verschwörungstheorie angeleiert, die zum Ende hin nur noch zum Kopfschütteln verleitet. Schade, denn das Thema Zeitreisen hätte durchaus auch allein für Spannung und Tiefgang sorgen können. So bleibt es bei kleinen kurzen Anklängen (Was passiert, wenn ich meinem Ich begegne? Gibt es einen Alterungsprozess? Gibt es den Tod?), die dann jedoch zugunsten einer plötzlichen 'spannungsgeladenen Action' kurzfristig wieder abgewürgt werden. Dazu noch ein Hauch von Pseudoerotik, der natürlich ebenfalls endet, bevor es wirklich anzüglich werden könnte - und fertig ist ein Jugendroman, der noch schneller vergessen ist als man ihn gelesen hat.
Schade, wirklich schade, da hätte man mehr draus machen können.

[ericajsc · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

I'll admit going into this that my expectations weren't super high, but the concept sounded unique enough that I decided to go in with an open mind. (I think my reluctance was the similarity to the Fallen-Hush,Hush category of books.) I'm glad that I gave this a try, because it pulled me in and I found myself wanting to read more and more of the story. Granted there were times when either the plot didn't make sense or I was lost, but despite that, it was still an enjoyable read. And while I've read stories that are somewhat similar, I found that this had a unique twist on the whole time travel-type story.

[asgwilli · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

I really liked this book! It was so creative!! I loved the main character and how the plot unfolded. I am on the edge of my seat waiting to see what happens next!

[caitief-1 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

This time travel novel is fantastic. The main character is well-developed and likable, but not perfect. The side characters feel like characters, not devices. While there is a lot of jumping in time, I never felt confused about where we were on the timeline. And the romance in this was spectacular and genuine. If you like time travel, romance, and spies, this is a great book for you! I look forward to picking up the next book in the series!

[warriorlibrary · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

I was confused a lot of the time because of the time traveling and the main character doesn't really know what is going on. Hopefully it will become clearer with the next book.

[akmargie · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

First of all, this doesn't need to be a series. I mean unless the author pulls something spectacular out in the next books its just going to be more convoluted plot lines that endeavor to get the two leads together. And really the romance wasn't the strongest part in the book. The time travel and "bigger" story with the government vs The Enemies of Time (terrible name) was far more interesting. And here's the issue, I don't care about Holly as a character. There is one too many scenes of her being the victim and needing to be saved by Jackson. It's gets old and it doesn't allow the character any growth while Jackson grows tremendously, especially his relationship with his father. So basically if the love story gets ignored in the next book then I might be up for it.
Secondly, when the book says, "he whispers" please audiobook narrator DON'T ACTUALLY WHISPER! I can't hear you and I can't rewind and jack up my volume. Just it's a tiny detail but for some reason this book had lots of whispering and so it happened, a lot.

[a_reader_of_fictions · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

What a thrill ride! Time travel is, of course, completely fascinating as a concept, but it's extraordinarily difficult to do well. Actually, I have no complaints with how Cross has done this. Way better than The Lake House any day.

What particularly intrigues me are the variations in time-jumping power and the other abilities Jackson seems to be developing. I hope more is learned about these and where the powers originally came from later on. The ubermensch theme is pretty cool too, especially since people with that mindset make awesome bad guys.

I never really bonded with Jackson as a character. He's okay, but I'm not sure how much I like him. Actually, now that I think about it, I don't have any particular love for any of the characters. However, I do really love the way the characters are together, the way they interact. Cross has attained something resembling actual human interaction, which is pretty fantastic.

Jackson and Holly are definitely put forward as fairy tale level love, and they are seriously drawn to one another from the first time they meet (and from the first time they meet again...haha). However, they did not immediately declare their love for one another or anything like that. Although the degree of their affection is extreme, as are the circumstances, the relationship moves in a believable way. They have hangups and little fights. These important details are left out of too much fiction.

On a somewhat related note, I really hope all teens are not this sexually active nowadays. When Jackson and Holly first have sex, he is surprised to discover she is a virgin, even though she's not even in college yet. He thinks to himself that it had been a long time since he had sex with a virgin, which leaves me wondering exactly how much action this guy has been getting and since when?

If you like action, romance, espionage and time travel, you will not want to miss Tempest. This is the first book in a series, which I have every intention of continuing with.

[lilibrarian · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

Jackson is about 17 when he realizes that he can travel through time. He keeps it a secret, using it as a research project with his friend Adam, until he meets other time travellers and finds himself in the midst of a battle between good and evil for the future of the world. But he is not sure which side is good, and which is evil.

[kazhout · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

(This review was originally posted at My Library in the Making.)When Tempest arrived in the mail, I immediately leafed through it and was quite taken aback by how long it seemed (it's not thick, but the letters were smaller than in most other books), but now that I've read it, all I can think of is I want more!At first glance, Jackson Meyer seemed like he had the perfect, normal life - he was in college with Holly, his girlfriend, and free of parental and financial concerns because his father was the busy CEO of a pharmaceutical company. At first glance - because he was also a time-traveler.Tempest had the perfect beginning, providing enough knowledge to understand Jackson's abilities and avoiding an info dump. The author clearly understands the meaning of "need-to-know basis", which also added suspense to the story. That said, I still got confused with the principle behind Jackson's time traveling, especially during his first few jumps - or maybe school just distracted me. Anyway, I got the hang of things soon enough.Aside from the whole business of time-traveling, I also really loved the characters. At first, I imagined Jackson as this cute, nerdy guy who could quote Shakespeare in French (!!!), but as I read more of him with Holly, he turned into this smart, sexy dude whose girlfriend I seriously envied and wanted to hate, but I couldn't because Holly was everything a YA heroine should be: intelligent, level-headed, and brave - though minus some kind of special power. A whole plethora of logical characters - so there was zero facepalm moments! - were introduced, and I really mean it when I say each stood out on their own. Fast-paced, action-packed, and surprise-filled, Tempest was one hell of a ride. It held me in its grip until the ending that has me desperate for Vortex, which, thankfully, will come out in January 15, 2013!MY FAVORITE PART was when Jackson tried to adapt to his new "home base".

[xhollishx · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

This book was highly entertaining. I really enjoyed it. The author's writing is easy to read and the characters are like able. The setting is also another part of the book that I like. It has a great feel to it. I'll be looking for the next ones in the series!

[tlsmiles · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

I give Tempest a 4 out of 5. That means it was a good book, kept me entertained and left me thinking about it for a bit afterwards, but not quite gushing about it.Kudos to Julie Cross for coming up with an innovative way to incorporate time travel into what is otherwise fairly normal teen life. In Tempest, nineteen-year-old Jackson Meyer has recently found he can jump back in time, but just by a little bit. He can't change the course of events, and only stays a little bit, then is back in his present time, 2009 (presumably the year when Julie Cross wrote the novel). That all changes when his girlfriend, Holly, is shot before his eyes, and he finds himself back in 2007, unable to get back to his present. And now, in 2007, it looks like he might be able to change things as well. So he befriends his girlfriend and her friends as they were in high school, in an effort to figure out what has happened and get back where he belongs.The story that follows is complex and intriguing. It kept me reading to find out the answer to the questions that come up early in the novel. I've seen reviews that mention that the characters are flat, and I will agree that Jackson Meyer is almost a caricature at first, but urge the readers not to give up because of that. That is how Jackson sees himself at the beginning of the book. But over the course of the story, he grows, discovering who he is on more than one level and more importantly, realizing what is important to him.My only serious concern with the novel was the lack of descriptions. There is very little to give me the look, smell, or feel of any of the places in the book. At times, particularly near the end, the missing description made the action difficult to follow. But otherwise, I recommend Tempest. It's an excellent debut novel.

[cloudnrain · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

i enjoyed the book, but i wasn't a big fan of it. i'm planning on passing it on to a friend that loves time travel books and i'm pretty sure she would like this book.

[darkfaerietales_1 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Review Courtesy of Dark Faerie TalesQuick & Dirty: The revelations about Jackson Meyer’s time traveling ability and family past are interesting to read, but the pacing is somewhat slow.Opening Sentence: Okay, so it’s true. I can time-travel.The Review:Jackson Meyer has the rare ability to travel through time. It’s not an exact science and not as extreme as in the movies since he can only travel short distances back in time. That is until intruders break in and shoot his girlfriend Holly during a struggle and Jackson jumps back two full years. Confused and trying to find his way home, Jackson realizes he is stuck in 2007 until he can figure out a way to get back to his own time.I enjoyed the characters Julie Cross created. Jackson is a sarcastic but nice guy who really cares for his girlfriend Holly and their super smart friend Adam who helps him understand his time traveling. Holly is a sweet, smart girl who is in the dark about Jackson’s time traveling. Since most of the novel is set two years before Jackson is dating Holly, we mainly see her seventeen-year-old self, a younger and more guarded Holly than the one Jackson knows, though he still knows her well. Since the novel is narrated by Jackson when he finds her in 2007, we don’t see her character develop much beyond what Jackson notices about the differences between 2007 and 2009 Holly. She’s very likable, but I never feel like we really get to know her since Jackson already does and sees little need in giving the reader details on what he already knows. Jackson and Holly did not meet until 2009, so Jackson has the upper hand in knowing all about Holly, but is a total stranger to her. He tries to hide their mutual past, but sometimes slips up and acts like he would with 2009 Holly. Adam brings up the possibility of Jackson taking advantage of 2007 Holly in a way since he already knows what to say and do to cause her to like him. It did seem a bit odd for Jackson to spend so much time with a two year younger version of his current girlfriend, but considering the last thing he saw before he jumped to the past was her shot by strangers who seemed to know about his ability, I can understand his need to see her again to make sure she was alright.Adam is extremely smart, and the only person Jackson feels comfortable sharing the secret of his talent with. Before the intruders shot Holly, Jackson and Adam were working on experiments to figure out the limits of Jackson’s power. When he is stuck in the past, Jackson meets Adam again and convinces him to believe what is happening to him. 2007 Adam is way more skeptical and paranoid than 2009 Adam, and it takes a secret code 2009 Adam left with Jackson to convince him what Jackson says is the truth. I really liked the character of Adam, and he helped make sense of some theories about Jackson.More secrets are revealed as Jackson tries to figure out what to do while in 2007. Jackson never knew his mother, and his twin sister, Courtney, died of cancer when they were sixteen. After getting stuck in the past, Jackson starts to realize some odd things about his father and his own childhood, and comes to the conclusion that his father is not who he thought he was. His father kept things from Jackson. Important things! I don’t want to spoil anything, so you’ll have to read for yourself to find out the truth behind his father’s neglect since Courtney died, his involvement with Jackson’s time traveling, and who the man really is. I did like the twists Cross wrote, especially in connection with Jackson’s past.One thing Jackson does realize is he is not alone with his gift of time travel. There are others like him, but not all of them use their powers for good. In fact, some of them are downright evil and want to take Jackson with them. Can Jackson’s wits keep him safe?As the book neared the ending, it became a bit more confusing, but I imagine the many questions I had will be answered in upcoming novels. The pacing throughout was a little slow, but the twists and information revealed is really what kept the book going. I enjoyed Tempest, and my only complaint is with the hesitation in the overall flow of the novel.Notable Scene:I spit out a mouthful of something strawlike and realized I was lying facedown in the grass. Somewhere. Somewhen. My heart was pounding. It hadn’t even felt like a jump.The sun warmed the back of my neck. I shouldn’t have felt the heat so much. This was different from a normal jump. Something was different.It must have been a dream . . . or I’d hit my head. Maybe I hadn’t even had a fight with Holly? Maybe none of that had happened? Acid churned in my stomach just thinking of the sickening image of her lying in a heap on the floor.I pulled myself up from the grass and tripped over something, falling flat on my face again. And I felt the painful impact of my body colliding with the ground. Based on how much it hurt, this was definitely home base. My black bag lay at my feet. I must have dragged it with me.After forcing my eyes to focus, I realized this was Central Park. Right near my building. My legs felt like lead as I stepped closer to the sidewalk. I pulled my phone from my pocket and tilted it so I could see the time. It was completely blank. After banging it against my thigh a few times, I gave up and asked a woman passing me on the sidewalk, “Do you know what time it is?”“A little after six,” she said as she jogged past.The aches running through my entire body were so intense, I had to stop and sit down on a bench.“You okay?” an old man asked from beside me.“Fine, thanks,” I said, leaning my head back. I just needed to rest for a minute. Right before I closed my eyes, the old man’s newspaper came into focus and I jolted upright after reading the date.September 9, 2007.What the freaking’ hell is going on?The Tempest Series:1. Tempest2. Vortex (January 8, 2013)FTC Advisory: St. Martin’s Griffin provided me with a copy of Tempest. No goody bags, sponsorships, “material connections,” or bribes were exchanged for my review.