Blog Tour -Book Review of Cascade by Lisa T. Bergren

• Genre: Young Adult Historical Fiction
• Paperback: 416 pages 
• Publisher: David C. Cook
• Release Date: June 1, 2011
• Series: River of Time (Book 2)
• Source: The Teen Book Scene Tour

Blurb: Mom touched my underdress—a gown made six hundred years before—and her eyes widened as she rubbed the raw silk between thumb and forefinger. She turned and touched Lia’s gown. “Where did you get these clothes?”

 

In Cascade, the second book in the River of Time Series, Gabi knows she’s left her heart in the fourteenth century and she persuades Lia to help her to return, even though they know doing so will risk their very lives. When they arrive, weeks have passed and all of Siena longs to celebrate the heroines who turned the tide in the battle against Florence—while the Florentines will go to great lengths to see them dead.

 

But Marcello patiently awaits, and Gabi must decide if she’s willing to leave her family behind for good in order to give her heart to him forever.

 

 

Review:

Cascade picks up right where Waterfall drops off. Gabi and Lia have returned from fourteenth century Italy, but Gabi has left her heart in the past. Gabi convinces Lia to return to the past with her, despite the risks. The sisters find themselves in the middle of a fanfare celebrating their heroism for saving Siena. Everything seems to be going well, accept for Gabi's relationship with Marcello. She's left to decide if she should remain in ancient Italy forever, and forsake her family, or return home, and forsake her heart.

I'll admit -I wasn't incredibly impressed with Waterfall. Maybe it's because I read and ARC of the book, so it wasn't completely polished -or maybe it's because the ARC I read was factory defective: it was printed upside down and from right-to-left, instead of left-to-right. Needless to say, this probably impacted my reading experience in a negative way. Still, I read the entire book and thought it was a lovely YA historical novel.

Cascade, on the other hand, is a considerable improvement on Waterfall. This time, the world and characters have already been established, so author Lisa T. Bergren has the opportunity to really expand on her characters and the world in a new and compelling way. This time, I felt like the romance between Gabi and Marcello was more mature, more genuine, and the plot far more compelling. Though Gabi has established herself as a heroine, she now finds herself firmly in the cross hairs of an enemy that would see her dead.

As a fan of YA novels and historical fiction, Cascade satisfies both of these interests perfectly. This is a wonderful series for readers who enjoy a little history, a little romance, and a well-constructed plot that'll keep you flipping pages up to the very end.