Cascade

Title: CASCADE
Author: Lisa T. Bergren
Publisher: David C. Cook
June 2011
ISBN: 978-1-4347-6431-7
Genre: Inspirational/time travel/young adult

Gabi Bertarrini has just returned to modern times from the fourteenth century where she left her heart. She finds her mother, but they are in trouble for disturbing an excavation site where her mom had been hoping to work. Desperate to convince her mother of the truth, Gabi and her sister Lia take their mother back to the past, to a dangerous period that made Gabi feel more alive.

Marcello, Gabi’s fourteenth century lover, has clothing laid out in the tomb they arrive in, waiting for Gabi and Lia to return. And when they meet up, Marcello is excited to see them. But things may not work out for Gabi and Lia to remain in the past. Something is luring them back to the future…

CASCADE is the second book in Ms. Bergren’s The River of Time series. I didn’t read the first book in the series Waterfall yet, though it is in my to-be-read pile. I recommend reading the books in order as I started out CASCADE thoroughly confused, thus it took me awhile to get into the story.

Gabi and her sister Lia are thoroughly modern girls, thrust back into medieval times. The customs and lifestyle is thoroughly unfamiliar to them, and the danger is high. Especially when, somehow, the sisters did something in the first book to get the enemies attention—and now they are wanted.

The story is engaging, the attention to detail is good, the characterization great. I enjoyed the story and am looking forward to going back to read Waterfall so I could find out what happened first! If you like time travel, medieval, or historical books, then CASCADE is a book you won’t want to miss. Discussion questions and author’s notes are included. $9.99. 399 pages.