Kick-ass and Sentimental: All Our Yesterdays by Cristin Terrill

All Our Yesterdays (All Our Yesterdays #1)

by Cristin Terrill

Genre: Young Adult, Romance, Science Fiction

Release Date: September 3, 2013

Publisher: Disney Hyperion

Source: Bought/Own Copy

Links: Goodreads | Amazon | Author's Website

Synopsis:

"You have to kill him." Imprisoned in the heart of a secret military base, Em has nothing except the voice of the boy in the cell next door and the list of instructions she finds taped inside the drain.

Only Em can complete the final instruction. She’s tried everything to prevent the creation of a time machine that will tear the world apart. She holds the proof: a list she has never seen before, written in her own hand. Each failed attempt in the past has led her to the same terrible present—imprisoned and tortured by a sadistic man called the doctor while war rages outside.

Marina has loved her best friend James since the day he moved next door when they were children. A gorgeous, introverted science prodigy from one of America’s most famous families, James finally seems to be seeing Marina in a new way, too. But on one disastrous night, James’s life crumbles apart, and with it, Marina’s hopes for their future. Now someone is trying to kill him. Marina will protect James, no matter what. Even if it means opening her eyes to a truth so terrible that she may not survive it. At least not as the girl she once was. 

All Our Yesterdays is a wrenching, brilliantly plotted story of fierce love, unthinkable sacrifice, and the infinite implications of our every choice.

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Review: 

“There are risks, but progress is always dangerous, isn't it? Most of the time, walls don't get dismantled brick by brick. Someone has to crash through them.”

I often remember saying that Time travel isn't a subject to write about because one, it's impossible improbable, and two, one can't possibly write a consuming book with a subject like that. But I was wrong, in fact, All Our Yesterdays really does deserve an award when talking about the best take on time travel.

When I first saw the premise, my curiosity was at once piqued. Fast paced and filled with blood pumping action, shell-shocking suspense, and tangled romance, Cristin Terrill's debut novel, All Our Yesterdays will leave you on the edge of your seat. The time travel concept introduced, unlike others that are a pain while reading because their explanation was for nerds, was well explained and can easily be understood. The concept of how paradoxes fix itself was utterly fascinating. Terrill's first novel's a great read because it has everything to look for in a novel—complications of friendships, romance, and a hot villain all woven together so perfectly by hands of a wonderful author. 

In the other present, Em and Finn are contained in a prison with their cells just adjacent to each other. In the other other present, Marina Marchetti lives next door to James Shaw, the genius, the guy who she's smitten with and her best friend. Im not going to explain further because you guys might hate me for spoiling you. But here's an introductory thing that you should know: Em and Marina are linked by Cassandra, who is a time machine and not a person. With Finn, a list, and a gun, Em is set off to destroy the very thing responsible for her imprisonment—Cassandra. 

This is the first book I've read by Cristin Terrill, but one thing's for sure: It wouldn't be my last. She wrote a story which easily sucked me in and had me reading for hours and hours—non-stop. I never thought about finishing the book in just a day, but then I'd tell myself 'Just one more chapter..' and, in no time at all, I was done with the book! It was mind-blowing. I don't have any of her previous works to compare her writing then and now, but right now, Her writing style is amazing! She attacked our shelves with her dashingly written debut novel and may her works continue to be praised!

As for the characters, They were all so dear to me, well except for the Older James. They were very remarkable because each of them has undergone a huge personality transformation,—James, Marina, and Finn—others for the better, others for the worst.

As for Marina, she's probably my second most loathed character—I think we all agree that the first one's The Doctor—because she doesn't have a backbone! She's the typical trying-my-best-to-fit-in-and-completely-forgetting-all-about-my-personality character. And that's just the half of it. She's completely smitten with James though it's clear that his feelings for her were out of pity, out of the idea of her staying in his life. At first, I really, really loathed her but towards the end, she proved to be a likeable character. I think Cristin, who has a master of the arts degree in Shakespeare Studies, used Ophelia (from Shakespeare's Hamlet) as an archetype. Marina was so blinded that she lets her feelings for James dictate her actions, in short, her life was ruled by men. It's just a theory, though. 

My thoughts on Em are almost all positive. She's really bad-ass and tough as nails on the outside, but inside, after many chances, she can't quite accomplish what she has to do because of that emotional baggage form the past. (I won't tell you more though, I don't want to spoil others)

As for James, you, sir, are a genius but please, just please don't toy with Marina's heart. Thank you.

I can't write for the other characters because the review's already long as it is, sorry!

I think the plot was amazing! It was fast paced—just perfect for all action novels. The narration was flawless as well. There was just one thing that I didn't like: At first I was confused as to who were the narrators, who or what was Cassandra, why are Em and Finn imprisoned, but as I read on, things got clearer.

This book is the perfect embodiment of how a person could do a 180 in just a short amount of time. How revenge can drive people to do unspeakable things. How friendship doesn't matter to people hell-bent on getting what they want. And lastly, how much a person would go to protect people he loves.

This story is about heroism, coming of age, and about mental development and I recommend you to read it! 

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