Forget any time-travelling book you have ever read, for here comes one of the greatest... 'Tempest' tells the tale of Jackson, a 19 year old college student whose time-travelling abilities land him in some dangerous and devastating situations. Told in first-person narrative by Jackson, we see him trapped in the past with no way of returning to the girl he loves: the girl who, just moments before, was bleeding to death in his arms. Full of action and intrigue, I question anyone not to become hooked on this exciting and enjoyable novel.
I must admit that the story of Jackson did not exactly grip me from the first word. To begin with, very little is explained, making it tricky to completely understand everything that is going on. This made me initially lose hope in, what appeared to be, a confusing plot.

But boy, was I wrong. Despite my first reaction, Julie Cross' ability to tell a story soon completely overrode any reservations I had. Her depiction of main character Jackson, with detailed insights into his mind, made him instantly likeable and relatable. The emotional portrayals of his relationships with those around him, especially his girlfriend Holly and twin sister Courtney, gave the story a softer side in comparison to the all-out action scenes. Not that these scenes weren't brilliant, too: filled with such excitement and intensity, they left you begging for more.

I adored this book, and would recommend it for any teenage reader: from sci-fi to action to romance, this book has something for everyone. And don't let the time-travelling put you off either – Cross explains it with such shocking simplicity that even me, a sci-fi novice, found it fascinating and easy to understand. The book leaves you with quite a few questions, so I now can't wait to see what happens next to Jackson, his friends, and family: bring on the sequel!

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