Review: Waterfall by Lisa T. Bergren

Title: Waterfall

Author: Lisa T. Bergren

Format: Ebook, 277 pages

Genre: YA

Published: 2011 by David C Cook

Source: Personal Shelf

Buy It: Amazon

From Goodreads: Lisa Tawn Bergren's new YA series, River of Time, is romantic, historical fiction in which the plucky heroine doesn't have to fear a vampire's bite but must still fight for her life.

In Waterfall, American teenager Gabi Betarrini accidently finds herself in Fourteenth-Century Italy . . . Knights. Swords. Horses. Armor. And Italian hotties. Most American teens want an Italian vacation, but the Betarrini sisters have spent every summer of their lives there with their archaeologist parents. Stuck on yet another hot, dusty dig, they are bored out of their minds... until they place their hands atop handprints in an ancient tomb and find themselves catapulted into the Fourteenth Century and in the middle of a fierce battle between knights bent on killing one another.

Waterfall starts out with two sisters, Gabi and Lia who have recently lost their father. Once again they are are following their mother, who is an archeologist, to find another dig site that has been a dream of their parents. They decide to explore the ancient tomb and Gabi finds herself  thrown back in time to medieval Italy. Not only does she arrive during a battle, but her sister is no where to be found. Gabi is seen by the men and the battle comes to end while Gabi hopes she her instinct is right in who the good guys are. She makes up with a believable story of how she came to be there. When Gabi finds a safe haven at Castello Forelli she starts the mission of trying to find her sister. 

  

The man who comes to Gabi's rescue is Marcello, youngest son of Lord Forelli. He was betrothed at birth to Lady Rossi (called Miss fancypants by Gabi and a viper by staff), in order to strengthen an alliance. Marcello starts to take notice of Gabi as she is prone to usual actions for his time, like wearing her hair down and riding a horse bareback. There are also other talents Gabi brings into the past that makes this book exciting to read. 

Gabi battles to find her sister, with her feelings for Marcello and her feelings to return home. Marcello battles between what he feels is his duty to his family and his feelings for Gabi. This book is exciting, clean and full of adventure. One of my favorite characters is Luca, Marcello's cousin and captain. He is kind, easy going and after a given description of Lia he really wants to help Gabi find her. :) I also found myself giving a little laugh at Gabi's thoughts.

I wish this series would have been around while I was in my teens, I know it would be one of my favorites and one my mom would approve of. I am so glad Mrs. Bergren has written this series and I will recommend to anyone who reads YA. I look forward to the next book, Cascade where I hope to find answers to the questions left open in Waterfall, I recommend having it on hand because you will want to start right into it.  This is a must read for every young adult fan!

                               

A little warning for the "younger" young adult readers: there is a little scene of attempted rape, he ties her hands and starts to lift dress but nothing else is carried out.