"Vortex" by Julie Cross is the second book in the "Tempest" series. Those who read the first book, "Tempest," will be thrilled to finally get to know what happens to Jackson Meyer, a teenager who discovers that he can travel in time.
The story picks right up where the first book ended. So if it's been a while since you read "Tempest," that first book, it's a pretty good idea to reread it or risk being very confused by the many dates, worlds and people.
"Vortex," in fact, is rather confusing even after reading the first book twice. There are multiple time jumps resulting in different worlds (at least that is the theory in the story thus far). Even the people in the different worlds don't always remember the same things or the same people.
Although it is a bit confusing, that doesn't spoil the fun even one tiny bit! Jackson Meyer is a great protagonist. He's self-deprecating and a far-from-perfect hero. And he does become a hero. There are twists in the second book (especially about his father) that aren't fully explained (but probably will be in future books), there is a TON of action (practically non-stop), lots of new characters (yes, it's a bit crowded and a bit confusing), and a great story.
The ending, just to warn readers, is again a cliffhanger. It will be difficult waiting another year for the next installment of Jackson Meyer and his time travels. But like me, fans will wait anxiously and hope that Cross continues to treat us to the roller coaster ride that is life with the time traveling, teenage CIA agent -- Jackson Meyer.
There is also a free bonus short story available on Amazon called "Tomorrow is Today."
Please note: This review is based on the advance reading copy provided by the publisher, St. Martin's Griffin, for review purposes.
Follow the National Book Examiner on Facebook and Twitter.
If you would like to continue receiving book reviews, including information about author appearances, author interviews and giveaways, please click the "Subscribe" icon. It's free and anonymous. Thank you for reading, and thank you for sharing this article with others.
Comments