Book Review: Torrent by Lisa T. Bergren

Torrent by Lisa T. Bergren
Book 3 of The River of Time series 
Release Date: September 1, 2011
Publisher: David C. Cook
Pages: 388
Received: ARC from author/publisher
Rating: 5 out of 5 stars, Special Shelf
Goodreads Page

This review contains NO spoilers for the series!

Click to see my reviews for:
Waterfall (#1)
Cascade (#2)

Summary

From Goodreads (spoilers for the previous books):

Gabi and Lia Betarrini have learned to control their time travel, and they return from medieval Italy to save their father from his tragic death in modern times.   But love calls across the centuries, and the girls are determined to return forever—even though they know the Black Plague is advancing across Europe, claiming the lives of one-third of the population. In the suspenseful conclusion of the River of Time series, every decision is about life … and death.  

Review

The perfect end

Series can be tricky things. The first part needs to hook you, the second part needs to sustain you, and the third part needs to knock your socks off AND satisfy you.  

Torrent is a win all around. Lisa T. Bergren so totally knocked my socks off and left me beyond satisfied (except for the fact that I want more, but I'm a glutton like that). Torrent was everything a concluding book should be and more.

Picked up right where Cascade left off

Torrent starts with a bang and doesn't let up until the very end (those were the tensest final 20 pages of my life!) There are some sweet moments where the characters get to rest, but these rests are very brief. All of the pulse-pounding action that I loved so much in the first two books is here in Torrent times ten. This is the end and the stakes are HIGH! No holds were barred and it felt like anything could happen.

If you read Cascade already, then you know something BIG happened right at the end. I loved this plot twist. It really enhanced my enjoyment of the story and led to a lot of awwww moments for me. I'm so happy Lisa T. Bergren did this for Gabi and her family because it couldn't have been more perfect. It was like putting in the final piece of a puzzle to make everything fit exactly how it should. 

Expanded (a lot!) on the enigmatic Lord Greco

I like this guy! Ok, so I'm not giving him my heart (Luca has it, then Marcello), but there's not much I wouldn't do to get more Greco. Or should I call him Rodolfo, because, yeah, we're totally on a first name basis now. 

Though I'm still not exactly sure if I want to make out with him like crazy, or slap him silly. 

One thing is for sure, I love the role he played in this book. Gabi's experiences with him helped sort out my own feelings for Marcello, and I've gotta say, I finally fell for Marcello. Hard. I had always liked and respected him, but wowza, he's darn near perfect now.

What does this have to do with Greco? You'll see. Let's just say that Lisa T. Bergren knows how to write a love triangle in such a way that I actually like it (when usually I HATE them). Best part about it is that it rings true and Gabi never felt like a floozy. 

Made me cry, and RAGE, and fist pump!

Yes, I actually did all three of those things. Including the fist pump. I know, so lame, right? Who actually does that?! But, um, yeah, I totally did it (and then I did this little ducking and furtively looking around me to see if anyone saw kind of move). I also exclaimed--out loud--"That's SO COOL!" on at least two occasions. 

These were completely involuntary actions. It was like the sheer level of awesome packed into Torrent possessed my body and I lost all ability to maintain the appearance of "collected cool" (like I rock that look normally? Yeah, whatever).

Arrgh, and the rage! Lisa T. Bergren can seriously write bad guys. She puts poor Gabi and her loved ones into these awful situations with these characters who I hate so freaking much that I wish someone would cut off their ears! 

Which only makes the books that much more filled with win when that sort of comeuppance actually happens! It's surprising how rare it is to have both bad guys worthy of despising on such a level where you want to curse their entire lineage AND have them get theirs. Lisa delivers on both counts. Score!

Ooooh, but I also said I cried. Prepare yourselves, because as much as I love how awesome Lisa T. Bergren is with the vengeance, and as much as the books are riddled with moments that make me want to hug puppies they're filled with so much Awwww--these aren't perfect fluff stories. 

BAD stuff happens. And to good people, too. Your heart is going to swell with happiness, but it's also going to feel like it got ripped out of your chest and stomped on. But as much as I HATE these bad things happening to characters I love, it does make the story so much richer than it would have been without these tragedies.

Of endings...and beginnings?

The River of Time series is everything I ever wanted in a YA book, and so much more. It's a rare thing to read a series that is so consistently good, but The River of Time series is one solid win after another. If anything, each book only improves as the stakes grow ever higher, more characters are introduced, and Gabi grows from a likable teenager into a strong young woman worthy of massive amounts of respect. 


Now here is my plea to you: BUY IT! Please. I'll be honest, I'm being totally selfish here. I want more books, plain and simple. I want Lia and Luca's story. I want Greco's story. I want a prequel about Marcello's secret brotherhood of kick-butt warriors (how cool would that be, right?). I want more adventures with Gabi and her family. I want to (spoiler for Torrent) see Gabi flex her muscles as the lady of the castello because I think she has grown into a woman who would totally own as a Lady in Charge. Bottom line, I want more! 

And YOU can help me! Yes, YOU! How? Buy The River of Time. Tell your friends. Tell your librarians. Ask your local booksellers to stock the series. Nominate the series for your next book club. Spread the word however you can. Because that's how we'll get more books, and I NEED more! Curious about the potential of more? Click here to read an excerpt for the potential fourth book!

I'll even bribe you (click this, it's a link to a giveaway. Yeah, I'm serious about the bribing. Updated prizes!) 

Explanation of rating system: Star Rating Key 

Do you have any questions about Torrent that I haven't addressed? 
Feel free to ask in the comments!

Want more River of Time fodder?

Check out the book trailers!

Waterfall

Cascade

Read the beginnings of each book!

Waterfall

Cascade

Torrent

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