DNF at 65%. Teenagers do not talk or act like this. These characters are stilted and undeveloped to the point where half way through the book, I have no idea what any of them even look like. The constant mention of Harper being into video games and having an OverWatch shirt got on my nerves a bit like it was the only trait the author could think of to make her "unique" or "weird" in some way. Girls can be into XBox games and still have friends and into sports all at the same time, it's not worth constantly mentioning.
The author also used divorce and death of parent figures in a strange way, and as a lazy plot device. Every family unit in this book has experienced a divorce or death within a few years which seems unbelievable plus you're not quite sure which parents are dead and which are just gone, and there's no mention of the reason why or how. We're mostly told about Aunt Amy's death but I couldn't tell what happened between Kale's parents or if Harper's dad was dead. It just seemed overdramatic and overshadowed the fact that Kale is a time traveler - which should be the main point of this book.
It just feels like this author saw The Time Traveler's Wife and decided to write a book. ( )

Kale Jackson has an exciting special ability, but it is one that he is beginning to think is not quite so exciting anymore. He travels through time. That might sound fascinating to many people, but Kale cannot control it. Though he can usually tell when he's likely to travel shortly before he does, he can't stop it or force it to happen. And with his recent travels taking him back to World War II, fighting on the front lines as a sharpshooter, the danger has taken much of the fun out of the whole experience. Of course there's also the fact that he cannot explain to most people why he disappears for days at a time without any notice. They would never believe him--including his own father.

But one person who has always believed Kale is Harper, a childhood friend who used to live next door. And when Kale finds out she's returned for the summer, he has the smallest glimmer of hope that quickly fades. In the years that have gone by Kale has changed. But so has Harper. Although she promised she would never ask Kale where he travels, she is more assertive and insistent that Kale not resign himself to being alone. The two quickly reforge a friendship that has the potential to become something more. That is, until Harper looks up Kale's involvement in World War II online. What she finds has the potential to change everything.


This is a wonderfully written young adult science fiction story that doesn't rely on all of the tropes that are so common these days in the genre. Yes, there's angst and a budding relationship, but they don't drive the story. Instead we see Kale, a young man who feels very much at the mercy of this thing he can't control or explain, finding his way back to feeling like he has some agency over his life. And we see Harper, a young woman who has recently claimed her own agency, working to feel comfortable with her choices while trying to help Kale do the same. And everyone will have to love Uncle Jasper. Definitely recommended reading!

[Disclaimer: This review is based on an advance review copy provided by the publisher via Edelweiss.] ( )

In Cold Summer by Gwen Cole, a teen's time-traveling ability endangers his life and puts him at odds with his family.

Kale Jackson began time-traveling at seven years of age and recently his "trips" have begun to occur with alarming frequency. His recent travels take him back in time to World War II where his skills as a marksman put him in harm's way. Kale's brother Bryce and sister Libby have always been his staunch supporters, but with Bryce ignoring him as he prepares to leave for college and Libby spending the summer with their mother, Kale has little reason to remain in the present. Adding to his stress is his increasingly fractured relationship with his father, who makes no effort to hide skepticism for his son's inexplicable disappearances.

Until six years ago, Harper Croft spent her summers with her Uncle Jasper. She, Kale and Libby were inseparable during her visits but in recent years, she is only in touch with Libby. Now moving in with her Uncle Jasper permanently due to her mother's recent move, Harper is looking forward to renewing these friendships. Although she is aware of Kale's disappearances, she has no idea why he periodically vanishes. Despite her alarm over his unhealthy appearance and his apparent unhappiness, Harper keeps her promise she made to him long ago. But when she discovers shocking information about his visits back to World War II, will Harper convince to Kale to try to figure out how to control his unusual ability?

In theory, time travel sounds like an exciting adventure, but as Kale knows all too well, not everyone is willing to believe he travels into the past. Although his siblings and best friend Miles never doubt his stories about his adventures, he has given up trying to convince his father he is telling the truth. Kale is quickly sinking into despondency when he thinks about his future since his unexplainable absences caused problems with school and extracurricular activities. With everything in the present turning into a unhappy mess, Kale is only slightly troubled by his frequent trips back to World War II. At the same, the situation with his dad is spiraling out of control but Kale stubbornly refuses to provide him with irrefutable proof he is telling the truth. Will he make the same mistake when his relationship with Harper turns romantic?

Harper knows she made the right decision to move in with her Uncle Jasper but she cannot help but wish things were different between her and her emotionally (and now physically) absent mother. Making the best of her new circumstances, she tries to be understanding about Kale's frequent absences but she is fairly assertive as she tries to persuade him to try fix his relationship with his father. With her concern over his health growing with each of his trips back to World War II, she eventually forces him to tell her the truth about what is going on with him. Once their friendship deepens into romance, will Harper convince Kale to figure out why his travels have become more frequent? And when she learns the truth about what happens to him during World War II, will Kale try to change the outcome?

Cold Summer is a very clever and enjoyable young adult novel with an interesting premise. Gwen Cole does a fantastic job with the time travel element of the story while at the same time gently delivering an important message to her readers. Although flawed, the characters are appealing and sympathetic. The storyline is engaging and quite interesting. The glimpses of Kale's wartime experiences provide insight into both his need to go back in time to help comrades in arms and his struggles with PTSD in the present. All in all, a riveting young adult novel that I absolutely loved and highly recommend to readers of all ages.
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I've been in a reading slump for months now so I'm happy to say that this one has pulled me out. I found the passion in reading again and quickly grew fond of diving into the fictional world filled with tragedy and first love.

Time travel was a new subject for me, but I was pleasantly surprised. I found myself so fond of Kale and his multi faceted worlds that I craved more. It was almost as if I could grasp his hand through the pages. I felt the tragedy wearing him down and my heart broke when he found out his future lied within the past.

Harper brought that fierce heroine feel along with her own struggles. She was always strong for others, quietly burrowing her own problems away. As her and Kale grew closer, my heart ached for their happily ever after, but towards the end, I kind of craved a more devastating twist. Is that wrong? Yes, most likely it is... There's just something about a hero making history and leaving loved ones behind that gives a book that ultimate gut punch. It paints the characters' stories on your mind and leaves you with a feeling of desperation. I wanted to feel lost in the words after the final page, but that's just me. (I LOVE tear jerkers)
Overall, I highly recommend it to all readers... I had a few problems with the plot flow and I found a lot of editing errors, but the big picture was beautiful and classic. I loved the romance, I was intrigued by the history, and I became addicted to the story quite instantly. ( )

So good! ( )