Waterfall Wednesdays: Chapters 24-28

Welcome to the very last week of the Waterfall Read-Along! For those of you who don't know, the wonderful ladies behind Tina's Book Reviews, Edgy Inspirational Romance, Irresistible Reads, The Unread Reader and myself are hosting a read-along of Lisa T. Bergren's time-travel young adult novel Waterfall (LOVED!). Each week we'll pose and answer five questions about the book and then hop around to the other blogs who have signed up to check out everyone's answers!

Nic is the host this week, so be sure and pop over to Irresistible Reads to link up your posts and, in doing so, get entered in a giveaway to win signed copies of the entire series.

Also, if you haven't had a chance to hop over to Small Review, be sure and stop by as she's having a River of Time Series extravaganza with all sorts of fun giveaways running through September 30th.

CHAPTERS 24-28

After Gabi is injured, the doctor gives her a tonic. Gabi questions the doctor several times what is in it but he refuses to tell. Would have you taken the tonic in Gabi's situation?

Good question. I consider myself a pretty suspicious person by nature, and given that medical remedies in this time period were not exactly up to snuff, I think I might balk as Gabi did especially since the doctor adamantly refused to tell her what was in it. There would be all sorts of disgusting things going through my head like "Am I drinking feces? Poison? Feces and poison? WHY WON'T YOU TELL ME WHAT'S IN THIS?!"

Before the games Gabi asks Lia to let Lord Forabosch win in the archery event as people, especially Lord Forabosch, are becoming suspicious of them. But during the games Lord Forabosch upsets Lia trying to throw her off her game. So Lia decides to win. Do you think she did the right thing by not letting Lord Forabosch bully her or do you think she took an unnecessary risk?

This scene made me smile. Yes, both girls were starting to raise suspicions. Yes, Lia behaving as a proper lady deferring to her male "betters" (gag) in a display of skill probably would have been beneficial to their cause. However, I just can't find it in me to fault Lia as I'm a competitive person too and would find it extraordinarily difficult to allow someone who thought so very little of me to best me when I knew I could win, repercussions be damned. So, in summary, I like to win. GO LIA!

When Gabi is dying and she and Lia decide to return to the tombs so they can get the cure at home but they have to tell Marcello the truth. Even though Marcello thinks that it is madness that they are from the future he believes in Gabi because he loves her. Do you think this is believable? What would you have done if you were Marcello?

I think given all that's unusual to Marcello about Gabi and her sister it's easier for him to believe they are a from a different time. I think if Gabi had mentioned it right when she stumbled out of the tomb, despite her odd clothing, he would have thought her crazy or working some kind of witchcraft. By the time they tell him though, there had been so many little things adding up that I found his willingness to accept their story believable.

In the end Gabi and Lia return home. Do you think Gabi will return to Marcello? Would you go back?

In a truly spectacular display of deductive reasoning on my part, I did figure Gabi was going to go back to Marcello given that there were two additional books in the series. The way my mind works is intimidating isn't it? Don't worry, we can't all be as magnificently intelligent and modest as me ;-)

The romantic in me would absolutely go back. I would have a very hard time living out my life wondering "what if", and knowing Marcello was waiting for me would eat at me every single day until I could bear it no longer. Deliciously sexy knight pining day in and day out for my return = my hand on that print in the tomb in a second.

Looking back at Waterfall what was your favourite moment?

I only get to pick one? That's nearly impossible. I think my favorite moments would be the tension-filled interactions between Marcello and Gabi. Romantic tension is my favorite part of almost any book, and theirs was so tangible I could practically reach through the pages and touch Marcello. Wait. Not Marcello. Touch it. It, as in the tension. And if my fingers happen to fondle Marcello while they were in there I can't really be held accountable now can I? No.


I want to say a huge thank you to Missie, Nic, Serena, Joy, and Tina for organizing this event and allowing me to be a part of it! A special thank you to Lisa Bergren as well for writing such an amazing series and for offering up fabulous prizes to those who participated each week. I hope everyone had fun with the read-along, and for those who continue on with the series after this I have one word for you: GRECO. That is all:)

Waterfall Wednesdays: Chapters 18-23

Welcome to week four the Waterfall Read-Along! For those of you who don't know, the wonderful ladies behind Tina's Book Reviews, Edgy Inspirational Romance, Irresistible Reads, The Unread Reader and myself are hosting a read-along of Lisa T. Bergren's time-travel young adult novel Waterfall (LOVED!). Each week we'll pose and answer five questions about the book and then hop around to the other blogs who have signed up to check out everyone's answers! I'm the host this week, so please link up your answers at the bottom of this post.

Also, if you haven't had a chance to hop over to Small Review, be sure and stop by as she's having a River of Time Series extravaganza with all sorts of fun giveaways running through September 30th.

CHAPTERS 18-23

Gabi and Lia both face several life and death situations in these chapters, having to pick up weapons in defense of those they love and experiencing first hand the brutality of close combat. If you had the choice between picking up a weapon and standing on the front lines or staying behind to tend to the wounded as necessary, which would you choose?

I would be on the front lines I think. Blood and I do not get along, so having to tend to the wounded would be sort of a horrific form of entertainment for all those in the medical ward. I can't imagine I'd be of much help to anyone running to hork up everything in my stomach after every new injured patient comes in only to end up in a bed myself because I've passed out in a fit of extreme squeamishness and have broken something on my way to a nice meeting with the floor. Clearly the front lines would not be blood-free, but I think trying not to die would keep me focused enough that the blood wouldn't affect me quite as much.

Both girls get to wear extraordinary gowns to their victory celebration; what would your dream medieval gown look like?



That's me and the husband on our wedding day. I was madly in love with the back of my dress when it was bustled with its tiered effect, so I'm thinking something similar to it would be ideal for a medieval ball. Only not in white. White + Jenny = much Photoshop work needed. Maybe something in a rich green since that's always been a much more flattering color for me than white. Another small change in the above photo to make things medieval ball worthy would be a minor switch of leading men. I love my husband to pieces and consider myself pretty darn lucky, but for the sake of this discussion, let's just plug Lord Greco into that picture shall we? Excellent.

Gabi has crude stitches put in and must endure both their removal as well as the cauterization of the wound. How is your threshold for pain? Do you think you would have simply gritted your teeth as Gabi does?

In my head I have this pretty glorious opinion of myself as someone who is like Gabi and is able to endure pain with dignity, but alas, I think reality is far different. Anything medically related I handle pretty poorly, even when I give myself a pep talk about how this time is going to be different and I'm going to maintain my cool like a normal person and will treat myself to 15 books when I'm finished on a self-congratulatory shopping spree for behaving like a mature adult. I have never once bought myself those 15 books. Needles freak me out. Tourniquets nearly make me pass out. Blood pretty much guarantees I'm going to be on the floor within seconds. And pain is just something we don't need to talk about. I'm a wuss. Straight up.

Marcello wants to properly court Gabi after they express mutual feelings of affection, wanting to speak with her mother about his intentions. What do you think is the most romantic aspect of medieval courtship?

I think when a guy asks the family for permission to court/date/marry the object of his affection it's really sweet. Not so much in the context of the young woman being a piece of property switching hands from father to husband, but I guess in the more modern sense of the custom. I also like how everything was incredibly proper back then and even the smallest gesture such as holding hands held so much significance because touch of any kind before marriage was a rare thing. Just think how much tension there would be if the only exchanges you had with your intended were glances here and there or brief dances with minimal contact; it would be kind of an exquisite torture.

Gabi and Lia find themselves with conflicting desires toward the end with Lia wanting to return home and Gabi hoping to stay. Do you think that Gabi is being unfair to Lia for wanting to stay, or is Lia being unfair to Gabi for demanding they go? A little of both?

I think a little of both in this case. I can only imagine how I would feel in either of their shoes – it would be extremely difficult to choose between what you want for yourself so desperately and what you can so clearly see your sister wants with equal fervor. Acting on what I wanted most would make me feel incredibly selfish, but denying myself something like the love Gabi feels for Marcello or the home Lia wishes to return to would be almost unbearable.


Link your discussion Q&A below for your chance to win The River of Time series, signed by the author. Winner will be chosen tomorrow morning. Leaving your link below enters you into the drawing. Also, commenting on any Waterfall Wednesdays post automatically enters you into the Tuscan Earrings Giveaway from Lisa T. Bergren! Good Luck!

Waterfall Wednesdays: Chapters 12-17

Welcome to week three the Waterfall Read-Along! For those of you who don't know, the wonderful ladies behind Tina's Book Reviews, Edgy Inspirational Romance, Irresistible Reads, The Unread Reader and myself are hosting a read-along of Lisa T. Bergren's time-travel young adult novel Waterfall (LOVED!). Each week we'll pose and answer five questions about the book and then hop around to the other blogs who have signed up to check out everyone's answers!

Serena and Joy are the hosts this week, so be sure and pop over to Edgy Inspirational Romance to link up your posts and, in doing so, get entered in a giveaway to win signed copies of the entire series. I have the pleasure of hosting next week, so you'll find the next 5 discussion questions at the bottom of this post.

Also, before you go, if you haven't had a chance to hop over to Small Review, be sure and stop by as she's having a River of Time Series extravaganza with all sorts of fun giveaways running through September 30th.

CHAPTERS 12-17

In Siena, on her way to the ball at Palazzo Publico, Gabi likened her experience to being on the red carpet at the Academy Awards, the goal being "to see and be seen." If you were a peasant, watching from the crowd, what would you be thinking as this procession passed by?

I think if I saw the likes of Marcello and Luca walk by I’d probably curse my birth status repeatedly and long to dive through the throngs of people in order to dramatically throw myself on one of them only to have them realize as soon as they saw me that they were, in fact, madly in love with me and couldn’t bear to spend another minute out of my presence. Upon further reflection, it's entirely possible I misinterpreted this question to be “what is your Marcello and Luca medieval fantasy from the viewpoint of you as a peasant?” Now you are all in the know. About my YA Marcello/Luca fantasy anyway, the adult romance version I’ll keep to myself other than to say that it also involves Lord Greco. Wait. I seem to have veered drastically off course here…

Though quite nervous about dancing at the ball, Gabi discovers a strange feeling of connection to the time, the people, and the society through the unified beauty of the dance. Have you ever been in a position where you felt out of your element, but, in one, pinpointed moment, became a part of or connected to something bigger than your fear?

Wow. This is a very thoughtful and deep question and my typical flippant response doesn’t seem fitting, so I honestly don’t have a good answer to the above. Deep is sometimes lost on me and I fail completely at this question.

The kiss. Oh, the kiss. When Marcello finally kisses Gabi, he believes the experience to be proof that they are meant to be together. What did you think about his assumption? Were you surprised at Gabi's reaction to it? Have you ever experienced a kiss that seemed to be prophetic in a similar (or opposite!) way?

*dreamy sigh* Oh Marcello, you big romantic you! I think his reaction is sweet and adorable and the drama of it seems to suit the time period in which he lives. Life is hard and short, so I think making a prophetic statement about being “meant” for each other after only a brief kiss is fitting for them. I remember getting butterflies (for lack of a better term) when I first kissed my husband, but I wouldn’t say I knew at that very moment that I wanted to spend the rest of my life with him, that came from all the times he made me laugh and all the small gestures over the years we were dating.

Many go through their teen years with a subdued sense of immortality. Do you think Gabi has a sense of this teen feeling? And did you think Gabi's converse observation, "Sometimes death came hunting and there was no way to cut it off at the pass." was informed more by the experience of losing her father, her self-admitted closet hypochondria, or the forced maturation of being transported to a different time? How does this observation show Gabi's growth as a character?

Jeez. These are some intense questions this week! I believe Gabi’s sense of her own mortality is probably a combination of all the factors listed above, though especially the death of her father. Given that his death was so sudden and unexpected, I think it inevitably brought the brevity of life in general into sharp focus for her, and that personal knowledge is only compounded when she gets to a time where medicine is scarce, war is not, and justice is often delivered in the form of public torture.

In the span of a few moments, Gabi goes from sword-wielding teen beauty to man-killing warrior. Did you think her realization of the finality of death -- and her justification for its necessity -- was realistic? And, in her slippers, could you have done the same?

I honestly don’t know that I could come to terms with the brutality of the time as quickly as Gabi does. Her adjustment period is impressive and admirable, but I think for her it’s a case of necessity in addition to her inherent strength that allows her to transition as well as she does. She either makes the adjustment and accepts death as a means of survival or she succumbs and wallows in the cruelty of that which she cannot change, and I think Gabi, being Gabi, quickly chooses to control the things she can as best she can.

DISCUSSION QUESTIONS FOR CHAPTERS 18-23

1. Gabi and Lia both face several life and death situations in these chapters, having to pick up weapons in defense of those they love and experiencing first hand the brutality of close combat. If you had the choice between picking up a weapon and standing on the front lines or staying behind to tend to the wounded as necessary, which would you choose?

2. Both girls get to wear extraordinary gowns to their victory celebration; what would your dream medieval gown look like?

3. Gabi has crude stitches put in and must endure both their removal as well as the cauterization of the wound. How is your threshold for pain? Do you think you would have simply gritted your teeth as Gabi does?

4. Marcello wants to properly court Gabi after they express mutual feelings of affection, wanting to speak with her mother about his intentions. What do you think is the most romantic aspect of medieval courtship?

5. Gabi and Lia find themselves with conflicting desires toward the end with Lia wanting to return home and Gabi hoping to stay. Do you think that Gabi is being unfair to Lia for wanting to stay, or is Lia being unfair to Gabi for demanding they go? A little of both?

I look forward to having everyone here next week!

Waterfall Wednesdays

Welcome to the Waterfall Read-Along! For those of you who don't know, the wonderful ladies behind Tina's Book Reviews, Edgy Inspirational Romance, Irresistible Reads, The Unread Reader and myself are hosting a read-along of Lisa T. Bergren's time-travel young adult novel Waterfall (LOVED!). Each week we'll pose and answer five questions about the book and then hop around to the other blogs who have signed up to check out everyone's answers! You're welcome to join the fun at anytime by signing up over at Tina's Book Reviews and then linking your posts to the linky on the host blog each week.

Tina is the host this week, so be sure and pop over to her blog to link up your answers and then stop by Missie at The Unread Reader to get next week's questions.

CHAPTERS 1-6

Waterfall opens with the introduction of Gabi, she's depressed, a little angry and is dealing with feelings of loneliness. Are you connecting with her this soon in the novel? Do you see things you like or dislike?

I don't know that I necessarily liked or disliked Gabi right off the bat, it usually takes me several chapters to develop feelings of any sort for a character. When she found herself in the middle of a battlefield facing medieval knights in full war mode and managed to keep her wits about her, I decided I was a fan. One of my favorite aspects of Gabi is that she never lets herself become overly dramatic, she absorbs whatever situation she's found herself in and logically thinks of her next course of action. Sometimes she makes smart decisions, sometimes she doesn't, but she always seems to stay on the level which I appreciate.

Gabi gets to time travel back to 14th Century Italy- The Dark Ages in its prime. Is there any time in history that fascinates you and would you travel back if you could?

I just finished two books that focused on ancient Egypt and Rome in the time of Cleopatra and I have to say that time period has always been of interest to me. Seeing Egypt in all her glory before Rome took her over would be amazing, and I would absolutely travel back if I could with the caveat that I could return to modern times at a moment of my choosing. While the grandeur and the opulence of Cleopatra's Egypt would be captivating, I like my modern conveniences. Lack of plumbing would be highly problematic. This girl does not go in a chamber pot, or in the street, or wherever else. Indoor plumbing just makes me happy:)

Most of the men, including Marcello have a very set opinion about a woman's place. Gabi gets manhandled a bit in these first few chapters, and even gets asked if she's a witch. The men are shocked when Gabi rides a horse like a man and shimmies down the castle walls. What do you think of mens mentality back then? Gentlemanly, chauvinistic, simple-minded?

I don't think they are simple-minded in any way, they've been raised to view women as the "fairer" sex, meant to excel at certain tasks and not at others, so I don't think their attitudes are chauvinistic given that their views are are not meant in a derogatory fashion–they are just stating what they view as simple fact. That being said, my hackles would definitely rise if I was denied the opportunity to do certain things because it was not my "place", but I think that's mostly because I've grown up believing women equal to men and capable of the same things they are. Oh, and sidesaddle? Absolutely not, I will ride with my legs astride the horse or not all. I'm not falling off just so my legs can stay together ;-)

When Gabi becomes a part of this era, the people are immediately intrigued but suspicious of her. Many judge her by her difference. Do you think this is fair? Have you ever been in a situation where you felt like an outsider or that others were misjudging you?

Sadly, I think people are always judged by their differences. It certainly still happens with alarming frequency today and I imagine it will be some time before suspicion and prejudice against something or someone that deviates from what people view as "normal" will subside. Luckily for me, I've never been in a situation where I've been viewed as an outsider or judged in any way.

What do think the coolest thing would be about living in the Dark Ages? What would be the worst?

Horses! I've grown up around horses and have been riding since I was little, so the thought of getting to ride a horse every single day for transportation sounds pretty appealing to me.

As for the worst part, please see above note about the lack of indoor plumbing. *shudders* Just thinking about it makes me want to run upstairs and give my toilet a big hug.