Review: Waterfall by Lisa Bergren

Book Description via Goodreads:

Paperback, 369 pages

February 1, 2011, David C. Cook

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.

Source: Borrowed (Thank you Kai!)

My Thoughts:

Gabi and Lia were spending yet another boring summer with their mom in Tuscany. Their mom was an archaeologist and she was obsessed with anything related to the Etruscans. The beginning of the novel was captivating. The manner in which the author introduced the characters, to me was completely smooth. They were well-developed, with their own little flaws that made them all the more realistic to me. I, myself, am really interested in archaeology (I even took up Archaeology 2 last semester) and the detail that the author paid attention to about the site of the Etruscan tombs, the procedure and the snippets of history embedded in the minds of the sisters rang true.

After finding two handprints in the cave, Gabi and Lia, curious as ever, were sucked into a different time. However, Gabi found herself alone in the 14^th century, in the midst of a real-life battle – swords, blood and all. She was rescued by the knights of Castello Forelli. She pretended that she was from Normandy, lost in Tuscany while searching for her mother and sister. Of course, there was some truth to that. She was lost in time, with her mom back in the present and her sister missing in action. As she pondered about why all this bizarre experience was happening, she had found a second home in Castello Forelli.

Marcello was the tall, dark and handsome knight who rescued Gabi. He captured Gabi’s heart, the same way Gabi captured his. But Marcello was already betrothed to someone else – to a pretty and rich Italian girl with an attitude, Lady Rossi. Gabi outshined her with her modern ways, her free spirit and her untamed nature. The love triangle was classic: boy and girl meets but boy already has someone else, with an amazing twist. Marcello and Gabi’s relationship was against fate or maybe it was exactly what fate wanted. It was somewhat strained but it was also full of sweet moments and fireworks.

Fortino, the heir to the throne of Castello Forelli, was a gaunt and sickly version of Marcello. His days were numbered and he often spent his time alone, until Gabi stumbled into his chamber one day. As a girl from the future, Gabi had a hunch on what could’ve caused Fortino’s being sickly. So she tried to cure him, make his life a little better. Another amazing knight from this novel was Sir Luca. As Marcello’s closest confidant and captain, he was often around Gabi. But it turned out that fate wanted him to lay his eyes on another beautiful woman from the future.

Mesmerizing, romantic and funny, Waterfall is a powerful read. It had everything I wanted: romance, suspense and mystery. It had me hooked by the first page. I highly recommend this to historical readers and romance readers.

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