| Title | : | Butterman (Time) Travel, Inc. (Butterman Travel series #1) |
| Author | : | |
| Rating | : | |
| ISBN | : | - |
| Language | : | English |
| Format Type | : | Paperback |
| Number of Pages | : | 308 |
| Publication | : | First published November 5, 2013 |
Welcome to Butterman Travel, Incorporated; a full service agency designed to meet all your exclusive time travel needs. We’re a family owned and operated business with one hundred years of experience. A place where you can rest assured, safety and reliability always come first.
Anxious to attend some special event from the past? Or for a glimpse of what the future holds?
You’ve come to the right place. We’re a fully accredited operation, offering an array of services; including, but not limited to: customized travel plans, professionally piloted operations, and personal trip guides. *Terms and conditions do apply
Use our Web conferencing to contact our frontline reservation specialist, Bianca Butterman, who will handle all your inquiries in a professional and efficient manner, offering a tentative itinerary and free fare quote, so you can make the most of your time trip.
We look forward to serving you at Butterman Travel, Inc., where time is always in your hands.
Butterman (Time) Travel, Inc. (Butterman Travel series #1) Reviews
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Real Rating: 1.5* of five
Libertarian nonsense. Most specious, selfish, childish "philosophy" I've ever rejected with scorn and contempt, and dressing it up with an adolescent female lead with a crush on an Aryan celebrity made it no more appealing. I want my 99¢ back. -
More like a 2.5, really, but I'm rounding up because I was negatively influenced by the poor quality of the audiobook. (Entirely irrelevant, but there was an Irish character, and the narrator kept calling him "Deh-CLAN" and I kept going "???" until I finally figured it must have been Declan. Maybe in 2069 Irish people will have started pronouncing the name that way, but they sure don't now.)
Anyway, I stumbled across this in one of my searches through all the new releases in SF/fantasy and YA and -- time-travel. Not much more well thought-out than that. Unfortunately, it didn't turn out to be my kind of time-travel, and most of that was that it wasn't my kind of YA romance. ("Golden boy", big pop star and hard-working girl from remotest Alaska, 3 days' worth of knowing each other and she learns when it's necessary to Break the Rules! Take Risks! And he shows his Vulnerable Self! True Talent! Uh, abs? The L-word isn't mentioned but it's pretty insta all the same! ) There's a surprising amount of illicit (or not yet illicit but really - why the hell not?) taking of drugs of various forms, and while Tristan's problem with addiction is quite movingly depicted at times, both are pretty stupid with their accidental ingestions too often, and I had no patience at all for the non-accidental one near the end, given that Tristan is an addict, just out of rehab.
The overwritten, underdeveloped romance isn't the only problem I had with the book though, although again, most of this fits in the "not my cuppa" rather than "this book is a mess" category. At the start of the book, the family-owned Butterman Travel is being audited by the DoT, and throughout, the DoT agent continues to play the role of every big, bad, unjust governmental oversight agency throughout the history of governments, pretty much. They want to regulate commercial time-travel, which seems a highly sensible thing in theory, but as we come to discover, really means that the government wants to shut all the companies down and retain total control of all time-travel. Of course the scary agent with too much power who is usually one step ahead of our righteous just-want-to-carry-on-my-legitimate-business protagonist can be fun, and I started in that frame of mind. But as Tristan works on Bianca and she starts loosening up about following the rules, I started having my doubts. What view of time-travel can you have in which there is no possibility for screwing things up - whether through greed (bringing back treasures) or other types of self-interest (going back to stop yourself/others from making bad choices), or even the desire to set things right "this time"? Yes, of course, the latter would start for most people with the Holocaust, and that is mentioned as an impossibility, as are bringing things back to the present or changing the time-line in any way, personally or world events. Except then we discover what Bianca wants to do on her Induction Day, the free-for-Butterman-Travel-folks celebration of being a fully-credited time guide, and it's a whopper. (I don't think this qualifies as a real spoiler, but she does keep it back from the reader for quite a bit of the book, so I'll put it behind spoiler anyway.) She says that the DoT rules only apply to commercial travel anyway, and furthermore, says she's investigated the people who would have died in this tragedy and their predicted futures and is pretty sure preventing this would only change things for the better, if at all. That makes NO SENSE AT ALL, and Bianca's saying she has done the calculations and according to them it won't affect anything significantly makes no sense either. Finding out what her plan was pretty much shot the time-travel for me.
There were a few other annoyances, of prose and plotting, and the worst of the latter was for the (very cool) "excursion" Tristan suggested they take on his trip. (It was cool, and fitting and I really liked it, in case that might have seemed sarcastic.) They got to this place early in the morning, had a four-hour window open, stayed their full amount of time, couldn't leave but Bianca used the remaining 30 minutes' power to do some computer research, told Tristan what she'd found, and then it was getting dark. In August, in upstate New York. There was also a very random bit of slut-shaming (I guess), when Bianca commented on two young women who were all over Tristan, and then says "No wonder celebrities were always sleeping with each other, the way they flaunt their goods." Of course later she goes swimming in her underwear, saying she's glad to be able to show Tristan the goods, but hey, that's the way slut-shaming tends to work, isn't it? Also, this line really pissed me off big-time: "With an overbearing mom like her, I can see why he's such a pansy." The overbearing mom is "hefty", shockingly.
I won't be reading Induction Day to see how Bianca's plan goes, but I'm sorry that the stuff that didn't work for me really didn't work, because there was plent of fun too. -
Concoction of a Review:
Taking on this Speculative fiction was not a choice but a must. Truly, Mad Scientist does not read enough of this genre.
Too start MS will say that this is indeed not a literary masterpiece but oh so close. New favorite is now found!
Enjoying this book is saying as if MS liked it. This is not the case.
When the pages were not being flipped thoughts were whirling about the characters.
When the pages were not being flipped dreams of the characters adventures and what will happen next filled my head.
Thinking of a book in this way, when the characters do not leave you, is a more than enjoying the book!
Taking place in the distant future of 2069, Butterman (Time) Travel, Inc. is an independent travel agency not run by the government but still under over bearing government inspection. Could you image a Time Travel agency???
Our main lady of the novel, Bianca, works for her family at Butterman's and it is her life. She does a great job of making sure her job is done to the dot. She takes pride in it and would have to think this young lady was a tad on the OCD side of things. Still not having her time travel licence she dreams of what is called her induction day. It is a day they can go out of the governments rules of 100 years to any event.
Which event would MS pick? That is such a hard question. Honestly, MS would want to break the rules and fix some past mistake and throw off time. My oh my, MS is not to ever own a time machine!!! The world counts on that *snickers*.
Enter in pretty boy tween pop star singer of the future, Tristan, who fell into the spiral of drugs and rehab. Oh, future stars don't you learn a thing. *shame head shake* He is a ball of fun and tries to veer stick in the mud Bianca from the rules on his time travel trip to places one must not speak of. (You will not regret reading this book to find out where! Shocked you will be!)
MS fears of indulging too much information in this review. For surly this book is recommended but more would give away the places visited and with the why's.
Although, letting it slip on the sly, the government is the bad guy... oh, who would of thought. *not shocked grin*
Overall, MAD LOVED this book!!
There was one small kink... InstaLove. Not forced and they fought it throughout the book which was a bit different.
This book had my mind wrapped in inky goodness while reading and when MS had to be away. For me that was just an amazing feeling.
MS could go on and do what those fangirls do with their squeeing delight. Luckily there will be none of that. MS does believe ample praise has been given.
Buy this book...
Read this book...
and tell me your thoughts...
** Thanks to Candace's Book Promotions for the ebook. However, all Mad thoughts are presented in as right of mind a twisted brain can be inside of this Mad Scientist!** -
Review also posted at
Ja čitam, a ti?
When reading books about time-travel it's mostly people from present who travel to past, or at least that's what I've been reading about, but this one is quite different. Now we're in the future and it's time to go and visit past.
Welcome to the year 2069, not far from now, but it's time of time-travel agencies. Yes, my dear friends time-travel is now part of people's lives by following certain set of rules and with enough money you can travel back in past. That's what happens here when suddenly Tristan, a very famous super star, asks for time-travel services. It also means a lot for Bianca who is the youngest in Butterman family and therefore next in charge of time-traveling. Only to fulfill that she must pass some test and get her licence. This is a perfect opportunity for it. Only time-traveling is actually a really fragile thing and it's not easy to manipulate time, especially when your fellow traveler didn't even bother to read terms and conditions. Duh!
Honestly this book took me by surprised because of many unexpected moments. Firstly the whole idea of future and then traveling back to past is highly interesting for me. Also this book was a real page-turner. Once you start you just cannot wait to see what will happen next. There is great change in both Bianca and Travis. While he thinks that he is on a search for his inspiration in fact he is looking for himself the one that's been lost in all the fame. Bianca at the other hand needs to learn that not everything in life is accomplished by following the rules. It's sometimes about breaking old ones and creating new. It's not only traveling back to find what they think they're looking for, but instead what they're willing to find.
At the end, I'd like to take a moment and thank the author PK Herzo for letting her character travel to that moment in history where I'd mostly likely first travel to. -
I was thrilled to win this in a Booklikes Giveaway and was very excited to read it. TIME TRAVEL! I'm all over that!
With time travel stories the mechanics of the how can make or break a book and in this one the 'how' is a bit different. Usually is all a big mistake and the time traveler has no control over how/why/when they jump to a different time but here it's all pre-arranged and paid for. It's a time travel business! Commercialized time travel! Book a trip to the past like you would any other vacation! (I would kill to have that be a reality). There are only a handful of company's permitted to operate and Butterman Travel Inc is one of them.
Going into this I didn't know that the author writes in the NA genre, not that it would have put me off reading it...just wasn't expecting it. I was blinded by that pretty cover. I hoped the NA'ness wouldn't ruin it for me.
Bianca Butterman is the eighteen year old daughter of Mr & Mrs Butterman who operate the Time Travel business in 2069. She's not quite fully qualified as a 'guide' but she's almost there. She very nearly has her license. Oh, and the company is being investigated by the Government (who regulate time travel and want Butterman's out of the picture).
Her first customer as a solo guide is Tristan Helm, a boy band superstar with a drug habit. Now, in hindsight I have to wonder at the wisdom of allowing 18 year old Bianca to take her first solo trip back in time to New York with Mr Helm and expect things to go well, especially in light of the Government audit. I don't buy it.
"The future of the company is in your hands Bianca. We trust you"
"Kktxbai! I'll do good...ooh look, magic mushrooms!"
I feel frustrated. I enjoyed the first 1/3 of the book where the 'how's' and the 'why's' of time travel and Butterman Inc are explained, but then it turns into a mushy 24-hour insta-love thing with copious amounts of substances with which Bianca and Tristan can get high on. Actually, they're high for most of the trip. It's no wonder she can't keep a thought straight in her head or a handle on everything and it spirals out of control really quickly.
I've read other reviewers say the trip back to 1969 Woodstock was the best bit for them. I'm not feeling it. That was the turning point for me. Between natural and chemical high's, the fact that Bianca says she's GOT to stick to the rules of time travel 100% and the rock solid itinerary or there will be big repercussions... and then she deviates from the plan and hops about in time without a care after a tiny amount of cajoling and skewed logic from Tristan.
Throw in a sinister Government agent on their tail and my eyes just started to glaze over. It's way too confusing and convoluted and I'm surprised there's even a future (present) to get home to with all the potentials for paradoxes Bianca instigates or flippantly considers.
I'm disappointed. The first third - Enjoyable. The middle bit - Meh, eyes starting to glaze. Ending - I have no clue what happened there.
If you're 18 and excited by drugs and insta-love with boy-band heartthrobs who are actually a bit of a tool then this is the one for you. I wish I could have loved it. Seriously WISH. It sounded great. :( -
I’ll be perfectly honest here and say, not for the first time, that the very idea of time travel confuses the hell out of me. Perhaps I’m not overly bright when it comes to these things, or perhaps the concept is just too complicated… or maybe it’s a little bit of both. From where I’m standing, time travel is nothing to be messed with, so I can’t help but admire authors who tackle it so bravely. Although science is not at the forefront of this book, the little that was offered was both convincing and crystal clear. I understood what was happening and why at all times, which is more than I can say for the vast majority of time travel books I’ve read in the past.
Bianca Butterman, our lovely tour guide, is a girl after my own heart. She is a lot like me, in fact, a workaholic dedicated to a fault. It takes a lot for her to loosen up, and I must say I admired her sense of responsibility. Even when she was changing and adapting, she stayed true to herself.
I was somewhat less fond of Tristan, I’m afraid. He charmed me a bit toward the end, but I still don’t quite see the appeal. I suppose self-entitled poor little rich boys that never once face consequences for their actions simply aren’t attractive to me. Also, as a former addict who keeps falling back into his old patterns, Tristan infuriated me more often than not. Fortunately, my dislike of him didn’t affect my overall enjoyment of this story, and for the most part, I was able to relax and just go with it. I learned that from Bianca.
The little detour that Bianca and Tristan took was the most exciting thing that happened to me in a very, very long time. They ended up in the middle of a huge historical event, something I tried my best to learn everything about while I was growing up. I don’t know how this will resonate with younger readers, I honestly don’t, but those who know their classic rock will be just as thrilled as I was.
Butterman (Time) Travel, Inc is, in all honesty, a surprisingly good book. Based on the reviews I’ve seen so far, most readers agree with me completely. It is charming, different and very well researched, so please make sure to give it a chance.
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I was given a free e-copy of this book in exchange for an honest review…
I have a new favourite self-published author. Honestly, I adored this book and had a hard time putting it down (even when it was finished!). I love time travel stories (hence why I'm writing one myself) and I'm also a big fan of books about the music scene, so Butterman (Time) Travel, Inc was the perfect combo for me. PK does an excellent job of conveying the intensity of music through her words, and I could almost hear the soundtrack in the background as I read the narrative.
Characterisation was another strong point for me. Bianca and Tristan both seemed very real. They're both flawed and both make stupid decisions, but those decisions always make sense, given their situations and personalities. I was totally swept up in the journey as they went from being awkward strangers to maybe-friends to… well, I don't want to spoil the story for anyone. All I'll say is that my favourite scene takes place in a lake - those who have already read the book will likely be smiling in recognition.
I'll be honest and say that I did get a little lost once or twice about the in's and out's of time travel in this particular world (CCL what now?), but that was probably because I was flying through the pages at break-neck speed, too eager to find out what would happen next to actually stop and make sure I understood every little detail. Hopefully I will pick up anything I missed in my second read-through, because I have no doubt I'll be reading it again - most likely once the second book is released.
Actually, that reminds me - I DO have one bug-bear. That bloody ending. I have a love-hate relationship with cliffhanger endings. When I realised that I'd have to wait for book 2 to (hopefully) read a scene I'd been hanging out for, I literally groaned out loud (scaring my husband, who was sitting next to me on the couch). Damn you, PK. Damn you! All I can say is: you better write book 2 fast!!
All in all, an absolutely awesome read. It's made me all-the-more inspired to pen my own time travel tale. If it's as good as Butterman, I'll be a happy gal. :-) -
Really enjoyed this. A well-written fun and interesting story. The main character is likable and feels like a real person. There's a bit of romance here, but develops in a way that feels believable. No insta-love here. I like very much that although there is a bit of romance it does not overpower the story, just a realistic part of it. I listened to the audio version and the narrator does a good job.
I definitely plan to read the next in the series, already waiting for me on my Kindle. Unfortunately #2 is not available on audio, so that may slow down my progress on it, but that is only an indication of my time, not a reflection of how much I liked this one.
Contains mild sexual content, I'd consider it appropriate for older teens. -
A little while ago I had the extreme pleasure of reading the first chapter. It was only supposed to be the first chapter, but I couldn't help myself and kept turning the pages until the excerpt I received ran out - after which I pouted and vowed to devour the entire book once it came out. This is still my goal and I plan to do it soon. But if the rest of this book is anything like those first two chapters, then readers are in for a treat!
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*I had this rated 4 stars but after sitting on it day I decided that it is a 5 star read for me. I can't stop thinking about it!*
I was all over this book the moment I heard of it. Time travel?! Total WIN! And that cover? Stunning! But the description, while really awesome, doesn't tell you much about what happens in the story. So let me see if I can fill you in in a non-spoilery way.
This is about Bianca and golden boy (ex boy band star) Tristan. Bianca works at her parents time travel agency where they help people visit their dream destinations. When Tristan shows up demanding Bianca to bring him to New York the previous year, she manages to convince her parents this can be her test. But while in New York things just keep going wrong. When things end up going really wrong and they have to divert to a different time and place they end up at an iconic time in history. Without saying when or where, I'll say that fans of classic music will DIE. It's simply FANTASTIC. They are stuck in this particular time and place for a little while and while there Tristan tries to get Bianca to relax. She's always been so good at sticking to rules. And she knows that the government is NOT going to be happy. Her parents time travel business is in big trouble. But she knows that something wrong, that there's something going on and she's going to figure it out.
Bianca is a great character that felt very balanced to me. She's concerned about the rules because time travel is a big deal and having a business that deals in it is pretty rare and special. She doesn't want to ruin that. But Tristan shows her she can have fun once in awhile and they bond. While they are pretty much opposites, they find they have more in common then they thought. Bianca is described as a dark Betty; dark makeup, little star tattoos by her eye, chopped pixie cut hair and just a very strong style. And Tristan, as Bianca describes him, is a golden boy. He's famous and from a boy band and Bianca just doesn't take him serious for quite awhile. Watching them both grow as characters, was fun and very satisfying. And while the romance is light, the sexual tension is there and it's clear when their attraction for each other grows. The romance is something I expect will be a stronger theme in future books as there wasn't enough time in this one and with this plot arc.
Now with a time travel story you need some science right? Well, all that stuff easily goes over my head, but I felt this was described pretty well and was easy to understand. Well, that's not completely true, some still went over my head, but not too bad. I got the basic concept and I felt fully convinced that this was something that could really happen. And it was unique! Very, very unique. I really loved how it was done.
Before I sign off, I have to stress how much music lovers will love this book. Music is an important part and there are some iconic musicians that make appearances. This aspect of the book just had me grinning ear to ear. This entire book was just so much fun and when I wasn't reading it, all I could think about was getting back to it. I'm VERY eager for the next one!
You'll be able to find this review on my blog (soon) as well as other reviews like it at
http://www.candacesbookblog.com -
What an absolutely fantastic book! I fell in love with Bianca (love that name so much!) and Tristan right away. Their personalities jump off the page and envelope you from the first chapter. Each time I thought I had them figured out, the curtain was lifted a little more, and I learned something new.
I loved seeing Manhattan of the future and trying to guess where each bend in the story would take me. I haven't read many time travel books, but I've been a fan of Star Trek my whole life, so that gave me a background in what happens when you play with time. I thought the explanations of how time travel worked were just descriptive enough to make it seem plausible, yet vague enough to not overwhelm me. All in all, it was a splendid ride.
For those reviewers that claimed there was too much drug use in this book, stop clutching your pearls and think logically. Most of the drug use was appropriate for the TIME this novel takes place in. I didn't find any of it gratuitous or shocking, and I thought PK Hrezo's descriptions were lovely and real. Nothing felt out of place.
Butterman (Time) Travel, Inc. bended my mind quite a bit, and I'm looking forward to reading about Bianca's Induction Day next! -
I really enjoyed this book. Of course, I'm always completely stoked to get a free book in the mail when I win a Goodreads giveaway, but I also have a special affinity for time-travel fiction.
This story is done well and is a solid read. I enjoyed the voice of the narrator and the flow of events. I felt like maybe it could be even better with one more edit to tighten it up, but solidly readable and enjoyable. I loved the visit to Woodstock and the discussion of vehicle-less time travel possibilities.
There's a well-thought out framework to the time-travel physics that doesn't feel like the author is thinking it up as she goes along. It tracks and plot-movers are due to the characters finding something new in the laws of time-travel, rather than in sudden reversals or miraculous saves.
Believable and age-appropriate romance, pleasantly real family dynamics, and a nice amount of personal growth for the protaganist. Good book and one I'd recommend, especially to those who also love time-travel. -
I would love to book a trip with Butterman (Time) Travel, Inc.! How could you not after reading the blurb? As far as synopses go it has to be one of the better ones that I have read. I was immediately contemplating which direction I would pick. Would I book a trip to the past or would I pick the future?
Washed up pop star, Tristan Helms, picks the past and gets way more than he bargained for when he hires “soon to be licensed” Bianca Butterman to escort him on his first ever time travel journey. I will be honest I didn’t care for Tristan. I have a very low sympathy level for people that ruin their life with drugs, have every opportunity to fix it, and still can’t develop the backbone to change or the common sense to recognize when they need more help. Tristan pushed every dislike button I have especially if you add in the fact that he is booking a trip to make his life better but still considers “recreational” or “casual” drug use okay. He does redeem himself a little and I begin to develop a small sense of hope that he might not be such an ass in the next book.
To balance out the dislike I had for Tristan we have Bianca. I loved her. She is spunky, smart, and determined. However, I hated that she was easily manipulated by Tristan’s pretty face. While I agree that she needed to loosen up a little I do feel that she was too willing to compromise some of her standards when faced with Tristan’s manipulation.
The adventure that Bianca and Tristan goes on is an interesting one and one that I never would have guessed. I loved the musical references (Jimi Hendrix, Janis Joplin, etc.) and the effortless way that music is weaved into the storyline is fantastic. As the story develops you see that there is a lot happening as the past, present, and future intertwine in hopes of ensuring that Butterman (Time) Travel continues to exist in all time periods.
Summary: There were parts I loved, parts I liked, and parts that I hated. Which to me are all signs that I became invested in the story. The book is marked as young adult/new adult on Amazon. Personally I would say older young adult/new adult due to the drug use and age of the main characters. Overall, I believe that this is a great start to a time travel, adventure, romance series that I am anxious to discover what will happen next in.
Coming Soon: Butterman (Time) Travel, Inc. Part II – Induction Day.
* I received this book for free in exchange for an honest review. -
Did I enjoy this book: I did enjoy this book. I enjoyed it more than I thought I would. I read every free chance I had.
Bianca Butterman can’t wait to get her license to run the time-craft of Butterman (Time) Travel, Inc. This is her family’s legacy. Her future. Her past. Her everything. She is a by-the-book operator until she meets Tristan Helms, a former boy band star who wants to go back to help salvage his career. From the first time they meet, you know they are meant to take this journey together. It isn’t obvious for what reason and how their relationship will end, but they are meant to be together for this one trip. And, oh, what a trip it is!
Bianca and Tristan were great together. I liked how they kept each other in check. I loved that he picked Woodstock. And I loved their reactions and interactions while there. Their time in New York City and in Alaska were fun and exciting.
The explanations regarding how time travel works and the various aspects, effects, affects, etc. was well done. I understood it even though I’m not a sci fi geek (no offense to anyone!). It also made me want to go research time travel. That made an impact on me. I wanted to think more about the subject of the book after I was done reading it. It made me consider the possibility of time travel. That was cool.
There was a lot going on in this book but it didn’t overwhelm me. It kept me reading until the very end. I can’t wait for the next book!
Would I recommend it: I would recommend this book to any YA/NA sci fi fan!
Will I read it again: That depends on how soon book two, Butterman (Time) Travel, Inc. Induction Day is released. (I can’t wait.)
(I received a copy of this book for review purposes.)
http://everyfreechance.com/2014/02/bl... -
I love a good time travel romance, throw in some really great detailed world building that is completely believable and so vivid you feel like you are there, and you have one heck of a fun read.
I know what you are thinking, you get all of that based on the synopsis? But don’t' let that synopsis fool you, this really was a great read, so much so that I ended up reading it all in one sitting. There is just something about the writing that sucks you in and makes you really see the future. Makes it so believable that you don't even question whether or not time travel is possible and it does it all without weighing you down with too much jargon you don't care about or understand. We get bits here and there as needed to help paint the picture. A paint by numbers if you will in storybook format.
Bianca and Tristan were a fun pair to see together. They couldn't be more different, one a rich golden boy and ex band boy, the other working for her family business and darker in personality (think emo or grunge in our day, in future she is labeled a bettie). It was fun seeing them work together and really start to rub off on each other. They were a really good ying and yang combo.
What was more surprising about this read more than anything else, was the fact that music plays a really big role in it. Not just their modern day music but our “classic rock” (think Woodstock here) as well. It was a fun little twist to the story that I wasn't expecting and was a nice touch. It was something that all of us can relate to because we either all love the music ourselves or have at least heard about it and recognize it from parents or grandparents.
All in all this was a great read that was well thought out, well executed and one that I would happily pick up the sequel to. -
SAFFRON'S REVIEW
Firstly, the concept for this book is fantastic; commercialised time travel where you book a time trip like you would a holiday to Hawaii. Unfortunately I feel that this great concept wasn’t carried to its full potential.
The editing on this book was pretty good. There were a few minor typos and the tense changed a couple of times which kind of jarred me out of the train of narrative. Aside from that, the formatting etc. were great.
The problem I had was with the story itself. I was expecting an action, adventure with maybe some philosophical exploration of past/future events and how the present might be different if things had/hadn’t happened. Unfortunately, what I got was an awkward romance novel told through the POV of the main character who spent at least 50% of the book high on various drugs.
I just couldn’t bring myself to care about the main characters. The boy superstar who had it all and then ruined his life with drugs- no sympathy there and the girl who falls for him because… well I’m not quite sure why because he wasn’t likable.
The girl herself is responsible for ensuring the stability of timelines and their safety during time travel and yes, she spends about 30% of the book stressing over that. The remainder of the time she’s trying magic mushrooms or getting high on second hand marijuana and staring at the male lead’s abs.
I’m afraid I just couldn’t bring myself to like this book and I don’t think it lived up to its potential, so two stars from me. But who knows, maybe if you’re looking for a ‘love in 24 hours’ romance read this might be just up your ally. -
I love time travel!
Even though I have never attempted to write much in that realm, my mind spins at the possibilities.
P.K. Hrezo blew me away with her story, Butterman Time Travel Inc. There were so many Temporal Paradoxes that I lost track of where I was in time and space...and I LOVE that! P.K.'s mind should be studied by scientists!
The action starts quickly in this New Adult Sci-Fy adventure, when we discover that the DOT is trying to get their tentacles into the whole of the time-travel industry,and is currently targeting Butterman Time travel. As they make their way back in time for what may be their last time, things go horribly wrong, until they figure out that they were SUPPOSED to go back....it had all happened before.
Will they be able to save their company? Will one more trip back in time fix their problems...or make them worse?
You will have to read this awesome story to find out for sure! I definitely recommend it!
I was given a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
J.T. Lewis -
Imagine using a travel agent to book your vacation that takes care of you and makes sure that you are happy until your final day of departure. Well now you can work with Butterman Travel Inc. - family owned time travel company that lets you visit any part of the past or future for great price. When it's time to take her first solo trip by herself, Bianca meets Tristen and her life of time travel and regular futurastic things might be more interesting than ever before.
Time travel always fascinated me and with a Steampunk subgenre that have been getting more and more popular, this is one of the new age stories that's a must read. I was very surprised to read about Tristen and Bianca because they were not what I thought they would have been. Overall it was very enjoyable and I'm glad I gave it a chance. -
I was really interested in reading this book because it had the topic of time travel in it. As I started reading, I kept thinking how frustrating this book was going to be. It was for a few chapters, but then it got more interesting with all of the elements of time travel that kept coming up. I would say the first 80% of this book would get like a 6/10 for me, but then the last 20% would be like a 3.5/10. I do believe the ending could have been a lot better. Overall though, it was a good read and I will probably end up reading the next Butterman (Time) Travel, Inc. book.
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This book is a reason I wish GR had 1-10 ratings. I recently read the time travel book TimeBound, which is leaps and bounds better than this one, but this one was still quite different and enjoyable. 2 time travel books, completely different, both enjoyable but this one not nearly as good as that one, but have same ratings. UGH. If I had a 1-10 system, TimeBound would have been an 8/9, and this book would be a 6.
Different and enjoyable still. More detailed review to come. -
Excellent take on time travel but this book is really all about music, how it moves and changes you.
The science didn't trip me up but was just enough. The idea of a continuous time loop was interesting -
Likable characters, just enough romance not to gag those romance-haters. This is good YA. -
3.5 stars. I actually liked this a lot despite there still being a bunch of unanswered questions at the end and a bit of (admittedly better than most) insta-ish love (it occurs over 3 days time and at least she has the sense to try to ignore it and not give in right away).
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Interesting time travel book. Something of a combination of science fiction, love story and adventure. Not the most compelling book I have read - but a quick read and pretty good.
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*This was from a blog tour stop at my blog Loving the Language of Literacy and you can check out the full review here:
http://lovingthelanguageofliteracy.bl...
Interview
While writing Butterman (Time) Travel, did you ever experience writer's block, or did the ideas flow?
I don’t believe in writer’s block, so no. I do get what I call “revision impotence” sometimes when I know major rewrites are looming, but in first draft mode I usually can’t keep up with the thoughts flowing from my head. I had a lot of fun writing Butterman, so in that mindset of full enjoyment, the ideas were abundant.
What made you decide to self-publish Butterman (Time) Travel Inc, and do you have any advice for others that would like to do so?
It wasn’t a spontaneous decision, I’ll tell you that. I’ve been writing for six years now and following the industry closely. Many of my writer friends have found success from SP, and while it’s not a given because of the market’s unpredictability, it’s an opportunity to have full creative control, and I’ve been really enchanted with that idea. I loved designing my own cover with my cover artist, and deciding when I wanted to launch my book. I discussed all the options with my agent, and I was upfront about wanting this project to be done my way. In this day and age, more and more authors are becoming hybrid, and I felt this project would be a great way for me to get my author name out there and start a readership.
My advice for those considering SP, is to make sure all your ducks are in a row first. Know your market—who you’re writing the story for, and form a marketing plan. This, of course, is after having your story critiqued, beta read, revised and polished multiple times. Then have it either professionally edited, or proofread, depending on the skill set of your critique partners. I’d also suggest reading all the self-help self-publishing guides out there before you publish, so you can make sure you’re doing it right and putting your best product forward. I’ve read a few SP novels where I could tell the author hadn��t taken the time to learn the craft, and the last thing you want as a writer, is for readers not to believe in your author name. Also, if you’re considering SP, be ready for the expense. Set money aside now and expect to spend about a thousand dollars or more on the launch alone.
How long have you been writing, and when did you start writing Butterman (Time) Travel Inc?
I’ve been making things up since I was a child, but I started writing novels seriously about six years ago. I’ve written seven novels to date, most which will never see the light of day. I started writing Butterman in April of last year, finished it, revised it with the help of various CPs and beta readers, polished and launched it November 12.
Why is the story's setting so unusual? 2069 Alaska? 2068 New York City? 1969 Woodstock?
Well, because I’m unusual. I knew I wanted Tristan and Bianca to go back in time to Woodstock, but I wanted it to be terribly odd for Bianca. She needed to be futuristic, modern, dark, etc., to really contrast with the setting of a 1969 hippie-fest. Visiting New York in 2068 allowed me to get futuristic and play with the sci-fi element of the story, while Alaska just felt like the wildest place for a time travel agency to be. I have this thing for Alaska and I love writing about it, and in keeping with the idea of the Buttermans moving away from mainstream society, it worked as a setting. You have to keep all that technology safe, you know? J
Thank you so much for having me here today and featuring Butterman (Time) Travel, Inc.!
Review
*I was given this book for a blog tour which does not in the slightest affect my honest review of this book*
The first thing I would like to say for BTTI is that I had way to many annotations for it which in Sofiaworld is good thing because she has a problem with making notes while reading (she also has a problem speaking in third person). I have to say that I just loved this book. Everything about it, the plot, the setting(s), the characters, everything seemed perfectly crafted and refined.
What inspired Tristan Helm's character, and all the layers he had? He was a golden-boy popstar one moment, down-in-the-dumps starving artist type musician, and drug addict the next.
When I began plotting the story, I knew I wanted him to be the opposite of Bianca, and I wanted them to play off of each other. I knew Tristan would be an ex-boyband star fresh out of rehab. I wanted him to be a golden boy, but show his weaknesses too. The media has a way of portraying musicians as idols, when they’re as vulnerable to temptation as the rest of us. So many performing artists have suffered from addiction. Tristan was sort of an amalgam of all of them—just a regular guy thrown into this charmed life of superstardom and unable to get a handle on it, because he’s a human being with an addictive personality. But through it all, holding tight to his passion for music, in the hopes his art can redeem him in some way.
My favorite character was Tristan Helms, the person whose problems were what made the story go 'round. As she said, he was supposed to be Bianca's polar opposite, which he definitely was. While Bianca was busy telling him about the DOT's regulations, and making him read handbooks, he was the free spirit blowing in the wind, unrestrained by anything in the world. Unfortunately, he is also the bad example for all you little'uns at home for what not to do when you become an international pop star. 'He's fresh out of rehab' after being put in their for an addiction to helios because he was unable to handle superstardom. But that wasn't all Tristan was. He, like some of the modern pop-sensations at the moment, wanted to prove himself to everyone that he actually could produce good music, and was talented. One moment he's deep, the next he's insecure, then he's arrogant-basically, extremely bipolar.
On top of that, he's hot with "irises of smoky gray mixed with cobalt blue, like twilight in the mountains".
Another part about Tristan is that he goes through some major character development, and Bianca gets to know him as a person, not an image the media has tried creating. "for once, he looks real--not Tristan Helms the golden-boy-pop-superstar, but like any other regular guy in the middle of some major sh*t. Stripped of his royalties and status, but trying to make it like everyone else."
PK also provides some insight on addiction with Tristan's problems, and puts it in a way that is easy to understand, and not in a way that is shameful, but something that could happen to the best of us. "Easy to think you'd never do it, til its right in front of you...and you're curious...and it opens your mind and shows you things you didn't see before."
Was it difficult for you to decide all of the ins and outs, and rules of time travel, especially the coincidences?
Not necessarily difficult, but tedious. I researched time travel for a good month and designed the operation before writing a first draft. It helps that I’ve been in the commercial travel business for sixteen years, so I’m very familiar with the DOT and regulated airline travel. Leaning on that knowledge while applying it to time travel and the speculated paradoxes made a lot of sense. The rest, like the coincidences, I relied heavily on my imagination for.
Something I loved about this book was obviously the time travel, and with the time travel comes the problems there always is. Ripping the delicate fabric of time, destroying the space-time-continuum, seeing your past or future self, and everything else. What I loved was that PK managed to give us a lot of detail on the time travel process without us becoming bored and saying, "just get back to the story," There are so many ins, outs, rules, regulations, loopholes, and coincidences that it would make your head spin around, and Tristan thinks Bianca is a huge party-pooper for doing reminding him. Especially since Butterman Travel Inc is one of five independent time travel businesses that the DOT permits. These are just a few of many confusing ones that made Bianca and Tristan's journey one hell of a trip.
"You can't have time without space. They're relative." "SO the time craft doubles as a spacecraft, is that it?" "Right. But we're entering space at warp drive through a vaccum packed vortex, not a lift off like shuttles leaving Earth's atmosphere. We're using dimensions to play Cosmic Chutes and Ladders with the time tunnels."
And we must remember that even though the BTI is independent, the DOT can still take away their license, but they can't actually not permit time travel from happening, "Would be like trying to claim a piece of the sky as private property."
"I can't absorb my knowledge from my timeline if I've been on either side of it, right? So during the time window, when I'm in the past or in the future, life around me continues, but when I return to my present, I have to catch up on what I have missed."
But of course, you cannot have a story like this without some villain, and in BTTI, that villain is Garth, a worker for the DOT that is fiercely intent to bring down BTTI.She is sort of like the head Seeker in the book, The Host that wouldn't stop until she found the Resistance. It's the same thing in BTTI, except that she's only chasing after one person. She finds Tristan and Bianca in both time periods they travel to, and won't stop until she destroys them once and for all. *Tell me you didn't just hear an evil laugh*
What is Garth's ulterior motive that fuels her drive in the quest to take down Butterman (Time) Travel Inc?
For the most part, it’s her sense of duty to her job and the DOT, but she does briefly mention her purpose, right before Bianca and Tristan set off to Woodstock, and that’s that she wants to finish the job her father started. This will be explored in further detail in the sequel and following volume, as Garth and her father believe time travel should be run only by the government and not private agencies.
Part of what’s explored in the first book, and part of what Evan and Evangeline fill Bianca in on, is the that the future of the DOT is not what they expect. Garth has some knowledge of this, though not all, and is working to influence Bianca to make different choices that will alter the course of the future.
That’s all I can tell you for now.
I loved this book so much, and cannot wait for Induction Day *hint hint PK Hrezo* which I will definitely be reading when it comes out. What we already knew was that Bianca wanted to stop the Titanic from hitting the iceberg, but what don't we know. This is as much as I could get out of her.
What can you tell us about Bianca Butterman's Induction Day, especially because of the sequels title? Also, what inspired you to choose the Titanic?
The first draft of Induction Day is almost complete. What I can tell you, is that she does get the induction she’s been waiting for, but not at all like she expects.
Researching and recreating Titanic has been a mixture of emotions. It’s always fascinated me—the thought of all those people and that massive ship just going down? Completely haunting. There’s a romantic element tied to the catastrophe, possibly because of all the glitz and glamour associated with Titanic’s maiden voyage, and it’s something a young girl could read about and become attached to—especially a time traveler who knows she gets one opportunity to tamper with a timeline. Remember, the Induction Day isn’t commercial travel, so the DOT regulations don’t apply, but Bianca still has a responsibility to the timelines. Exploring this in the sequel has been intriguing in the biggest way. How would you change what happened to Titanic? You really have to delve into the particulars and form an action plan. It’s mind-bending.
Thank you so much PK for answering my questions, and thank you CBB Book Promotions for letting me read this wonderful book. -
Great novel. See my review on BookLikes.
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I'm making it a goal to work through my "to-read" shelf and pick off the books that have been there for years. I added this book in 2014 and I might have enjoyed it more if I had read it then. As it was, the main character is someone that I've read before. We're meant to believe that she is responsible, level-headed and capable but she quickly demonstrates a lack of those strong characteristics.
She's the outcast "black betty" who can't believe that she's falling for a pop star. She doesn't follow her own rules for time travel and so it feels like there are no solid rules. And a sci-fi that doesn't follow it's own established rules is something I find hard to enjoy.
Overall it was fine. It didn't pull me in but I didn't hate picking it up each night either. However I won't be continuing with this series. -
Meh. I found this book oddly annoying. Maybe it was the insta-love, the nonchalant attitude of the recovering addict when offered drugs, or the message that following the rules makes you a "dud" but I just couldn't connect to it.
I'll skip the next book. -
Repetitive at points. The romance bit was unbelievable.
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2.5 stars
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(This review can also be found on my book review blog
-Spare Reads-)
A copy of the book was kindly provided by the author in exchange for an honest review.
Have you ever considered the things you would do if one day you could travel in time? Past, future, wherever and whenever your heart desires, with a simple gesture of hand and BOOM!! you are there, mingling between what was already done and what has yet to come. If you are as fascinated and intrigued as I am, Butterman (Time) Travel, Inc will surely be a treat for you.
Bianca Butterman is a time travel expert despite her age and unorthodox fashion taste. Because of the family legacy and business operation, she has had more than normal shares of time travel adventures. And now, it’s her turn to lead one on her own, though the carelessness of the passenger is somewhat unsettling. After all, time travel is not something you can mess with without repercussions and a diligent travel guide does not always garner a safety trip when the passenger comes unprepared. Tristan Helms, in this case, is probably as unprepared as it comes.
While neither of them gave the other a good first impression, it is through their journey back in time that we get to know more about Tristan - the real Tristan, underneath all the flashy camera lights and stiff yet flawless smiles. As unseemly as it may be, Bianca and Tristan actually share a deep and indescribable connection regarding music. They bond quickly on their similar devotions and for a brief second Bianca almost likes him now. But danger is catching up with them too, a seed that was planted the moment they stepped into the time vessel. With both their pasts and futures at risk, is Butterman, Inc.'s slogan really true that time will always be in your hands?
I enjoyed the company of both Bianca and Tristan immensely, though since the book is written using first person narrative, I was more privy to Bianca’s thoughts than Tristan’s. She is such a snarky and humorous girl as well as having a great deal of determinations. It is absolutely amusing to read the dialogues between her and Tristan. I cannot help but smile at their subtle patronization toward each other. When all things went south, Bianca was the calmer and decisive one out of the two trying to figure out a way to keep them out of trouble. Tristan, on the other hand, was more cheery and carefree no matter how bad the situation became. Although his live-in-the-moment attitude annoys Bianca from time to time, it is undeniable that they are perfect for each other. She will always be there to keep him on track, and he will always be there to ease her worries.
The orchestration of the plot is plainly outstanding as well. Hrezo managed to present a quite distinctive and inspiring story with lots of twists and turns. Although some of them appeared more predictive than the other, I was never bored following Bianca and Tristan’s adventures; on the contrary, I was rather hooked right from the beginning. However, the pacing did slowed down a bit in the middle of the story, but not for long. I wish there were more illustration of the advances in technology in 2067. From the few ones in the book, the future society lacks originality. A bolder imagination would better suit my expectations.
There is one thing I would like to complain about - the poor editing effort shown from the book. Throughout this 300-page novel, there are countless errors with spelling, word positions, grammar inconsistencies, and so on. It became progressively more irritating towards the end. Another round of editing would be beneficial to improve reader experience.
Time travel has slowly become one of my favorite sub genres nowadays and Butterman (Time) Travel, Inc. makes a great addition to the pile. I cannot tell you how thrilled I am to see more and more authors set foot in this domain. If you have not tried anything related to this theme, how about we change that … right now?
