A fantastic end to a thrilling series, A Time To Rise fulfills all of my hopes for the end--and beginning--of Parvin's story!

From the very beginning with Parvin in book one (A Time To Die) to following her to the end of this book, it has been an emotional roller coaster of highs, lows, excitement, sadness, crazy miracles, and hints of romance. And yet, coming to the end, I really felt as if it was all "right".

I won't go into much detail here since I don't want to spoil anything, but this third book will take you to places you never expected to go with Parvin, Solomon, and the rest of the unique and eclectic cast of characters. The storyline delves deeply into what it means to truly sacrifice.

Skelly Chase is back as well, and proves to be a very interesting character. I think that's one of the things I admire most about Nadine's writing. She doesn't just make cut and dry characters, she creates whole people who are flawed just like you and I. It makes these characters real as well as it connects you to them in a way that is both beautiful and sometimes uncomfortable due to the depth of emotion you experience toward them.

I really enjoyed the setting of this book as well. We see more technology included and I also noticed how the world we saw from Parvin's point of view expanded as she experienced more and grew as a character.

While I'm sad to see the series end, the ending itself was really appropriate for the series as a whole. It left you satisfied with everything all tied up, as good endings do.

I would definitely recommend this series to those who enjoy YA dystopian with a hint of futuristic-ness to their novels. It has a strong Christian theme to it, but this works well with the story.

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I received this book for free but was under no obligation to post a review. I do so under my own motivation and the opinions I have expressed in this review are honest and entirely my own.

"Their carelessness - and God's sneakiness - is going to save my life." (Loc 119)

I love that. It just makes me smile. A Time to Rise, an epic conclusion of Nadine Brandes' Out of Time series makes me smile, feel and think. It has it all.

1. Growth for many of our characters.

Parvin, no doubt, being our main heroine have truly blossomed in her walk and faith in God and in others. Her development relationally, with Solomon, her mother, Tawny, Willow and even Skelley Chase have given me much satisfaction.

Solomon's storyline may not be as pronounce as Parvin's, but his is just as gratifying and easy to relate. Being adopted, his doubts or rather his desire to be a true Hawke, along with finding out who he is individually makes him one of my favorite characters. Plus, he spoke one of my favorite lines in the whole series.

Willow - ah. Such a young girl and what she endured and what hatred had done to her. Forgiveness vs sin is such a strong theme, and Willow's experience was the epitome of what it means. Plus the parallels Parvin pointed out on Willow & Elm's relationship to her and Solomon gives food for thought.

Skelley Chase - honestly may be one of the top villains out there. Why? Because one doesn't know his true nature. What we see through Parvin's eyes (narration) can be so biased, as well as limited. Many times, I've asked "why?" when it comes to Skelley.

2. Journey - Nadine have taken us quite the ride from the very first book in the series, A Time to Die. In this one, we again travel to the world unknown, OK, maybe not unknown, but definitely not what we'd expect. You can never guess where this will take us.

3. Messages - Life, love, hate, faith, courage and forgiveness. There are so many things you can take away in A Time to Rise, one begs the question, "if it's your journey, (not can you, but) will you rise to the occasion?"

"God can forgive anything. You are repentant. It will hurt, and it will take you a long time to heal but...you will heal. God will grow you." (Loc 5564)

My friends, Out of Time series may have some disturbing violence such as lost of limbs, but there are no profanities, nor will you find the psychological horror that is prevalent in todays media. This series connects with life, for ages 14 and up (including adults) to be challenged and encouraged, in addition to be entertained, as books should be. A Time to Die, A Time to Speak and A Time to Rise gives you all of that plus a little more in the meaning of love love for family, for friends, for someone special and most importantly for our Lord God. Take the time to start this series from the beginning, with A Time to Die and be immersed with much more than a story.

He wants us to dwell on and seek Him. Then our decisions will be made from our love for and relationship with Him. (A Time to Speak, 330)

Disclaimer: I received a free digital ARC of this book. I was not required to write a positive review, and have not been compensated for this. This is my honest opinion.

A Time to Rise

Out of Time series #3

By Nadine Brades

BREAKING NEWS:

Parvin Blackwater is dead....

In an attempt to prove that Parvin was wrong and that the new clocks were not faulty the Council tested her. But to the Council's dismay Parvin's new clock was overridden and she died while they watched. This is the story that follows Parvin's untimely and unexpected death...

Parvin's friends, family, and the Radicals are shocked at this unexpected turn of events. The Wall to the USE had been breached and they were going to rescue Tawny and free Willow from the Council. But their capture changed everything.

A secret burial hidden away from anyone except a few Enforcers, Parvin is to be forgotten. There is just one problem God has other plans for this young woman who has finally determined to live life. And she has an important role yet to play.

But the Council was wrong - Parvin did die and yet she managed to survive. And she is gong to bring down the Wall. And this time a small breach that can be blocked isn't enough - she's going to bring down the Projected Wall. There is just one problem - the information they need is in Russia and travel is under the control of the Council. But where God wills there is always a way.

A Time to Rise has some unexpected twists that one didn't see coming but looking back on the previous books there were little hints that this could have happened. There are moments when it appears that all has been lost and Parvin's struggle for Shalom may have been in vain. But that is the beauty of life until the last breath has been breathed there is always hope.

The Out of Time series unlike many dystopian works offers hope and this hope is an eternal kind not one that can easily be lost when a governmental change. This hope is not found in the promise of war and rebellion but rather in a change of heart.

I was provided an advanced copy of this book by the author in exchange for my honest review. I so enjoyed this book that I have purchased a paperback copy to complete the series.

Parvin is not dead. Everyone thought she was, but now she has risen! And she is determined to follow God's calling to Arise and bring Shalom to the people by tearing down the Wall and getting rid of the clocks for good. Parvin and her friends put a hole in the Wall, but the Council is planning to fix and stop anyone from going through. And then there is the problem of the clocks that the Council is trying to solve - some people die before their time while others outlive it.

Aaah! This book is so good! I loved A Time to Die and A Time to Speak, and A Time to Rise is the perfect conclusion to everything. Parvin, Solomon, Willow, Elm, and so many other favorite characters as well as new ones came together and changed the world through God's leading. They brought Shalom and freedom to the people, as I knew they would.

There are so many beautiful things in this book! First are all the spiritual aspects. The allegorical scenes at the beginning were fantastic and give a glimpse of what it would have been like to be Jesus' disciple during his death, burial, and resurrection. Second is Parvin's calling to Arise - Arise from the problems of this world, Arise from the fear and discouragement, Arise to follow God. Third are the times the characters, especially Parvin, gave unconditional love and forgiveness even to their enemies. It was beautiful and inspiring, especially considering how much Parvin has changed over the series.

The settings and the storyworld were pretty amazing, as usual. That one international trip the characters took showed one of the author's passions - I'm sure she wishes she had a language cap herself! The countries they visited were beautifully described. A new set of futuristic inventions were introduced, both the good and the bad, and all interesting and relatively believable. I do wish we had some of those now; they would make life so much easier.

What else? The dialogue and narration was great. I love Parvin's snarkiness; it brings me joy. And the continuing romance with Solomon was so sweet. The glimpses into other people's struggles and their journeys brought some depth and seriousness to the story. Parvin wasn't the only one growing, and definitely not the only one making mistakes. The author really doesn't mind injuring her characters, either. And those plot twists got me, badly. There's nothing like an unpredictable book!

Basically, I love this book. It's perfect conclusion to an amazing series. I hope this one actually Wins the Christy Award this year, not just places in the finals, because it deserves it. I recommend it to everyone . . . especially you young folks who like a good, faith-inspired dystopian.

I received a free copy of this book from the author in exchange for an honest review, and I definitely mean every word of it!

Gah! I have so many mixed emotions regarding this book! It was so amazing, but it was also the final book in the series. I was so excited to read it, because Id finally get to learn how it all ended, but then it ended. I didnt want it to end! But, it did have a fantastic ending and I loved seeing everything come together. I definitely recommend reading the first two books before picking up this one, but totally grab this one! This book completely met and exceeded my expectations! I loved it!

Ms. Brandes books were the first dystopian Id ever tried, but I was so intrigued by the concept behind the first book that I couldnt resist and happily discovered that I really enjoy the genre. Or maybe just Nadines books. I havent really tested that theory overly much, yet. And her third book is certainly as wonderful as the other two, with the added advantage that I knew it would be the end of Parvins story - the cliffhangers from the previous books were torture! The story flows by quickly, filled with twists and turns, suspense and danger, and excellent writing. It kept me guessing and up all hours, dying to know what would happen next! I spent a couple sleep deprived days at work, wondering how I would possibly get through the day without knowing how Parvin and her friends were doing. There arent many books that stay in my imagination throughout the day, so that definitely sets this book apart, for me.

Ive already said so much about Parvin and Solomon and Willow in my previous reviews that I think I would just be repeating myself to comment much more. Though I will say that I enjoyed seeing how the characters have changed and grown throughout the entire series. Some of them not for the better, but thats part of reality, too. And I loved how much of a integral part of the story faith in God is - some of my favorite lines are Parvins prayers as she learns ever more what it means to trust God with every situation and how to see others with His eyes. I love the relationship she has with Him and how we see that she isnt perfect, but shes trying. That may have been my favorite part of this story. Im not sure. There are a lot of moments to choose from.

My only mildly negative comment is that I have mixed feelings about the epilogue. I wasnt expecting one, so I had prepared myself for what I thought was the final page and the impact from the last sentence was so important to me. But then, it wasnt over! And I wasnt sure how to feel about that. I enjoyed the epilogue tying the final stray strings together and giving me closure, but at the same time, I kind of lost the impact of those final words. Ill probably have to read it again with different expectations to be able to fully decide my opinion on the matter.

I highly recommend this book (and series) to anyone who is looking for a thought-provoking read full of suspense and characters that grab your heart. But be prepared to have your heart broken by fictional characters . . . . and read the other books first - no cheating!

I received an advanced copy of this book from the author for my honest review, which I have given. I was not required to write a positive review and have not been compensated for it in any way. All opinions expressed are my own.