Partners in Time #4: Family Matters [Paperback]

Kristen Sheley (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: July 15, 2008 | Series: Partners in Time

When fifteen-year-old Sam Foster finds out that his mother is going to get remarried, his first reaction is shock. His next reaction is thinking that with the help of his time machine, he might be able to go back and prevent his parents from getting divorced in the first place.When Sam recruits Meg Clayton, his friend from 1850, he finds her missing her extended family and friends in Boston. Meg is quick to agree to Sam's request for help, not telling him how much she wishes she could fix something in her own life and that she has her own plans for change.In this fourth book in the Partners in Time series, Sam and Meg attempt to manipulate his family history but it soon becomes apparent that repairing a fractured relationship is extremely complicated. Each time they make a change, it results in a present world that is nothing like Sam ever dreamed-or desired. Will they ever be successful in fixing the past and mending the present? Or will Sam never be able to return home again?

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

Kristen Sheley grew up in Beaverton, Oregon, and has been writing stories since the age of nine. Partners in Time is her first published series. She lives in Northern California where she teaches English in a suburban high school.

Product Details

• Paperback: 214 pages
• Publisher: iUniverse (July 15, 2008)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0595518508
• ISBN-13: 978-0595518500
• Product Dimensions: 9 x 6 x 0.5 inches
• Shipping Weight: 8 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (1 customer review)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #3,970,205 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Her fourth consecutive wonder, July 25, 2008

By 

Steve Skinner (Smyrna, TN) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Partners in Time #4: Family Matters (Paperback)

Kristen Sheley's "Partners in Time" series has been one of my favorite book series for a few years now, and I anxiously awaited this fourth installment after reading the brilliant third, "Future Shock."

"Family Matters" is no less brilliant. It follows a different formula than the first three books, in that the main characters Meg (a teen girl hailing from the 1850s) and Sam (a present-day, time-traveling teen) do not spend the majority of the book in one time period. A few different years are briefly visited, such as 1994, 1996, and 1985, but the main focus of the book is alternate universes, an inevitable consequence of going back in time to change things. Sam learns a Spider-Man-esque message, which is "just because you have the power to change something, doesn't mean you should" (this is the tagline of the book). In other words, "With great power comes great responsibility."

One of the driving forces of the PiT series, for me at least, has been the relationship between Meg and Sam. By the fourth book it becomes very evident that they have become accustomed to one another, and though they have their disagreements, they are good friends through it all. Sheley has even tossed in inklings of a future romance between the two, an intricate setup that will ultimately be a huge payoff in a future book.

The only thing disappointing about this book is its short length, which is really a testament to Sheley's writing pulling you in and making you want more. I said this in my review of "Future Shock" and I will say it here: I can't wait for the next one!