The Photo Traveler by Arthur J. Gonzalez
Publication: February 20th, 2013 - Genre: YA Paranormal/Time Travel
Seventeen-year-old Gavin Hillstone is resigned to being miserable for the rest of his life. Left alone in the world after his parents died in a fire when he was four, he was placed in foster care, which for him meant ending up in an abusive home with an alcoholic adoptive father.
Gavin’s only escape is in taking and creating images. His camera is his refuge from the unending torture and isolation of daily life in his “family.”
Until he learns by accident that he isn’t alone in the world after all. His father’s parents are still alive and living in Washington DC.
When he takes the plunge and travels 3,000 miles to find his grandparents, he learns that they—and he—are part of something much bigger, and more dangerous, than he could ever have imagined. Something that has always put his family at risk and that will now threaten his own life, while forever changing it.
He learns that he is one of the last descendants of a small group of Photo Travelers—people who can travel through time and space through images. But his initial excitement turns to fear, when he soon discovers that he and his grandparents are being pursued by the fierce remnants of a radical European Photo Traveler cult, the Peace Hunters. What Gavin has, they want!
His adventure will take him to past eras, like The Great Depression and the Salem Witch Trials. Gavin will have to discover who he really is and must make choices that spell the difference between life and death for himself, for the relatives he now knows and loves, and for the girl he will come to love.
For Gavin Hillstone, life will never be the same.
My Thoughts
I loved
The Photo Traveler, it immediately sucked me in.
The Photo Traveler is a whirl wind adventure through time, with unexpected twists and turns !
Gavin's parents died in a house fire when he was just a kid, having no family to take care of him he was adopted. After his adoptive mother was was murdered things only got worse for Gavin. Left with an abusive adoptive father who blames him for his wife's death, and an adoptive sister whos only mission is to get Gavin in trouble, life is no cake walk. When Gavin turns 18 he finds that he may have some living family after all, and sets out in search for his biological grandparents. What Gavin learns next, no one could prepare for. Gavin has always felt a connection to photography, it's always made him feel calm, but little did he know that he and his family are Photo Travelers. They can look at photographic images and travel through them. This gift however comes with its troubles, and Gavin is faced with so much more than just time traveling woes.
The Photo Traveler imediately grabed my attention, I was rooting for Gavin from the very begining hoping that he would get out of his abusive situation and find his family.When he found out he was a Photo Traveler I was hooked!
What I liked best about
The Photo Traveler is that the plot delt with multipule issues. This story is multi dimensional. The Photo Traveler is not just about a kid who escapes an abusive situation, it's not just about him finding out he can time travel through photos, it's not just about a girl and a romantic trist, or even finding his family.. its about ALL of that and SO MUCH MORE! For the sake of not spoiling this book for you I can't tell you all shocking things that happen, but believe me, the end it was hit with one shock after another! What a great Debut book , I can't wait to read book 2 in the series ,
The Peace Hunter!
The Cover : Rocks my socks amazing, I'm a huge fan of bold and dark designs !
The Characters : Great characters. I connected with most of the characters. I only had some small isues with why and how quickly he fell in love with Alanna, however, I now see where and why she was a part of the story!!
The Plot: Multi-dimensional , filled with so much more twist and turns than I ever expected!
I give it 5/5 Stars !
AUTHOR BIO
My name is Arthur J Gonzalez. I’m 28 years old, born and raised in Miami, FL. I graduated from the University of Florida. I am currently releasing my debut novel, The Photo Traveler. The premise surrounds 17 – year old Gavin, who discovers he is part of a small group, called Photo Travelers, who can time travel through photos and images.
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