**REVIEW** Yesterday by C.K. Kelly Martin

THEN: The formation of the UNA, the high threat of eco-terrorism, the mammoth rates of unemployment and subsequent escape into a world of virtual reality are things any student can read about in their 21st century textbooks and part of the normal background noise to Freya Kallas's life. Until that world starts to crumble.
NOW: It's 1985. Freya Kallas has just moved across the world and into a new life. On the outside, she fits in at her new high school, but Freya feels nothing but removed. Her mother blames it on the grief over her father's death, but how does that explain the headaches and why do her memories feel so foggy? When Freya lays eyes on Garren Lowe, she can't get him out of her head. She's sure that she knows him, despite his insistence that they've never met. As Freya follows her instincts and pushes towards hidden truths, the two of them unveil a strange and dangerous world where their days may be numbered. Unsure who to trust, Freya and Garren go on the run from powerful forces determined to tear them apart and keep them from discovering the truth about their shared pasts (and futures), her visions, and the time and place they really came from.Yesterday will appeal to fans of James Dashner's The Maze Runner, Veronica Roth's Divergent, Amy Ryan's Glow, Laini Taylor's Daughter of Smoke and Bone, and Ally Condie's Matched.

Trailer

Review

Yesterday was nothing like I had expected.  It runs on a couple unique premises and boarders on another.  The main focus is time travel and memory altercation but you have a little bit of premonition thrown into the mix as well.  This made for an interesting and indulging read.  Not to mention it is set in Canada and in Toronto!  This is under an hour from where I grew up and let's face it, it's interesting to read a book that you know the places  that are discussed and visited.  I would like to top that off with the fact that it also takes place in my birth year.  Yup, I'm old but you know what this book didn't make me feel that way.

 The pacing for this novel started out with a bang for me.  The prologue hooked my curiosity and had me diving into the start of everything but then it was like hitting a Jello wall.  It didn't stop but became a little slower to push through, then when I finally broke free of this gelatine like  time period it was hit the ground running time.  As stated above there was many unique premises to keep it interesting and as bits I the story fell into place you found out what each thing really was or really held.  The premonition thing remained a bit of a mystery but I can handle that...  If I must.

  There were many moments that I found myself feeling for Freya.  She lives in a world that only she seems to feel out of place with.  She's awkward and really doesn't feel she fits anywhere and really in this time period she doesn't belong.  When she started to relax among the couple of people she found didn't judge her I had this feeling inside me that it wasn't going to last but I was wrong. The only reason that she doesn't stick with them is because of the discoveries she makes and th danger that she is in.  There was never any real connection between Freya and I but that didn't stop me from enjoying her as a character.  Sometimes the lack of connection can kill a book and the character but Ms. Martin did an excellent job with her and left no room to dislike her.

  Garren was a wild card really.  Freya believed she knew him somehow and he believed she was crazy.  However you put a little evidence that things are messed up in front of him and he will give it a shot.  But wait then there is a bunch more information dumped on him and he decides Freya is crazy again. I guess this did make him a little more realistic but really what does it take for him to say "Okay we are from the future and you see things.  How do we make this work?" It takes A LOT.  Though when it clicks with him things are a little easier.  Though Garren never really appealed to me, I did like him.  

  The relationship part of this novel left me a little disappointed.  Not any fault of the author but more myself.  I am left wondering that if they are stuck in the past and they know the future how could they ever be with anyone else?  Not that Freya wants to but their options are kind of limited.  They did somewhat develop their relationship which I appreciate but in the end it just felt like they came together because of their past and undeniable future together.

  There is no denying that I enjoyed this read.  Yesterday has way too much individuality not to enjoy.  The world building was great and reading the references to areas in Toronto was great fun.  The ending left me in wanting a little bit I will freely admit but that is not uncommon.  I just wish I knew how they proceeded with life.  The twist right near the end kind of left me in shock and wondering what would happen the next time around.  If you have a chance to read this one don't pass it by.  Being well written an engaging is not always something you find together and I know I will pick up other reads by this author from here on out.

Quotes

A lie gets half way around the world before the truth has a chance to get its pants on.  Winston Churchill's making pronouncements in my head again, like when I woke up from my first dream about the blond boy.

You know you're in a bad way when you find yourself taking someone else's underwear...

You think of the weirdest thing when you're in trouble.  Toothpaste.  Deodorant. When my next opportunity to shower will come along.

When they took Joanna I began to wake up to what was wrong with our world but it wasn't until they took Latham that I was truly wide awake.  And by then it was already too late.