​1935, Mauna Loa begins to erupt again as Daniel Abe is returning to his home in Hilo, Hawaii.  Daniel has been away since he attended medical school and began working in Chicago.  Daniel returns to the home that his mother, Mariko lived and died in.  He seeks out his Uncle Koji who has worked the sugar cane plantations his whole life for information about his father who disappeared when he was a young boy.  Unexpectedly, Daniel's high school girlfriend also returns to Hilo for reasons of her own.  Amidst the erupting volcano Daniel finds his place among his hometown once again and reconciles with the past that he left behind.

The Color of Air is a beautifully written, powerful story of family, Hawaiian history and the beauty of nature.  Daniel's story in 1935 is interwoven with the stories of Mariko and Koji twenty years prior.  These perspectives rounded out the view and helped to fill in some missing pieces.  Daniel was an interesting character.  His family were immigrants to Hawaii from Japan brought to the island to work the cane fields.  I was intrigued by this part of the island's history and the blending of the cultures that created strong bonds between the people there.  Daniel was also among the first Asian American doctors to study in the United States at the time.  The weight of this fact weighed heavily on Daniel.  In addition to Daniel discovering and coming to terms with his past, the writing highlights the transformative power of the Hawaiian Islands and the resilience of the people inhabiting them. 

This book was received for free in return for an honest review. 

​Mark Lane is about to put in place a decision that will change the life of his family, a corporation and possibly history.  Mark has invented the Time Box in conjunction with the Janus corporation headed up by billionaire Robert Devereaux.   When Mark learns that Robert will only use the Time Box for evil, he makes a difficult decision to sabotage the company, steal the working Time Boxes and disappear into the past with his family. Mark, his wife Mary and children Jordan, Laura, Jeremy and Ashley travel in haste to 1865 Virginia.  The family tries to fit in and rebuild a life as best they can.  However, Robert Devereaux will not let Lane's betrayal slide.  Devereaux's team rebuilds a Time box and sends a hit man into the past  to enact revenge.


The Lane Betrayal is a high-stakes, action packed time travel adventure.  From the very first page the suspense is heightened as Mark destroys his friend's company and is chased into the past.  There are a lot of characters in this book, but they are all very well developed and distinctive.  The Lane's are very family oriented and serve one another well. None of the family members are perfect, but they are all trying their best to do what is right during a very weird situation.   The assassin added another layer of danger with a cold-hearted and focused attitude.  The setting of the tail end of the Civil War was an interested choice.  There is a lot of danger in the time period, especially for the men, but it was a time that they knew about well.  I enjoyed reading about Laura's time as a nurse in the field hospital.  Though her time there was difficult, it was authentic and realistic to the time period.  It was also interesting to read about the family's interactions with Lincoln himself and his advisors.  I was intrigued at the family's outlook at potentially changing history and the influence that their presence has had.  With a cliffhanger ending, I can't wait to jump into the next book and next time period with the Lane family.

This book was received for free in return for an honest review.

​Soon after a hasty escape from the year 1865 with an assassin on their tails, the Lane family decide on trying to settle in 1893 Chicago at the time of the World's Columbian Exhibition.  They hope to outwit their hunter at least for now and possibly find a time period that they can settle in for a while.  Parents, Mark and Mary set out to explore the fair and see what opportunities arise.  While siblings Jeremy, Laura and Ashley look to the fair for fun and friendship.  Meanwhile, oldest sibling, Jordan decides to head West to clear his head from the sudden death of Rebecca Main by the hitman sent to destroy the Lane family, Silas Bain.  Jordan finds himself in Virginia City, Nevada on the advice of a kind librarian.  In Virginia City, Jordan finds peace of mind with the library assistant Jessie Cole.  However, his relationship leaves a clue for Silas Bain to track down the time that the Lane Family is in.


The Fair is the second book in the Time Box series and I would highly recommend reading Book 1, The Lane Betrayal, first in order to get to know the characters, their circumstances and how what happened to them in 1865 is affecting their decisions in 1893.  As with other books by John A. Heldt, The Fair is a fast-paced, time travel adventure with romance, action, fun settings and well-developed characters.  I did enjoy the choice of setting of the Chicago World's Columbian Exhibition.  It gave the Lane family a wonderful place to hide, entertainment and a chance to experience a cool historical event. I liked seeing all of the different exhibitions through the character's eyes; especially as Laura and Ashley explored the Women's Building and Jeremy and new beau, Ivy explored the Palace of Fine Arts and the Midway.  This story focused on the budding romance between Jordan and Jessie in Virginia City.  Their romance was sweet and progressed naturally.  I do wonder about the effects of their relationship on the future.  Silas Bain's presence added an element of suspense and a very surprising ending.  I can't wait to see what happens with the Lane's next.

This book was received for free in return for an honest review.