Double Fault

Vortex #2

by Janine Caldwell

DOUBLE FAULT is the 2nd book in The Vortex Series where Cassie and Trent’s problems have only just begun. As they fight through the repercussions of creating a parallel world, other dangers are lurking. After years of running, Trent and his orphaned sister, Lorelai, sense the dangerous and power-hungry Dr. Fox is close to discovering their whereabouts.

While Cassie fears for Trent’s life, her on again tennis career hangs in the balance. Caught between her old and new life, she watches her world slowly crumble until it’s a tragic portrayal of all that she used to know. But worse yet, if her secret is revealed, she might lose what’s most dear to her heart.

Set in contemporary Northern California, the Vortex Series is a teen romance for those who enjoy a mashup of science fiction, fantasy, a little music, and sports. This story is told from dual perspectives, giving the reader an intimate view into both Cassie and Trent’s worlds. First love and family relationships--how they interconnect and drive our personalities--is the heart and soul of this YA time travel novel.

Genres: Young Adult

231 pages, Paperback

First published March 10, 2012

About the author

Janine Caldwell is the YA fantasy author of the romantic yet action-filled trilogy, The Vortex Series. She lives in the desert town of Anthem, AZ with her husband and two sons. When she's not trying to cool off, she's playing tennis, practicing yoga, banging on the drums, or reading.

Books published by Janine include Visited, a YA coming-of-age fantasy, and The Vortex Series: Rematch, Double Fault, and Deuce. Check out her latest radio interview to learn more about her work. http://www.breakradioshow.com/archive...

Other Links:
https://www.facebook.com/AuthorJanine...
https://www.goodreads.com/group/show/...
http://instagram.com/janineyaauthor

Reviews

[Marni · Rating 4 out of 5]

I received this book for an upcoming Supagurl Blog Tour for an honest review. Thank you!

For those that have read the first book in The Vortex Series, Rematch, this is quite a different book. Do not expect much time travel and you will not be disappointed. This book is largely on the newer relationship between Cassie and Trent and the changes in the parallel world they are now living in. No, there's not like crazy things happening, just the changes of people they were close with previously.

Trent & his sister, Lorelai, are still in hiding from PI's. Their identities closely hidden from those close to them. Cassie starts thinking about life without tennis, and slowly the story evolves. Honestly, for a good bit of the book I was waiting for something more than romance. I really wouldn't classify this as a paranormal book except for brief instances of the time travel. Finally, things started taking a turn. Trent and his sister have been found and the repercussions have a ripple affect. Bits and pieces of their true identity strung out with further lies come out for the rescue of someone close to them. A life is lost. Heartaches resound. This all climaxing to a point that you want to say, duh, why didn't you think of that before?

The end of the story wraps up nicely until a twist is thrown in. This twist will lead into the third book of the series, Deuce. As of this writing the release date is unknown.

This book was so different to me than Rematch that I, at first, had a hard time connecting with it. I love paranormal books, and as I said earlier, this book was much more romance than my usual liking. The romance took away from the uniqueness of the original story line. Once the action kicked in, I was along for the ride. I didn't want to put it down.

The new cover art really makes this book stand out. I absolutely love it in leaps and bounds. I wasn't crazy on the previous cover I really won't go into that though because it doesn't affect my review as a whole.

Would I recommend this? Yes, for those that want to further the story of Rematch and for those who like a sweat romance. Now, I just wish I knew when Deuce was coming out and what it will be all about!

[Brenda · Rating 3 out of 5]

SPOILERS


Double Fault is two stories in one book. That's the easiest way to explain it. Then you add in the fact that technically Cassie has lived two lives, and there's a parallel reality to the first one, and that essentially there was a butterfly effect with her life and Trent altering it in the first (and then second) place.

I'm not sure what to say about this. I didn't read the first one, but I tried to read a lot of reviews on it (both positive and negative) to get an idea of the plot. The author did an excellent job of recapping the information from the first book, and I didn't feel like I was missing out on anything major or minor.

However, I think the emphasis was all wrong. We have that constantly looming character, who really gets hardly any notice at all in the book. He gets what, like 5 chapters? I think someone wanting to kidnap you and willing to get to you through your loved ones is a big deal, but it never really is played up to the extent I expected. Now granted, Trent and Lorelai probably wanted to just pretend they were normal teenagers for once, so I do understand that there was a bit of an escapism approach to their lifestyle in this. But it's still a big deal.

The thing I actually really enjoyed reading was Cassie's family dynamic. Sadly, a lot of kids have to deal with this kind of home environment. I mean, I'm a product of a divorced household, but my parents were cordial enough to not fight when I was within earshot, and since I was pretty young I didn't have that whole golden-aura-family thing goin' on. Anyway, it was fascinating, and heart-wrenching, to watch her family fall apart. I was infuriated at her dad especially. But the thing that really got to me was Gavin and his reaction. I think Cassie's dream she had about the cemetery was absolutely a possible truth for Gavin had things continued the way they were heading. I'm glad the author didn't divulge into that anymore because I wouldn't been bawling at that point. Poor thing just needed to be a kid.

What I was annoyed with was the whole Jeff/Trent/Cassie dynamic. I'm really truly sick of love triangles and pointless dilemmas, and I can honestly say I may not have read this book had that been written in the description. But I really loved the family part, so I can't say I regret reading it. But Jeff and Trent's treatment of each other was just plain ridiculous. And so was Cassie's intent to keep losing her virginity a secret. I mean, really!? If Trent cares so much about making you bleed what the hell do you need him for? I couldn't understand that he was so upset with something that happened before they were together. Now granted, I guess it was after they were together or whatever, but it just irked me.

Jeff was completely childish. He got on my nerves, and aside from making Trent out to be a jealous boy who got mad that someone else played with his toy first I don't see why he was in the plot. He did nothing to advance the storyline. And I hate that Cassie's last (but not least, according to her) reason for asking Trent to change her past again was so she could be a virgin for him. How about he loves you no matter what?

Ugh. Sorry. That just really got to me. Plus she was way too focused on him. As I mentioned in the status updates, she was super clingy and not her own person. I mean I get it, when I first started dating my boyfriend I pretty much didn't see the light of day for like 6 months. But that didn't mean I had no will of my own.

I really, really, really loved the family portion of this book. It was by far my favorite, and I think the author has a very real talent at portraying the tenuous hold a strained family like that has. It's impressive to say the least. The rest I could do without.

[Brooke · Rating 3 out of 5]

I received this bookor a blog tour through SupaGurl Book Tours (http://www.supagurltours.blogspot.com) to read for an honest review. Receiving this book for free in no way influenced my opinion or review.

Blurb From Goodreads:
DOUBLE FAULT is the 2nd book in The Vortex Series where Cassie and Trent’s problems have only just begun as they navigate through a parallel world rot with mind-blowing complexity. With Cassie’s tennis career hanging in the balance, she continues to watch her world crumble while fiercely hiding a secret that might cause her to lose what’s most dear to her heart.

I was given the first book of this series, Rematch, to read and review by the author, Janine Caldwell. That review can be seen here: http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/.... So when the opportunity to read and review this book came up, I was eager to start and see where the story went.

First I'd like to talk a bit about the cover. It certainly incorporates many of the elements of the story put forth in Double Fault. The tennis player representing Cassie, the guitar representing Trent (Jeremy) and the clock representing time travel. While I like that these elements are all included, I am not sure if the cover is eye catching enough to really draw a crowd to picking it up. I'd love to see the cover reworked, perhaps with using some cover models who could be holding the elements in their hands or having those things in the background.

Next there are the characters. Since I read the first book, I was pretty familiar with Cassie and Trent, even Lorelai. It was nice to get to know some of the secondary characters a bit more: Nate, Micheal, Jeff. I loved that you got to see more of Nate. I find him very intriguing. I did not, however, see many changes or growth in Trent or Cassie. They were exactly who I remembered from the first book and remained so throughout this book

I was excited to see a different story line emerge in this book. But at the same time, I missed the sci fi aspect I loved so much in the first book. I love the concept of time travel. I have read a few books where this has been incorporated and I always like to see what different authors do with the concept. Caldwell has her own twist on things for sure, Trent travels to help others. I love this and I love how this affects Trent's personality (making him a loving, caring, wonderful person). However, much of this story is focused on the relationships between the characters. I felt it was more of a contemporary novel when I was expecting it to really delve into the sci fi aspect. I also found that the story line was a bit predictable, but it was still nice to read it.

Janine's writing is very good. It flows well and I love the voices of her characters. I can picture them in my mind, which is always a plus. She really delves into the character's struggles throughout the book and I could feel their pain, longing, love, aching, etc.

I have to say that there is a lot of description in this book. And I feel like some of the same things are covered many times during the course of the book, making it for a repetitive read.

All in all this was a nice read. If you are looking for something that really grabs you with time travel, I would say this is not the book for you. If you are looking for a book that deals with romance and teens growing into who they are, then you should pick this one up.

3 out of 5 stars from me.

[Belinda King · Rating 4 out of 5]

I recieved this book free in exchange for an honest and fair review.

I loved the first book, Rematch, and really looked forward to reading 'Double Fault'. I was not disappointed in the least.
Trent and Cassie are living in a parralell world that Trent created when he could not get rid of the guilt he felt for supposedly failing his mission when he only saved Cassie from death but did not save her from the shooting itself. Cassie has psychological damage from the experience which has turned her from the sport she was born to succeed in. That damage has caused her to lead a life in which her self confidence is lacking which has lead to a fairly conservative life.

So when Trent decides he has to fix it and prevent the shooting from happening at all, Cassie's life is very different. Her self confidence is at a real high. She dates and dominates, making decisions she did not make in her prvious life. Her family is falling apart because of her talent in her sport and her fathers over the top committment.

A series of events leads Cassie to realise that her life after the shooting was perfect in comparison. Cassie convinces Trent that they were destined to be together and that part of her destiny was to actually be shot and survive. Cassie convinces Trent to go back and change it.

There is a twist at the end which leads beatifully into the next book.

The story was well written, very descriptive, and flowed nicely. The author has thought out the story line well.

I did find it difficult at times to know who's point of veiw we were reading from. I would get through almost a paragraph thinking from Trents perspective and realise that we have changed and the story is now in Cassies veiwpoint. That aside the story was still well written and very enjoyable. I loved the devotion that Cassie and Trent have for each other. I loved how the characters interacted with each other, and how the characters were developed along the way.

I highly recommend this book as a good read for those who love to read Young Adult. Scifi was not very radical. Only a small amount of scifi - mostly it is about the relationships and survival of Trent and his sister Lorelai from being captured by the crazy science proffessor who wants to cut up Trents brain to dicover the secret of his power.

[April Soos · Rating 5 out of 5]

In the second book in the Vortex series, Double Fault, we’re once more thrown into the world of Cassie and Trent. And this times, things are shifting and changing. Things are beginning to come together and make sense, and the characters are growing into who they will be. As all of us know, Rematch had a shocking ending and Double Fault picks right up where Rematch ended.

I was blown away by the twists and turns author Janine Caldwell put into her story. All the changes kept me entertained and enthralled the whole time. I love the characters, their quirky personalities, and of course the romance! Trent, I love you. He is just amazing, and constantly had me “awww-ing” through the whole book. I also enjoy Cassie herself, she’s in the critical period of getting her parents to realize their dreams and her dreams are two different things completely.

Many things occur in Double Fault and the drama is absolute perfection! It will leave you feeling extremely content with the way Trent and Cassie’s relationship ends up. It also leaves complete opening for a third book! Janine Caldwell has done a spectacular job creating a world that will pull readers in. The time-traveling, friendship, and romance in the Vortex series are magical and wondrous. I completely recommend this series for readers looking for your not average-run-of-the-mill story!

[Lisa · Rating 5 out of 5]

I was a huge fan of Rematch, the first book in the Vortex series and I had high hopes for Double fault, I wasn't disappointed in the slightest.

The second book focuses a lot more on Cassie and Trents relationship in the Cassies new timeline as well as exploring how relationships with the people closest to her have been affected by the change in the timeline.

There isn't as much sci fi/paranormal in this as the first but to be honest I didn't even think about it to the end, there was so much other stuff going on that I was too drawn in to notice.

Cassie's life is so much different in the new timeline, Cassie herself is much more confident but still a very likeable character as I mentioned earlier her relationships with those closest to her have changed, since in this timeline she wasn't shot her tennis never suffered and now her father is obsessed with her career even at the risk of the rest of the family.

Trent and Lorelai are still hiding from the PI and Ethan fox who are close on there tails and things take a dramatic turn.

I don't want to say too much and give away any spoilers but I highly recommend it to anyone who as read the first the first book and likes a good romance story.

and the end was just WOW I was literally lost for words and cant wait to get my claws into Deuce

[Just My Opinion · Rating 4 out of 5]

Janine Caldwell, once again, very graciously provided me with a copy of this book for review and I'm forever grateful. Thank you so much Ms. Caldwell!

Double Fault is the follow up to Rematch which ended up being a surprise favorite of mine. As with Rematch, the action, plotline and ingenious premise dragged me into Double Fault before I could even take a breath. The science fiction aspect comes into play a bit more with the story this time around as you realize the repercussions to actions taken in Rematch and how they have changed the characters' lives and futures.

Double Fault is an eternal struggle for the characters to live this new life they have carved out while fighting against memories of a more perfect past. In the end, there is an even more flawless future possible, but choices will have to be made to reach it.

Combine fantastic and intriguing characters with lots of action and a "once in a lifetime" love story and what can you expect other than perfection? This is clearly a book with the potential for a third installment and I am counting the minutes until it's available! Ms. Caldwell loves her characters and you can feel her love poured into their development as well as a very well thought out plotline. She keeps you focused and interested at all times and you'll find yourself finishing this book in hours rather than days!

You will once again find action, romance, science fiction, some shady characters thrown in and just plain fun in this book. You are continuously pulled into the story and have a strong need to know what is going to happen next and why. As with Rematch, the backdrop of Sedona is wonderfully described and its beauty can be felt just by the authors' descriptions. I love that the desert is more fully involved in this installment, as it added another layer of intrigue to the story as a whole. Things which were alluded to in the first book are much more fully explored and felt this time around.

Somehow, Ms. Caldwell manages to keep the characters very diverse and complex and continues to explore those secrets and desires you started to discover in the first book. You never find yourself getting bored with either the story or the characters-which is very difficult to accomplish with a series. There is lots of very fun, witty and heartfelt dialog throughout which drive your building love of the characters.

I am anxious to read the third installment, if there is one, as the ending to Double Fault leaves you with a few questions. What's very interesting, however, is that the same questions you are left with are also questions you'd be comfortable with not knowing the answers to. If the series ended here, you'd be satisfied and still never forget the story. If the series continues into a third installment, that's just all the better! Brilliant novel, once again, Ms. Caldwell! I can't wait to see what you come up with next!

-Just My Opinion (books.mommysopinion.com) FB: JustmyopinionNH Twitter: @JustmyopinionNH

[Nicole M. Hewitt · Rating 5 out of 5]

This review and many others can be found on my blog - Feed Your Fiction Addiction

***NOTE: This review may contain spoilers for the first book in the series.***

Double Fault is the second book in Caldwell's Vortex series, in which Cassie and Trent have to live with the consequences of Trent's decision to change Cassie's past (yet again).

The negatives:

Jeff.
Even though Cassie broke up with Jeff in the first book, he can't quite seem to get the hint, and he won't give up on her. Plus, Cassie has to live with the fact that her relationship with Jeff went further than she would have liked now that she remembers the "past" that she should have had with Trent by her side. At face value, I didn't mind this so much, but Trent's constant jealousy over Jeff made me a little crazy. On the positive side, Jeff did come off as less of a jerk in this book - he was humanized a lot more.

What I loved:
Cassie's "improved" life.
At the end of Rematch, Trent made the somewhat rash decision to "fix" Cassie's life by going back and making sure that she never got shot at all. Well, her new improved life turns out to by pretty miserable in a lot of ways. Honestly, I thought that Cassie had the patience of a saint because I don't know how she managed not to just plain blame Trent for all the problems in her life, since she knew that she had specifically asked him not to change things and he went ahead and did it anyway. But, Trent's stupidity over his guilty conscience led to a really interesting story. I was so intrigued by the concept of how changing one (major) detail in Cassie's life spiraled out into a million more changes that Trent could never foresee. I loved seeing the butterfly effect and discovering more and more things that were changed by that one event.

Hunted.
In this book, we really got to see why Trent and Lorelai have been on the run and we get to come face-to-face with the man who's been hunting them. There are some really action packed scenes in this book because of that!

The ending.
This book ends with a bit of a twist that left me eager to read the next book in the series!

Double Fault was a fantastic second installment in the series. I give it 4/5 stars.

***Disclosure: This book was provided to me by the author in exchange for an honest review. No other compensation was given. All opinions are my own***

[The Y.A. Bookworm Blogger · Rating 5 out of 5]

Read Full Review At The Y.A. Bookworm Blogger

There was a lot more drama and intensity in this second book. Everything we once thought in Rematch kind of contradicts itself in Double Fault. It was both entertaining and excruciating! There were more than a few times were I was internally screaming "no, No, NO!" and had to continue reading to find out what happened next. Double Fault was definitely one I couldn't put down!

Of course the most addicting part of this book was Cassie and Trent! Everytime Trent referred to Cassie as "sweet cheeks" and "my girl".....my heart stopped....I swooned....it was great! Although, the giddiness aside, they're relationship took quite a few "hits" in Double Fault. Jeff (Cassie's ex-beau) was like one of those annoying mosquitoes that won't go away. Buzz, buzz, BUZZZ! (Remember those "internal screaming moments", yeah, they were mostly directed at Jeff...sighs...oy vey....) Luckily, I think Jeff's meddling, along with a few other events, left Cassie and Trent's relationship in a really good place by the end of the book!

[Toni · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thank you Mrs Caldwell for the chance to read your books! I have loved both of them!!

Double Fault was just as good a the first book! It gives you answers as to what happens in the first book! It also gives us new characters. I love Trent and Cassie! as well as the plot! Once started I couldnt put it down.. well didnt want to put it down..(lol sometimes life has other plans for you) The romance is sweet! Janine does an amazing job of keeping you hooked and wanting more! I am hoping for a third book!

All in all this is a must read series! Great Job Mrs Caldwell.. excited to see what you bring us next!

[Nanette Bradford · Rating 4 out of 5]

Let me just say that this series was my first ever time travel series and I really really enjoyed it. I’ve seen enough movies to know how time travel works but this was not like any movies I’ve ever really seen. It was so much more. There was so much going on and every time I was on the edge of my seat to see how things were going to turn out.
The series is about a boy and his younger sister, Trent and Lorelai, who lost their

parents in a tragic accident at a very young age. Something happened to Trent that day that he could not explain and the very first time that Trent ever jumped back in to time was not fun for them. I can only imagine how it must have been for two young children, on their own in an orphanage, to have to go through the pain of losing their parents let alone the shock of Trent disappearing into thin air when he jumped.. I’d be a little bit freaked out wouldn't you? Plus it was hard on them. Trent's jumps took a huge toll on him and Lorelai would be the one to bring him back, each time wondering if it would be his last or if he would come back beyond her help. To make things even worse a crazy Dr finds out about Trent’s ability to Travel back in time and spends years chasing them around the country while they have to move from city to city never knowing how or where they were going to live or what they were going to eat. Finally, Trent and Lorelai are able to settle down for a bit and try to live their lives.. Going by the made up names Lucy and Jeremy they go to school but try to not get too close to everyone around them.. That’s one of Trent’s hard rules. Kind of funny though since “Jeremy” is a hot Rocker looking guy that all the girls are drooling over and Lucy is really beautiful and knows how to catch a guy’s eye herself. Kind of not something you can overlook.

I have to say that Lorelai was my favorite. Lorelai was extremely beautiful, like model beautiful and loved to shop. She was a total fashionista. The main reason I loved her is because she wasn't afraid to speak her mind. She told you exactly how she felt no matter what she thought of you. Actually see was kind of scary at first but after you noticed it was all a front, Her tough as nails exterior fell a little , and she would kill anyone who ever hurt any of her family or friends.

“Oh I guess toying with our lives is okay if its your choice? She spits back, fire resonating in her eyes. ‘She gives me a menacing look before flipping her luxurious tendrils of hair and storms away in a huff.’”

Cassie, what can I say about Cassie? In Rematch she’s really quite withdrawn. She went through a really traumatic event during a tennis match when she was 12 and it altered her life. She doesn't have very much self-esteem because of the trauma the incident caused her and she stopped playing tennis which she misses.. . Trent was sexy and chivalrous and Cassie was beautiful and caring in each of her lives. Trent was the type of person who did what he could so that everyone else would be happy and didn't even think about his own happiness in the process. All of that just added to his bad boy rocker persona and made him sexy in my eyes.


How did Trent and Cassie meet you ask? Well, remember when I said Trent could time travel? Well, I forgot to tell you how and why. He can’t go back to anytime he wants.. Nope, he gets these visions and the visions show him what is to happen and who he has to save. Trent was supposed to save Cassie but was a little too late. Its been his only regret ever since.

“I watch her grasp at her left side, the crimson stain seeping through her tennis dress expanding by the second. Although I’m mesmerized by her gaze, the girl releases her superhuman stare to close her eyes while she clutches her side again and groans in pain. A cold sweat floods my body then when I notice a black blob pooled up underneath her. So much blood!”

Trent has already told Cassie all his secrets but he’s still struggling with the knowledge that he wronged her

by not saving her at that tennis match.. His guilt tears at him and he can’t help to think that she could be so much happier in her life. Of course he doesn't run anything by her at all. Just a typical guy who thinks he’s doing the right thing by going back in time and fixing what he thought was broken. Only thing he didn't think of was how hard it would be to see Cassie back in the life she had before but without him.. Cassie was happier in this life and she was playing tennis again. She even seemed to be more confident. It should of made Trent happy and for a while it did but his heart betrayed him.. Cassie surprised Trent one day by just showing up on his door.. She remembered him, she remembered their love and she was seriously angry at him

Of course there is so much more to this story.. The Good Dr. Fox rears his ugly head and puts a damper on all their lives and there are more tear inducing incidents that are extremely life changing. All in all I really enjoyed the lives of Trent, Cassie, Lorelai and all their crazy friends. There was so much going on that I read each book front to back with barely a break in between. They were that good.

This was truly a great series and I found that Janine explained everything in great detail so that I didn't feel like I was lost at all. I’m a lover of different POV’s and I thought that knowing what both Trent and Cassie was feeling gave the series a lot more insight into their lives and what they were feeling. This is a great series that I would totally recommend to anyone of any reading age.

[♥♡¢σσкιє♥♡ (Krystle) · Rating 3 out of 5]

You can read this review and more on my blog:

I received a free copy of this book from the author via YA Bound Book Tours.

There was more action in the second instalment of this series than the first. I finally got to meet the terrible Dr. Fox who has been hunting Trent for the past five years, and he is definitely a deranged villain who I have zero sympathy for.

The relationship between Cassie and Trent hits a few snags in this book. Trent has a real problem with jealousy, and spent too much time stressing over the fact that Cassie had a good relationship with her ex boyfriend. If you read the first book in this series, then you know that Will was a huge jerk to Cassie, but since Trent took it upon himself to change Cassie’s life by going back in time and preventing her from being shot, Cassie was more confident and demanded that Will treat her better in this life so he did. Will is actually a pretty decent guy for most of this book, but his jerk tendencies still show up every now and then.

I didn’t like the way Trent handled his jealousy though. As soon as Cassie remembered him, she dumped Will, who was actually a pretty good boyfriend to her, and ran to tell Trent how much she loved him. Trent should trust that love enough to not let her past have an effect on how he feels. So what if she did things with Will before she remembered her love for Trent. That had nothing to do with him, and she wasn’t cheating on or betraying him!

I do however understand that Trent has abandonment issues and puts way too much pressure on himself to save people. He comes from a place of love not control so his jealousy, while annoying, was not abusive. Once Cassie remembered how she felt about Trent, and the way Will treated her in tan alternate reality, of course she would regret having given so much of herself to Will. I get why Cassie had a problem with it, I just think that Trent needs to learn to have faith in their relationship.

However, Cassie’s relationship with Will is not the only thing that has gone wrong in her life since Trent went back in time and changed things. Her father is obsessed with her becoming a tennis star, and that has put a strain on her whole family. Her parents fight constantly and her little brother is withdrawing into himself more and more. Her relationship with her best friend is also not as strong as it was in the first reality.

I didn’t enjoy the romance in this book as much as the first in the series but the action and science fiction elements were better so I liked both books about the same. The books in this series really pick up in the last few chapters, and I wish that they maintained that quality of action throughout. I’m not saying that I don’t enjoy anything but the last few chapters, but if the author would sprinkle some of that magic that she finds at the end of her novels throughout the rest of the book, I would give them a higher rating.

There was a pretty big cliffhanger at the end of this one. Something very exciting and a little bit scary happened with Cassie, and I am glad that I don’t have to wait long to find out what happens next!

Because of mild sexual content, I would recommend this book for ages 12 and up.

[Gabs · Rating 1 out of 5]

1.5 stars

A free copy of this book was received in exchange for an honest review.

I'm giving this an extra half star because there was action in this book, unlike in Rematch, and I had said in my review of Rematch that I really was hoping for some action. While a tad cheesy, I got my wish. So, I decided to boost my rating up just a bit.

While that complaint from Rematch was answered in this story, a lot of the things I didn't like in Rematch persisted in here. I still am not a fan of the heavy romance, for example. And aside from that, Double Fault had a lot of new problems that actually weren't present in Rematch--or if they were, I did not notice them.

First complaint; Cassie. Oh dear Cassie, I think love has made you blind. I didn't have this problem with Cassie in the first book, but wow, she made some not-so-smart decisions and remarks in here. First, she starts talking to this 'recruiter' from NYU. Except, this recruiter is obviously shady. She does not make the connection at all, even though it's so blatant. Here's one example of what I am talking about:

He is talking to Cassie, trying to get her to come to NYU. And all the sudden, he brings up this interesting tidbit that is seemingly random:
Did I mention the other prestigious departments we offer at NYU?"
"Um..." Boy, he's really committed to the job, isn't he?
"Our music department for instance, is really quite something."

Did I mention her boyfriend, Trent, is a musician? And he just randomly brought up their music department? But instead of having a red flag go off in her head, she got excited, because she thought, "Hey, we can go to the same college."

When said guy is trying to get her to come with him in his car, she's a bit nervous and suspicious. However, she doesn't listen to her gut because she claims dude has credentials. Except...the only credential listed was the fact that he gave her a business card. I wouldn't exactly call that credentials.

When she is trying to explain to her little brother about why she and Jeff broke up, she says this: "So, because Jeff and I are so young, our relationship was never supposed to last forever like an adult relationship would." ...But this doesn't apply to her and Trent, because they are apparently soulmates and destined for each other. I'm not being sarcastic right now, she literally thinks that.

Aside from making some bad decisions, she kind of annoyed me. When she finds out her best friend is into Trent, her reaction is, basically, I should have known. I mean, who wouldn't be attracted to Trent? He's a musician, he's hot, and he's smart!' Just because you think your boyfriend is amazing does not mean the rest of the female population has to be attracted to him as well. That was presumptuous. I mean, yes, her friend liked him, but that doesn't mean EVERYONE does.

Trent gets kind of possessive of Cassie in this book, and wasn't fun to read about. It seems like he's kind of insecure about their relationship. At one point, he says he'll only forgive Cassie for doing something (spoilers, sorry) if she tells him she loves him more than she loved Jeff.

So, I wasn't a huge fan of either main character in this story. I'm giving up here and deciding not to read the third. There was a cliffhanger in this one, but right now, I don't think it's wise for me to continue the series.

[Holly · Rating 2 out of 5]

*I received a copy of this from the author in exchange for an honest review.
*Full review can be found here: http://skizzles22hu.blogspot.com/2014...


Actual rating: 2.5 stars!

I hate to say it, but I didn't like Double Fault anymore than the first book. I don't know what it is about this series, but I just can't get into it. It could be a case of It's not you, it's me. However, reading through my review for the first book, I know it's not just me. I really just don't like this series..

I just can't take much of what happens seriously. I still don't believe that Trent and Cassie have this forever kind of love, that they're soulmates. I think their relationship developed a little bit more in this one, but not by much. Everytime they talked about how much they love each other, I just laughed. It's still not the least bit authentic to me.

The characters didn't really improve much for me, except Cassie. In this book, she's dealing with memories of two different parallel lifetimes. That also means having to deal with not-so-awesome circumstances regarding friends and family. But, she's trying her best. Her best is just not good enough for this life she's living now. Trent, on the other hand, lost some points for me. Most of the book, his jealousy just turned me off. He acted ridiculous when it came to Jeff and Cassie, especially near the end when Cassie was hurt. He couldn't dial down his jealousy to help her and be there for her. I really, really disliked him for that.

There was a little bit more with the secondary characters this time around, especially with Cassie's family and with The Grenades. I liked having those interactions with all of them, because the romance between the two main characters was not front and center. I hope there will be even more development with The Grenades in the third book especially, now that they know part of the truth surrounding Trent and Lorelei.

But, I still hated how there was barely any supernatural elements. Also, the whole showdown with Fox was so anti-climatic. Not to mention, it was so dreadfully and painfully obvious that he was the NY recruiter. That wasn't suspenseful at all, and I was so disappointed with it because I thought for sure I'd find out more about time-travel from Fox. But we still know nothing about Trent's abilities! I thought this sequel should have explored that more, not pay attention to the high school antics between the characters.

After reading Double Fault, I'm still uninterested in this storyline and these characters. I just don't care what happens to them. That ending didn't leave me wanting more, especially since I saw it coming miles away. There just wasn't enough in the first two books that left me invested to see what happens in the finale.

[Faye · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoyed reading Rematch and couldn't wait to start reading "Double Fault".

Double Fault is more about a parallel world, another path where Trent decided he could have prevented Cassie from being shot and would have live a better life than the previous one. Although Trent thinks he made the right choice until he tries living in this present parallel world where Cassie may or may not remember him and that his choice may actually done more harm than good. While Trent and Lorelai's past are catching up to them.

*Spoiler Ahead*

This takes about a twist in the whole story. Reliving a new life despite having the memories of the other life. I just can't imagine what Cassie's going through. I admit that I was a little sad because of Trent's choices, Cassie may have not made the right one but that's because she did not remember him. I was like please let their be another twist and turn to the story because apart from their relationship, Cassie's relationship with her friends and family weren't so good. In a way, I could kind of relate to her then but hers was worst although I wouldn't wish on anyone experiencing that but that's inevitable.

I hated Jeff more. I hated him at "Rematch" and I hated him more now. I'm just glad that Cassie had a wake up call despite her and Jeff's relationship intimate relationship and wanting to keep it from Trent. That part I just couldn't understand. I mean if both Trent and Cassie loved each other they should be able to accept her past relationship with Jeff although I do understand about their point especially Cassie knowing and remembering about Trent so he could have been her first and only. Trent may have overreacted but that was also due to Jeff's ribbing, I'm proud that he was man enough to apologize to Cassie and I wish neither would blame each other just because.

Although the twist to the end was something I wasn't expecting but at the same time I was wishing for a miracle to happen in order for them to have a better life. I'm glad they'll be able to work it out in the end.

Although time traveling wasn't much mentioned here except those times it was still an enjoyable read especially the relationships in Cassie's life. It was nice to how it would turn out but I guess one lesson learned here is not to mess time. Trent should really have take heed of Bob's warning.

I received a copy from YA Bound Book Tour in exchange for an honest review.

[Alice · Rating 4 out of 5]

Well then according to this story, today we have this second book of Vortex: Double Fault, this tiulo may well give you a hint of what you’ll wait. Although I would say that the story focuses more on the romance than in the supernatural, which in this case is the time travel. I do not mean that it is not present, if it is, only that it is somewhat overshadowed by both romance or the good youth romance between the protagonists: Cassie and Trent.
In this book we see how the relationship evolves this couple, and this is where what time travel, Trent solves what tormented him in the first book, the power does not help Cassie in the accident and that she nothing will happen, but this involves a cost which is with paid jealousy. And Cassie, his life changed well, a huge percentage, but something tells her that she has not been a great choice the change, and she paid the consequences somewhat.
There are good things and things I did not like in this book, we already have a villain, perhaps most likely he show you more in the 3rd book, I would have liked to see more of Trent travel through time without it is for Cassie, to see it in action with others, it is not that I have anything against the love story, but I think that thread of history is lost a little and what attracted me from the beginning. About Cassie and Trent, ok to be a love story wrapped in time travel is good, but Trent should relax, I don’t know something in this part had me somewhat overwhelmed or me out of my comfort on the one hand I like but on the other I have my doubts aside, and the sister of Trent, Lorelai is still taking the award for my favorite character, no doubt!
We see a little history of Trent and Lorelai in the past and change events in the family life of Cassie and, I think that was a good point in story.

I think it still has many parts where the story could navigate with sci-fi while is romantic, has a concept and a pretty good idea, but for me is still more romantic-tinged science fiction.

I’ll wait to see the 3rd book that will be the last but I hope surprising me , I insist has potential If the science fiction and romance are in equilibrate.

[Shayna Varadeaux · Rating 5 out of 5]

The series just gets better! OMG! Life is better in some ways and not in others in the parallel world that Trent created. He righted a wrong in his eyes and nearly lost the only happiness he has known since he lost his parents. At the end of the last book a miracle occurred but Cassie was furious that he had changed everything and not for the reasons you would think. Now a tennis ace with a bright future Cassie has to balance her career and trying to keep the time traveling love of her life's true identity a secret.

Things unravel in a big way and Dr. Fox the power hungry madman seems to be close on their trail then it comes to a head. Big decisions have to be made and it seems the universe wants to right itself, complicating things further for Cassie, Trent, Lorelai and their friends. I was so torn over the whole Jeff situation! He was so different in this alternate time!

OMG Kelli and what Jeff and Cassie shared. I really didn't think that Trent was going to be able to handle it. His self loathing reaches new heights after he is smacked with that revelation of what he and Cassie would never share in their firsts... That part was super sad for me.

I really like where the story went it took turns I didn't see coming and I love unpredictability in my reads. I was excited and frustrated with this book and downright scared for them! It was so good, more action, more happening and we go deeper into the rabbit hole. I was actually on pins and needles for quite awhile and reading at neck break speeds because I just HAD to know what happened next!! And the ending WOW!!!

Totally recommend it and so glad that I have Deuce to read now!

These books are a great example of why I love YA!!! So good!

[Jenny · Rating 4 out of 5]

Over the last week, I've read the entire trilogy, so this will actually be a review over the trilogy as a whole.

I really enjoyed it. I have really gotten into the whole time travel/sci-fi YA scene lately, and I especially love time travel books that have their own take on the phenomenon. The Vortex series turned it into almost a paranormal ability given to Trent (Jeremy) by nature. I really loved this take on it!

The only thing that was a little annoying was the whole "Twilight" feel to the basic plot. This didn't last long, and its not a Twilight knock off, but it has that old tired paranormal boy-with-powers-saves-normal-girl-who-then-falls-in-love-with-him-but-he-must-stay-away-or-she-will-be-in-danger thing. This was really the only negative I could find with the books, and it didn't bother me that much. After it gets going, that whole comparison disappears anyway, because the rest of the story is so unique!

The story is a dual POV between Cassie and Trent, which I really liked. It was nice to see Trent's side of things, especially when he was acting like a total boy and I just wanted to shake him! Overall, I did like him, but I didn't feel that "book boyfriend" connection I wanted. Later in the books that becomes more clear! Cassie was a great MC, and my favorite character without a doubt. I also really loved Trent's sister, Lorelai. She was probably the most complex character in the story. All the other characters are pretty bit parts and don't play a huge role. The story is really about Trent, Cassie and Lorelei.

This was a great read, and if you are into time travel or sci-fi, I definitely recommend it!

[Michelle's Paranormal Vault of Books · Rating 5 out of 5]

Check out my blog post to read an excerpt, Double Fault Blog post

I am a huge fan of this Vortex series. I loved book one, and went into this one with high hopes, though there was a lot less time-travel in this one, and it focuses more on Trent and Cassie’s relationship and dealing with the changes from this 2nd timeline after Trent tries to “fix” it. There was more focus on romance than there was in the first, maybe a bit more that I would have liked. It kind of took some of the uniqueness of this series away, but I still loved the book.

There was some pretty good unexpected twist in this one, and that was really exciting. I really like Cassie, and absolutely adore Trent.
If you like sci-fi/paranormal with some romance, then you will love this series as much as I do.

I highly recommend this book.

I give it 5 out of 5 stars.

Cover Review: I love the cover on this book, it’s a lot better than even book one, it gives that nice sci-fi feel to it. Covers are important, and its part of the reason I wanted to read the series.

I was given a copy of this book from the author for my honest review.

[Lynda Dickson · Rating 4 out of 5]

Now living in an alternate reality because of Trent's meddling, Cassie and Trent are the only ones who can remember what happened previously, leaving Lorelei to become increasingly frustrated. Cassie is more confident in this life and back into tennis. She had a sweet new car, but many things have changed for the worse. Jeff, her old boyfriend, is still interested in her, her best friend Kelli is disappointed in her for moving in on the guy she likes, her brother Gavin misses his pseudo-older-brother Jeff, and her parents now fight non-stop because of her father's obsession with her tennis career. Cassie starts believing that Trent made a mistake by going back in time to change her destiny. Meanwhile, an old enemy resurfaces trying to locate the vortex, the source of Trent's powers. But what is he really after? When Trent discovers a secret that Cassie has been keeping from him, it looks like the last straw. Can they ever be happy again? Will Cassie ask the impossible of Trent? And what effect did the trip to Sedona have on Cassie?

Once again, the story is told from Cassie's and Trent's points-of-view. And again, a number of editing errors, especially incorrect word usage (e.g., passed for past-5 times!, you're for your, breaks for brakes, pouring for poring, plodding for plotting, lessoned for lessened, taught for taut, affects for effects). While there is a lot of action and character interaction, this is not my favorite in the series. But I can't wait to see what happens next!

I received this book in return for an honest review.

[Pauline Ang · Rating 2 out of 5]

Originally posted at Fathomless Reveries

Okay. So Double Fault didn’t end up much better than Rematch for me. Maybe this series was more of a it’s not you, it’s me thing for me, but I was expecting a development in the supernatural aspect. This book remained to have little supernatural elements, and the plot just simply became very predictable. Moreover, I didn’t like the characters any better.

Cassie got really clingy, and it was really annoying. The decisions she made are really immature, and OHMYGLOB. What decisions are you seriously making? It’s just so messed up. I liked the way she was trying her best dealing with everything that is happening to her (most especially the family problems) though, but I feel like her best is still not enough.

Spending a whole lifetime avoiding Fox made me thought that the showdown between Fox and Trent will be suspensive, but I just didn’t feel it. I liked the way Fox’s tragic backstory was told though. I also didn’t like the romance between Trent and Cassie because it didn’t seem genuine. The love triangle between Trent/Cassie/Jeff also made me cringe. Maybe primarily because Trent was an over-jealous guy and Jeff was very childish and immature.

This book ended with a cliffhanger, but it didn’t really get me excited for the next book. I don’t know if I’d still continue on with the final instalment. Uh, maybe not.

[Bookish Satty · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a Series Review

Series Rating: 5 Stars!!!

I got this book from the author, free of cost, in exchange of an honest review from my side.

Firstly I would like to thank the author and the tour organizers for giving me this opportunity of reading and reviewing this book.

Okay, so my first reaction towards this series was "What??? Can a book be that awesome???"!!! Yeah, that was my reaction and when I read this installment well, I just got knocked over by this story. It's thrilling, adventurous and most importantly it has action and lots of drama, well the good one not the cliche one!!!

I loved the writing style of the author very much and I just fell in love with her way of writing and portraying her thoughts through words that were presented so beautifully that from the very first you'll find yourself to be a part of the world that the author created for us.

The characters are really awesome and fully developed and by judging the way the author presented these characters to the readers, well I can say that these characters are loved unconditionally by the author and the same dedication and hard work of the author touched the readers' hearts and made them a fan of this series.

Over all a great read that has action, romance, betrayal, pain, suspense, horror and most of all great characters, so guys hop on the ride and get carried away. Enjoy!!!

[Movies, Shows, & Books · Rating 5 out of 5]

***I received a free copy for an honest review***

Note: This review contains no spoilers

The intensity of this series does not let up! In this second book of The Vortex trilogy, Trent and Cassie are reunited in this new timeline that Trent created when he changed the past. Sheesh....time travel can be so quirky! By the end of Rematch, Cassie remember her other life before Trent went back and changed the past. Whoa! How crazy was that! But, in this altered timeline, these two are far from living "normal" lives. Guess changing the past...again...has its consequences, as Trent and Cassie comes to find out. They face several obstacles and dangers as they try to "rebuild" their relationship in this alternate timeline.

I gasped after each chapter wondering if and how these characters will overcome these obstacles that lie before them. I was intrigued with Cassie's predicament of having knowledge of both timelines...confusing, I know! Of course, Cassie can see the differences...how can she not! Whoa! On top of the dangers they face, Trent and Cassie also has to face their lives as teenagers. I turned each page with bated breath! Whoa! Janine Caldwell has again created this supernatural world where time travel has its consequences and rewards when tampering with the past.

Double Fault is a suspenseful and thrilling ride through time that kept my head spinning!

[Emily · Rating 4 out of 5]

review to come...

[Paula Võ · Rating 4 out of 5]

It's.... It's different, but not bad.