Book Review: The Age of Amy: Channel ’63

amy3_coverTitle: The Age of Amy: Channel ‘63
Author: Bruce Edwards
Genre: Young Adult
Age Group: YA
Rating: 4 stars
Buy: Amazon
Review copy provided by Enchanted Book Promotions in exchange for an honest review.

What if you could tune your TV to the year 1963, and watch—live? A new theme park attraction allows visitors to not only observe, but talk with the people of that turbulent decade. For 16-year-old Amy, it’s the perfect escape from her own time, and the hardships of teenage life in the 21st century.

Things get complicated when Amy falls for a teenage boy in the 60s. Trying to build a relationship across time proves maddening, especially when computers bleep any language that might impact the future. Happily, Amy acquires a “magic clicker” which defeats this annoying restriction. But gaining the ability to speak freely comes with a heavy responsibility: Amy now has the power to alter history!

She struggles to be mindful of her speech, but finds the temptation to reverse the mistakes of the past irresistible. It is November, 1963 on the other side of the TV screen, and President Kennedy is about to be assassinated. Knowing the details of that tragic event, Amy hatches a dangerous plot to save the 35th president, unaware of the deadly consequences facing her long-ago friend, who must carry it out.

In The Age of Amy: Channel ’63, 16-year-old Amy’s world is turned upside down when a new theme park attractoin allows visitors to talk to people living in the eighties, in 1963 to be exact. Amy loves the new invention, and sees it as an excellent way to escape the troubles of her own time. Except then she falls in love with a teenage boy from the sixties. But thanks to the restriction on what they can talk about (anything that may predict the future gets bleeped out), Amy has trouble telling her crush all her feelings. Luckily, she acquires a magic clicker than can get by the restrictions, but that also gives her hte power to change history…And with president Kennedy about to be assassinated, Amy comes up with a plot to save the president, even though it might have disastrous consequences for her new friend.

In a book that screams originality and creativity, author Bruce Edwards brings us the newest installment in “The Age of Amy” series, and my favorite so far. Amy is really starting to grow as a character – intelligent, witty and resourceful, she grows more interesting with each book. Her world grows increasingly complex too, yet it still holds that whimsical, playful touch.

The writing is engaging, the characters are complex and fun, and overall, the story is very enjoyable. Recommended to anyone who enjoys YA.

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