Carnelian by B Kristin McMichael (ARC Review)

YA Fantasy

Carnelian has a great premise. Mari is a seemingly ordinary eighteen year-old girl. She just enrolled in a small college hours away from home, and has the good luck of snagging a zany roommate and catching the eye of hottie (and known player) Seth Sangre. Which is exactly what she doesn't want! The more Seth pursues her, the more Mari does to discourage him. She avoids him, ignores him, and tells him repeatedly that she only wants to be friends. This doesn't deter him, and he starts exhibiting stalker-like qualities. Waiting outside her dorm room for hours while she's trapped inside? I think that's creepy, but hey, maybe it's just me.

There's also the fact that Seth doesn't seem to have a past. Who is Seth Sangre, and what secrets is he hiding?

Luckily, Seth proves that he's a good guy. He and his brothers save Mari when her life is in danger, and he sweeps her away to his private home, which gives the pair the opportunity to fall in love! This is the part of the novel I loved the most. The scenes between Mari and Seth were sweet and believable. Mari also learns about Seth's mysterious past: he's a time traveler from ancient Egypt, which explains both his creepy behavior and nonexistent internet-trackable past. More importantly, we find out that Mari has the power to save an entire Egyptian civilization!

I love the time traveling plot and the twist that comes with it, along with huge questions like: who is Mari? Even she isn't quite sure, and the answer will definitely surprise you!

The second book in this series comes out this summer, and I'm curious to see how Mari and Seth's relationship will play out. I also want to know more about why Seth's people are in danger, and Mari's true role in ancient Egypt. I'm sure there will be more unexpected twists!