Review - My Super Sweet Sixteenth Century (My Super Sweet Sixteenth Century #1) by Rachel Harris

Title: My Super Sweet Sixteenth Century

Author: Rachel Harris

Series: 1st

Pages: 304

Published:September 11th 2012 by Entangled Publishing 

ISBN: 9781620611357

Source: Publisher via Netgalley

 

Description: On the precipice of her sixteenth birthday, the last thing lone wolf Cat Crawford wants is an extravagant gala thrown by her bubbly stepmother and well-meaning father. So even though Cat knows the family’s trip to Florence, Italy, is a peace offering, she embraces the magical city and all it offers. But when her curiosity leads her to an unusual gypsy tent, she exits . . . right into Renaissance Firenze.  Thrust into the sixteenth century armed with only a backpack full of contraband future items, Cat joins up with her ancestors, the sweet Alessandra and protective Cipriano, and soon falls for the gorgeous aspiring artist Lorenzo. But when the much-older Niccolo starts sniffing around, Cat realizes that an unwanted birthday party is nothing compared to an unwanted suitor full of creeptastic amore. Can she find her way back to modern times before her Italian adventure turns into an Italian forever? 

I Give This ...

I enjoy historical fiction and time travel together.  But have found in teen novels in tends to get a little bit campy.  I was afraid this might fall in the same category, but was eager to read it.    

First off, I liked Cat's character.  Her background makes for an interesting addition to this story.  She the offspring of a famous producer and a movie star.  I think it's important to note that she knows how to act, how to fool others to to seeing what you want them to see.  But, she also has her own issues.  She dislikes her mother and her dads new fiancée.    Her problems with her mother made sense from what we learn of her.  I also understood her dislike of her soon to be stepmother, but I really wanted to her to see the good in her.

I liked how we are transported back to the sixteenth century.  Cat is mistaken for a relative that hasn't been seen in awhile.  Her acting abilities prove handy, but she also makes some glaring mistakes.  That was refreshing because it seems to often characters can fit right into a time period when transported back.  I think it would be much more obvious.   I enjoyed Cat's interactions with Lorenzo.  Their chemistry really came off the pages.  I disliked Niccolo from the first time we meet him.  I pegged his intentions quickly and that made his interactions with Cat that much more creepy.

I really liked what the transport in time teaches  Cat.  She learns a lot about herself and what it means to be family.  I loved the little cliffhanger at the end of the book that opens up for the sequel!