Initial Impressions 1/17/15: Wow, that was really, really interesting. The book is told in seven parts, each part taking place in a different time period. At first I really wasn't sure how they would come together but the ending was really quite beautiful! It was very interesting to see how all of the stories really did tie into each other, both in the overall picture and in very specific ways. 
 That being said, it wasn't my usual cup of tea. I have difficulty sometimes with books that are split up into parts like that because I very much like to get into one plot with X characters and really get to know them. But then again, the beauty of this book is that the "big picture" really is sort of one plot... BUT I didn't quite know that or know how as I was reading each section. 
 I'm not sure if I would recommend it? While I did enjoy it while I was reading it, it's definitely quite unique and unlike anything I've ever read before. Gotta hand it to Marcus Sedgwick for putting this book together (which I read in the bonus content afterwards that it was the easiest book he ever wrote. Whew) and it's just very different. If you're looking for something unique, then yes! Pick this one up. I honestly don't even know how to categorize it... Fantasy? Sci-fi? Timeless. 
 Review originally posted HERE on The Book Addict's Guide 2/2/15: MIDWINTERBLOOD was honestly unlike any book I've ever read. It was captivating, moving, and incredibly interesting. I wasn't quite sure what it was about when I first started because I like to go into books totally blind so as to keep any and every possible "omg moments" still a surprise. I read the synopsis but still wasn't quite sure exactly what that entailed so without analyzing it too much, I dove straight in. 
 The story opens in the year 2073 with a young man traveling to a mysterious island and what he encounters on this island as well as the people he meets both feel incredibly familiar, and this set of characters, feelings, realizations, and location set up the entire book. The book is broken down into seven parts of seven different stories, but they each share an echo of the important elements that span generations: a phrase, an item, a feeling -- and I was reading, the connections between each story really started to give me not only a sense of the big picture but also a wonderful FEELING that all of the stories had such a deep connection and how it spanned beyond obstacles, beyond space, beyond time. 
 This story was just beautifully put together. I loved that MIDWINTERBLOOD was a tale about how strong the bonding of two souls can be and how when two souls are meant to be together, there is nothing on this earth to stop them from accomplishing that, no matter how many attempts it takes. This book was very much a love story but not necessarily a romance. Yes, there were stories in which the two souls experienced a romantic love, but the love in this book spanned much more than just a romantic kind and I loved how it was portrayed a little bit differently in each story. It was so beautiful to be reminded how many different kinds of love there are in this world and each one is equally important. 
 I also really loved how the book started in the future and worked its way backward in time. I think it meant that much more and held that much more weight once I got to the origin of the entire book and the last piece of history of these two characters/souls. It was just beautiful and I was totally in awe seeing every single piece of the puzzle and every clue really come together. I'll admit that at times I do struggle a with books that are formatted into so many small, specific stories because I really like to get to know the characters and setting of the novel and short stories just don't really allow that a lot of the time. The wonderful thing about MIDWINTERBLOOD is that I was getting to know them all along! I just really loved how everything fit perfectly together and I felt a real sense of wholeness and peace at the end of this book. 
 I think it's a hard book for me to recommend to someone because it IS so different -- I've never read a book like this before and I can't even really classify it into a genre -- but if you're looking for a book that will transcend beyond the pages and really stick with you, I would definitely tell you to pick up MIDWINTERBLOOD. It was really beautiful and honestly so accessible for so many age ranges.