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A Swift and Sudden Exit
An immortal, doomed to die. A time traveler, desperate to save her.
When Zera travels back in time to 2040, she aims to investigate the geomagnetic storm that scorched the earth. Instead, she finds the beautiful Katherine, who speaks of past storms and asks with her dying breath, “Is this the first time we meet?”
From WWII-era New York to early 2000s New Orleans and everywhere in between, Zera chases both storms and Katherine, thinking her immortality is the key to fixing the future. But as the immortal goes from a reluctant ally with a deadly hunter to a romantic complication, Zera wonders if the past is really set in stone, or if she can still save the world—and Katherine.
When Zera travels back in time to 2040, she aims to investigate the geomagnetic storm that scorched the earth. Instead, she finds the beautiful Katherine, who speaks of past storms and asks with her dying breath, “Is this the first time we meet?”
From WWII-era New York to early 2000s New Orleans and everywhere in between, Zera chases both storms and Katherine, thinking her immortality is the key to fixing the future. But as the immortal goes from a reluctant ally with a deadly hunter to a romantic complication, Zera wonders if the past is really set in stone, or if she can still save the world—and Katherine.
389 pages, Kindle Edition
Published May 21, 2024
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 40 reviews
June 24, 2024
Because life has a tendency to go full chaos these days, I wasn’t able to review A Swift and Sudden Exit as soon as it was released, which was my plan. My focus has been all over the place for a while and it makes reading some sort of luxury. But I did finally manage to read this book, and it was everything I hoped it would be. I mean, time travelling sapphics? How could I not be interested?
The present is set in 2058. Eighteen years earlier, a storm changed the world from the one we know today to a barren landscape and humans living in bunkers. Zera gets enrolled in a time travelling program that aims to explore ways to counteract the effects of the storm. On her first trip to 2040, she meets Katherine who has barely mentioned previous storms and asked whether this is their first meeting when a bullet hits her.
A Swift and Sudden Exit is a debut, and as most debuts, it has first novel flaws. One of the MCs’ motivations weren’t always clear to me, for example. None of it bothered me much, however, and I only mention it so readers don’t have unfair expectations of perfection.
Time travel is one of my favourite tropes, and I loved how Nico Vincenty wrote it in this book. The travel itself, the impact on the traveller’s body, the way Zera experiences each time period, all of it worked very well for me. I also enjoyed seeing the relationship between her and Katherine develop, how Katherine’s feelings towards Zera grew from annoyance and mistrust to respect and eventually to love. How she changed over the years, not physically but in her attitude, towards herself and towards Zera.
I like Zera very much as well. She’s stubborn, she’s irreverent, she’s loyal and confused and brave. The banter between her and Katherine is delicious, and I also got a kick out of the interactions with her best friend, Kissi.
Because she and Katherine only get to meet for short periods of time on each of Zera’s trips to the past, the romance is a slow burn. Once things start to heat up, however, they’re about as scorching as 2058 Earth. All this while hunting and being hunted by an immortal killer (let me know if you guessed the twist).
A Swift and Sudden Exit is the second instance of a cover by Jenifer Prince leading to one more book on my TBR. I’m not going to keep counting them, but I feel like I should thank her for this. I’ve loved both books—this one and Dear Sylvia, Love Jane by Erin Hall—very much and I don’t know if I would have found them without her covers.
I received a copy from the author and I am voluntarily leaving a review.
Read all my reviews on my website (and please get your books from the affiliation links!): Jude in the Stars
May 1, 2024
If I had to describe this book in one word, it would be "banter" ("bisexuals" and "time-travel" are close seconds). Banter is used to show love, to show suspicion, to show frustration. This entire book is suffused with banterous spirit.
I'm always fascinated by time travel, conceptually, and Katherine adds a compelling twist. Imagine going back in time, and no matter where or when you go, you always meet the same woman, and she doesn't age. Or even more interesting, imagine running into a time-traveller every 12 years, for a few days at a time, and she turns your life upside down and then vanishes. I laughed to watch Katherine change between each meeting, ruminated over what Zera must mean to her, and one of my favourite moments is when Katherine calls Zera her oldest friend. (Second only to when Kissi, encountering their couple dynamic for the first time, says, "Is this what it's like? It's a mess.")
I loved witnessing the milestones of Katherine's bi awakening - it's especially satisfying that the slow contemplation stuff happens off page, so it really feels like she's taking responsibility for her own self-discovery without burdening the reader, and we get to see snapshots of her queer blossoming (innuendo not intended but sure).
I must say, if you're looking for science, this is probably not the book for you. Our main character is a soldier, not a scientist, although fortunately for the plot, she is surrounded by supersmart maths nerds and there is plenty of jargon to keep us nodding and believing. You're going to get handwavy science that feels more like magic and you'll probably lose track of a few space-jumping items that exist too much or too little. If you're into that, bear with it!
Despite the distressing backdrop of a climate apocalypse, and evergreen questions about what it means to really LIVE, this book is a fun romp through the twentieth and twenty-first centuries (mostly), with cinematic action and dynamic dialogue, and a touching bisexual love story at its core.
Thank you to the author for the ARC.
I'm always fascinated by time travel, conceptually, and Katherine adds a compelling twist. Imagine going back in time, and no matter where or when you go, you always meet the same woman, and she doesn't age. Or even more interesting, imagine running into a time-traveller every 12 years, for a few days at a time, and she turns your life upside down and then vanishes. I laughed to watch Katherine change between each meeting, ruminated over what Zera must mean to her, and one of my favourite moments is when Katherine calls Zera her oldest friend. (Second only to when Kissi, encountering their couple dynamic for the first time, says, "Is this what it's like? It's a mess.")
I loved witnessing the milestones of Katherine's bi awakening - it's especially satisfying that the slow contemplation stuff happens off page, so it really feels like she's taking responsibility for her own self-discovery without burdening the reader, and we get to see snapshots of her queer blossoming (innuendo not intended but sure).
I must say, if you're looking for science, this is probably not the book for you. Our main character is a soldier, not a scientist, although fortunately for the plot, she is surrounded by supersmart maths nerds and there is plenty of jargon to keep us nodding and believing. You're going to get handwavy science that feels more like magic and you'll probably lose track of a few space-jumping items that exist too much or too little. If you're into that, bear with it!
Despite the distressing backdrop of a climate apocalypse, and evergreen questions about what it means to really LIVE, this book is a fun romp through the twentieth and twenty-first centuries (mostly), with cinematic action and dynamic dialogue, and a touching bisexual love story at its core.
Thank you to the author for the ARC.
May 16, 2024
3.5
A Swift and Sudden Exit is a sapphic time travel romance between an immortal being and a time traveller with inspirations from Doctor Who and The Time Traveller's Wife. In a close future where humanity lives in undergorund bunkers after a very bad magnetic storm they figured out time travelling back to different older magnetic storms to figure out how to stop the world from ending. Zera is sent back to the future where a mysterious woman in 2040 seems to know her from 1944. Whereas the reader immediatly figures out she's immortal, Zera struggles for a while before it's revealed.
Despite the time travel inspirations I found this one oddly linear, and repetitive in structure until the 90% mark. Zera goes in finds Katherine, they talk/do something, Zera goes back home and argue with her superiors and cue the same thing with Katherine 12 or 24 years later. Besides a good old, "their first meeting is late in the time line for the other" (River Song my beloved) they always meet in chronological order which does take some spice out of the time travel shenanigans but was easy plotting for the author. Maybe I don't want easy.
As for the time periods which should be a big focus of time travel fiction, to anchor you and dizzy you when you land, it's not really there. I'd say mid-century American aesthetics aren't my thing but besides the promotional art there isn't any of it inside the book besides the speech mannerism maybe? The time periods are very superficial set dressing, oh yes maybe you get a gay bar in the 80's with an AIDS mention but any commentary on queer rights is surface-level throughout the book. I don't listen to Taylor Swift but wasn't there a recent thing where she said she missed this period minus the racism? Same thing here, the book lets you know it doesn't approve of the past times, meanwhile promo material does utilise its aesthetics. Kissi, Zera's best friend and a Black woman makes an one-off comment about it so we know the author is aware but won't engage with it any further. There's also a weird police brutality thing and arrest when there are in Texas to show that it is the homophobic south? I don't know.
I'd say I'm not a fan of Zera reticence to dress up like a man (the future isn't very gender-progressive). Zera dresses up as a man a few times to hang out with Katherine in the earlier decades on Katherine's insistence and advice which Zera, a cis woman, isn't the biggest fan of: do you ever read sapphic books and think this is the most cis thing ever? accept some genderfuckery
I was drawn in by the intial banter between characters although I'm not sure I initially saw a difference between Zera's relationship between her friend Kissi and Katherine beyond the fact that Katherine was the designated love interest according to the summary. Because we spend a lot of time with Kissi back in the present time and the first chapter of the book is dedicated to Kissi saving Zera I got confused when we got Katherine. Because excuse me but Katherine lacks presence and personality. Because we see her throughout the decades she goes from coy to flirty, from closeted/unaware to openly bi, behind the scenes. At first she wants to steal something because she wants to die and stop being immortal but we know that someone is killing immortal so like you know they can die. She's very inconsistent when it comes to her immortality, which is of course a plot device but did make the worldbuilding appears junky.
I complain a lot but this book is well-written and engaging and despite its flaws it was an easy read that never bored me. Everything written above is nitpicking for time travelling superfans except maybe my criticism of Katherine as a character. The romance, while not entirely my thing, should be compelling for most readers. The dialogues are fun and enjoyable, and the secondary cast while not fully fleshed-out is recognisable enough that the twist comes as a shock.
A Swift and Sudden Exit is a sapphic time travel romance between an immortal being and a time traveller with inspirations from Doctor Who and The Time Traveller's Wife. In a close future where humanity lives in undergorund bunkers after a very bad magnetic storm they figured out time travelling back to different older magnetic storms to figure out how to stop the world from ending. Zera is sent back to the future where a mysterious woman in 2040 seems to know her from 1944. Whereas the reader immediatly figures out she's immortal, Zera struggles for a while before it's revealed.
Despite the time travel inspirations I found this one oddly linear, and repetitive in structure until the 90% mark. Zera goes in finds Katherine, they talk/do something, Zera goes back home and argue with her superiors and cue the same thing with Katherine 12 or 24 years later. Besides a good old, "their first meeting is late in the time line for the other" (River Song my beloved) they always meet in chronological order which does take some spice out of the time travel shenanigans but was easy plotting for the author. Maybe I don't want easy.
As for the time periods which should be a big focus of time travel fiction, to anchor you and dizzy you when you land, it's not really there. I'd say mid-century American aesthetics aren't my thing but besides the promotional art there isn't any of it inside the book besides the speech mannerism maybe? The time periods are very superficial set dressing, oh yes maybe you get a gay bar in the 80's with an AIDS mention but any commentary on queer rights is surface-level throughout the book. I don't listen to Taylor Swift but wasn't there a recent thing where she said she missed this period minus the racism? Same thing here, the book lets you know it doesn't approve of the past times, meanwhile promo material does utilise its aesthetics. Kissi, Zera's best friend and a Black woman makes an one-off comment about it so we know the author is aware but won't engage with it any further. There's also a weird police brutality thing and arrest when there are in Texas to show that it is the homophobic south? I don't know.
I'd say I'm not a fan of Zera reticence to dress up like a man (the future isn't very gender-progressive). Zera dresses up as a man a few times to hang out with Katherine in the earlier decades on Katherine's insistence and advice which Zera, a cis woman, isn't the biggest fan of: do you ever read sapphic books and think this is the most cis thing ever? accept some genderfuckery
I was drawn in by the intial banter between characters although I'm not sure I initially saw a difference between Zera's relationship between her friend Kissi and Katherine beyond the fact that Katherine was the designated love interest according to the summary. Because we spend a lot of time with Kissi back in the present time and the first chapter of the book is dedicated to Kissi saving Zera I got confused when we got Katherine. Because excuse me but Katherine lacks presence and personality. Because we see her throughout the decades she goes from coy to flirty, from closeted/unaware to openly bi, behind the scenes. At first she wants to steal something because she wants to die and stop being immortal but we know that someone is killing immortal so like you know they can die. She's very inconsistent when it comes to her immortality, which is of course a plot device but did make the worldbuilding appears junky.
I complain a lot but this book is well-written and engaging and despite its flaws it was an easy read that never bored me. Everything written above is nitpicking for time travelling superfans except maybe my criticism of Katherine as a character. The romance, while not entirely my thing, should be compelling for most readers. The dialogues are fun and enjoyable, and the secondary cast while not fully fleshed-out is recognisable enough that the twist comes as a shock.
June 1, 2024
4.5 🌟
okay i loved this it had everything
time travel
apocalyptic future
slow burn romance
perfect best friend character
different periods of history
mysterious pocket watch
gays
okay i loved this it had everything
time travel
apocalyptic future
slow burn romance
perfect best friend character
different periods of history
mysterious pocket watch
gays
May 29, 2024
I suck at writing reviews but I need to do it for this one!
This book has everything I could’ve asked for and more.
A badass and loveable main character? Check. Sapphic romance ? Check. Amazing banter? Check. Supportive and funny sidekick? Check. Slow burn with a dash of delicious spice? Check. A post-apocalyptic dystopian story with time-traveling as a possible solution? Check. An interesting mystery that ends in a plot twist? Check.
It’s easy to mess up a time-travel fiction, but A Swift and Sudden Exit was done perfectly and everything makes sense. To me, this story was perfection and I couldn’t get enough of it, I will be thinking about this book for a very long time!
This book has everything I could’ve asked for and more.
A badass and loveable main character? Check. Sapphic romance ? Check. Amazing banter? Check. Supportive and funny sidekick? Check. Slow burn with a dash of delicious spice? Check. A post-apocalyptic dystopian story with time-traveling as a possible solution? Check. An interesting mystery that ends in a plot twist? Check.
It’s easy to mess up a time-travel fiction, but A Swift and Sudden Exit was done perfectly and everything makes sense. To me, this story was perfection and I couldn’t get enough of it, I will be thinking about this book for a very long time!
July 31, 2024
MORE.
I'll preface this review by saying I'm a very picky reader. So if I only dish out 4 or 5 stars it's because I rarely finish anything else.
This book is a wild ride and an enjoyable one. Except for one moment that had me gritting my teeth because what a rollercoaster.
I really like single pov romances because you're left wondering about the love interest's feelings and this was the slowest burn ever if you count that it happens over litterally a century. Zera and Katherine's personalities are delightful and for the whole thing I was hanging onto the edge of my seat, wondering if the author would break my heart or not.
I had 0 idea what to expect going in and I wasn't disappointed. I'll definitely be reading what this author brings next!
I'll preface this review by saying I'm a very picky reader. So if I only dish out 4 or 5 stars it's because I rarely finish anything else.
This book is a wild ride and an enjoyable one. Except for one moment that had me gritting my teeth because what a rollercoaster.
I really like single pov romances because you're left wondering about the love interest's feelings and this was the slowest burn ever if you count that it happens over litterally a century. Zera and Katherine's personalities are delightful and for the whole thing I was hanging onto the edge of my seat, wondering if the author would break my heart or not.
I had 0 idea what to expect going in and I wasn't disappointed. I'll definitely be reading what this author brings next!
June 16, 2024
this was so good!! not normally a sci-fi girlie but throw some banter and hot bisexuals into the mix and i'm here for it. the characters felt real (yes even the immortal one) and i seriously want kissi's snooping/sleuthing skills
January 30, 2024
*cue Stefon voice* this book has everything
Review to come!
Review to come!
June 30, 2024
This book is almost like it was made in a lab for me: time travel, bisexuals, semi-doomed lovers, and yet it didn't grab me. It is a fun read & concept though!
I will say I did nearly DNF in chapter 2 when I learned one of the characters full name is KISSINGER
I will say I did nearly DNF in chapter 2 when I learned one of the characters full name is KISSINGER
July 22, 2024
Loved it! 5⭐️💯
July 29, 2024
This book was such a wild ride, and I loved everything about it!
June 17, 2024
This book took me by surprise and is definitely in my top 5 for the year so far (and I've read 52). This is such a strong debut and I highly recommend if you are looking for a character driven, slow burn, sapphic romance (with the perfect banter) where one is from 2058 and has to time travel to save the world (while meeting up with the love of her life every 12 years of course).
Firstly, I absolutely love Zera (the MC) in this book but I don't think I'm going to have the popular opinion there. Zera is meant to be saving the world by time travelling to before the earth was scorched in 2040. However, she is the worst possible person to be sent on this mission as she is constantly getting distracted (and going on so many random adventures) because she is so hopelessly in love. I just loved how much she was obsessed with finding the love interest no matter what.
I was so confused at the beginning of this book but I was immediately hooked especially after
There is also a massive mystery element to this book as Zera is trying to find what caused the 2040 storm and also why Katherine seems to be in different times. .
I love how well developed the MCs were and that they felt so real due to all of their flaws.
The banter between the couple is possibly the best I've ever read. The use of names and nicknames to tease each other was so sweet and the way the characters are constantly joking around with one another is exactly my taste in romance. This book was the perfect balance of plot and romance for me.
The sci-fi concept sounded so interesting to me and I love dystopian books which is why I picked this up. This book felt so perfectly balanced between chapters in the future and the past. The explanations of everything were presented very clearly and I think were easy to follow along (which is good because I hate when books like this only vaguely explain things).
I absolutely loved the ending. The entire book, I was so scared as to how it was going to end as usually with time travel books, I love the entire book right up until the end. However, this didn't disappoint.
A random side note is that I loved how the author wrote about Zera being insecure about her small breasts (and being scared to wear a corset because of it). That made me feel so seen.
I am not a big fan of sex scenes most of the time but here I thought it was written well and in the perfect place due to it being slow burn. I also loved how conversations of consent were written very casually into the scenes.
This book is an unforgettable rollercoaster of emotions. At times it was so fun and fast paced. Others, I was on the verge of tears. It's the definition of a perfect 5 star read for me and I'm definitely going to be recommending this constantly on my bookstagram. I look forward to whatever this author writes next.
Firstly, I absolutely love Zera (the MC) in this book but I don't think I'm going to have the popular opinion there. Zera is meant to be saving the world by time travelling to before the earth was scorched in 2040. However, she is the worst possible person to be sent on this mission as she is constantly getting distracted (and going on so many random adventures) because she is so hopelessly in love. I just loved how much she was obsessed with finding the love interest no matter what.
I was so confused at the beginning of this book but I was immediately hooked especially after
There is also a massive mystery element to this book as Zera is trying to find what caused the 2040 storm and also why Katherine seems to be in different times. .
I love how well developed the MCs were and that they felt so real due to all of their flaws.
The banter between the couple is possibly the best I've ever read. The use of names and nicknames to tease each other was so sweet and the way the characters are constantly joking around with one another is exactly my taste in romance. This book was the perfect balance of plot and romance for me.
The sci-fi concept sounded so interesting to me and I love dystopian books which is why I picked this up. This book felt so perfectly balanced between chapters in the future and the past. The explanations of everything were presented very clearly and I think were easy to follow along (which is good because I hate when books like this only vaguely explain things).
I absolutely loved the ending. The entire book, I was so scared as to how it was going to end as usually with time travel books, I love the entire book right up until the end. However, this didn't disappoint.
A random side note is that I loved how the author wrote about Zera being insecure about her small breasts (and being scared to wear a corset because of it). That made me feel so seen.
I am not a big fan of sex scenes most of the time but here I thought it was written well and in the perfect place due to it being slow burn. I also loved how conversations of consent were written very casually into the scenes.
This book is an unforgettable rollercoaster of emotions. At times it was so fun and fast paced. Others, I was on the verge of tears. It's the definition of a perfect 5 star read for me and I'm definitely going to be recommending this constantly on my bookstagram. I look forward to whatever this author writes next.
May 9, 2024
5 stars.
An intriguing sci-fi with time traveling and immortals (and bisexuals, of course).
Zera, our protagonist is chosen as a candidate to send back into time so she could find the resources needed to reverse the effects of the storm that had scorched their earth.
When she is sent back to 2040, the year of the storm that ended it all, she hadn't known what to expect but what she absolutely did not ever even imagine was coming across a woman who claims to know her and looks at her with such love in her eyes, as if they had known each other for years. But before Zera could investigate anything, that woman is killed. She dies in Zera's arms.
When Zera is sent back further in time, she comes across that same woman again. No matter which time she goes back to, she sees her again. And what is even more interesting is the fact that this woman doesn't age at all. Zera wonders if this woman, Katherine, has something to do with the storms. And so she begins to investigate things together with Katherine.
As they go on their expeditions, they both grow close to each other, maybe even fall in love with each other. But how could Zera even imagine a life with someone like Katherine? Even besides all the complications, Zera knows what lies in Katherine's future. Could Zera change the future? Could she save Katherine? She has been reminded multiple times that the future can't be changed, but.. she could always try, right?
Time traveling has always been one of my favorite things to read, and I find a time travel book with bisexuals? What more could I ever ask for.
And, taking trips back into time to meet your immortal lover sounds adorable so how could I not sign up for the ARC.
I wish we could have seen Katherine's POV too.
I often imagined her POV.
Every 12 years she finds this same woman over and over again no matter where she is. She begins to trust her after highs and lows in the little time both of them get so they could work together towards solving the mystery of the storms.
In her immortal life, she has always had to leave the community she has built around her to make sure people don't get suspicious about her, the woman who never ages, and start her life anew. It's painful letting go of things dear to her but she finds relief in knowing that she has one constant in her ever-changing life. The mysterious woman, Miss Zazzera, always finds her no matter where she is.
Until, one day. Miss Zazzera doesn't find her. But someone else does.
This book was awesome. I was not disappointed. Besides the romance, I loved the aspects of mystery and science fiction too.
I literally let out a loud gasp when the reveal happened. I had seen it coming and yet I was surprised. Brilliant.
The synopsis doesn't give away anything about the mystery side(?) plot. But let me tell you, it's damn good.
I loved the characters, especially our three girls. I wanted to hug all of them.
I want to highlight Katherine's battle with comphet. Girl really fought a mentality that was ingrained in her for nearly a century. Good for her. We didn't get to see her blossoming bisexuality but I'm proud of her and where she got.
I also want to highlight Zera and Katherine's banter. Their bickering was so fun to read. I loved every moment of those. Kissi seeing their squabbles slash flirting and telling them to get a room was hilarious.
I got a lot of butch vibes from Zera. So I wondered if she is meant to be butch or was it my wishful thinking of wanting rep for bi butch women influencing my reading? I asked the author herself and it turns out that Zera is indeed butch! Which made me very happy. Butch bisexual women <3
The word bisexual was used on-page <3
To conclude, I totally recommend this book to anyone who wants to read a time travel sci-fi with bisexuals and sapphic romance with cute banter and a great mystery twist.
Thank you to the author for the ARC.
I certainly will be looking forward to more books by Nico Vincenty!
An intriguing sci-fi with time traveling and immortals (and bisexuals, of course).
Zera, our protagonist is chosen as a candidate to send back into time so she could find the resources needed to reverse the effects of the storm that had scorched their earth.
When she is sent back to 2040, the year of the storm that ended it all, she hadn't known what to expect but what she absolutely did not ever even imagine was coming across a woman who claims to know her and looks at her with such love in her eyes, as if they had known each other for years. But before Zera could investigate anything, that woman is killed. She dies in Zera's arms.
When Zera is sent back further in time, she comes across that same woman again. No matter which time she goes back to, she sees her again. And what is even more interesting is the fact that this woman doesn't age at all. Zera wonders if this woman, Katherine, has something to do with the storms. And so she begins to investigate things together with Katherine.
As they go on their expeditions, they both grow close to each other, maybe even fall in love with each other. But how could Zera even imagine a life with someone like Katherine? Even besides all the complications, Zera knows what lies in Katherine's future. Could Zera change the future? Could she save Katherine? She has been reminded multiple times that the future can't be changed, but.. she could always try, right?
Time traveling has always been one of my favorite things to read, and I find a time travel book with bisexuals? What more could I ever ask for.
And, taking trips back into time to meet your immortal lover sounds adorable so how could I not sign up for the ARC.
I wish we could have seen Katherine's POV too.
I often imagined her POV.
Every 12 years she finds this same woman over and over again no matter where she is. She begins to trust her after highs and lows in the little time both of them get so they could work together towards solving the mystery of the storms.
In her immortal life, she has always had to leave the community she has built around her to make sure people don't get suspicious about her, the woman who never ages, and start her life anew. It's painful letting go of things dear to her but she finds relief in knowing that she has one constant in her ever-changing life. The mysterious woman, Miss Zazzera, always finds her no matter where she is.
Until, one day. Miss Zazzera doesn't find her. But someone else does.
This book was awesome. I was not disappointed. Besides the romance, I loved the aspects of mystery and science fiction too.
I literally let out a loud gasp when the reveal happened. I had seen it coming and yet I was surprised. Brilliant.
The synopsis doesn't give away anything about the mystery side(?) plot. But let me tell you, it's damn good.
I loved the characters, especially our three girls. I wanted to hug all of them.
I want to highlight Katherine's battle with comphet. Girl really fought a mentality that was ingrained in her for nearly a century. Good for her. We didn't get to see her blossoming bisexuality but I'm proud of her and where she got.
I also want to highlight Zera and Katherine's banter. Their bickering was so fun to read. I loved every moment of those. Kissi seeing their squabbles slash flirting and telling them to get a room was hilarious.
I got a lot of butch vibes from Zera. So I wondered if she is meant to be butch or was it my wishful thinking of wanting rep for bi butch women influencing my reading? I asked the author herself and it turns out that Zera is indeed butch! Which made me very happy. Butch bisexual women <3
The word bisexual was used on-page <3
To conclude, I totally recommend this book to anyone who wants to read a time travel sci-fi with bisexuals and sapphic romance with cute banter and a great mystery twist.
Thank you to the author for the ARC.
I certainly will be looking forward to more books by Nico Vincenty!
July 22, 2024
Time traveller Zera is tasked with collecting data of a catastrophic storm but keeps bumping into the same woman in different eras. Why do they keep meeting? Why doesn't this mysterious woman age and can they change the future?
I had so much fun with this one. A sapphic slow burn. Not too many characters so it was easy to remember who was who. Didn’t get confused between Zera’s original year and whichever year she went to. Appreciated how Katherine was very aware of her situation and was TRYING to keep Zera on track. For a time traveller Zera gets distracted easily. It’s pretty easy to tell from the start that she's attracted to shiny things so it's not surprising when she gets to time travel she's mentally all over the place.
Katherine wants a cure for her immortality so she can age and live out her life as a regular human, Zera wants data about a storm that keeps repeating throughout history. They agree to help each other and over the few times they meet Katherine changes as a person. Katherine’s personality changes a lot over time behind the scenes so because I didn’t see her grow as a character I wasn’t a fan of the romance. It's only a slow burn because it takes a while in the books for them to make any move but technically they've only spent a short while with each other, maybe a week in total?
No spoilers here but the ending/reveal? I was suspicious but for some reason the reveal still snuck up on me. I’m sure most people reading this will put two and two together before I manage to!
Mild Spoiler:
While the time travel didn’t confuse me too much I felt like the plot got a bit lost/repetitive. Some things just seemed a bit too convenient. Otherwise I had fun.
3.5 stars rated up.
Author supplied me with a digital copy. All opinions are my own.
Open door romance
Sapphic
Time travel
Immortal
May 23, 2024
Oh wow! This was a ride! I still kinda can't process the last few pages (those before the very end because there was a LOT happening there 😂) but that doesn't matter.
.
I got into this for the sapphic time travelers/immortals and it DID NOT dissapoint. Seriously, I fell in love and I don't know if I love Zera or Kat more (or Kissi while we're in it 😂) because they were both soo well-written! This book has bisexuals! The switch from "princess"(derogatory) to "princess"(lovingly)! Time travel and immortals! Brief mention of few historical events. Science and technology (I don't understand any of that but Kissinger does and that's all that matters 😂). It has Hank (and I love Hank and I can't give you spoilers but you'll love him too!) ❤️. And it will make you cry a little (or at least I cried a little 😂). Hey if you want sapphic slow burn science fiction with a lot of banter and flirting and little bit of spice as icing on the cake... Go for this!
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Little about the plot - in the beginning I didn't understand a thing but it was captivating since the first page, and then the first Zera and Kat meeting will leave you HOOKED. I couldn't stop thinking about multiple theories, like what, how, why? I recognized the main villain pretty quickly but spent the whole book trying to figure out what is happening (and if I guessed correctly 😂)... and when I finally put two and two together... well That was Something 😂🤯!
.
Okay I need to calm down now and hopefully stop thinking how in love I am with Zera and Kat ✨.
.
Thanks so much to Nico Vincenty for the e-ARC 🫶❤️
.
I got into this for the sapphic time travelers/immortals and it DID NOT dissapoint. Seriously, I fell in love and I don't know if I love Zera or Kat more (or Kissi while we're in it 😂) because they were both soo well-written! This book has bisexuals! The switch from "princess"(derogatory) to "princess"(lovingly)! Time travel and immortals! Brief mention of few historical events. Science and technology (I don't understand any of that but Kissinger does and that's all that matters 😂). It has Hank (and I love Hank and I can't give you spoilers but you'll love him too!) ❤️. And it will make you cry a little (or at least I cried a little 😂). Hey if you want sapphic slow burn science fiction with a lot of banter and flirting and little bit of spice as icing on the cake... Go for this!
.
Little about the plot - in the beginning I didn't understand a thing but it was captivating since the first page, and then the first Zera and Kat meeting will leave you HOOKED. I couldn't stop thinking about multiple theories, like what, how, why? I recognized the main villain pretty quickly but spent the whole book trying to figure out what is happening (and if I guessed correctly 😂)... and when I finally put two and two together... well That was Something 😂🤯!
.
Okay I need to calm down now and hopefully stop thinking how in love I am with Zera and Kat ✨.
.
Thanks so much to Nico Vincenty for the e-ARC 🫶❤️
September 2, 2024
Am I glad I read it? Yeah, I am. I was immediately interested in this book after, first, spotting that cover and then reading the synopsis. What a fun, bonkers premise!
Vincenty’s writing is snappy and engrossing, and the mysterious chaos of the first few chapters had me absolutely hooked. It’s at its best, though, when the time travel bits are at their most chaotic - that is, the beginning chunk and the ending chunk. In the middle chunk, where the romantic development happens, the time travel is linear. This bogs things down and takes out, for me, a hefty amount of the fun of the time travel (aka the central thrust of the story), and no amount of banter could maintain my level of excitement from the beginning. It feels like Vincenty either couldn’t figure out how to keep the non-linear time travel or chose to sacrifice it in service of a more traditional, expected relationship arc. So, bit of a bummer there.
I did really enjoy the depiction of the time travel, though: painful, disgusting, and hard on the body. It really apps the stakes nicely that the body can physically only handle so many trips.
Despite my above issue, and a few fairly minor quibbles (why did Zera constantly refuse to call Katherine by her preferred name?), I’m still really impressed that this is Vincenty’s debut (to the best of my knowledge) and definitely enjoyed it enough to anticipate whatever she writes next.
Rating: 👍🏼 (liked)
Vincenty’s writing is snappy and engrossing, and the mysterious chaos of the first few chapters had me absolutely hooked. It’s at its best, though, when the time travel bits are at their most chaotic - that is, the beginning chunk and the ending chunk. In the middle chunk, where the romantic development happens, the time travel is linear. This bogs things down and takes out, for me, a hefty amount of the fun of the time travel (aka the central thrust of the story), and no amount of banter could maintain my level of excitement from the beginning. It feels like Vincenty either couldn’t figure out how to keep the non-linear time travel or chose to sacrifice it in service of a more traditional, expected relationship arc. So, bit of a bummer there.
I did really enjoy the depiction of the time travel, though: painful, disgusting, and hard on the body. It really apps the stakes nicely that the body can physically only handle so many trips.
Despite my above issue, and a few fairly minor quibbles (why did Zera constantly refuse to call Katherine by her preferred name?), I’m still really impressed that this is Vincenty’s debut (to the best of my knowledge) and definitely enjoyed it enough to anticipate whatever she writes next.
Rating: 👍🏼 (liked)
April 9, 2024
A time traveler, an immortal, the developing romance between the two, and the mystery of the storms that scorched the earth - there's a lot to this story, a depth that is slowly revealed in its pages, and one that is very easy to get absorbed into.
I can say that I wasn't quite sure what I'd be getting myself into with this book. The synopsis doesn't give a lot away, teasing it premise and offering lovely cover art. But inside those pages is a story that is well-developed and thought out, intriguing, showing the depth of the relationship between two friends, and the romance that blossoms as Zera finds herself thrust into a time-travel program to try and find an answer to the storms.
And I very much loved the story. It's heavy at times, sweet at others, slow-burn with a relationship that is definitely worth it, and aptly showcasing the world at different points in modern history. The story builds up and dragged me in, very hard to put down, and with a satisfying conclusion. I'm very glad to have been able to read a copy of the book, and looking forward to reading other books that Nico publishes.
Disclaimer: I received an ARC copy of this story. My review and opinion are, of course, my own.
I can say that I wasn't quite sure what I'd be getting myself into with this book. The synopsis doesn't give a lot away, teasing it premise and offering lovely cover art. But inside those pages is a story that is well-developed and thought out, intriguing, showing the depth of the relationship between two friends, and the romance that blossoms as Zera finds herself thrust into a time-travel program to try and find an answer to the storms.
And I very much loved the story. It's heavy at times, sweet at others, slow-burn with a relationship that is definitely worth it, and aptly showcasing the world at different points in modern history. The story builds up and dragged me in, very hard to put down, and with a satisfying conclusion. I'm very glad to have been able to read a copy of the book, and looking forward to reading other books that Nico publishes.
Disclaimer: I received an ARC copy of this story. My review and opinion are, of course, my own.
June 23, 2024
Queer time travelers? Check
A mysterious pocket watch? Check
Stunning cover artwork? Check
The Office references? Check
From the (first time) jump, Vicenti weaves a tale full of hints, humor, and heart. The story makes good on its premise and promises, with a host of payoffs for readers looking for clues. Pop culture references and banter ground the reader in familiar territory and lead to legitimately funny moments, while the characters themselves experience anything but the familiar. The romance is well paced, engaging, and feels like it has real stakes. While attentive readers won’t necessarily be shocked by the last third of the narrative, it has a satisfying and well-rounded conclusion. While the scene to scene actions and interactions aren’t always the easiest to track (it is sometimes a bit difficult to follow transitions or place where the characters are and what is going on) the high-level narrative does a great job of giving the reader what they need to follow and be invested in Zera and Kat’s history. I thoroughly enjoyed A Swift and Sudden Exit!
A mysterious pocket watch? Check
Stunning cover artwork? Check
The Office references? Check
From the (first time) jump, Vicenti weaves a tale full of hints, humor, and heart. The story makes good on its premise and promises, with a host of payoffs for readers looking for clues. Pop culture references and banter ground the reader in familiar territory and lead to legitimately funny moments, while the characters themselves experience anything but the familiar. The romance is well paced, engaging, and feels like it has real stakes. While attentive readers won’t necessarily be shocked by the last third of the narrative, it has a satisfying and well-rounded conclusion. While the scene to scene actions and interactions aren’t always the easiest to track (it is sometimes a bit difficult to follow transitions or place where the characters are and what is going on) the high-level narrative does a great job of giving the reader what they need to follow and be invested in Zera and Kat’s history. I thoroughly enjoyed A Swift and Sudden Exit!
June 22, 2024
Brilliant sapphic time traveling love story with a fresh voice that you won't be able to put down!
The FMC Zera immediately leaps off the page with her relatable attitude, fresh voice, and unmistakable depth. From the first pages, you care about her and feel like you've known her forever. And then you meet Katherine and fall in love at once.
The plot captured my attention right away with the mysteries of the world ending geo-storms, the elusive Katherine, the secretive future military officials, and the unknown figure hunting Katherine. The only thing better than the immersive visits to each time is the growing relationship between the two leads. The banter is perfection.
If you love Riversong & Dr. Who or the Time Travelers Wife and enjoy post apocalyptic fantasy with a splash of "save the world" vibes, this story is for you! It will appeal to fans of C.L. Clark's "The Unbroken." This is a must read.
The FMC Zera immediately leaps off the page with her relatable attitude, fresh voice, and unmistakable depth. From the first pages, you care about her and feel like you've known her forever. And then you meet Katherine and fall in love at once.
The plot captured my attention right away with the mysteries of the world ending geo-storms, the elusive Katherine, the secretive future military officials, and the unknown figure hunting Katherine. The only thing better than the immersive visits to each time is the growing relationship between the two leads. The banter is perfection.
If you love Riversong & Dr. Who or the Time Travelers Wife and enjoy post apocalyptic fantasy with a splash of "save the world" vibes, this story is for you! It will appeal to fans of C.L. Clark's "The Unbroken." This is a must read.
April 13, 2024
I received an ARC copy of this story. My review and opinion are, of course, my own.
I'll be fully honest, I was first interested in this book because I absolutely adore the cover art by Jennifer Prince, but the story is just as beautiful as its cover. One might say you can judge this book by its cover.
Now, I've seen others agree that the synopsis doesn't give much away, but honestly I think that works perfectly in the book's favour. Because the more you read, the more you uncover about the mystery at the heart of the story.
Speaking of heart, the developing romance between Zera and Katherine is one of my favourite parts of it all. Throughout all different times and places, I got pulled into the sometimes sweet, sometimes heavy slow-burn.
Overall, I'm super happy I checked this book out and cannot wait to see what Nico publishes next. I definitely recommend you get a copy!
I'll be fully honest, I was first interested in this book because I absolutely adore the cover art by Jennifer Prince, but the story is just as beautiful as its cover. One might say you can judge this book by its cover.
Now, I've seen others agree that the synopsis doesn't give much away, but honestly I think that works perfectly in the book's favour. Because the more you read, the more you uncover about the mystery at the heart of the story.
Speaking of heart, the developing romance between Zera and Katherine is one of my favourite parts of it all. Throughout all different times and places, I got pulled into the sometimes sweet, sometimes heavy slow-burn.
Overall, I'm super happy I checked this book out and cannot wait to see what Nico publishes next. I definitely recommend you get a copy!
June 6, 2024
I was one of the lucky ones who got to read this book before it came out. If you're thinking of picking this up, DO IT.
There is so much to love in this book from: A sapphic love story, a sassy sexy love interest, probably the BEST banter you will read (bow down to Nico, the Banter queen), tender heart warming moments, a badass sidekick.
The slowburn in this book is truly exquisite, you'll be grinning ear to ear while reading it. Nico does a great job of creating tension then yearning in an organic fashion.
I admit I was hesitant with this book at first because I tend to shy away from sci-fi. It's not my go-to genre and I sometimes feel overwhelmed. But this was very accessible and grounded. Everything was easy to understand and straight forward. I adore this book, I know if you read it, you will love this too, and cannot wait to read future projects by Nico.
There is so much to love in this book from: A sapphic love story, a sassy sexy love interest, probably the BEST banter you will read (bow down to Nico, the Banter queen), tender heart warming moments, a badass sidekick.
The slowburn in this book is truly exquisite, you'll be grinning ear to ear while reading it. Nico does a great job of creating tension then yearning in an organic fashion.
I admit I was hesitant with this book at first because I tend to shy away from sci-fi. It's not my go-to genre and I sometimes feel overwhelmed. But this was very accessible and grounded. Everything was easy to understand and straight forward. I adore this book, I know if you read it, you will love this too, and cannot wait to read future projects by Nico.
June 9, 2024
I found out about this book because I follow the cover artist on Instagram. Once I found out that it was about a time traveler and an immortal falling in love AND that they were both women, I was sold.
This was so my kind of book. There wasn't really anything here that didn't work for me, the characters were fun and super quippy, which can get annoying, but worked for me here. The time travel aspect actually felt a bit more thought out than usual and I really liked that every time I had a thought of "Wait, but how does that work with that?", the book would answer me in the next few pages.
The pacing goes a bit off in the second half, and maybe some editing there would've helped, but for a debut novel this is very strong and I highly recommend it. I didn't want it to be over. It's fun, it's smart and you should give it a try!
This was so my kind of book. There wasn't really anything here that didn't work for me, the characters were fun and super quippy, which can get annoying, but worked for me here. The time travel aspect actually felt a bit more thought out than usual and I really liked that every time I had a thought of "Wait, but how does that work with that?", the book would answer me in the next few pages.
The pacing goes a bit off in the second half, and maybe some editing there would've helped, but for a debut novel this is very strong and I highly recommend it. I didn't want it to be over. It's fun, it's smart and you should give it a try!
June 7, 2024
4.3 ⭐⭐⭐⭐
This novel really pulled me out of my reading slump!! I initially bought it because one of my favorite artists designed the cover (Jenifer Prince!!) but I ended up really loving the story.
What kept me interested is that I really could not predict who the antagonist was even though I was suspicious of people. And I also could not determine if I wanted it to end well or not. This definitely is one of the better sapphic books that I have read!
The ending however leaves me with quite a lot of questions, but that's not necessarily a bad thing.
So if you're looking for a cool book about bisexuals with time travel and an apocalyptic future with funny banter and the coolest best friend, this one is for you!
This novel really pulled me out of my reading slump!! I initially bought it because one of my favorite artists designed the cover (Jenifer Prince!!) but I ended up really loving the story.
What kept me interested is that I really could not predict who the antagonist was even though I was suspicious of people. And I also could not determine if I wanted it to end well or not. This definitely is one of the better sapphic books that I have read!
The ending however leaves me with quite a lot of questions, but that's not necessarily a bad thing.
So if you're looking for a cool book about bisexuals with time travel and an apocalyptic future with funny banter and the coolest best friend, this one is for you!
June 9, 2024
Literally was fully obsessed with the book over the course of reading it 🫠
If you've ever played the game Reverse 1999, it has some similar vibes and themes (the whole time traveling vibe and terminology).
The writing was extremely immersive, plot was very engaging, and pacing did not feel dragged out at all!
Action sequences were also spot on 👌
Both the leads are very independent and quite strong headed, which I liked. Everything flowed nicely and the slow burn was very much worth it. The eventual spicy scene was very much rewarding haha.
I absolutely ate up all the pop culture references as well lmao
(And yes- he did have it coming)
If you've ever played the game Reverse 1999, it has some similar vibes and themes (the whole time traveling vibe and terminology).
The writing was extremely immersive, plot was very engaging, and pacing did not feel dragged out at all!
Action sequences were also spot on 👌
Both the leads are very independent and quite strong headed, which I liked. Everything flowed nicely and the slow burn was very much worth it. The eventual spicy scene was very much rewarding haha.
I absolutely ate up all the pop culture references as well lmao
(And yes- he did have it coming)
May 21, 2024
A Swift and Sudden Exit is a true labor of love, one I've been honored to watch stem from an idea into a full fledged masterpiece 💜 You can tell that Nico has put her whole heart and soul into Katherine and Zera's story and theirs is one that is so easy to fall in love with! For a time travel novel, there is so much attention to detail and impeccable foreshadowing. This is a beautiful sapphic romance I'll never be able to be normal about, and I'm so excited to watch this blow up and plunge the world into bi panic.
June 3, 2024
I have to admit, I was a little hesitant at first because sci-fi isn't really my thing. However, the cover was so stunning(it's by Jenifer Prince!) that I had to give it a try. I'm so glad I did because it was absolutely brilliant, and I love it SO much. I was hooked from the very beginning and couldn't put the book down. It's almost 400 pages, but I feel like I finished it in a blink. I won't spoil the story, I even suggest you read it without reading the blurb!
Highly recommend. I know for sure this is one of my favorites in 2024.
Highly recommend. I know for sure this is one of my favorites in 2024.
July 8, 2024
Honestly got this for the A+ cover but stayed for the characters and plot. Bi Dr Who-ish romance in which a time traveler trying to save her future (but is seriously bad at her job) and an immortal from the 1800s go on a date every 12 years and fall in love. There's also an equally good platonic romance between the MC time traveler Zera and her best friend Kissi. Fun banter, a murder mystery, sapphic love, and a happy ending for all (except the murderer, eat shit loser)
"When it comes to you, I remember everything." 🥲
"When it comes to you, I remember everything." 🥲
June 4, 2024
An immortal and time traveler fall in love while preventing the apocalypse. A really cool idea with great execution here.
Science fiction, but you don't need a PhD to understand or enjoy.
Excellent exploration of social justice issues without being preachy.
And it's a romance, of course, which I don't normally gravitate to, but the emotions hit exactly right.
If you like even one of those things, give Vincenty's debut a look.
5/5 Rivers of Time
Science fiction, but you don't need a PhD to understand or enjoy.
Excellent exploration of social justice issues without being preachy.
And it's a romance, of course, which I don't normally gravitate to, but the emotions hit exactly right.
If you like even one of those things, give Vincenty's debut a look.
5/5 Rivers of Time
July 17, 2024
A sci-fi time travelling story with a twist of immortality. It was such a refreshing read. There is so much banter and development between Katherine and Zera. It was also kinda doomed lovers? Well, it was set up to be one so i was scared for their lives half the time.
And i really called the plot twist from the start!!
And i really called the plot twist from the start!!
May 30, 2024
Hands down the best book I've read all year. Thrilling from the first page, intense the whole way through, and unbelievably sweet. Most everything got nicely wrapped up at the end in a very satisfying twist. This is now one of my favorite authors, and I would read anything she writes.
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