★★★★☆ 4 out of 5

Sex, lies, betrayal, time-travel, witchcraft, and an incredible take on Scottish history—all things needed for an excellent read, and Outlander has it all.

I am the first to admit that there are some books I start solely because the movie and TV trailers based on said-book looks really interesting. Diana Galadon’s Outlander was no exception.

The Starz TV show trailer looked interesting because hello, Scottish culture! and it involves time traveling through time. I was instantly sold and wanted to watch it, but like the good bookworm that I am, I chose to read the book first and I am glad I did.

Outlander is the first book in the Outlander series and it is a book anyone interested in a good story should pick up—and yes, even with the sex scenes, I would recommend this book to any of my guy friends!

I picked it up this past summer and was sucked in immediately. Galadon’s writing sucks her readers into Claire’s world and keeps us there until she is ready to let go.

For those who are unfamiliar with the plot, let me set the picture: World War II has just ended months prior, and Claire Randall, an army nurse, is vacationing with her estranged husband in Scotland. A brief visit to the ancient standing stones that dot the British Isles changes everything, and Claire is sent back in time to a Scotland that is torn by war with the English in 1743. There she is a Sassenach—an “outlander”—and must fight her way back to her time, but with the feud against the Scots and the English, dangerous obstacles stand in Claire’s way.

It sounds a bit cliché, even I will admit that, but how can you pass up a well-written time-traveling book that is not only historically accurate on multiple accounts (thanks Theatre History for backing up Galadon’s research!), but is also a thrilling story about trying to find our own path. The answer: you can’t.

Outlander has bits of everything book-lovers thrive off of. The brief explanation of the plot might make it seem like Claire is nothing but a damsel-in-distress, but rest assure, she is everything but. Claire’s trial and strength is the heart of this book because she chooses her own path, even if she has to lie and kill to get to it.

So for all you who are looking for a book that will keep you continuously on your toes, Outlander is the book for you. You will not be disappointed for deciding to pick this one up!

Books in the Outlander series include: Dragonfly in Amber, Voyager, Drums of Autumn, The Fiery Cross, A Breath of Snow and Ashes, An Echo in the Bone, and Written in My Own Heart’s Blood.