Review: Divergent (Divergent #1) by Veronica Roth

In Beatrice Prior's dystopian Chicago world, society is divided into five factions, each dedicated to the cultivation of a particular virtue--Candor (the honest), Abnegation (the selfless), Dauntless (the brave), Amity (the peaceful), and Erudite (the intelligent). On an appointed day of every year, all sixteen-year-olds must select the faction to which they will devote the rest of their lives. For Beatrice, the decision is between staying with her family and being who she really is--she can't have both. So she makes a choice that surprises everyone, including herself.

During the highly competitive initiation that follows, Beatrice renames herself Tris and struggles alongside her fellow initiates to live out the choice they have made. Together they must undergo extreme physical tests of endurance and intense psychological simulations, some with devastating consequences. As initiation transforms them all, Tris must determine who her friends really are--and where, exactly, a romance with a sometimes fascinating, sometimes exasperating boy fits into the life she's chosen. But Tris also has a secret, one she's kept hidden from everyone because she's been warned it can mean death. And as she discovers unrest and growing conflict that threaten to unravel her seemingly perfect society, Tris also learns that her secret might help her save the ones she loves . . . or it might destroy her.

From Goodreads

Knowing that you don't belong with the family that raised you is one thing; choosing another family is a whole other thing entirely. That's essentially the dilemma that Beatrice Prior is faced with on her selection day. By choosing another faction than the one she was raised in, the newly named Tris faces untold perils. If she fails the initiation process for her new faction, she will be factionless & forced to live on the streets. Determined to find out just who and what she really is, Tris forges ahead in her initiation process. With untold perils lurking around every corner, Tris must decide who she trusts, who her enemy is, & just how she really feels about a particular person. Her decisions have consequences she can't even begin to imagine.

Naturally I'm late to the party on reading this book. I fall into one of two categories when it comes to popular books: either I read it before it became popular or I avoid it like the plague until a lot of the hype dies down just so I can say I read it. I'm glad I waited to read this book. While I'm sure it would have been awesome to fangirl with other readers when this was first gaining steam, I am able to basically binge read by reading Divergent, Insurgent, & Allegiant which comes out NEXT WEEK!! :)

I dove in head first during a 13 hour ride home to North Carolina. The beginning of the book was a bit slow since there was a lot of information to cover. The world building is fairly simple since it so closely resembles our present world. Set in a near-future Chicago, the book moves at a quick pace. I think only a few weeks have passed from beginning to end, and considering just how much happens in those few weeks it was amazing.

The writing style was much to my liking as it gave you just enough detail to give you the picture, but still left room for you to imagine some of the details yourself. It was also a good mixture of action & storytelling. While not an action-driven story, Divergent provides you with more than enough interactions to keep your heart-pumping and your mind-racing.

While the premise may seem overdone (girl with something special about her has to navigate her way through several tricky situations) I think this book gives us a different view on strength & self-sacrifice. Tris is not your "average" teenager. She's actually smaller and more often than not extremely underestimated. I think this is a type of character that isn't seen in this kind of role very often and I think that, if nothing else, makes it worth the read. Also, she screws up all the time (like a normal person) but learns from it and moves forward. That's something that I think everyone can learn from Tris.

I'll have my review of Insurgent (Divergent #2) up soon, but for now enjoy the teaser trailer for Divergent, due in theaters in 2014.
 

ARC Review: These Broken Stars (Starbound #1) by Amie Kaufman & Meagan Spooner

It's a night like any other on board the Icarus. Then, catastrophe strikes: the massive luxury spaceliner is yanked out of hyperspace and plummets into the nearest planet. Lilac LaRoux and Tarver Merendsen survive. And they seem to be alone. 

Lilac is the daughter of the richest man in the universe. Tarver comes from nothing, a young war hero who learned long ago that girls like Lilac are more trouble than they’re worth. But with only each other to rely on, Lilac and Tarver must work together, making a tortuous journey across the eerie, deserted terrain to seek help. 

Then, against all odds, Lilac and Tarver find a strange blessing in the tragedy that has thrown them into each other’s arms. Without the hope of a future together in their own world, they begin to wonder—would they be better off staying here forever?

Everything changes when they uncover the truth behind the chilling whispers that haunt their every step. Lilac and Tarver may find a way off this planet. But they won’t be the same people who landed on it.

The first in a sweeping science fiction trilogy, These Broken Stars is a timeless love story about hope and survival in the face of unthinkable odds.

From Goodreads

Star-crossed doesn't even begin to encompass the magnitude of difference between Lilac & Tarver. These two are from whole different universes! Well, not really, but as far as their personalities and backgrounds go it's essentially true. The only child of multi-billionaire & industrial tycoon, Lilac has lived a life of privilege, that has come with a dear cost. Unable to actually become close with any guy, she has built up a wall of self-sufficiency and snobbery. But Tarver, the boy war hero, is rather impervious to her rebuffs.

When something goes horribly wrong mid-hyperspace, these two find themselves in an escape pod that crash lands on a mysterious planet. Soon enough these two find that while they were the sole survivors of the crash, they didn't take into account what already inhabited the planet. Only & hoping for rescue, these two must work together to ensure that they can be found when help finally arrives. If it ever does...

What an incredible story! I definitely came to this story with a pre-conceived idea of what I thought would happen and how the characters would behave. It pleases me to report that I was wrong on both accounts. I certainly did not see most of that coming at all. We don't really get a lot of back story on either of our protagonists & that suits me just fine. We get enough of the basics with out all the nagging, unnecessary details. I found it fitting that we knew as much about the characters as they knew about one another because it allowed for more freedom in the discovery of those details.

While it seems like an obvious straightforward tale of ship crash & survival until (presumed) rescue, the twist in this tale lies within the secrets of this planet. They crash on a terraformed planet that should be extremely colonized & well-established. All they are confronted with are monstrous creatures & an uneasy feeling that seems to get more severe the closer they get to the downed ship. The writing allows the reader to come to terms with what's happening and builds suspense as we move forward into the unknown with the characters.

My favorite part of this book is the fact that it could be a stand alone novel. I went in believing that it was a stand alone and was not disappointed. There were a few unanswered questions, but nothing that I couldn't accept if it were truly the end. Since it isn't the end, I am greatly looking forward to the next installment were we will presumably learn more about the protagonists' new lives & just what exactly happened on that planet.

Anyone else excited about these prospects?

Waiting on Wednesday: The Shade of the Moon (The Last Survivors #4) by Susan Beth Pfeffer

Waiting on Wednesday recognizes that we as bookies pine for books. This post is about what I am impatiently waiting for right now. It was started by Jill at Breaking the Spine.

So by now I'm sure we all know that I love a good series. Even more so, I love a good apocalypse. Maybe that's why I'm drawn to shows like Supernatural, Buffy, & Revolution. Either way, I'm happy to report that one of the best apocalyptic book series is getting another installment. The Last Survivors series by Susan Beth Pfeffer is dynamic in a way that I have yet to see replicated in anything else. The Shade of the Moon , the fourth installment, is set to land on shelves this August 13. I for one can't wait to see what's happening in this engrossing world. Spoiler warning shouldn't be necessary, but I do like to be courteous. 

The eagerly awaited addition to the series begun with the New York Times best-seller Life As We Knew It, in which a meteor knocks the moon off its orbit and the world changes forever.

It's been more than two years since Jon Evans and his family left Pennsylvania, hoping to find a safe place to live, yet Jon remains haunted by the deaths of those he loved. His prowess on a soccer field has guaranteed him a home in a well-protected enclave. But Jon is painfully aware that a missed goal, a careless word, even falling in love, can put his life and the lives of his mother, his sister Miranda, and her husband, Alex, in jeopardy. Can Jon risk doing what is right in a world gone so terribly wrong?

From Goodreads

I for one am really interested to finally hear about some sort of settlement that isn't individualized. For the most part we've been following this family's saga as it unfolded at their home. While things started looking up towards the end of the last book, I was hoping that something new would happen and it seems I'm getting my wish. The interpersonal dynamics are sure to make this a fun read. 

Have you read this series? Do you have any favorite apocalyptic books? What are you waiting on this week?

ARC Review: PODs by Michelle K. Pickett

Seventeen-year-old Eva is a chosen one. Chosen to live, while others meet a swift and painful death from an incurable virus so lethal, a person is dead within days of symptoms emerging. In the POD system, a series of underground habitats built by the government, she waits with the other chosen for the deadly virus to claim those above. Separated from family and friends, it's in the PODs she meets David. And while true love might not conquer all, it's a balm for the broken soul. 

After a year, scientists believe the population has died, and without living hosts, so has the virus. That's the theory, anyway. But when the PODs are opened, survivors find the surface holds a vicious secret. The virus mutated, infecting those left top-side and creating... monsters. 

Eva and David hide from the infected in the abandoned PODs. Together they try to build a life--a new beginning. But the infected follow and are relentless in their attacks. Leaving Eva and David to fight for survival, and pray for a cure.

From Goodreads

The virus sneaked up on the human population like a predator stalking its prey. Despite the sudden onset on the lethal virus, the US government was prepared to shelter some of the population. Naturally the best and brightest in their fields would be given top priority in the PODs while only 50,000 of the remaining population could be saved. Eva was fortunate. As an only child she only lost her parents & her friends when she reported to the POD that she would call home for the 12 months the scientists believed it would take for the virus to die out.

Being cooped up in a small living space for such an extended period of time has an effect on her. She develops friendships, excels at her pre-determined course of study, & despite being dead-set against it, manages to fall in love with David. After 15 months, the two are separated into different survivor camps. When everything else has been ripped away, just how far are these two willing to go to ensure that they can continue to nurture their romance?

This was a decent zombie-esque book. I've read several great ones in recent months (As the World Dies series, Newsflesh series, & the Razorland series) so the bar is set pretty high. What I liked so much about this one was that the focus wasn't on the virus or really even on the zombies. This was truly about the main couple's experience as the government takes control and plays God with its citizens. This shifted focus allows the reader to really imagine the experiences that the characters are facing throughout the book. 

While I wasn't all that impressed with the character development (they were very stereotypical of the hero & heroine in any given story) I was impressed with the interactions between characters. It's kind of hard to make the idea of 9 people & an infant being enclosed in a small space for 12 months appealing. Yet things kept moving forward. Michelle K. Pickett spent just the right amount of time on every scene. Nothing was too dragged out & nothing felt too rapid. The pace of the book was well timed so that the reader had time to mentally catch up with everything that has taken place in what appears to be such a short window of time.

Something I wasn't expecting going in to this book was the amount of steamy romance scenes. David & Eva are quite hot & bothered for one another and make no attempts at hiding their desire. Lots of making out & heavy petting are detailed with vague words of implied naughtiness without every crossing the finish line. It's actually quite astonishing when you think about the fact that this whole book probably takes place over the course of almost two years and yet our dynamic duo never manages to seal the deal. I'm not quite sure whether to be impressed or confounded by that fact.

What I will say is that it's a pretty good book all things considered. Some of the grammatical flaws & minor plot holes I'm sure will be picked up in the final revision stage. I'm most excited about the fact that the sequel has already been contracted for a November 2014 release, but don't let that scare you off. I would be just as content if the book ended right where it did because you get the sense of completion. It doesn't need to continue, but I'm intrigued to see where it goes from where it left off.

Have you heard about this one? What are some of your favorite zombie-esque books?

ARC generously provided by Around the World ARC Tours

April Genreflecting: Hatchet by Gary Paulsen review

ALONE

Thirteen-year-old Brian Robeson is on his way to visit his father when the single-engine plane in which he is flying crashes. Suddenly, Brian finds himself alone in the Canadian wilderness with nothing but a tattered Windbreaker and the hatchet his mother gave him as a present -- and the dreadful secret that has been tearing him apart since his parent's divorce. But now Brian has no time for anger, self pity, or despair -- it will take all his know-how and determination, and more courage than he knew he possessed, to survive.

From Goodreads

This book plays out exactly as described above. While we don't learn a lot of facts about our protagonist throughout the course of the book, we learn more than enough to create an incredibly powerful story. Because of The Secret, that Brian knows & plans to tell his father, his parents are now divorced & living in different countries. While Canada isn't that far away, it is a whole other world with respect to wildlife and survival situations.

When the pilot dies mid-flight, not only does Brian have to try to salvage the flight, he eventually must come to terms with the thought of crash landing somewhere. After that trauma & near-death experience, Brian finds himself on the edge of a lake with nothing but the clothes on his back and the hatchet his mother had just gifted him upon departure.

And so begins the saga that is this book. We follow Brian's movements & habits over a period of time, learning from his mistakes & rooting him on in moments of self-doubt. The writing style is very internal. It feels like we're reading Brian's internal dialogue as he goes about his existence. I really enjoyed how the author didn't go into immense detail about any one thing because it allowed me to picture this book taking place just about anywhere. This in turn gave me a more closely connected feeling with Brian.

As for its qualities as an adventure book, I have to say that this is hands down one of the best ones I've come across. It seems that a lot of times the shorter books tend to pack the biggest wallop with respect to their adventure aspects. A survival story through and through, Hatchet is the example that leads the way for this genre.

We really get the sense of not only a physical journey, but an emotional one as well. Brian has to adapt to his new surroundings and find constructive ways to cope with his situation. This provides endless opportunities for growth & self-development that just really can't be accomplished under normal circumstances. Even better is the fact that you truly have no idea where this will end. Just like in Jump & Trapped, I found myself holding my breath for how the story would end. Adventure books don't always have a happy ending; it's kind of an unspoken rule that sometimes not everyone will make it out, if anyone does at all.

I hope you have had the chance to enjoy this book. If not, I highly recommend it as it is such a quick read! Be sure to check back next week when I review The Devil's Breath as my thriller book & host a mystery giveaway!

Siege (As the World Dies #3) by Rhiannon Frater review

MAJOR SPOILERS ahead for the first two books in this trilogy.

Siege is the conclusion to Rhiannon Frater’s As the World Dies trilogy, which should appeal to fans of The Walking Dead. Both The First Days and Fighting to Survive won the Dead Letter Award from Mail Order Zombie. The First Days was named one of the Best Zombie Books of the Decade by the Harrisburg Book Examiner.

The zombie illness has shattered civilization. The survivors who have found tenuous safety in Texas defend their fort against the walking dead and living bandits.

Katie has made peace with the death of her wife and is pregnant and married to Travis, who has been elected Mayor. Jenni, her stepson, Jason; and Juan—Travis’s righthand man—are a happy family, though Jenni suffers from PTSD. Both women are deadly zombie killers. In Siege, the people of Ashley Oaks are stunned to discover that the vice president of the United States is alive and commanding the remnants of the US military. What’s left of the US government has plans for this group of determined survivors.

From Goodreads

A wild ride would be a flippant description of this final novel in the As the World Dies trilogy, but I am drawn to that phrase. I was prepared for some of the changes that were going to take place, but I didn't see all the heartbreak coming at all. Rhiannon Frater has absolutely no problem butchering characters to make her point. A key theme in this book was the fragility of life coupled with the ability to lose anything. This book drove that point home.

As usual, we pick up where we left off. Travis is mayor of the fort & married to a pregnant Katie. Jenni, the ax-wielding Loca, is with Juan and her step son Jason. The fort is doing quite well & is thriving off its supply scavenges while continuing to keep the zombies at bay by intriguing means. That doesn't mean that things don't go screwy sometimes, but for the most part life is good.

With winter giving way to spring, the group resumes expanding their hold on downtown. What they don't expect is for one of their own to lose their head, killing fort members. In a race against time & better judgement, a team heads to a local hospital (knowing that hospitals meant death traps on the first day of the rising) to gather much needed supplies to tend to the wounded. On their way back, Jenni & a fellow supply runner are kidnapped by none-other than a power-hungry politician who will stop at nothing to see the fort under her control.

While nothing has been a guarantee since the rising began, safety is becoming a relative term.

Rhiannon Frater has done what few authors have been able to do for me. They gave me a zombie story I could believe. The humanity in these characters is so perfectly embodied & their actions actually make sense. Their reactions & interactions are so true to life, I wouldn't be surprised if she had done research on people's reactions in an emergency situation/crisis.

The writing style is one that usually bothers me, but for some reason I hardly noticed it in this instance. The majority of the story is told from Katie, Jenni, & Travis's points of view, but interspersed between them are other survivors tales. That doesn't mean they overpower the narrative, they just seem to give credence to what is taking place in the story. By far the most important aspect of the writing, and one that Frater does extremely well, is the flow. There has to be a certain pace & balance between action and narrative in order for the reader not to feel overwhelmed. Frater walks that line perfectly. If you view the series as a whole it becomes increasing clear that it has been a main element since the beginning.

There didn't need to be too much character development in this book as the first two because it was really just a continuation of an already established routine. What does change though are the dynamics between the characters. With a new baby on the way & certain people's flaws and strengths come into quick view. These character traits are what create the plot of the story.

With just enough gore & violence to keep things active, Siege is a smashing finale to this phenomenal series. I find it interesting to note that out of all the zombie books I've read (or tried to read) the ones I really like are the ones written by women (Rhiannon Frater, Gena Showalter, Ann Aguirre, & Mira Grant). Hmmm, I wonder why that is? 

How about you? Do you have any favorites or suggestions along those lines?

Fighting to Survive (As the World Dies #2) by Rhiannon Frater

Spoilers ahead if you haven't read the first book The First Days!

Picking up where The First Days ends, Fighting to Survive features the further zombie-killing, civilization-saving adventures of a pair of sexy, kick butt heroines and the men who love them. A hundred or so survivors of the zombie plague have found tenuous safety in the walled off center of a small Texas town. Now the hard work of survival begins—finding enough food; creating safe, weather-resistant shelter; establishing laws; and fighting off both the undead who want to eat them and the living bandits who want to rob and kill them.

From Goodreads

Katie & Jenni have made it to safety after a terrifying fight to survive the new zombie-infested world. They've rescued those that they could and are mourning those they have lost along the way. But there is no rest in this uncertain and ever-changing world.

We find our heroines still safely ensconced in the makeshift fort in Ashley Oaks, Texas. While tensions run high among the residents due to strained resources and the constant threat of attack, the women settle into their new roles. Since they have so much real-time experience hunting and fending off zombies, both women are working on the protection detail.

As more survivors are brought in, the leaders decide that they need to expand upon their little territory. By taking over a few neighboring stores and a largely remodeled hotel, they ensure that their community can continue to rebuild. What they can't control are the zombies and the vigilantes out to destroy anything and everything. With so much at stake, the women must push through their personal issues while trying to move toward a better, if uncertain, future.

Fighting to Survive isn't quite as heart-pounding in the same way as The First Days. It was however just as thrilling to struggle alongside the survivors. What could easily become routine & mundane continues to offer exciting and unique scenarios. The best part about this book was watching as the shock value of the zombies wore off and reality started to settle in. People began to move forward with their lives and started to make peace with all that had taken place.

While The First Days really focused on introducing us to the situation from Jenni & Katie's viewpoint, Frater  has given us an uncommon narrator. The majority of the story is told from the two main women's point of view, but other characters creep in little by little. We see more from Juan and Travis, the men in these women's lives, and are even given a glimpse into the point of view of one of the dogs. It all adds up to a richer story with fleshed out details that allow the reader to completely immerse him/herself in the book's events.

There is romance, thrilling heroics, sacrifice, and a lot of bloodshed in this book. Nothing that you wouldn't expect from a zombie book, but in a way, the calm/collectedness of those doing the dispatching can be a might frightening at times. Still totally worth a read if you into this sort of thing or are looking for a strong character base.

The Raft by S. A. Bodeen review

Robie is an experienced traveler. She’s taken the flight from Honolulu to the Midway Atoll, a group of Pacific islands where her parents live, many times. When she has to get to Midway in a hurry after a visit with her aunt in Hawaii, she gets on the next cargo flight at the last minute. She knows the pilot, but on this flight, there’s a new co-pilot named Max. All systems are go until a storm hits during the flight. The only passenger, Robie doesn’t panic until the engine suddenly cuts out and Max shouts at her to put on a life jacket. They are over miles of Pacific Ocean. She sees Max struggle with a raft.

And then . . . she’s in the water. Fighting for her life. Max pulls her onto the raft, and that’s when the real terror begins. They have no water. Their only food is a bag of Skittles. There are sharks. There is an island. But there’s no sign of help on the way.

From Goodreads

Robie knows what to expect out of all the adults around her. None of them really think she is capable of taking care of herself. Despite living on a remote island & being the guardian of her own education and entertainment, that does not make her capable of making her own decisions regarding anything else. When the opportunity presents itself for Robie to finally be free from adult supervision, she pounces on it. But as with most things, the idea and the reality are so far from the same that Robie has a tough time coping. 

Lonely & honestly a bit scared, she decides last minute to hop on the supply flight going to her island. She may not be the biggest fan of open water, but snuggled safely in her plane Robie lets her guard down. When she is jolted awake & thrown into the ocean with a raft while the plane crashes in the ocean nearby she suddenly realizes just how much trouble she's in. What's worse? She was never accounted for, her name is nowhere on the plane's manifest so no one even knows where she is.

Now the real battle begins as she & the co-pilot Max must survive open water with no water, no real food, sharks, storms, & the never ending sun.

This is one of those lightning-fast reads, not just because it is short (only 231 pages with a lot of those being blank) but also because you kind of see where things are going. You know what kind of book it's going to be from the beginning, but what you might not expect are the smaller details about how Robie gets into her predicament with Max. What's not surprising is the reader's ability to pick out what she does wrong that might have saved her time/sanity along the way. I'm sure it's a million times easier to pick it apart when you're reading the story calmly in your warm chair, but maybe not so much in the actual situation.

There are a few twists that give the story some credibility while also allowing just the right amount of darkness. I would honestly be comfortable with younger teens reading this book because I think it's nothing worse than they might witness during Shark Week or Man vs. Wild on the Discovery Channel.

A book to make you think, The Raft is a quick-paced story that allows you to say "what if...?" 

Waiting on Wednesday: The Raft by S.A. Bodeen

Waiting on Wednesday recognizes that we as bookies pine for books. This post is about what I am impatiently waiting for right now. It was started by Jill at Breaking the Spine.

Somehow I managed to miss hitting "Publish" on this for last week, so while it is late, the book still sounds exciting! The Raft  by S.A. Bodeen came out last Tuesday & my library is still waiting on its copy. I don't mind though because this survival/disaster tale is something right up my alley.

Robie is an experienced traveler. She’s taken the flight from Honolulu to the Midway Atoll, a group of Pacific islands where her parents live, many times. When she has to get to Midway in a hurry after a visit with her aunt in Hawaii, she gets on the next cargo flight at the last minute. She knows the pilot, but on this flight, there’s a new co-pilot named Max. All systems are go until a storm hits during the flight. The only passenger, Robie doesn’t panic until the engine suddenly cuts out and Max shouts at her to put on a life jacket. They are over miles of Pacific Ocean. She sees Max struggle with a raft.

And then . . . she’s in the water. Fighting for her life. Max pulls her onto the raft, and that’s when the real terror begins. They have no water. Their only food is a bag of Skittles. There are sharks. There is an island. But there’s no sign of help on the way.

From Goodreads 

I'm quite interested to see what this Max character has to offer. While I know the story would have become extremely dull with just Robie on an island, I'm always leery when an unknown companion joins the fracas.

What are you waiting on this week?

Outpost (Razorland #2) by Ann Aguirre review

Possible spoilers for Enclave. Read at your own risk! :)

What use does a Huntress have for schooling lessons? That's the question that has been plaguing Deuce since she arrived topside. After being allowed to share their harrowing journey, Stalker, Fade, Deuce & Tegan are assimilated into the town of Salvation. Unfortunately for Deuce that means wearing dresses & attending school as she has not yet reached the age of majority in this topside world. To complicate matters further, Tegan has distanced herself from her comrades because she is desperate to fit in & Deuce finds herself torn between a stand-offish Fade & a needy Stalker.

As if all this emotional drama isn't enough, Deuce can't let go of her Huntress roots. She seeks out any chance she can get to keep an eye on the Freak population & becomes increasingly concerned at the new abilities & traits they are portraying. Fortunately she is able to secure a position on the Summer Patrols with Fade & Stalker. This group of "fighters" is supposed to keep the planters safe while they work to grow enough food to last the town through the winter. But the Freaks have other plans.  

An outstanding follow up to Enclave, I found myself engrossed in Outpost. The story picks up not long as we left our protagonists in their new home of Salvation. This isolated town has been rebuilt & fortified to withstand Freak attacks. The God-fearing townsfolk are pleasant when all is well, but tend to get prickly when anyone rocks the boat. Of course Deuce & Stalker are singled out at trouble makers just because they refuse to completely assimilate. They honestly can't help just how different they are from the easy-living townfolk as they have seen some incredibly disturbing things in their short lives.

So we follow Deuce as she lightly treads on the toes of the locals, while struggling with other people's expectations that she doesn't quite comprehend. Most importantly, we get to explore the more emotional side of the Huntress. As life is a touch easier topside, there is more time to think & feel (not to mention it is actually encouraged) so we watch as Deuce begins to explore her feelings & starts to understand that sometimes a simple action or word can have a deeper meaning.

Ann Aguirre's writing style is such that when I start to read, a canvas appears in front of me. I can clearly picture everything that is going on down to simple hand gestures. There's a cadence to the story that allows the reader to ebb & flow between action & more reflective scenes. A perfect balance of brazen & subdued choices, Outpost sets the wheels in motion for an exciting third installment!
Be sure to pick up your copy at the library or bookstore September 4th, 2012!

Unwind by Neal Shusterman review

Connor, Risa, and Lev are running for their lives.

The Second Civil War was fought over reproductive rights. The chilling resolution: Life is inviolable from the moment of conception until age thirteen. Between the ages of thirteen and eighteen, however, parents can have their child "unwound," whereby all of the child's organs are transplanted into different donors, so life doesn't technically end. Connor is too difficult for his parents to control. Risa, a ward of the state is not enough to be kept alive. And Lev is a tithe, a child conceived and raised to be unwound. Together, they may have a chance to escape and to survive.

From Goodreads 

I've been going back over some of my favorite books of late (scouring for new Nostalgic Friday ideas) & stumbled upon this gem. Honestly, I thought to myself "I must have already reviewed that since it was so epic." Behold the fog trap that is my memory. Somehow this wondrous book escaped being reviewed in 2010, when I read it. My apologies dearest readers. :) 

Unwind tells a story of a near future world where children can be "unwound" between the ages of 13 & 18. For those 5 years, many children are walking on eggshells, just trying to survive. Connor (a misfit labeled a "troublemaker"), Risa (a ward of the state), & Lev (a tithe ~ a child from a religious family, born to be unwound) find themselves in a fight for survival. Connor & Risa are running voluntarily, while Lev doesn't understand. He's been preparing to be unwound his whole life, it is his purpose & his destiny.

But when these three wind up at the Happy Jack Harvest Camp, a "happy place" where the kids are monitored for health & encouraged to better themselves until their body parts are required by others, they find out that none of what any of them believed is true. Now their real fight begins.

I absolutely adored this book! Neal Shusterman's writing absolutely engulfed me. To stop reading was like resurfacing from being under water. The setting & characterization alone make this book worth reading, but the story it tells is what really makes it memorable. This was one of the first non-apocalyptic dystopian fiction books I ever read. For that fact alone do I give most similar books a chance. I read this on a suggestion from a colleague & when I was done it immediately went into the "recommend to middle schoolers" pile.

For a middle grades book, Unwind deals with some heavy topics in an age appropriate manner. Now that's not to say that the book is censored or that young adults & even adults wouldn't like it, but by making the book's audience more wide open I think the author has given us a great opening for frank discussion. I don't think I have ever seen anything quite as spectacular as watching the audience as I read the passage detailing the Second Civil War over reproductive rights. 

Truly a work of art, Unwind is a book that I will cherish for the rest of my days reading middle grades & young adult books. I would honestly liken it to being today's The Giver. 

Thoughts, comments? Come on, I know you're thinking something... :D

Pandemonium (Delirium #2) by Lauren Oliver review

I’m pushing aside the memory of my nightmare,
pushing aside thoughts of Alex,
pushing aside thoughts of Hana and my old school,
push,
push,
push,
like Raven taught me to do.
The old life is dead.
But the old Lena is dead too.
I buried her.
I left her beyond a fence,
behind a wall of smoke and flame.

Lauren Oliver delivers an electrifying follow-up to her acclaimed New York Times bestseller, Delirium. This riveting, brilliant novel crackles with the fire of fierce defiance, forbidden romance, and the sparks of a revolution about to ignite.

From Goodreads

MAJOR SPOILERS FOR DELIRIUM!

Lena can't believe what she's just survived. But did she really survive? And if she did, then where is Alex? They were together & now they're not & she's stumbling through the Wilds. After being rescued from what would have surely been her death, Lena finds herself among the "invalids" fighting alongside them for survival.

It's not exactly what Alex described, not really anyway, since she's in a different part with different people. As her strength returns she begins to explore her new home with people like Blue, Raven & Hunter. Soon enough though it's time to move for the season, but nothing goes as smoothly as it should.

Oscillating between a "Then" time period in the Wilds & a "Now" time period back in the city working for the resistance by infiltrating a loyalist group, Pandemonium offers the absolute best of Delirium with a hint of awesome! While most second novels in a trilogy (or any series for that matter) tend to fall down a dark, sad hole where nothing important seems to take place, this book is the antithesis of that state. We learn so much more about the society that the characters inhabit & what exactly is going on in the Wilds.

But just when you think you've got things figured out & squared away into their neat little packages, Lauren Oliver throws you a nasty curve ball. I hope you enjoy curve balls because there's no avoiding this one & I honestly didn't see it coming. Take your time reading this book. There is a lot going on that you need to pay attention to & a lot of emotions being thrown all over the place. It kept me on my toes & has me primed for the final installment.

The Dead and the Gone by Susan Beth Pfeffer review

Susan Beth Pfeffer’s Life as We Knew It enthralled and devastated readers with its brutal but hopeful look at an apocalyptic event--an asteroid hitting the moon, setting off a tailspin of horrific climate changes. Now this harrowing companion novel examines the same events as they unfold in New York City, revealed through the eyes of seventeen-year-old Puerto Rican Alex Morales. When Alex's parents disappear in the aftermath of tidal waves, he must care for his two younger sisters, even as Manhattan becomes a deadly wasteland, and food and aid dwindle.

With haunting themes of family, faith, personal change, and courage, this powerful new novel explores how a young man takes on unimaginable responsibilities.

From Goodreads

Alex Morales & his two younger sisters find themselves in the same alternate realtiy as Miranda from Life as We Know It when an asteroid throws the moon out of proper synchronization with the Earth. Unfortunately for the Morales family, they were not nearly as lucky to be spared direct devastation to their family unit. Just kids in the Big Apple, they manage to scrape by with luck, determination & faith.

Alex is an unwilling hero in this story. Charged with being the "man of the house" with his father in Puerto Rico & his older brother serving in the Marines, he finds himself the person his younger sisters are looking to when it becomes obvious that their family is not coming back for them. While he may be ill-tempered & sharp-tongued he is also resourceful & protective. He does what he believes to be best for his sisters, even if it's not the easiest task.

What really made this book stand out from the first is the fact that we were in a completely different part of the United States & so we get to see a whole new facet to the living nightmare that everyone is facing. Trapped in a large metropolitan area might seem like the ideal place during an apocalyptic event, but the Morales family soon discovers that the opposite is actually true.

While you don't have to read the first book to understand the second, it is best to read it before you move on to the third installment as there is some crossover that won't make any sense without having read the first book. If you're looking for something spine-tingling, well-written & filled with dynamic characters, then you've found your calling. Enjoy!

Life as We Knew It by Susan Beth Pfeffer review

Miranda’s disbelief turns to fear in a split second when a meteor knocks the moon closer to the earth. How should her family prepare for the future when worldwide tsunamis wipe out the coasts, earthquakes rock the continents, and volcanic ash blocks out the sun? As summer turns to Arctic winter, Miranda, her two brothers, and their mother retreat to the unexpected safe haven of their sunroom, where they subsist on stockpiled food and limited water in the warmth of a wood-burning stove.

Told in journal entries, this is the heart-pounding story of Miranda’s struggle to hold on to the most important resource of all--hope--in an increasingly desperate and unfamiliar world.

From Goodreads
Susan Beth Pfeffer weaves a terrifying tale of mayhem in this first installment in the series. We meet Miranda & are just beginning to get a grip on her family situation (2 brother, one older & one younger, divorced parents, remarried father announcing pregnancy with new, younger wife) when an asteroid collides with the moon disrupting everything. Thanks to her mom's quick thinking, they manage to stock up on enough food & personal supplies during the initial phase, but the toll the moon takes upon the Earth's seasons is just the beginning of their fight to survive.

A strong, but still flawed teenager Miranda is the perfect person to narrate this tale as she is not quite so young that she doesn't understand & appreciate the situation, but she's still immature enough to feel selfish & overwrought. The book is written loosely in journal-entry format. I can't imagine being as verbose as Miranda has a tendency to be, but when you're trying to convey to someone else what's going on I guess you might get carried away.

I was really fascinated by the interconnectivity that Pfeffer spun in relation to the asteroid. We really take for granted the delicate balance that must be maintained in order for our world to continue operating as it does. Pfeffer explores that balance & blows your mind with what occurs & how the characters manage to survive. These resourceful folks are just the kind that I would want as neighbors if something like this were ever to occur.

An even more intriguing part of the book was the focus on the US (and the world) as a whole going through this trying time together. The book takes place in Pennsylvania, but Miranda's family is all over the place & the reports on the radio come in from Yellowstone, the South & more. Everyone is suffering, just at different rates, allowing us a window into the severity of the situation & the fortunate circumstances of our characters.

If you're looking for something spine-tingling & sense-shocking, read this book. The characters are real & engaging, allowing the reader to fully grasp the direness of the circumstance & the story never lets up. I was guessing what would happen until the very end.

The First Days by Rhiannon Frater review

Jenni only thought her husband couldn't become any worse a human being. She thought wrong. After being bitten the night before, Jenni's husband is turned into one of the undead & decides to make a meal of his family. Barely escaping with her own life, Jenni is rescued by lesbian, lawyer Katie in a pick-up truck. Katie too has lost all that she has after her wife become one of the undead. As the women get to know one another they start to comprehend the reality of the situation they face. The infected are dying & then coming back to life and the government is the last group you want to listen to.

On their way out of an over-populated city (soon to be teeming with the undead) they stop for supplies in a rural town. They manage to hole-up with the sweet old married couple who just happen to own the guns & ammo shop while planning their reconnaissance mission to save Jenni's camping-in-the-woods stepson. With renewed strength & spirit the women vow to keep in touch with the couple & save as many as they can because the only way out of the whole mess is through it. If they just keep running, maybe they can outrun the pain of all that they've lost, but at what cost to those who remain?

The First Days is a remarkably stark look at what could be considered a realistic reaction to a zombie apocalypse. Two ordinary women manage to cobble together an existence that allows them to hope for a future while surviving the present. Even better was the fact that this book was set in Texas. Now that may not sound like much, but it's like saying a book takes place in the South, there are mannerisms & societal norms that lend themselves to having a zombia apocalypse book set there.

The book's chapters were broken down into mini-chapters like one would expect to see of a book that was originally released in serial format. The narrator didn't change with every mini-chapter or even every chapter which made it a nice surprise when we shifted perspective. The characters were each unique adding their own personal experience to the situation they wound up in. Even better was how the characters ended up where they were when they met & assisted other survivors. The interactions with local drug dealers, old girlfriends & the founding members of the community really lent a sense of realism to the story.

While there were several editing errors that could have easily been fixed with a little more attention, the story itself was rather engaging & terrifying. This was the first zombie book that I've read & I definitely believe it won't be the last! Give it a shot & let me know what you think!

Trapped by Michael Northrop

It's every kid's dream to get to do whatever they want in school because there are no teachers around to tell them otherwise right? Well Scotty Weems' dream has become a living nightmare because of a HUGE Nor'easter that settled over his little town in New England. Scotty finds himself & 7 other people trapped in their high school.

It started out like ever other snowfall, but within an hour, the accumulation began to concern the administration. With school canceled, the kids were free to go home. A few stuck around to work on projects, practice hoops, or just waiting for rides. As the hours pass it becomes clear that the rides everyone seems to be waiting on aren't coming & they have all been left. No biggie, what's one night in the high school?

Soon that one night becomes several, the power cuts out, the heat goes, & then the roof starts groaning. As the feet of snow pile up, the group has to decide what it will do to survive. Cut-off from everyone & everything, they must decide if they're going to let the storm claim them too.

This was an enthralling read! If you've ever sat glued to the television or radio listening to incredible tales of survival against the odds, then this book is just for you. Scotty is a likable enough character, just your typical rising-star basketball player. He's not snotty about it, but he does tend to mention it a lot. The other main characters vary greatly in personalities from an average teen, the quiet, library geek, the trouble-maker & the pretty girl. Everyone plays their roles very well giving voice to their strengths when the situation calls for it.

I think my absolute favorite part of this book is how it is written. The reflective writing format lends a believable quality to the story. Sure this has happened to people before sometime in someplace, but Scotty's reminiscences on his actions & certain events allow for you to get a taste of things to come. It's never enough to give too much away, but just enough to make your imagination run wild.

I must admit that I was quite disappointed in the ending of this book. While it wasn't all tied up in a bow, I felt that I was denied an opportunity to hear what really happened. An epilogue with details of what was happening outside of the school (which we kind of got through a few radio transmissions) would have eased my need for closure. I hope something was added on after final edits.

All in all it was quite hypnotizing. I hope you enjoy it as much as I did. I'll leave you with a little taste of Michael Northrop's tantalizing writing:

There was a little circle of people in the hallway outside the gym when we arrived: four kids and one teacher, all standing near the double doors. It looked like a field trip just beginning to assemble. The three of us joined the group, bringing the total to eight. That was the most there would ever be. From here on out, the number would only go down.

-pg. 34 of unedited ARC

ARC graciously provided by Around the World Tours

Nostlagic Friday: A Door Near Here

Welcome back to Nostalgic Friday! Since I love all things historical (culturally, physically, and personally) I do a post on Fridays honoring some awesome book that is a bit older. Many of them are books I enjoyed in my teens and others are books that I discovered as an adult that I think are relevant to YA readers.

I read the 2000 release book A Door Near Here not long after my parents split up, which may have some slight impact on why it means so much to me. A truly compelling story, that has unfortunately been viewed in real life by many children.

Fifteen-year-old Katherine is the oldest of four children. She is also "mother and father" to those three younger than her. With an absent father, who doesn't really care anyway, and a mother who is unable to drag herself out of her vodka bottle, let alone her bed, Katherine thinks it'll be a cinch to pick-up where her mother left off.

All too quickly the fun and games of getting to do whatever they want takes a toll on the food supply and budget. Hiding the truth from everyone so that the family will remain together, also begins to wear on the children's shoulders. So much so that the youngest of them, Alisa, runs away from school in search of a better life for the whole family in Narnia. When a kindly teacher reaches out a helping hand, Katherine lashes out due to strain and puts everything she and the kids worked so hard for in serious jeopardy.

Wow. Katherine was the strong, independent, stubborn girl that I looked up to when I was a child. I felt like she really knew what she wanted and what was best and would stop at nothing to ensure that everything was done to the best possible standard. She fascinated me. Her youngest sister, Alisa, embodied the childlike thought that one can simply slip into a fantasy world and make the real world disappear. Nothing too awful ever goes wrong in those worlds and if it does, the hero/heroine comes along to save the day. It only makes sense that that should also happen in real life.

The tone of voice and plotline were so realistic I felt like I was listening to a friend recount a nightmare. It was so raw and accessible that I truly believe that any child, from youth to teen, can appreciate some aspect of this book. Even adults could discuss how each child exuded certain personality traits that helped and hurt the family's chance for survival.

While obviously not the happiest read ever, the stark reality and frankness was refreshing. Everyone can learn something from this book and I think it ranks on my top list of books that everyone should at least glance at during some point in their lifetime. I reminds me of the 1991 movie "Don't Tell Mom the Babysitter's Dead" and the Cynthia Voigt book Homecoming. If this book sounds appealing to you, be sure to check out these other items as well.

Waiting on Wednesday: Feed (Newsflesh, #1)

Waiting on Wednesday recognizes that we as bookies pine for books. This post is about what I am impatiently waiting for right now. It was started by Jill at Breaking the Spine.

This week's selection is Feed (Newsflesh, #1) by Mira Grant and is set to be released May 1st 2010 by Orbit.

The year was 2014. We had cured cancer. We had beat the common cold. But in doing so we created something new, something terrible that no one could stop. The infection spread, virus blocks taking over bodies and minds with one, unstoppable command: FEED.

NOW, twenty years after the Rising, Georgia and Shaun Mason are on the trail of the biggest story of their lives-the dark conspiracy behind the infected. The truth will out, even if it kills them.

From Goodreads

I'm a pretty big fan of books and movies dealing with "utopia creation" and "diseases gone wrong" like 28 Days Later (movie) or I Am Legend (book, the movie wasn't the same). Nautrally, this one seems right up my alley. Nothing like a good "fight to survive" to get your blood pumping. I find that these scenarios work better for me in book format because the mind has limitless capacity for visualizing action, whereas in a movie, you are stuck with the writer/director/actor's vision. Hopefully Feed will give me the good thrill I'm looking for in and expose teens to the wide and varied world of horror.

So what are you waiting on?