Renegade by J A. Souders

Series: The Elysium Chronicles (bk. 1)

Genera: Sci-fi Dystopian

Subjects: Undersea colonies, memory, genetics, technology, resistance to government

Age/Grade Level: Teen

Length: 364 pgs.

HC/PB: Hardcover

List Price: $17.99

Publisher: Macmillan: Tor Teen

Summary/ product description: “Since the age of three, sixteen-year-old Evelyn Winters has been trained to be Daughter of the People in the underwater utopia known as Elysium. Selected from hundreds of children for her ideal genes, all her life she’s thought that everything was perfect; her world. Her people. The Law.
But when Gavin Hunter, a Surface Dweller, accidentally stumbles into their secluded little world, she’s forced to come to a startling realization: everything she knows is a lie.
Her memories have been altered.
Her mind and body aren’t under her own control.
And the person she knows as Mother is a monster.
Together with Gavin she plans her escape, only to learn that her own mind is a ticking time bomb... and Mother has one last secret that will destroy them all.”

My Rating: êêêêê

My Review: This book was so unexpectedly amazing. So many surprises. It started off as a cross between Matched by Ally Condie and Across the Universe by Beth Revis, or even Glitch by Heather Anastasiu. And then became a bit like Under the Never Sky by Veronica Rossi, and then like False Memory by Dan Krokos, and even then Divergent by Veronica Roth. So yeah, you have Coupling and a secluded under water society of “perfect” blond, blue eyed people. Then Surface Dwellers who are supposedly savage. I’m not saying this book was bi-polar. I’m saying that there were tons of twists and turns. I love reading dystopians with mysteries in them. I really enjoy secluded colony dystopian. The world building was pretty amazing. I love the map in the front of the book. I kept of referring to it while reading. And the Enforcers….how can little girls kill people. That’s scary.

Then there’s Evelyn and her memory issues. And later on she goes from naïve “My life is just about perfect” to a really kick-ass heroine with a dark secret in her past. Her narration was great. First person present tense (like Divergent!). I think the whole repetitiveness at the beginning was pretty funny, like a Ground Hog day thing: “My life is just about perfect. Every morning Mother has the maids wake me a precisely ten….”

And Gavin, the surface dweller who has a southern accent. He’s really smart and a fast leaner. His memory seemed pretty good too. The only thing I was confused about in this book was what is it like on the surface at the time. Did they still have electricity and cars. If Gavin’s a hunter, is there a food shortage? Since this is a series, I’m sure we’ll find out when book 2 comes out next year. I’m sure I’ll be waiting on the sequel. I loved this book.

Cover Art Review: This cover is beautiful. That painting is so realistic that I thought it was a photo until I looked closer and saw that is was actually painted. Not sure if it’s digital or oil paints. It could be a combination of multiple medium. It’s just very impressive. It’s Evie in her garden.

 

~Haley G

The Dark Light by Sarah Walsh

Genera: Paranormal Fantasy/Adventure

Subjects: Supernatural, parallel worlds, magic, Nebraska, romance

Age/Grade Level: Teen

Length: 483 pgs.

HC/PB: Harcover

List Price: $16.99

Publisher: Simon & Schuster

Summary/ product description: “Mia is torn between two guys—and two worlds—in this epic, romantic fantasy.
Mysterious lights have flickered above Crownsville for as long as Mia can remember. And as far as she’s concerned, that’s about the only interesting thing to happen in her small town.
That is, until Sol arrives. Mia’s not one to fall for just any guy, but she can’t get Sol—or the brilliant tattoo on his back—out of her mind.
Then Mia’s brother goes missing, and Mia’s convinced that Sol knows more than he’s sharing. But getting closer to Sol means reevaluating everything Mia once believed to be true. Because Sol’s not who Mia thought he was—and neither is she.”

My Rating: êêê1/2

My Review: I had no idea what this book was going to be about. I was guessing angel, aliens or mythology, or a phoenix (based on that tattoo on the cover). Instead I got a parallel world full of magic. I’ve been reading a lot of parallel world books lately (Like: The Other Normals, Magisterium, Through to You, and Under the Never Sky, which isn’t really parallel), so it’s kind of unexpected to be reading another by accident. This book was good. I loved the narration. And the surprises were pretty awesome (even though I kind of wanted angels, aliens or mythology…)

I liked this book for the most part. The uniqueness to the fantasy world was cool. Toward the end, what we found out about Sol was awesome. In the middle I was kind of losing interest. The book felt a little too long. Like everything was being dragged out. Books over 400 pages are hard to like for me. I would rather has shorter books in a series than one long stand alone. Some people hate series because of cliff hangers and having to wait a whole year to find out what happens next. I’m okay with them because there’s always something else to read. I also am disappointed about the lack of steamy hot romance that the cover implies. No sexy fallen angels or demi gods. This book managed to remind me of the book I’m writing because the fantasy world I made has a few similarities, and the necklace is kind of like the amulets in my book. I like seeing how other people handle world building in fantasy books. I’m glad this wasn’t high fantasy because I’m not found of the way they speak in those books. But sometimes it was clear that the author was British. She using “huffing big” and meters instead of yards and a few other words/phrases that weren’t American.

I recommend this book to people who like fantasy.  If you liked The Iron Fey series or the Wings series, this book may not have Faeries, but it sure has a lot of creatures that are similar. Mia reminded me of Meghan Chase from the Iron Fey books.

Cover Art Review: The cover’s too simple to describe what’s inside. I like the title, and the bird tattoo, but I don’t like the black & white of the photo. So boring.

 

~Haley G

Under The Never Sky by Veronica Rossi

5 stars!
This is an AMAZING dystopian book.
I'm sure every one else who love this genera has already read this book and is waiting for the next book. I just jumped on the band wagon of Under The Never Sky's fan following. Call me a fan girl if you will.
This book was beautifully written. The author, who’s an artist, really knows how to paint a picture with words. I’m still not entirely sure what aether is. Some kind of lightning radiation/aurora, or magic? But that way she describes it make

me want to grab my water colors/paints. I really want to make some awesome fanart for this. I already painted the cover, now I want to draw the content like a graphic novel. And the characters: I love Roar. I downloaded the Roar and Liv novella because I want more Roar. Perry’s great, but let’s just say this: “Kiss Perry, Marry Roar, Kill Soren.” I’m Team Roar, for sure.

I feel bad I didn’t read this sooner. The people at Epic Reads were so right. Awesome book. I bought it in January, and am only started it a few days ago. This is definitely one of the best dystopians I’ve read this year. And the cover is just beautiful. Through the Ever Night’s cover is not as good and the guy on it is not very Perry.

 

 

~Haley G

 

Happy Thankgiving! Gobble!

Be thankful for what you read! Gobble up those books! Have a book feast!
~Haley G

Glass Heart by Amy Garvey

Series: Cold Kiss (bk. 2)

Genera: Paranormal Romance

Subjects: Magic, supernatural, witches, psychic ability

Age/Grade Level:

Length: 310 pgs.

HC/PB: Hardcover

List Price: $17.99

Publisher: HarperTeen

Summary/ product description: “Wren can do things that other people can only dream of. Make it snow on a clear, crisp day. Fly through an abandoned tunnel. Bring a paper bird to life.
Wren knows her abilities are tinged with danger--knows how easy it is to lose control--but she can't resist the intoxicating rush. And now that she has Gabriel by her side, someone who knows what she can do--what she "has" done--she finally feels free to be herself.
But as Wren explores the possibilities of her simmering powers, Gabriel starts pushing her away. Telling her to be careful. Telling her to "stop." The more he cautions her, the more determined Wren becomes to prove that she can handle things on her own. And by the time she realizes that Gabriel may be right, it could be too late to bring him back to her side.”

My Rating: êêêê

My Review: This sequel was so much better than the first book. Cold Kiss was kind of depressing. The author’s writing style was good, but the story itself just was sad and uninteresting. This sequel had more romance and magic, the kind of stuff I like in paranormal romances. Another huge difference is that there was more humor in this book than the first. So many funny quips and dialogue quotes. It made me more interested in reading it. I hate when a book bores me and this one didn’t. Wren and Gabriel were further developed and I also like Robin. It’s interesting to have sibling relationships in book. And with Robin coming into her powers, things get crazy. The new characters seem a bit ridiculous and remind me of characters from Wicked Lovely for some reason. They just act like faeries, using magic for mischief. This book didn’t have a love triangle, which I different. I’m so glad that Zombie Danny was over in the first book. Did anyone else notice how often the author described things in food terms? This book made me oddly hungry. Sugary, melty…. Food Poetry!!! Lol…never mind. I recommend this as a wintery/holiday read. Perfect for December or January.

Cover Art Review: I like the photo, but I’m disappointed about the lack of rainbow effects. I hate the drop shadow on the title. And it’s pink like bubble gum or cotton candy.

 

~Haley G

Through To You by Emily Hainsworth

Genera: Sci-fi/Paranormal Romance

Subjects: Parallel universes, love, grief, supernatural

Age/Grade Level: Teen

Length: 264

HC/PB: Hardcover

List Price: $17.99

Publisher: HarperCollins: Balzer & Bray

Summary/ product description: “Camden Pike has been grief-stricken since his girlfriend, Viv, died. He’d give anything to have just one more glimpse of her. But when Cam visits the site of Viv’s deadly car accident, he sees an apparition. Her name is Nina, and she’s a girl from a parallel world. When Cam follows here there and makes an unbelievable discovery, it’s as if all his wildest dreams have come true. But things are very different in this other world. Nina is hiding a secret, and the window between the worlds is shrinking every day. As Cam comes to terms with the truth, he’s forced to make a choice that will change his life forever.

My Rating: êêê

My Review: This book was very short and fast. A quick read with good narration. I just feel like there could have been more in it, but I guess it’s a stand-alone, so the story had to be wrapped up. The plot was pretty simple. It didn’t leave much of impression. Cam is so depressed about his girlfriend dying, and when he finds out that she’s alive in a parallel universe, he wants to go see her. I liked the character Nina better that all of the other characters. She didn’t seem to have bad intentions, no matter was Viv told Cam. Viv from the other world seems like she’s obsessed. This book was nothing like Fringe, even with the parallel universe thing. It seems more contemporary than sci-fi. If you’re looking for a fast-paced grief/love story with a paranormal twist and a bitter sweet ending, then this might interest you. Enjoy.

Cover Art Review: Nice photo. The girl doesn’t look that dead and the colors don’t look creepy, but the cover is mostly good. Love the holographic/rainbow overlay on the title.

 

~Haley G

Death and The Girl Next Door by Darynda Jones

Series: Darklight (bk. 1)

Genera: Paranormal Romance

Subjects: High school, angels, psychic ability, stalkers, supernatural, orphans, New Mexico

Age/Grade Level: Teen

Length: 274 pgs.

HC/PB: Paperback

List Price: $9.99

Publisher: MacMillan: St. Martin’s Griffin Press

Summary/ product description: “Darynda Jones, author of The New York Times bestselling series that began with First Grave on the Right, brings us Death and the Girl Next Door, a thrilling Young Adult novel garnering high praise and early buzz from major authors
Ten years ago, Lorelei's parents disappeared without a trace. Raised by her grandparents and leaning on the support of her best friends, Lorelei is finally beginning to accept the fact that her parents are never coming home. For Lorelei, life goes on.
High school is not quite as painful as she thinks it will be, and things are as normal as they can be. Until the day the school's designated loner, Cameron Lusk, begins to stalk her, turning up where she least expects it, standing outside her house in the dark, night after night. Things get even more complicated when a new guy—terrifying, tough, sexy Jared Kovach—comes to school. Cameron and Jared instantly despise each other and Lorelei seems to be the reason for their animosity. What does Jared know about her parents? Why does Cameron tell Jared he can't have Lorelei? And what will any of them do when Death comes knocking for real? Thrilling, sassy, sexy, and inventive, Darynda Jones's first foray into the world of teens will leave readers eager for the next installment.”

My Rating: êêêêê

My Review: Based off the cover, you’d never guess how awesome this book is. It doesn’t look paranormal, but it totally is. It’s one of the best paranormal romances I’ve read recently. I a big fan of angel book, and this was a really good one despite the lack of flying. It was full of surprises and great, funny characters.

I really liked all five of the main characters (Lorelei, Brooklyn, Glitch, Cameron, and Jared). They made a great team, despite the fighting between Cameron and Jared in the beginning. If you love the Hush, Hush series, the Fallen series, or basically any high school paranormal romance series, this series is not to be missed! I also like the setting. New Mexico is a great backdrop (Like Wyoming was in Unearthly).

This book was fun, full of the most hilarious conversations and dialogue I’ve ever read. Lorelei, Brooklyn and Glitch banter a lot. I really wish I owned a copy of this book because of all those quotes I would have underlined. I felt like I was part of the conversation. The characters are just so realistic. And Jared, he’s just so hot, but I think I might like Cam more personality wise. He’s funnier.

Stalking is only really part of the beginning. The main story is Lorelei’s discoveries about her purpose and past. But we also find out about her friends too. I really excited for Death, Doom and Detention. This series really need to be promoted more. I was so glad that I found out about this because I love angel books.

Cover Art Review: Boring cover. Does not look paranormal. Looks too much like a contemporary book. I would have never picked this up based off the cover.

 

~Haley G

Magisterium by Jeff Hirsch

Genera: Fantasy/Sci-fi/Dystopian

Subjects: magic, supernatural, adventure, abilities, parallel worlds

Age/Grade Level: Teen

Length: 310 pgs.

HC/PB: Hardcover

List Price: $17.99

Publisher: Scholastic

Summary/ product description: “On one side of the Rift is a technological paradise without famine or want. On the other side is a mystery.
Sixteen-year-old Glenn Morgan has lived next to the Rift her entire life and has no idea of what might be on the other side of it. Glenn's only friend, Kevin, insists the fence holds back a world of monsters and witchcraft, but magic isn't for Glenn. She has enough problems with reality: Glenn's mother disappeared when she was six, and soon after, she lost her scientist father to his all-consuming work on the mysterious Project. Glenn buries herself in her studies and dreams about the day she can escape. But when her father's work leads to his arrest, he gives Glenn a simple metal bracelet that will send Glenn and Kevin on the run---with only one place to go.
With MAGISTERIUM, Jeff Hirsch brings us the story of a complex, captivating world that will leave readers breathless until the very last page.”

My Rating: êêêê

My Review: I didn’t know what to expect from this book. The cover said fantasy, and the beginning was completely sci-fi, so I was confused about what was supposed to happen. What did happen was an amazing surprise, and the cover fit it perfectly. I was blown away by the creative world building put into this dystopian/fantasy. It’s totally different from the author’s first book, The Eleventh Plague. Heck, this book was way better.

Do be mad at me for spoiling this, but beyond the Rift, there’s a place full of magic, where technology doesn’t work. It’s like a EMP went off, and affected only half the world, taking away technology and giving people abilities. It reminds me of The Line series by Teri Hall, but a more extreme version. It’s really awesome. It’s also kind of like Under The Never Sky, or even The Other Normal (the fantasy stuff kind of…). One half of the world is high tech, the other has no tech, but magic.

Glenn is an okay character. She’s very scientific and does not want to believe in magic, her friend Kevin, who comes with her is more open minded. Glenn doesn’t want to believe that her mother is on the other side in this magical world, but when her and Kevin end up they, Glenn wearing the device that her father created, she has a harder time denying what she sees with her own eyes.  Everything she’s been told is a lie. There is no wasteland. There are people and creatures and villages.

The thing that Glenn discovers about her mother and herself will blow you away. And Kevin, as ridiculous as his hair style is, is a pretty great guy for helping Glenn. I recommend this book to the people who like both fantasy and sci-fi, and like the idea of merging them. Or if you like some of the books I mentioned.

Cover Art Review: Awesome cover. Love the colors and the birds. The girl’s head looks weird, but everything else looks okay. Lots of similarities to the cover of The Eleventh Plague.

 

~Haley G

Starling by Lesley Livingston

Series: Starling (bk. 1) Spin-off series of Wondrous Strange

Genera: Paranormal Romance/Urban Fantasy

Subjects: Mythology, creatures, magic, supernatural,  New York

Age/Grade Level: Teen

Length: 341 pgs.

HC/PB: Hardcover

List Price: $17.99

Publisher: HarperTeen

Summary/ product description: “Mason Starling is a champion fencer on the Gosforth Academy team, but she's never had to fight for her life. Not until the night a ferocious, otherworldly storm rips through Manhattan, trapping Mason and her teammates inside the school. Mason is besieged by nightmarish creatures more terrifying than the thunder and lightning as the raging tempest also brings a dangerous stranger into her life: a young man who remembers nothing but his name--the Fennrys Wolf. His arrival tears Mason's world apart, even as she feels an undeniable connection to him. Together, they seek to unravel the secrets of Fenn's identity as strange and supernatural forces gather around them. When they discover Mason's family--with its dark allegiance to ancient Norse gods--is at the heart of the mystery, Fennrys and Mason are suddenly faced with a terrifying future.
Set against the gritty, shadowed back-drop of New York City, this first novel in award-winning author Lesley Livingston's epic Starling Saga is an intoxicating blend of sweeping romance and pulse-pounding action.”

My Rating: êêê1/2

My Review: This book is the first of a spin-off series, and I’m happy that Fenn is one of the main characters. He was one of my favorites in Wondrous Strange, Darklight and Tempetuous. Even with amnesia, he still was his same awesome self. Mason I wasn’t so thrilled with. Compared to Kelley in the other three books, her (3^rd person) perspective was not very interesting. It made the story a bit difficult to get through because she annoyed me. And the other perspectives, like Cal and Rory. That’s more than 2, but I guess the author kind of did that in Tempestuous. I’m not a big fan of 3^rd person, but since I listened to Wondrous Strange and Darklight as audio book (the author narrates so well! She is an actress like her character Kelley), and read Tempestuous, I was actually enjoying the 3^rd person perspective. Not so much in this case. But Fenn was so hot, that I loved his parts.

There were a lot of action scenes in this book. I actually have a difficult time with those because I couldn’t picture them very well. I liked the romantic scenes better. Or the part where we find out about the Fennrys Wolf’s destiny. And when he rediscovered stuff about himself. I also like all the mythology stuff. Really, it’s Norse and Greek and Egyptian…and pretty much all of them. I love the world that Lesley Livingston created, and I really hope the next book is more interesting, since this book get us past some of the more boring part of setting the plot for the series. Hey, the beginning was awesome, and the book was pretty good. I just didn’t like Mase that much. The fencing was cool, but still. Her personality needs to be developed better. Her being claustrophobic is a nice touch, but she needs to become stronger. Let’s see if she does in the next book.

Cover Art Review: I wish the cover was metallic. It would look so much better. It’s a pretty photo. And I like the title’s typeface.

 

~Haley G

Feedback by Robison Wells

Series: Variant (bk. 2)

Genera: Sci-fi/dystopian/thriller

Subjects: robots, androids, boarding schools, mystery

Age/Grade Level: Teen

Length: 310 pgs.

HC/PB: Hardcover

List Price: $17.99

Publisher: HarperTeen

Summary/ product description: “Benson Fisher escaped from Maxfield Academy’s deadly rules and brutal gangs.
Or so he thought.
But now Benson is trapped in a different kind of prison: a town filled with hauntingly familiar faces. People from Maxfield he saw die. Friends he was afraid he had killed.
They are all pawns in the school’s twisted experiment, held captive and controlled by an unseen force. As he searches for answers, Benson discovers that Maxfield Academy’s plans are more sinister than anything he imagined—and they may be impossible to stop.
Variant blew readers away with its breakneck pacing, flawless plotting, and impossibly high stakes. It earned starred reviews from both Publishers Weekly and VOYA, which described it as “an exciting, edge-of-your-seat read that combines psychological themes from works like Lord of the Flies, The Hunger Games, and Ender’s Game in a truly unique way.”
In Feedback, Robison Wells delivers all the answers you’ve been craving—with enough twists and turns to keep readers guessing until the very last page.”

My Rating: êêêê

My Review: Not as good as Variant, but not bad at all. Slower and less mysterious, but with more sci-fi. But the ending was epic. I want book 3 now!

 

My review of the first book, what I thought of Variant: “This book was very different and so much better than I expected. It was about the most twisted, crazy boarding school ever. The students were very odd and the whole gang thing was just plain weird. The author did an awesome job of throwing all these elements together and creating a fast paced story that kept me wondering what was going on. Sure, I already knew that there was something about robots in it, but that just intrigued me more. Oh, and there’s a lot of paintball in here. I’m sure that some guys will love this book. Especially if you like the Maze Runner series. This book is almost dystopian. It’s just a very different kind of dystopian, one that’s in the present and set in an experimental environment. The students have to work together to survive. There’s a system based off of points and punishments. The punishments are sometimes extreme. And detention here could possibly mean death. <br/>I highly recommend this. It’s fresh and exciting. I so happy I gave it a chance. I wish there were more different and unique sci-fi books out there like this one.”

 

Now my review of Feedback:

So this book’s first 200 pages were not as fast paced as Variant. Sadly, no more paintball or gangs But after page 200 it picks up, and the last 50 pages or so a mind blowing. Lots of action, and a few freaky discoveries, and unanswered questions that will leave you begging for book 3. I was guessing the androids had something to do with Aliens. It didn’t get answered, so who knows what will happen in book 3?

In this book Benson’s relationship with Becky becomes more apparent. He’s really protective of her since she got injured. And also there’s some more bizarre, futuristic medical technology that can heal wounds faster. There’s some really awesome stuff in here if you look past the boring parts.

So fans of Maze Runner, the Hunger Games, the Gone series, or people who enjoyed Quarentine: The Loners by Lex Thomas, or The Forsaken by Lisa M. Stasse. If you have not discovered the Variant series, then you are missing out! Terminator fans may also enjoy this. And there’s some other awesome robo-stopians coming out next year like Revolution 19 and Mila 2.0.

A.I, Robots, Androids, Cyborgs. You know they make a thriller awesome.

Cover Art Review: Just as shiny and rainbow as the 1^st book’s cover. Red instead of blue. It’s a good, mysterious cover.

 

~Haley G

The Other Normals by Ned Vizzini

Genera: Fantasy/humor/contemporary

Subjects: Parallel universes, other worlds, adventure, RPG, nerds

Age/Grade Level: Teen

Length: 387 pgs.

HC/PB: Hardcover

List Price: $17.99

Publisher: HarperCollins: Balzer & Bray

Summary/ product description: “The Other Normals centers on 15-year-old Peregrine “Perry” Eckert, who’s seriously obsessed with an uber-dorky role-playing game called Creatures & Caverns. Concerned about his stunted social skills and need for fresh air, Perry’s parents decide to ship him off to summer camp to become a man. He anticipates the worst summer of his life until he arrives at camp and stumbles into the World of the Other Normals, a place where his nerdy childhood may serve him well — but not without connecting with the real world first.”

My Rating: êêêê

My Review: This book was really funny. So many ridiculous things happened. The characters themselves were pretty funny too. It felt kind of like a parody of some epic fantasy story, with some sci-fi thrown in. Perry is very naïve for a nerdy mathlete/RPGer. And very immature. He kind of reminded me of my brother, except my brother addicted to Call of Duty and other war games instead of WoW and RPG stuff. Ada and Mortin are pretty cool characters. Perry likes Ada a lot.

 There are some very unique creatures in this fantasy. Lots of unique world building. It’s almost a dystopian, but it’s really a parallel world or mystical creatures, some from mythology and other created by the author. You’d have to read it to understand how unique this book really is.

It reminds me of a few other books. Parodies by the Harvard Lampoon have similar humor. And There Is No Dog was also a funny one. If you like fantasy stories with faeries and elves and such, or are into RPG and WoW, then this is one book you can relate to. I also recommend this to all the nerdy and geeky guys out there (you are loved, we aren’t trying to make fun of you). I think this book would make a funny movie. Fantasy-comedy. It reminded me of that Scott Pilgrim movie, also.

Cover Art Review: This cover really captures the content. You have the figurines in the background and a guy who’s supposed to be Perry on a figurine stand. It’s just a good, fully, well designed and simple cover.

 

~Haley G