Will to Survive by Eric Walters

Series: The Rule of Three (bk. 3)

Genera(s): Apocalyptic Dystopian Sci-fi

Subjects: blackouts, survival, thriller, pilots

Setting: The suburban neighborhood of Eden Mills, which is a real place in Ontario Canada, west of Toronto, near the Credit River, but supposed to be set in the USA for this series.

POV/Tense: 1st person POV, past tense: Adam

Age/Grade Level: Teen

Length: 310 pgs.

HC/PB: Hardcover

List Price: $17.99

Publisher: Macmillan: FSG

Summary/ product description: “As this apocalyptic trilogy hurtles to a chilling conclusion, Adam is pushed to the edge of his endurance and sanity.

Adam has killed again. It had to be done, part of him knows that, but murder changes a person. It can certainly change a teenager who's already grown up too quickly, too harshly, in the wake of the catastrophic global blackout five months ago. In the name of safety and survival, Adam and his neighbors have turned their middle American suburban neighborhood into a fortress, defending against countless enemies. But what's lurking in the dark is a greater danger than ever before: somebody who wants to destroy the neighborhood and Adam at any cost. Soon, the hunted will have to become the hunter . . . and Adam hates himself for what he will have to do. Because sometimes even the dark is not cover enough for things that would never happen in the light.”

My Review:  Will to Survive is the 3^rd and final installment of the Rule of Three trilogy. If you’re not familiar with this series, it’s about a guy named Adam, who’ father is a pilot and who he himself knows how to fly a plane too. With the help of an old ex-military guy named Herb, Adam’s neighborhood of Eden Mills bands together to survive post-blackout.

A few months ago, a computer virus caused everything with computerized component controlling it to stop working. No phones, newer cars, laptops, and no electricity unless you have a generator or engine. Eden Mills for the sake of the story is supposed to be in the United States, near the north shore of one of the great lakes. In actuality it’s west on Toronto, Canada, near Mississauga, Ontario, along the Credit River, where the author lives. Maybe some stuff was changed for the US edition. I’m not sure if there is a Canadian edition.

In the previous book, Fight for Power, a young officer named Brett went rough and tried to kill Adam and Herb. He was helping the ex-military run group called the Division. Adam is now feeling paranoid that he could be attacked at anytime. It’s just a matter of time before Brett comes back and attacks Eden Mills again.

Herb is trying to strengthen the defenses. They decide to build another wall to encompass other neighborhoods close by. Adam, Lori, Herb and Todd go up in the Cessna plane to scout the area, looking for any that could help them. They create allies with other communities trying to survive, and develop trade. They’re trying their best to bring civilization back.

There’s also some romance between Lori and Adam. It’s kind of sweet, but not as important as the survival stuff. I like the humor and banter in the dialogue, especially Todd. Todd is a hilarious guy. He loves food and keeps talking about how much he misses the food they used to have. There’s also some action in this series, but I feel like parts of this book move too slow. I wish it was more thrilling. There’s definite appeal to a male audience with this series, but I enjoyed it anyways.

This series is a lot like Ashfall by Mike Mullin, minus the ash. Also it makes me think of the TV show Revolution, because the blackout. I recommend this book if you liked: Ashes by Ilsa J. Bick, The 5^th Wave, the Ashfall series, Life As We Knew It/The Last Survivors series.

Cover Art Review: Cool cover illustration reflecting the stories content. It is a little busy looking, but it is also eye catching.

Savage Drift by Emmy Laybourne

Series: Monument 14 (bk. 3)

Genera(s): Dystopian Sci-fi

Subjects: apocalyptic, near future, survival

Setting: Canada, Missouri, various other states

POV/Tense: 1^st person POV, rotating between Dean (past tense, serif type) and Josie (present tense, san-serif type)

Age/Grade Level: Teen

Length: 305 pgs.

HC/PB: Hardcover

List Price: $17.99

Publisher: MacMillan: Feiwel & Friends

Summary/ product description: “The stunningly fierce conclusion to Emmy Laybourne's Monument 14 trilogy.

The survivors of the Monument 14 have finally made it to the safety of a Canadian refugee camp. Dean and Alex are cautiously starting to hope that a happy ending might be possible.

But for Josie, separated from the group and trapped in a brutal prison camp for exposed Type Os, things have gone from bad to worse. Traumatized by her experiences, she has given up all hope of rescue or safety.

Meanwhile, scared by the government's unusual interest in her pregnancy, Astrid (with her two protectors, Dean and Jake in tow) joins Niko on his desperate quest to be reunited with his lost love Josie.

Author Emmy Laybourne reaches new heights of tension and romance in this action-packed conclusion to the Monument 14 trilogy.”

My Review:  In this epic finale to the Monument 14 trilogy, we get to read the story from Dean and Josie’s perspectives. Dean is in a refugee camp in Canada. Josie is in a camp in Missouri for people with the blood type O that have been exposed to the compounds. Astrid, Alex, Sahlia and the rest of the kids that came with them are also in Canada.

Astrid, who’s pregnant, is having cramps. The government is taking pregnant women from the camp to study them and how exposure affects their pregnancy. Dean, Astrid, Jake and Niko leave the camp. They also heard about where Josie was, so Niko is going after her. The story becomes a fast paced journey filled with action and gruesome events. It’s exhilarating and everything you’d want the final book to be.

I was so surprised that we have Josie’s perspective this time. Her personality may have been affected by her killing someone, but she still deeply care for people. Mario is in the camp with her, though he’s a AB blood type. He insisted to be her sponsor. The camp is such a horrify places with gangs, sexual assaults and fighting. It’s s prison. I really hated how that guard treated Josie. He was such an a-hole.

There’s a touch of romance, and heart-warming scenes. There’s also times where Dean feels a sense of normalcy, like when the visit Denny’s. There’s fun and adventure. Hitchhiking, fighting, babies. There’s aso these things called Drift, which are moving clouds of the gas compound that affects different blood types. There’s a lot of sad parts too. Deaths and heart-stopping moments. This is a killer ending to the series. If only all dystopian series had endings this good.

If you love Ashfall by Mike Mullin, Quarantine: The Loners by Lex Thomas, No Safety in Numbers by Dayna Lorentz, Ashes by Ilsa J. Bick, or Blackout by Robison Wells, be sure to read the Monument 14 series. Now that all the books are out, try a series binge. They’re short and fast easy reads. Also check out the novellas/short stories: Jake and the other Girl, Dress Your Marines in White, and What Mario Scietto Says.

Did anyone with a hardcover copy notice the map in the back end paper of the cover? The map of the USA? Notice that Monument, Colorado is not where’s it’s supposed to be. It’s placed in Wyoming. Someone goofed up and didn’t know their states. Colorado and Wymoning look alike. Both are rectangles of the same size, but the Four Corner region Wyoming is not.

Cover Art Review:  This cover reflect the previous books' covers well. Looks like a prison camp.

Promise Bound by Anne Greenwood Brown

Series: Lies Beneath (bk. 3)

Genera(s): Paranormal Romance

Subjects: mermaids and mermen, love, supernatural

Setting: Present-day, Bayfield, Wisconsin and Thunder Bay, Ontario, Canada. And the depths of Lake Superior. It’s set in May.

POV/Tense: past tense,1^st person alternating POV between Calder and Lily, and later on, other characters

Age/Grade Level: Teen

Length: 353 pgs.

HC/PB: Hardcover

List Price: $17.99

Publisher: Random House: Delacorte Press

Summary/ product description: “Calder and Lily never imagined falling in love would mean breaking apart. But ever since Lily started wearing a glass pendant that once belonged to Nadia, Calder's adoptive mother, she's been having vivid dreams of what life was like for the mermaid matriarch. In fact, she's been dreaming as if she were Nadia! And Nadia, it seems, made a promise before her death. A promise to reunite Calder's biological mother with her son. Lily knows merfolk are bound to keep their promises. Calder's not buying into it, though. He chalks up the dreams to stress. He wants Lily to focus on the future—their future, not the past. Which forces Lily to send Calder away. Calder goes, feeling rejected and more than a little tempted to revert to his hunting ways.  

What both of them overlook is the present: Calder's sisters, Maris and Pavati, are fighting for control of the mermaid clan, and now that Lily and her dad have transformed into mer-creatures, both mermaids vie for daughter and father as allies. Which of the two mermaids can be trusted? Will Lily make costly mistakes, forcing her to descend to the depths of Lake Superior? And if Calder returns, will he be the same merman Lily grew to love? The stakes are high, with many lives at risk, but Calder and Lily must confront the past as well as their darkest impulses if they want a chance at being together.”

My Review: This was such an epic conclusion. This is probably my favorite mermaid series I’ve ever read. It’s full of interesting characters and crazy twists and a beautiful setting. This final book isn’t just from one character’s perspective, but it alternates between Lily and Calder. I wish the first two books did this. Lies Beneath was completely Calder’s POV, and Deep Betrayal was from Lily’s POV. I love how well differentiated the narration is between their parts. Calder is self deprecating and sarcastic and very much a guy. Lily is more poetic and quirky and also sarcastic. The narration of this series is just so well done.

I like the other characters beside the two main ones. Despite everything, I think Pavati is pretty awesome. I wish we could get more of her story. She had a baby and handed it off to Daniel, the father, but she really cares about that baby. Daniel cares for it too and I hope they do stay together despite mermaids’ tendency to not stay with mates. I loved seeing how Danny dealt with the baby. He seems not like the best choice for a father figure, but he really likes the baby. I don’t really like Maris because she’s kind of cruel.

I also love the setting. I’ve been to Lake Superior multiple times. Never to Bayfield specifically, but near there. I’ve been to Ashland, and Park Fall, Butternut (where my great uncle lives) and other places in the North Woods of Wisconsin. I have travel brochures and a post card of Bayfield, so I can picture the town easily. The Apostle Island are a beautiful places and I hope I actually visit them someday instead of look at them form a distance. 

Other important events in this book include Lily’s dreams in which she’s Nadia, and Calder’s search for his real parents. Lily’s sea glass necklace is letting Nadia’s spirit show her the past and what’s she’s shown leads her to believe that Calder must find his family. Calder doesn’t believe Lily and she tries to convince him what he must do. She sends him off to Thunder Bay, Canada and he promises he will try to find them. Meanwhile, Maris and Pavati are fighting over who gets Lily and her dad on their side. The turn of events near the end resolves the story well. I wish there was more and that the story didn’t have to end yet, but I’m pretty happy with the ending. 

If you haven’t read the Lies Beneath series then you are missing out. It’s great for anybody who likes paranormal romance or mermaids. 

Cover Art Review: Nice underwater photo, but the girl kind of looks dead. Maybe that’s the point. It’s and okay cover because it fits with the previous books.