Maximum Ride Forever by James Patterson

Series: Maximum Ride (bk. 9) Final Book

Genera(s): Dystopian Sci-fi/Action Adventure

Subjects: genetic engineering, mutants, post-apocalyptic

Setting: Various locations around the world

POV/Tense: 1^st person POV, past tense: Max

Age/Grade Level: Teen

Length: 383 pgs.

HC/PB: Hardcover

List Price: $19.00

Publisher: Hachette: Little, Brown

Summary/ product description: “THE NINTH AND ULTIMATE MAXIMUM RIDE STORY IS HERE! Legions of Max fans won't be disappointed by this encore episode in the beloved series about the incredible adventures of a teenage girl who can fly. As Maximum Ride boldly navigates a post-apocalyptic world, she and her broken flock are roaming the earth, searching for answers to what happened. All will be revealed in this last spectacular "ride"- a brand-new grand finale featuring all of the nonstop action, twists and turns that readers can rely on in a blockbuster Patterson page turner!

My Review:  This is my absolute favorite series. Maximum Ride is the book that got me into YA back in 8^th grade (2006 I think). This has got to be maybe the third so-called finale in this series. It could have ended just fine after book 3 (Saving The World and Other Extreme Sports). The 4^th book (Final Warning) was kind of pointless. Nevermore seemed to wrap things up, but left us with too many unanswered questions. 

I know people think this book is JP just beating a dead horse with a stick, but I was happy to find out that there’d be another book. I’m a loyal fan. I’d been dying to read it ever since I heard about it. (I preordered it even, but preorders never come the day of release.) So, now I’ve read it and know that this ending leaves no room for more books. The flock gets a proper ending to their story.

Full of twists and tear-jerkers, this is a ride that you won’t forget. It has all the feels. You may need tissues, just a warning. There is so much I want to say about this book, but I’d just spoil everything. I’ll try to be vague as possible. So, Armageddon happened at the end of Nevermore. Basically, an asteroid hit the Earth, Like the one that made the dinosaurs go extinct. A giant tsunami hit the island that the flock and other mutants were living on and volcanoes are set off too. Basically, all the mega-disasters of other dystopian series combine and practically destroy the world.

The flock are pretty much the only survivors on the island and set out to see what else survived. What they find of world wide destruction. City inundated with water or destroy in bombings. Some guy who calls himself the Remedy is sending “Horsemen” (enhanced mutants or androids) to kill survivors and search for the flock. The flock members split up to find out what’s going on in various places around the globe. There is a lot of flying and fighting mutants and Horsemen.

Angel is trying to gather survivors to fight. Angel is also being a bit dictator-ish. She still believes that Fang is going to die. Some familiar faces return. Some can be trusted, some have bad intentions. Bad stuff happens. Really cool stuff also happens. A surprise that I never saw coming happens too. And it happens a bit different than what happened to the Max in the Lake House book. That’s about all I can disclose. I probably said too much.

So, now it’s over. I can’t wait for the online mini-series. I hope it’s free to watch. I wish they’d make a movie, but those rarely turn out the way you want them too. There’s a script in the B&N exclusive edition. Anyone who part of the MR fan club should get it. This series has come a long way. I remember writing fanfic and making fanart back when there were only three books. I mean, look at these: Maximum Ride Fan Art 

I also did this blog sort of like Fang’s Blog, only with OCs. My character was Star, but she wasn’t like Fang’s Star. Mine was an angel with light powers. 

I had a message board too. Those were the good ole days. I’m a college student and Max is still a relatable character. The flocks are like family. My fictional family. And I’m going to miss them. But thankfully there are other great YA series out there calling my name. Thank you James Patterson for bringing these characters to life.  

Cover Art Review: Not feeling the cover at all. Very generic James Patterson-y cover. I liked the Nevermore cover because it at least has wings on it. Max in not a dress kind of girl.

The Madman’s Daughter by Megan Shepherd

Release Date: January 29, 2013

Series: The Madman’s Daughter (bk. 1)

Genera: Sci-fi/historical fiction

Subjects: Islands, mad scientists, science, surgical modification, retellings, love, experiments

Age/Grade Level: Teen

Length: 420 pgs. (ARC version) 432 pgs. (Hardcover version)

HC/PB: Hardcover

List Price: $17.99

Publisher: HarperCollins: Balzer & Bray

Summary/ product description: “In the darkest places, even love is deadly.
Sixteen-year-old Juliet Moreau has built a life for herself in London—working as a maid, attending church on Sundays, and trying not to think about the scandal that ruined her life. After all, no one ever proved the rumors about her father's gruesome experiments. But when she learns he is alive and continuing his work on a remote tropical island, she is determined to find out if the accusations are true.
Accompanied by her father's handsome young assistant, Montgomery, and an enigmatic castaway, Edward—both of whom she is deeply drawn to—Juliet travels to the island, only to discover the depths of her father's madness: He has experimented on animals so that they resemble, speak, and behave as humans. And worse, one of the creatures has turned violent and is killing the island's inhabitants. Torn between horror and scientific curiosity, Juliet knows she must end her father's dangerous experiments and escape her jungle prison before it's too late. Yet as the island falls into chaos, she discovers the extent of her father's genius—and madness—in her own blood.
Inspired by H. G. Wells's classic The Island of Dr. Moreau, The Madman's Daughter is a dark and breathless Gothic thriller about the secrets we'll do anything to know and the truths we'll go to any lengths to protect.”

My Rating: êêêê

My Review: I’m not a fan of historical fiction. I usually avoid it at all costs. Even the ones with the pretty cover. This book, I would have never read based off the cover. I won an ARC of it. I only requested it because I like free stuff, but I didn’t expect to get this in the mail. When I did, I wasn’t even sure I was going to read it. After the girl from EpicReads said so many good things about it, and finding out that it’s set on a tropical island (and not totally set in London) with creatures created by a mad-scientist, I had to give the book a try. I’m surprised to say I actually enjoyed it. I still don’t like the historical British vocab, but I could look past that too enjoy the sci-fi island adventure that this story truly is.

The beginning of the book is more gothic and dark in a historical London kind of way. Then when she and Montgomery are on the boat, it’s kind of different. But when they arrive on the Island, things get really different and awesome. It felt like a dystopian novel or a castaways survival story, except with a mad scientist. Kind of like Dr. Frankenstein’s Island, or Lost. Juliet thinks all the island “native” are deformed, but later on realizes that they are her father’s creations. This kind of surgery seems impossible to me today, even with plastic surgery, how can you make people out of animals? But since this is science fiction and a retelling, I’ll let the unrealistic science pass. The book was very thrilling with a few twists and turns that kept me guessing, and predicting what was going on.

I love the setting and the uniqueness of the story. I loved picturing a tropical rainforest island. The characters were okay, but I didn’t care for them that much. Juliet thinks she’s mad as her father. He’s a psychopathic scientist, so maybe she’s a guiltless psychopath too, or not. Montgomery I liked at first, but then I was on Team Edward Prince for a while…but I’m not sure if I’d choose either of them now.  The story itself was just so creative and exciting it blew me away. As I said, I did not expect it to be good. It was very good. I hope they do make this into a movie the back of my ARC say (Film rights have been optioned by Paramount Pictures). I had a hard time picturing what the creatures looked like, but I’m sure that some make-up or CGI/green screen could bring them to life.

I’m really wondering what the sequel will be about. Will it be set on the island again or someplace else? And will there be more, different monsters? Is Dr. Moreau going to discover genetic engineering or something like that? I can’t wait to find out. Hope when get the sequel’s title and summary soon.

Cover Art Review: Based off this cover, I would have never picked it up. This cover had historical written all over it, but it says nothing of the tropical island and the creatures that live on it. I really hope that they change the cover in the paperback version because this cover is very generic looking to me.

 

~Haley G

 

Maximum Ride: Nevermore by James Patterson

Series: Maximum Ride (bk. 8)

Genera: Sci-fi

Subjects: Genetic engineering, adventure, apocalyptic, super-humans

Age/Grade Level: Teen

Length: 344 pgs.

HC/PB: Hardcover

List Price: $17.99

Publisher: Little, Brown

Summary/ product description: “Maximum Ride and her faithful friends stand ready to face the two greatest threats that humankind has ever known--now combining forces in an unbeatable plot to destroy life as we know it once and for all. And this time, the enemy truly can't be stopped.
The danger mounts just as Dylan has finally worked his way into Max's heart--and just as her beloved Fang unexpectedly returns to the flock. An explosive confrontation between the two boys with a claim to Max's heart ensues, and the entire world hangs in the balance.
In this powerful and moving finale to James Patterson's epic fantasy series, fans will finally get the answers they've been waiting for--and an ending full of shock, surprises, and the greatest conclusion you never saw coming.”

My Rating: êêêêê

My Review: I was kind of afraid to read this. There were some bad reviews and rating from people on Goodreads. And I hate reading endings. Especially to my favorite series. And this is the series that started it all for me. The first series I became truly obsessed with. The series that made me read, and write. I created so many fanart pieces and fanfiction and was so inspired by this series. Now it’s over.

Good book, okay ending. I loved this whole series, even though I felt it really should have wrapped up after book 3. Book 4 was a disaster (which I still enjoyed). Don’t be discouraged from other reviews. Read this book. It’s good. A final goodbye to Max, unless you plan to read or write fanfiction like I used to. I will miss Max’s voice, personality, and every Flock member.

It’s REALLY hard to review this books without talking about talking about what happened, and spoiling stuff, so I’m not going to try…

WARNING, From this point, the review contains spoilers:

It wasn’t a bad ending. It was the kind of ending that makes me want a spin-off series. I enjoyed every minute of this book, but I really want to see what happens after. Maybe that’s what fanfiction is for. Hope somebody  writing fanfiction off of this ending. (Why does the description of the sky make me think of the aether in Under The Never Sky?) This is not a spoiler…some body write the post-apocalyptic fanfic of Maximum Ride. I really want to read it!

I think it’s cool that they try school again. What that school the one that won the contest to be written into the book? I though some school in NYC of Chicago won. And then there’s Fang’s new gang, and then later his travel. Really, he’s in Chicago for a few pages. Awesome! And him falling into Lake Michigan, I really don’t know of any or many cliffs that are on scenic overlooks. (And I’ve travel all around the Lake Michigan shoreline) I am really happy that Fang comes back, because I was Team Fang (Fax) all the way. Dylan makes me think he’s some guardian angel created to protect Max. He’s not really the one for her no matter what they say.

Angel is the Voice and I knew it!!!!!!! It’s like duh, she’s telepathic. Of course she’s the Voice! I was kind of hoping it was God and that the Flock member were angels/Nephilim instead of bird kids and they had a purpose, like the Unearthly series (my other fav). I’m kind of wondering if the Confessions of a Murder Suspect book is about angels or a religious cult too.

The 99% Plan sounded like a religious cult…without the religion part. Really, what’s with all the mass extinction? This series is almost Dystopian now, but it’s over.

Good luck writing fanfiction. Call it The Post-Apocalytic Society of Maximum Ride. Note to self: Come up with a more creative title. A shorter one.

Cover Art Review: For once they try putting wings on the model. Sure, the model looks NOTHING like Max. Wrong hair. They still didn’t do the wings as good as I did. But they did okay for the cover of the last book. I like that it’s metallic and shiny.

~Haley G