A Million Worlds With You by Claudia Gray

Series: Firebird Trilogy (bk. 3) final book

Genera(s): Sci-fi/Romance

Subjects: multiverse, parallel universes, science, love

Setting: In multiple parallel universes

POV/Tense: 1st person POV, present tense: Marguerite Caine

Age/Grade Level: Teen

Length: 419 pgs.

HC/PB: Hardcover

List Price: $17.99

Publisher: HarperTeen

Summary/ product description: “A million universes. A million dangers. One destiny.

The fate of the multiverse rests in Marguerite Caine’s hands. Marguerite has been at the center of a cross-dimensional feud since she first traveled to another universe using her parents’ invention, the Firebird. Only now has she learned the true plans of the evil Triad Corporation—and that those plans could spell doom for dozens or hundreds of universes, each facing total annihilation.

Paul Markov has always been at Marguerite’s side, but Triad’s last attack has left him a changed man—angry and shadowed by tragedy. He struggles to overcome the damage done to him, but despite Marguerite’s efforts to help, Paul may never be the same again.

So it’s up to Marguerite alone to stop the destruction of the multiverse. Billions of lives are at stake. The risks have never been higher. And Triad has unleashed its ultimate weapon: another dimension’s Marguerite—wicked, psychologically twisted, and always one step ahead.

In the epic conclusion to Claudia Gray’s Firebird trilogy, fate and family will be questioned, loves will be won and lost, and the multiverse will be forever changed. It’s a battle of the Marguerites . . . and only one can win.”

My Review:  A Million Worlds with You is the final book in the Firebird trilogy. If you have not read this series then I recommend it to fans of series and book including: Parallel by Lauren Miller, Tandem by Anna Jarzeb, 3:59 by Gretchen McNeil, The False Memory Series by Dan Krokos, Unraveling and Unbreakable by Elizabeth Norris, Unremembered and Unforgotten by Jessica Brody.

It’s about parallel universes and traveling between them. Marguerite in an artist and her parent a physicist that built a device called the Firebird that a necklace that lets you consciousness travel into another version of you. Marguerite is in love with a young scientist named Paul who’s a grad student working under her parents. There’s another student named Theo. Marguerite has a sister named Josie, and there’s also the rich CEO Wyatt Conly, who is Josie’s fiancé in other universes.

In this final book Marguerite chases after the evil version of herself she call Wicked. Wicked is from the Home Office universe that’s very advanced. Josie, who was the perfect traveler from her universe, was splinted into many pieced, and parts of her are in other Josies. They plan on destroying the other universes to put her back together. In the previous book Paul was splintered, but only in four pieces, which only took a Firebird to put him back together. Paul is still damaged from this experience and even through Marguerite love him, he believe he is still dangerous and pushes her away.

This book is an epic saga of travel between dimensions. Wicked tries to kill the other Marguerites in ways that are slow so when our Marguerite jumps into them, she might die too. From futuristic London to an Egyptian dig to outerspace and so on. So many different Marguerites. Paul says there’s a way to prevent the destruction of a universe and builds stabilizers to save some, but it’s not easy. Can Marguerite, her family, Paul and Theo save the multiverse from the Home Office, or will someone have to make the ultimate sacrifice?

I was very pleased with this book. Like the whole series, it was so exciting I really didn’t want to put it down, but school and work go in the way, so I had to. This is best read when there’s nothing else going on, like on a snow day or something. This is probably one the best sci-fi series I’ve read. I’m going to miss it so much.

Cover Art Review: I love these cover so much. The watercolor is gorgeous, the skylines flipped are so cool. Very sophisticated typography too.

The Outliers by Kimberly McCreight

Publication Date: May 3^rd, 2016

Series: The Outliers (bk. 1)

Genera(s): Suspense Thriller/Sci-fi

Subjects: mystery anxiety disorders, emotion, abilities, scientists,

Setting: Boston, Massachusetts and Seneca, Maine

POV/Tense: 1^st person POV, present tense: Wylie Lang

Age/Grade Level: Teen

Length: 334 pgs.

HC/PB: Hardcover

List Price: $17.99

Publisher: HarperTeen

Summary/ product description: “From the New York Times bestselling author of Reconstructing Amelia comes a fast-paced teen series where one girl learns that in a world of intrigue, betrayal, and deeply buried secrets, it is vital to trust your instincts.

It all starts with a text: Please, Wylie, I need your help. Wylie hasn’t heard from Cassie in over a week, not since their last fight. But that doesn’t matter. Cassie’s in trouble, so Wylie decides to do what she has done so many times before: save her best friend from herself.

This time it’s different, though. Instead of telling Wylie where she is, Cassie sends cryptic clues. And instead of having Wylie come by herself, Jasper shows up saying Cassie sent him to help. Trusting the guy who sent Cassie off the rails doesn’t feel right, but Wylie has no choice but to ignore her gut instinct and go with him.

But figuring out where Cassie is goes from difficult to dangerous, fast. As Wylie and Jasper head farther and farther north into the dense woods of Maine, Wylie struggles to control her growing sense that something is really wrong. What isn’t Cassie telling them? And could finding her be only the beginning?

In this breakneck tale, New York Times bestselling author Kimberly McCreight brilliantly chronicles a fateful journey that begins with a single decision—and ends up changing everything.”

My Review:  I won The Outliers as an ARC in a giveaway that I almost didn’t enter, so I was hesitant to even read this book. I wasn’t sure what the genera was. Realistic mystery? Sci-fi thriller? It’s a little bit of both. It’s very light on the sci-fi, which was okay. I really did enjoy the non-stop fast pace of this book. It made me feel a little anxious myself with all the crazy twists.

Wylie’s got an anxiety disorder. She panics, and sometimes even passes out when too stressed. Before this trip, she hadn’t left her house in three weeks. Her mom died a few months ago and she feels broken. Her brother Gideon seems to be the normal one, attending school, making jokes. Her father has almost become like a workaholic robot, so focused on her psychological research. Wylie’s best friend Cassie isn’t talking to her anymore. Cassie’s had serious binge drinking problems that only seemed to get worse.

Wylie’s friend Cassie is missing and suddenly starts sending her cryptic texts, one of which asks Wylie and Jasper to drive up north into Maine to rescue her. On the road, they run into trouble with the car, try hitch hiking, which also ends badly. A visit to the police only endangers them even more. It seems like every one is shady. Twist after twist and Wylie’s not sure who to trust except her own instincts. 

I really though the scientific concept behind Wylie’s dad’s research was cool. It played a big role in the story. I’ve read a lot of book about teens with scientist parents that get their kids mixed up in their research, which did happen in this book kind of. Emotional intelligence sounds like a real thing. It’s like empathy, almost like ESP, but with emotions. The ones who could read emotion deaf and blind are called the Outliers in this book. I could totally read emotions, but doubt I could do it like an Outlier. Either way, it’s a really cool idea for a story. Makes me think of Shade Me by Jennifer Brown, but Nikki had synesthesia to read emotions.

I recommend this book to those that enjoyed Shade Me by Jennifer Brown, Revived and Originals by Cat Patrick, Dangerous Lies & Black Ice by Becca Fitzpatrick, Find Me by Romily Bernard, Black Bird by Anna Carey, Don’t Turn Around by Michelle Gagnon, or any other YA thriller that have action, mystery, or even a touch of science fiction.

Cover Art Review: I like the burnt match typography, but the cover itself is kind of boring with the cut off face.

Ten Thousand Skies Above You by Claudia Gray

Series: Firebird Trilogy (bk. 2)

Genera(s): Sci-fi/Romance

Subjects: multiverse, parallel universes, science, love

Setting: San Francisco, California, New York City, Paris

POV/Tense: 1st person POV, present tense: Marguerite Caine

Age/Grade Level: Teen

Length: 426 pgs.

HC/PB: Hardcover

List Price: $17.99

Publisher: HarperTeen

Summary/ product description: “Ever since she used the Firebird, her parents' invention, to cross into alternate dimensions, Marguerite has caught the attention of enemies who will do anything to force her into helping them dominate the multiverse—even hurting the people she loves. She resists until her boyfriend, Paul, is attacked and his consciousness scattered across multiple dimensions.

Marguerite has no choice but to search for each splinter of Paul’s soul. The hunt sends her racing through a war-torn San Francisco, the criminal underworld of New York City, and a glittering Paris where another Marguerite hides a shocking secret. Each world brings Marguerite one step closer to rescuing Paul. But with each trial she faces, she begins to question the destiny she thought they shared.

The second book in the Firebird trilogy, Ten Thousand Skies Above You features Claudia Gray’s lush, romantic language and smart, exciting action, and will have readers clamoring for the next book.”

My Review:  This is a really awesome sequel. I’ve been waiting for this since I finished the first book and now I’m so happy to have read. Claudia Gray has made another great series, this time sci-fi instead of paranormal. These books have such beautiful covers, and wonderful content to match. I enjoyed every moment of this book. There are no dull moments. It’s like a thriller. The setting moves to different places, different worlds. It’s exciting and fast paced.

Marguerite travels to different dimension, into different versions of herself to collect the pieces of Paul soul that were splintered. She’s been made a “perfect traveler” so she has complete control over herself in the other universes. Conley is forcing her to destroy her parent’s Firebird project work in these other dimension. The Firebird is a device that lets people’s consciousness travel into other version of themselves. They can’t physically travel there; only their minds do. I love seeing how different or similar each universe is. It’s like a surprise every time. There are different circumstances, so people may be different from their other selves in some ways. Sometime she finds herself in California, where she lives currently. Sometimes in England, New York, or Russia. The travel part of this book adds interest.

Somehow Marguerite is connected to Paul in some way in most of the universes. Also Theo is there frequently too. Marguerite discovers that she sometimes is in love with Theo, not always Paul. She loves Paul deeply, though. Theo is a great friend to her. I personally like Theo more because he’s got a great sense of humor and dresses like a hipster, and Paul is kind of quiet. They’re both smart, though. It’s not truly a love triangle.

I recommend it to those who enjoyed: Parallel by Lauren Miller, Tandem by Anna Jarzeb, 3:59 by Gretchen McNeil, The False Memory Series by Dan Krokos, Unraveling and Unbreakable by Elizabeth Norris, Unremembered and Unforgotten by Jessica Brody, and other parallel universe book, and The Gathering Storm by Robin Bridges, which is set in Russia.

Cover Art Review: I still love the use of watercolor texture and the city skylines. These are still some of my favorite covers and make me wish I bought them, but I liked the colors of the previous cover better. The indigo/navy blue with the stars in it is nice and reminds me of my own watercolor paintings of night skies.