Into the Bright Unknown by Rae Carson

Into the Bright Unknown by Rae Carson

Book Stats:  

Reading level: Young Adult
Genre: Fantasy, Historical Fiction
Hardcover: 343 pages
Publisher: Greenwillow Books
Release date: October 10, 2017

Series:  Gold Seer Trilogy #3

Source: Library

Reviewed by: Kara

Order: Amazon | Book Depository

Leah Westfall’s journey has been one of ever-present peril, hidden magic, harsh realities, loss, life, determination, and love. She has searched for a place to belong and a place to call home, and people who can accept a girl with magical powers that prove to be both blessing and curse.
Rae Carson has been lauded as one of YA’s best writers of fantasy, and fans of Leigh Bardugo, Sarah J. Maas, and Westworld will be riveted by the conclusion of this remarkable historical fantasy trilogy.
Leah is poised to have everything she ever dreamed of on the long, dangerous journey to California’s gold fields—wealth, love, the truest friends, and a home. Thanks to her magical ability to sense precious gold, Leah, her fiancé Jefferson, and her friends have claimed rich land in California Territory. But their fortune makes them a target, and when a dangerous billionaire sets out to destroy them, Leah and her friends must fight back with all of their power and talents.
Leah’s magic is continuing to strengthen and grow, but someone is on to her—someone who might have a bit of magic herself. The stakes are higher than ever as Lee and her friends hatch a daring scheme that could alter California’s history forever.
With a distinctive heroine and a unique interpretation of American history, Into the Bright Unknown strikes a rich vein of romance, magic, and adventure.

I never want Rae Carson's books to end, and this was no exception! Having made a deal with a deceptively smooth councilman for their town charter and needing to retrieve Becky Joyner's confiscated house, Leah Westfall and her band of pioneers journey out of their newly minted town of Glory, California to the big, high-stakes city of San Francisco to secure their future. When they arrive in San Francisco, they stumble into a much bigger extortion scheme and make an ambitious plan to fight for justice.

Most of this book is centered on San Francisco of 1849/1850 before California becomes a state. It brings to life a number of famously historical circumstances including the practice of sinking or grounding ships to establish or build real estate (SF Gate article). In fact, only within the last few years has it been more covered in the media that there are still actual ships buried under the streets of San Francisco (National Geographic article). I found this coverage of history, and my subsequent research, absolutely fascinating! I've been to San Francisco in the last few years, and now I'm kicking myself that I didn't visit the Maritime Museum. Anyway, one of the grounded ships is the vessel that brought Becky Joyner's house to San Francisco, and Leah decides to buy and turn into a sort of home since renting and living in San Francisco depletes their gold funds rapidly. The book illustrates the different uses many of the abandoned gold rush ships served -- as storage, hotels, homes, a jail, etc. -- which were all true in history.

Another of the book's history gems is bringing up the law of coverture (Wikipedia). When Becky Joyner goes to claim her house---and remember her husband is dead, the bank will not let her claim the property because, as they say, "a wife has no legal standing. All her rights are covered by, and thus represented by, the rights of her husband" which was known as the law of coverture. Since Becky's husband is dead and their son is not yet of age, the only one legally allowed to claim her house would be Becky's father-in-law back in Tennessee. This situation describes a very real and widespread problem for women and one of the driving forces behind the fight for women's right to vote as the majority of women couldn't hold property and therefore couldn't vote. It brings the law to life to view it through such strong female characters as Leah and Becky Joyner and hear their feminist voices discuss the ramifications.

Lastly, I love the character arc we've seen in Leah. She rises from scared runaway girl to wagon train leader to establishing a town to partially leading a civil rights rebellion and in this last novel, she certainly doesn't back down from greater heights. She and her fellows start a revolution in San Francisco against corruption and greed. She's also been practicing with her magic too, and manages several amazing feats. I'm not going to spoil any of these exciting plot developments here though. That's something you'll definitely want to read yourself!

The ONE question I still really wanted answered out of this series was just what happened with her mom? This question has been danced and danced around and we get closer here, but I just never felt true closure with this question. Alas, that's exactly how life is too!

We do see a few old friends (and enemies) surface. Relationships are built and furthered including that of Leah and Jefferson, though this is, as always, not the driving motivations in the book but rather a pleasant side-plot. I would love to see this series become a movie or tv show. It would be really cool to watch all of the history really come alive, especially that of San Francisco and the "Oregon Trail" west. I think this series might appeal to readers who loved Ruta Sepetys's Between Shades of Grey and Salt to the Sea and might be looking for something lighter but just as rich. It gives gold rush history a little bit of Leah's gold dust sense.

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by Kara at Friday, June 15, 2018

 Fantasy amp; Magic, Gold Seer Trilogy, Greenwillow Books, Harper Collins, Historical, historical fiction, Into the Bright Unknown, Library, Rae Carson, Review, young adult  1 Person left their mark

✎

Like a River Glorious by Rae Carson

Like a River Glorious by Rae Carson

Book Stats:  

Reading level: Young Adult
Genre: Historical Fiction, Fantasy
Hardcover: 416 pages
Publisher: Greenwillow Books
Release date: September 27, 2016

Series:  Gold Seer Trilogy, #2

Source: Library

Reviewed by: Kara

Order: Amazon | Book Depository

After her harrowing journey west to California, Lee Westfall has finally found a new home—one rich in gold, thanks to her magical power, a power that seems to be changing every day. But this home is rich in other ways, too: with friends who are searching for a place to be themselves, just as she is, and with love. Jefferson—her longtime best friend—hasn’t stopped trying to win her heart. And Lee is more and more tempted to say yes.
But her uncle Hiram hasn’t given up his quest to get Lee and her power under his control. When she’s kidnapped and taken to him, Lee sees firsthand the depths of her uncle’s villainy. Yet Lee’s magic is growing. Gold no longer simply sings to her, it listens. It obeys her call. Is it enough to destroy her uncle once and for all?

(Please note for this post: The word 'Indian' is used to describe those of Native American descent due to it being a word culturally used during that period, and is also used in this review since it is in the book and a predominant sub-theme of the novel.)

This second book of the Gold Seer Trilogy has a very different flavor than the first as the first was a long journey narrative. This, by contrast, is more split into two parts, the first being an account of creating their homestead and helping it to survive, and the second of being an unwilling captive in her uncle's camp and joining a resistance movement in a fight for freedom. Rather than being a book all its own, it is decidedly a second book where mostly action carries the novel rather than plot or other drives, so readers will want to read the first before they try this one. The setting is much more localized, but we don't get to see much of California until the very end when there are glimpses of a historic Sacramento. It's possible that Glory, California, their small town (which seems to be fictional), could be Glory Holy Recreation Area, a bit southeast of Sacramento since it is both near mountains, east of San Francisco, and has quite a bit of water nearby as described in the book.

Our heroine Lee has also grown into her leadership role among the group, and most think highly of her judgment and abilities after their trek West. When other groups (men) begin to intermingle with their own, even these men come to recognize Lee's leadership and voice despite her gender. While Lee is captive in her uncle's camp, she must return to the pretense of being a proper young lady and subject to her uncle's authority and that of other men. Even when she is brought in by the leaders of the resistance group, Lee must still keep up much of the act to keep her friends safe. However, the very power her Uncle Hiram wants to use to save him, Lee grows to wield for her protection and as a potential weapon. Also, Lee and Jeff's romance heats up a bit, and Lee is no longer denying her feelings. Jeff is growing to appreciate his heritage, that of being half-Indian, and begins to see their rights as his own rights and speaks out among those who are not Indian.

One of the things I enjoyed most about this novel was how it brought cultural issues of the area to light without being overwhelming such as: the treatment of Indians of the period (capturing them, enslaving them, stealing their land, and treating them with very little human dignity or care for life); the treatment of the Chinese where they immigrate and gain work contracts which made them no better than performing slave labor, sometimes termed a 'coolie gang'; and still continued the issues of women's rights and slavery. Another change from the first novel is the growth of Leah's gold-sensing power. Here she begins to use it more frequently, perhaps because her secret is no longer as secret, and it begins to transform. No longer is it just a calling where the gold appears from the ground, but she is able to make it mold and bend to her will with greater and greater success. Lastly, isn't that cover absolutely gorgeous? Doesn't it really capture a glorious sunrise?

I still can't wait for the third and final volume Into the Bright Unknown coming out in October 2017, and I expect we will see even more of Leah come into her own, both in powers and in the world.

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by Tynga at Thursday, February 23, 2017

 Fantasy amp; Magic, Gold Seer Trilogy, Greenwillow Books, Harper Collins, Historical, historical fiction, Library, Like a River Glorious, Rae Carson, Review, young adult  Leave your mark

✎

Walk on Earth a Stranger by Rae Carson

Walk on Earth a Stranger by Rae Carson

Book Stats:  

Reading level: Young Adult
Genre: Historical Fiction, Fantasy
Hardcover: 448 pages
Publisher: Greenwillow Books
Release date: September 22, 2015

Series:  Gold Seer Trilogy #1

Source: Library

Reviewed by: Kara

Order: Amazon | Book Depository

Gold is in my blood, in my breath, even in the flecks in my eyes.

Lee Westfall has a strong, loving family. She has a home she loves and a loyal steed. She has a best friend--who might want to be something more.

She also has a secret.

Lee can sense gold in the world around her. Veins deep in the earth. Small nuggets in a stream. Even gold dust caught underneath a fingernail. She has kept her family safe and able to buy provisions, even through the harshest winters. But what would someone do to control a girl with that kind of power? A person might murder for it.

When everything Lee holds dear is ripped away, she flees west to California--where gold has just been discovered. Perhaps this will be the one place a magical girl can be herself. If she survives the journey.

The acclaimed Rae Carson begins a sweeping new trilogy set in Gold Rush-era America, about a young woman with a powerful and dangerous gift.

This adventure is a blend of old Western and just a hint of magic (or rather a super-human ability much like our beloved superheroes), but Rae Carson writes just as magnificently with a little element of fantasy as she did in a fully imagined fantasy world like The Girl of Fire and Thorns series. I love the references to local history, especially that of the gold rushes in Georgia and North Carolina, like the note that there once was a gold mint in Dahlonega, GA, (marked with the "D" that Denver now uses). Carson recreates the sense of rural Southern life with deep spirituality, the distrust yet charitable feeling given to strangers, the dangers of the culture especially for women and black folk, and the spirit of the wagon train traveling the Oregon Trail.

Leah/Lee is a wonderful character. She's fiercely independent as she's been providing for her ailing family, but she's also possessed of a strong-will and determination that gives her the fortitude to withstand her parents' murders, masquerade as a boy, and then in the face of hardship travel on her own with little resources all the way across the country. For much of the novel, Lee must rely on herself to get to safety. After she is robbed, she signs on to be a boat hand on a flatboat ferrying people down the Tennessee River through waterways all the way across to the Mississippi. The boat is hired by the Joyner family, and when they reach Missouri, Lee accompanies the Joyners a-ways but is cast out as being a runaway to make her own way to Independence. There, she sees a few familiar faces, and after a few days of not finding Jefferson, Mr. Joyner hires her to manage his wagon and cattle as he only has one other hand. Luckily for Lee, his hired hand is none other than the fellow she's been searching for, her best friend Jefferson McCauley. Together with their wagon train of families, a group of college men, and a group with a large number of livestock, they must travel through the wilderness to make it to California, fighting dangerous illness, mutiny, and other dangers.

I think you'll be surprised how things change for Lee and how, despite being a girl and the cultural attitude towards women, she shows courage, leadership, and responsibility beyond her years and the expectations of those around her. Truly, she's an inspiring role model of a heroine while still staying true to the historical detail. If you liked the Oregon Trail game and adventures, you'll like this book, and stay tuned for book two, Like a River Glorious, as more magic, adventure, and high stakes follow Lee and Jefferson in California.

To read the first three chapters, click here to go to EpicReads. Just for fun, you can also try the name generator for Walk on Earth a Stranger! (For kicks, mine is Jefferson "Crazy" Digger. What's yours?)

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by Tynga at Tuesday, January 31, 2017

 Fantasy amp; Magic, Gold Seer Trilogy, Greenwillow Books, Harper Collins, Historical, historical fiction, Library, Rae Carson, Review, Walk on Earth a Stranger, young adult  2 People left their mark

✎

Carve the Mark by Veronica Roth

There's been a lot of speculation whether Veronica Roth's new series would match or surpass her Divergent series. Personally, I really enjoyed this new book and although it's still early in the series, it's definitely on the right path. Roth created a rich new world that is out of this world, completely new and very bold. Her characters may be flawed, however, they have strong redeeming qualities that will captivate you.

In a galaxy where the current flows through everything and every living thing, people develop unique abilities once they reach a certain maturity. When this current-gift will develop, no one can predict, however some may say the oracles could certainly take a guess. Three oracles per planet exist, and their ability allows them to see possible futures. They also see fates, the eventual futures of a lucky few. Every citizen has a future, but only a select few are graced with a fate. These select few are considered special, for a reason I can't quite understand. Personally, I would find it restrictive, to live a life based on a certain and unwavering fact.

Cyra and Akos are two of these fate-marked young adults, however, their upbringing could not be more different. Cyra is the sister of a mad tyrant who controls the Shotet people through fear and divisiveness. Akos grew up in a peaceful and loving family. Part of his Thuvhe culture honours the oracles, and his mother just happens to be one. Their two societies couldn't be anymore different and it's from the lack of knowledge and understanding that their two societies have been at war for ages.

The Thuvhe are considered the rightful and controlling nation of the planet, so when the Shotet kidnap Akos and his brother, killing their father in the process, I'm kind of surprised nothing was done about it. For years, Akos was raised by the Shotet, separated from his brother, and the rest of his family, never to be rescued by his people. My only guess is that the Thuvhe are such peaceful race they have no clue how to infiltrate the Shotet to rescue a couple of their fate-marked. Now, as a young adult, Akos is given to Cyra to be her servant, in order to help her control her current-gift. The more time they spend together, the more they learn about each other's culture. Together, the form an unlikely alliance in hopes to overthrow Cyra's brother.

My first impression of Akos is that he's weak. To help and serve Cyra without question, isn't heroic, but I quickly realized that it was all part of a scheme. He's intelligent yet his downfall is that he cares too much. On the contrary, Cyra care about no one, especially her brother, Ryzek, who's taken advantage of her current-gift, ever since their father died. Her father wasn't a better leader, he was just less mad than Ryzek. Cyra's current gift makes her feel pain 24/7 while Akos neutralizes that pain with simply his touch. His gift for brewing tonics also helps control Cyra's constant pain. It seems that their gifts were made for one another, however, it just seems to good to be true.

Divergent fans will love this book because it does have some recurring themes. Carve the Mark isn't necessarily dystopian, but it does revolve around a broken leadership. The characters are in a dire situation yet they work together, and their hope for a better future brings them even closer together. Another similarity is Akos being taken away from his family and trained by another society to become a soldier (however, in this case it's involuntarily). Death, combat and rage are also other themes that mirror Divergent. It's hard not to compare, yet despite their similarities, trust me when I say they are two very distinct stories.

What makes this book so complete is definitely Akos and Cyra. Character building seems to be Veronica Roth's forte and she doesn't disappoint with these two main characters. The world building was also brilliant since she added so much detail to the world, the cultures and the different planets. It's really hard to mention everything, so instead, I urge you to discover it for yourself. Carve the Mark really deserves to be read slowly, since it does have a slow build-up, but it's so worth it in the end. The author was able to blend my two favourite genres, fantasy and science fiction, magnificently and even though it's still early in the year, there's a strong possibility it will end up at the top of my favourites of the year.

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by Tynga at Monday, January 30, 2017

 Carve the Mark, Harper Collins, Katherine Tegen Books, Purchased, Review, sci-fi, Science Fiction, Space, Veronica Roth, young adult  2 People left their mark

✎

A Million Worlds With You by Claudia Gray

A Million Worlds With You is the the third and final book of the Firebird trilogy. I got hooked on this series a couple years ago and I finally got around to finishing the trilogy. Quite honestly, I was a little disappointed in the conclusion but the actual story was still gripping and exciting. I love the idea of corporate conspiracy through different dimensions and Claudia Gray delivers an intense man hunt through different worlds. She also delivers a touching love story that spans through different universes, uniting Marguerite and Paul time and time again.

Marguerite is chasing after another version of herself, a broken and angry Marguerite that is willing to destroy other worlds to achieve the ultimate goal of saving her sister. But the main Marguerite, the narrator of the book, can't justify destroying other worlds, killing billions of people to save the life of only one person. The only way Marguerite can save these other worlds is by travelling to these different dimensions, save her other selves, and neutralize the plan threatening those dimensions. Marguerite not only travels to different dimensions, but she also finds herself in different places like a futuristic London, a primitive Roman civilization, an antiquated Egypt, a space station, a soviet Russia and many other. Honestly, I love reading about all these different worlds. It's almost like reading short stories, mini adventures that fit into a much larger one.

What I love the most about the book is Marguerite and Paul. Their lives seem intertwined in all the universes they visit, which proves to Marguerite that there's a force uniting them time and time again. Their love literally span dimensions, however, her version of Paul isn't convinced that they're meant to be together. His soul was actually fractured into many pieces, and although Marguerite was able to put him back together, he still feels broken and unfit for Marguerite's love. Their relationship might be complicated, but it's also a captivating one. I love the small intimate moments they have together and you can't help but hope for the best for these two.

The main issue I've had with this series is the use of the Firebird, the device that lets the holder travel through dimensions. The author sort of explains the idea behind dimension jumping but doesn't fully describe the actual device. She doesn't say if it has buttons or a digital display to let you know which world you might have entered. It seems that Marguerite takes a chance every time she jumps dimensions that she'll end up in the right one and we don't really know how she manipulates the Firebird to accomplish the jump. I'm a very visual person so I always enjoy descriptions. It seems the author took the easy way out and chose the least scientific character and made her the narrator. Everyone one else seem to be science geniuses but Marguerite blanks whenever they try to explain anything "too complicated for her artistic brain." I'm sure if she took the time to learn she would understand, but I guess for the sake of fiction, Marguerite ignore the math and the science bits.

I highly recommend this series to anyone that enjoys a thrilling science fiction story. However, a fair warning: the novels can't be read on their own. They really need to be read one after the other. Because each novel spills into the next one, I would actually recommend reading them one after the other. Nothing better than binge reading a great series!

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by Tynga at Monday, November 21, 2016

 Claudia Gray, dimensions, Firebird, Harper Collins, HarperTeen, Review, Science-Fiction  Leave your mark

✎

The Wizard Returns by Danielle Paige

The Wizard Returns is the third prequel to Dorothy Must Die.  It can be read as a standalone, no problem, but you can also read reviews of the other books by clicking on the titles:  No Place Like Oz (#0.1), The Witch Must Burn (#0.2), Dorothy Must Die (#1).

These prequels have been so enjoyable that I almost regretted coming to this final one!  I've already got a copy of The Wicked Will Rise from my library so that I can stay in this alternative Oz.  The Wizard Returns was, unfortunately, the weakest of the prequel trilogy.  Not to say that I hated it; it just wasn't as WOW as the first two.  The title is just slightly off- it turns out that the wizard never left Oz!  His balloon crashed, he landed in the field of poppies, and has been asleep for 20+ years.  When he wakes, all of his memories are gone.

This novella traces his journey from the field of poppies to the headquarters of the resistance.  Along the way, he's guided by an Ozian named Pete, who takes him through three "tests" to earn his memory back.  The story wasn't terrible, but it was pretty full of tropes.  I didn't sense a ton of imagination in this one.  Terrible person gets amnesia and needs to redeem himself?  Done before.  Three tests/tasks to earn a big reward?  Done before.  I even saw the grand finale coming, in a way.  (I didn't specifically see fairies, but you know what I mean.)

I also wasn't really "feeling" the wizard, as the young folks say.  ;)  He came across as rather whiny, petulant, and weak.  I understand that life isn't going as he'd planned, but come on!  Pete just explained that he was a terrible guy and that he gets a second chance!  Be grateful, not whiny!  Overall, I'm not entirely certain this particular novella was all that necessary.  :/

Something that made it all much better, though, was the narration!  I listened to the audiobook of The Wizard Returns and the reader was fantastic.  His voice was lively and upbeat; a real joy to listen to.  He also did different voices/accents for each character, without any of them sounding contrived or goofy.  Real talent!  I'd listen to more books read by Luke Daniels.

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by Tynga at Thursday, November 17, 2016

 Danielle Paige, Dorothy Must Die, Fantasy amp; Magic, Harper Collins, Library, Retelling, Review, Wizard of Oz, YA, young adult  2 People left their mark

✎

The Witch Must Burn by Danielle Paige

The Witch Must Burn is the second book of the prequel trilogy to Dorothy Must Die.  It's not necessary to have read Dorothy Must Die or No Place Like Oz in order to enjoy this one, but you can read reviews of them by clicking on the titles.

No Place Like Oz, the first prequel in Dorothy Must Die: Stories, was kind of dark.  Dorothy was the quintessential nasty, angsty teen... to the umpteenth degree!  So it was really refreshing to get into The Witch Must Burn, told from Jellia's point of view.

Jellia is a servant, the head ladies' maid, in Dorothy's castle.  Even though she's just a teen herself, she's still old enough to remember what Oz was like under Ozma.  Right from the beginning of the novella, the reader can sense her depression regarding Dorothy's rule.  She misses Ozma, and worries about her.  She despairs that things could ever improve again.  On top of that, she still has to work for the very mercurial and often mean Dorothy, and keep a big secret.  (You know I never give things away in my reviews!  You'll have to read the book to find out more!)

My heart went out to Jellia!  She's trying so hard to please Dorothy and to shield her subordinates from Dorothy's wrath.  She's not a naively blind follower, though- she knows that Dorothy is in the wrong.  She just doesn't know what to do about it.  Yet.  (*wink wink nudge nudge*)

If you've read Dorothy Must Die, you'll know what needs to be done.  Even if you've read it, though, you'll still be surprised at the path that Jellia takes to get there.  I know I was!  It was heartbreaking in places, but always inspiring, what with Jellia's never-say-die attitude.  There were even a few parts that were almost reminiscent of mad scientist horror tales, so it was a perfect October read for me.

The only small quibble I had was with the reader (I listened to the audiobook of The Witch Must Burn)- she just wasn't my taste.  I can't exactly put my finger on anything in particular that was wrong; I think the accent just wasn't my cup of tea.  It wasn't bad enough to distract me from the story or anything, so there's a good chance that other people will love the narrator.

 

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by Tynga at Thursday, November 10, 2016

 Action amp; Adventure, Danielle Paige, Dorothy Must Die, Fantasy, Fantasy amp; Magic, General, Harper Collins, Library, Retelling, Review, Romance, Wizard of Oz, YA, young adult, Young Adult Fiction  Leave your mark

✎

No Place Like Oz by Danielle Paige (second opinion)

No Place Like Oz is the first of three prequel novellas to Dorothy Must Die, packaged together in Dorothy Must Die: Stories.  I listened to the package as an audiobook and thoroughly enjoyed them.  You can see Stephanie's review of Dorothy Must Die here, but it's not necessary to have read it first to enjoy No Place Like Oz.  And you can read Jonathan's original review of No Place Like Oz here.

No Place Like Oz opens on Dorothy's sixteenth birthday.  Even in the 1920's, this is a big deal birthday for a young girl.  She's going to have a party that afternoon, but everything starts to go wrong.  First, her Aunt Em disappoints her with a smaller-than-expected birthday cake.  Then she catches her friends gossiping about her and her tales of Oz.  The straw that breaks the camel's back?  Her aunt gives her a mustardy brown, long, spartan dress for her birthday instead of a new, hip dress.  She skulks off to her bedroom and wishes very hard to return to Oz.

This novella fills in the back story that is touched upon very briefly in Dorothy Must Die.  In it, we find out how Dorothy could go from the naive little farm girl in The Wizard of Oz to the monstrous sorceress in Dorothy Must Die.  It's not an overnight process.  It's a series of small decisions that change her personality little by little.  In fact, the whole novella could be read as a cautionary tale, or fable:  be careful what you wish for.

I was impressed with how well fleshed-out Danielle Paige's Dorothy was, especially considering the shorter length of this story.  She's complex:  even while feeling shame and anger over the upcycled dress gift she still recognizes that she should be grateful to Aunt Em.  She feels intense love and protection for her aunt and uncle, even as they exasperate her over and over again.  This is so true!  Who hasn't felt exasperation at a loved one?

I had read Dorothy Must Die before reading No Place Like Oz, so I was pleasantly surprised to feel compelled to listen.  I thought it'd be a somewhat ok fluff of a story; just something to fill out the story a little bit.  Wrong!  It's a very good story in it's own right.  Even with "knowing the ending," I enjoyed every twist and turn in the plot.  It wasn't overly predictable at all, with a few unexpected elements.

The narration was good, too.  I really liked the reader, Andi Arndt.  She did a fantastic job!

Another excellent aspect to this prequel novella?  I'm doing the PopSugar Reading Challenge 2016, and this will count as half of my "a book and it's prequel" item!  :)

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by Tynga at Thursday, November 03, 2016

 Danielle Paige, Dorothy Must Die, Fantasy, Harper Collins, Library, Retelling, Review, Wizard of Oz, YA, young adult  Leave your mark

✎

Replica by Lauren Oliver

In my opinion, Lauren Oliver’s Replica is going to be a very popular and sought out YA book this fall. The format is incredibly original, the writing is very intelligent and the story is gripping and addictive.

Replica is the story about two very different girls, Lyra and Gemma, who tell a similar story from two very different point of views. Lauren Oliver made the very bold decision and separated these two point of views. Each story starts from one end of the book and meet towards the middle. This spring, when I briefly met the author, I asked her what was the proper way to read her book and she told me there is no right way. You read it however you like. You can read Lyra’s story straight through and then move on to Gemma’s. Or you can do the opposite. Personally, I chose to read one chapter from each story, flipping back and forth between the two. Timeline wise, the chapters line up very well so I really enjoyed reading it this way. There is some repetition when the two main characters are together, but for the most part, the two point of views offer different information and insight.

Between Lyra and Gemma, I don’t really have a favourite story. I enjoyed reading them equally. They both have very distinct and interesting voices and most often, I couldn’t wait to continue reading the same POV once I was done with a chapter instead of flipping over to the other side. Gemma is a sheltered teen who’s current goal is to go on a simple road trip to Florida with her best friend. But when a trivial event threatens her family, her father prevents her from leaving. Despite being very obedient, Gemma defies her parents and makes her way to Florida a few days after her best friend left. What she discovers in Florida opens her eyes to a whole new side of her father and his history with the pharmaceutical company he helped found. Gemma ends up breaking so many rules, that she can barely recognize herself after only a few short days.

All Lyra has ever known is a life full of medical and cognitive testing on an island off the Florida coast. She is a replica, or a clone, with a sole purpose, which isn’t very clear at first. She was raised in this medical facility called Haven with hundreds of different replicas. She considers herself one of the lucky ones since many subjects died at a very young age, and others don’t have the mental capacities to clean or feed themselves. The female and male replicas have always been kept apart and she has had very limited interaction with boys, except for the doctors and the scientists. Interestingly enough, both Lyra and Gemma have lived very sheltered and different lives but both of them have had very limited interactions with boys. So when Lyra hears about a boy, replica 72, who ran away, she’s intrigued by what led him to that decision. Eventually, she’s forced to work with 72 in order to find a way off the island. Lyra may be very naive but her capacity to learn allows her to mature very quickly as her world comes crumbling down.

The science experimentation going on at Haven might not be so far fetched, which makes the book very chilling and thought provoking. Lauren Oliver may have concentrated on the human developments in her story but the science aspect is also described very well. Fans of the TV shows Orphan Black and Dark Angel will love this new take on clones. Personally, I enjoyed Replica more than Oliver’s Delirium series. I can’t wait to see what comes next.

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by Tynga at Monday, October 03, 2016

 BEA, clones, Harper, Harper Collins, Lauren Oliver, Replica, Review, sci-fi, Science, Science Fiction, young adult  Leave your mark

✎

The Thousandth Floor by Katherine McGee

One hundred years in the future, an engineering marvel in the middle of New York City is where everyone wants to live. The tower has a thousand floors and a person could truly live their whole life without leaving the building. Social status is determined by the floor you live on, but of course, "The higher you are, the farther you fall." The author's imagination stretches sky high as she delves into the secret lives of New York's new elite.

This debut novel features multiple characters, giving us a glimpse of teen lives in this new New York's social scene. The top floors, where the social elite live, is full of glamour, money and sophistication. Avery and her family live on floor 1000, their penthouse apartment the envy of everyone in the building. Avery is supposed to be the perfect human, her DNA engineered with the best her two parents had to offer. She's beautiful, sweet and intelligent, but Avery feels less than perfect. In love with a boy she could never have, her junior year of high school isn't turning out the way she wanted. She and her best friend Leda are drifting further and further apart because of their attraction to the same boy and because of secrets Leda refuses to reveal.

Leda's addiction to stimulant drugs sent her to rehab during the summer and it's a situation she doesn't want to share with anyone. I think she's strong enough to admit that she has a problem, but she would never admit to anyone that it's affecting her life. Pressure at school, parties and alcohol are constant reminders of her stint with drugs especially since money and connections is all you need to get your hands on your next fix. And Leda definitely has access to both.

Leda's problems seem small when compared to other teens. Rylin lives on the 32nd floor with just her sister. After losing their mother, she had to drop out of school in order to support herself and her sister. She's barely scrapping by with a minimum wage job and the lack of money and health care debts are constant reminders that she could be ejected from her apartment any day. So when her mom's old employer, an orphaned teen living in one of the top floor apartments, calls her when he needs her help to serve and clean at his party, she jumps at the chance for easy and fast money. But when her one-time gig turns into something more, Rylin can't help but develop strong feelings for Cord, a boy way above her social status.

These are just quick glimpses into the world of some of these teens. There are so many point of views that it made it really hard to get into the book, but once every story is established, it becomes easier to read. We also follow the story of Eris, a girl that used to live on floor 985 and now lives on 103. Watt also lives on the lower floors but his hacking abilities has given him a glimpse into the lives of the elite teens, which makes him curious enough to try to rub shoulders with them. Atlas, Avery's older brother, "disappeared" for over a year, only checking in with his family from time to time to let them know that he was still alive. Now that he's back, living in the tower, he's dealing with the secrets and feelings he ran away from in the first place.

I liked the novel quite a bit but it was far from my favourites. I loved the technological advances and the architecture behind the tower. The idea is complete fiction since I highly doubt Central Park could ever be considered for the location of such a building. Also, the tallest building in our present time has 154 floors so 1000 is far from reality. I've never really been a fan of Gossip Girl or Pretty Little Liars, and The Thousandth Floor definitely feels like those books/TV series. The elite social scene, the glamour of New York, drugs/alcohol/parties make for interesting stories but personally, it was to much "teen drama" for me. I hope the characters mature in the next books because I might have to give up on this series like I did with Gossip Girl and Pretty Little Liars.

On a side note, I'm glad the cover was redesigned. The original one (left) was nice, but I think the new one (middle), represents the glamour of the tower a lot better. The UK version (right) is very attractive but similar to so many other YA covers. How many covers with a girl in a dress will we have to go through before this fad is over? The middle one remains my favourite and it's definitely gender neutral. Which one is your favourite?

        

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by Tynga at Monday, August 29, 2016

 BEA, Futuristic, Harper Collins, HarperTeen, Katherine McGee, new york, Review, Science Fiction, social elite, The Thousandth Floor, tower, young adult  2 People left their mark

✎

My Lady Jane by Cynthia Hand, Brodi Ashton and Jodi Meadows

My Lady Jane is definitely an original take on the historical novel. The authors took many liberties while writing this book. They more or less rewrote history and romanticized the short reign of Lady Jane Grey. It's full of satire, whimsy and witty dialogue. While the concept of shapeshifters in Tudor England and the situations the characters find themselves in are absurd, the whole thing simply works!

Lady Jane is a wonderful character. She would rather spend her day with her nose in a book than playing nice with the people of the English court. (I think this will resonate with so many readers!) So when she finds herself crowned Queen of England, not only is she confused, she has to find the courage to not run away. Luckily for her, her reign is short (nine days!) when her cousin Mary usurps the throne. While most of what happens in the first part of the book is loosely based on fact, the second part is mostly all fiction.

The book could have worked without the paranormal aspects but I think it adds just enough whimsy to make the story a little more special. Eδians are shapeshifters that transform into an animal form in their time of need. I love how the authors used the Eδians vs. Verities (the Eδians haters) conflicts to replace the Protestant-Catholic feud. Religion is a touchy subject to begin with so I think the authors found a nice loophole to avoid touching the subject. The way the Eδian lore is incorporated in the book is seamless, as if it's truly part of history.

Overtime Eδians can learn to control their ability to shift back and forth between their human and animal shapes, but Gifford (call him G) is stuck as a horse by day, only to shift back to his human side at nightfall. G and Jane are forced into an arranged marriage and they couldn't be more different. Jane has always envied Eδians but she never imagined being married to one. Actually, she never imagined being married to anyone, after so many failed attempts. G and Jane eventually learn to trust each other and even to love each other. Their story is a crazy and adventurous one so I'm glad the authors decided on a happily ever after, instead of killing them off, like real history dictates.

Although King Edward VI died at a young age and thus began Lady Jane's reign as Queen, the fictionalized Edward survived. His point of view was my least favourite of the three (I absolutely adored Jane and G so they were hard to beat), probably because he continuously had his head up in clouds (you'll know what I mean once you read the book). As confused as he may have been as a king, he did redeem himself in the end.

If you love whimsy and satire, I highly recommend picking up this book. I didn't except to love this book as much as I did. I love historical England books, especially the Tudor era (although my favourite is the Victorian Era) so I wasn't sure how I was going to like this reimagined story. As long as you keep an open mind, and don't take it too seriously, this retelling will surely make you chuckle.

Long live the Queen!

P.S. The Lady Janies (what the trio of author call themselves) are having an event on their blog to celebrate Lady Jane's nine days of reign (July 9th - 18th). Check it out to win some awesome prizes!

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by Tynga at Monday, July 11, 2016

 Brodi Ashton, Cynthia Hand, Harper Collins, HarperTeen, Historical, Jodi Meadows, Paranormal, Purchased, shapeshifters, stand-alone, Tudor  1 Person left their mark

✎

The Hunt by Megan Shepherd

What a thrilling ride! I really enjoyed the first book of the series, but personally, I think this sequel is even better. I was in the mood for a good sci-fi novel and this book definitely delivered. It's entertaining, fast paced and intelligent.

After failing to escape The Cage in book one, Cora and her friends are scattered throughout a space station, where they're being held as prisoners. Mali, Lucky and Cora are prisoners of The Hunt, a safari and bar where some of the Kindred come to be entertained, while Rolf and expectant mother Nok are playing house while being scientifically scrutinized as part of an alien study. Leon could be considered the lucky one, still prisoner of the space station, but free to roam the ducts and working as a black market agent for Bonebreak, a Mosca. This unlikely band of humans was originally placed together in a cage, but now, despite being separated, they still form a strong bond. I think it shows the importance of solidarity and of human connection when it comes to surviving.

Despite the story being told from multiple views, Cora remains the main character, like she was in the first book. She's being trained by Cassian, a Kindred, in order to enter The Gauntlet, a series of tests that allow subjects to prove their race's intelligence. So far, there are only four intelligent species: Kindred, Mosca, Axion and Gatherers. Cassian, and a few other Kindreds, strongly believe in the Fifth of Five initiative; they strongly believe humans are the fifth intelligent race and he has made it his duty to help Cora pass the Gauntlet. If she succeeds, only then will humans be set free and no longer be slaves. In order to survive the Gauntlet, Cora must train her telekinesis abilities, but with such little time to get ready, she believes the only way to pass is by cheating.

The relationship between Cora and Cassian is a very interesting one. The Kindred are known to be a very cold race, rarely showing emotions, even when "uncloaked." Cassian has studied Cora for a while now, both on Earth and in the cage and it seems like he has developed some strong feelings for his research subject. Originally, Cora and Lucky were abducted as a mating pair, but a strong bond has formed between the alien and Cora. Some people might scream Stockholm syndrome, but I really believe there's something more to it. Cora seems to be using Cassian's feelings to take advantage of the situation, and even now, I have no clue what her true feelings are for her "captor." She probably has no clue how she feels either.

Lucky's story is a sad one. He truly believes he has a duty to protect and save the animals of the safari. He sees them as prisoners too, caged like he and his friends. They're all being used for entertainment or for research, and as fellow beings of Earth, he forms a strong bond with the animals under his care. While Cora might be the leader and the heart of the group, Lucky is the moral one. I wish Cora and Lucky could have discussed and planned more together, to avoid all the trouble they seem to be accumulating.

Ultimately, The Hunt, like The Cage, is a game of survival and human perseverance. The flow of the story is great, the characters are wonderful and I really like the direction the story is heading. I strongly recommend this book to any lover of YA science fiction books. I will definitely be looking out for book 3 next year!

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by Tynga at Monday, June 13, 2016

 Alien, Balzer amp; Bray, Harper Collins, megan shepherd, Purchased, Review, sci-fi, slave, The Cage  Leave your mark

✎

The Crown by Kiera Cass

The Crown is the last book of this series, and while it isn't the greatest ending, I think it gives us better closure than the third book (the series was originally meant to be a trilogy). I've never really been a big fan of this series. I've always felt like the writing was immature and the character were never the greatest, but I've always been curious about the story. Almost like you can't help but slow down and look at the car crash.

Eadlyn Schreave is the heir to the throne of Illéa, the country that was once USA, Canada and Mexico (yes, I know, unrealistic and will never happen). She was born to rule, and although she knew she would eventually have to choose a suitor to help her do so, she never thought she would be force to choose someone so quickly. The selection was meant to help her find a husband, but for Eadlyn, it just seems to have made things more complicated. She's forced to go on awkward dates, to keep her country apprised on the progress of the selection, all while running the country as her father, the King, temporarily steps down to take care of her sick mother. She was able to it cut down to the top six quite easily, but she still hesitates to give her heart out to anyone. Raised to one day be ruler, she has always kept her feelings to herself, which is making it difficult to find someone to love.

Personally, I'm disappointed in final book of this series. Eadlyn fell short as a main character in the previous book and I thought she would redeem herself in this one. Her suitors also felt flat. There wasn't any real connection between them. She does end up falling in love with the most unlikely boy, but it doesn't feel real. I feel like it happened too quickly, like there isn't anything holding them together except a few awkward moments and a few stolen kisses. I actually thought there was a better connection with another boy but she dismissed him completely, actually banning him from the palace.

My favorite scene is near the end, the one between Eadlyn and her father, King Maxon. I think it's the most touching and insightful scene of the book. For once, Eadlyn shows some real emotion and finally gathers her courage to make a decision for her happiness, not just because it's the right choice for her country. I admire her for following her heart for once. I also admire the major decision she makes for the future of her country. It might be an unconventional choice in a time of turmoil, but ultimately, I think she did the right choice.

This series has been fun for the most part, but it's definitely not my favorite. More conflict, more struggles and better a execution would have been necessary in order to make it great. After five books, the writing and the characters still feel immature and unpolished. I love Eadlyn's final speech, and I think it's a good ending to a mediocre series, but ultimately, I regret having invested so much time in this series.

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by Tynga at Monday, May 09, 2016

 Dystopian, Futuristic, Harper Collins, Harper Teen, HarperTeen, Kiera Cass, Purchased, Review, royal, The Selection  Leave your mark

✎

The Siren by Kiera Cass

 

There seems to be a lot of mixed reviews about this book. Unfortunately, I agree with many reviewers that The Siren isn't really worth the read. I wanted to give it a chance since it was independently published back in 2009 and now recently republished by HarperTeen. I figured that meant it was a good story and worth polishing up to publish it the traditional way. Despite the fact the writing was cleaned up and the cover was given a makeover, I was very disappointed with the book. The mythology behind the Ocean and the existence of sirens was promising, but the main character Kahlen and her story were uninteresting and flat.

Kahlen has only 20 years left in her 100 year sentence as a siren and she has always followed the Ocean's rules. She's counting down the years until she's free from the Ocean demands, despite the fact the Ocean has been her "mother" for years. How she can love the Ocean when she's forced to kill with her song for her will remain a mystery to me. The story behind the mythology is that the Ocean needs to feed off human lives in order to survive. She uses the sirens to lure people to their demise and in return for 100 years of servitude, the sirens are given a new chance at life. I can understand Kahlen's melancholy because I would hate being forced to murder thousands of people to keep the Ocean alive. The idea of sacrificing a few for the many is unethical, especially since the sacrificed are chosen at random.

Kahlen's constant depression is lifted when she meets a boy named Akinli, and since it's against the rules to speak to any human, she tries to ignore him at first. Strong feelings develop between the two and after only a few days, Kahlen is convinced she's in love. Loving a boy is something the Ocean would absolutely disprove of, so she runs away from this "amazing" boy in order to keep him alive. Kahlen falls back into depression and most of the story is spent reading her inner turmoil about how she hates killing people and wished she could live out her normal human life now, instead of waiting another 20 years. The only thing that makes the story bearable is the Ocean and Kahlen's siren sisters. Elizabeth, Miaka, Aisling and Padma each have their own story, and honestly, any of their stories would have been better than Kahlen's. For reasons unknown, we ended up with the story of the most boring siren.

The personification of the Ocean was the only thing I liked about the book (that and the cover, but that doesn't really count). I enjoyed how the sirens try to teach the Ocean how to love and explain Kahlen's pain. The mystery behind the Ocean is constant, which makes it an intriguing character throughout the book.

The majority of the time, I don't mind first point of view books, but in this case, it wasn't the best method to tell Kahlen's story. The end of the book focused on Kahlen's return to human life, but that meant forgetting everything about being a siren. How can the story be written in the first person, when all is forgotten in the end? It just doesn't make sense.

There are so many things wrong with this book, especially the boring main character. The unrealistic love story is another disappointing factor and if the author would have taken more time developing this relationship, I think it might have been a little more genuine. It takes more than a quick dance and cake to fall in love. True fans of Kiera Cass might enjoy The Siren, but for any other reader, I would stay clear of this book. If you're intrigued, head for the library instead of the bookstore.

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by Tynga at Monday, February 01, 2016

 Harper Collins, HarperTeen, Kiera Cass, Purchased, Review, siren, young adult  2 People left their mark

✎

Insurgent by Veronica Roth (second opinion)

This is the second book in the  Divergent Series by Veronica Roth.  The review will definitely touch on subjects that are major plot points in the first book.  So, if you are not a big fan of spoilers and think you may want to read this book, stop reading this review here.  You can always read the review of Divergent and decide to read the book and then read this review later.

By the end of the first book, Tris and Tobias (Four) had shut down the Erudite's simulation they were using to control the Dauntless (at least those who weren't Divergent).  They were not in time to save a great many Abnegation (including Tris' mom and dad) that were slaughtered during that invasion.  This was all done with the bonus task of bringing Tobias out of a simulation that was engineered to worked on Divergents.  This brings us to the point where Tris and Tobias try to rally support from all the other factions as well as the Factionless.

I really liked the first book.  Maybe it was the clear and concise goals  and the movement towards them that seemed to be set out for the characters.  Maybe it was the rhythm of the story and the feeling of always climbing towards a greater reveal or resolution.  It might have been the interesting introduction and exposition of each of the principle characters in the story.  It was likely a combination of all these factors that I felt were done well in the first book yet, lacking in the second.

Character development was a bit stifled in the second book.  There were a handful of new characters brought in but, none of them seemed to be brought to life quite in the same way the ones in the first book had.  As far as already established characters like Tris, Tobias and Caleb were concerned, there was some continuing development and growth though not enough to keep my interest up.  Some characters were so incomplete I kept confusing them with each other.

Part of my problem with the characters could have been rooted in the slow pace of the story as a whole.  Where the first book climbed a spiral staircase of events and revelations to and ultimate event, the second book felt mired in trying to accomplish a single goal.  Maybe that was on purpose and the author was trying to express the futility of the struggle.  I really don't think that's the case.  Either way,  it leaves plenty of time for readers to grow bored with the progress of the protagonists and look for more exciting selections.

As a whole,  Insurgent is not a bad addition to the series.  It just suffers from being the slower, more deliberative sequel used to get readers ready for the more thrilling conclusion in the third of the series.  It does have some very graphic violence and the interpersonal is getting a lot more personal in spots.  All of which lands this one as solid PG13.

 

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by Tynga at Wednesday, January 27, 2016

 Divergent, Dystopian, Harper Collins, Love amp; Romance, Purchased, Review, Veronica Roth, young adult  2 People left their mark

✎

Magonia by Maria Dahvana Headley

Magonia is a magnificent and exceptional debut novel. That said, it's not a book that will be enjoyed by everyone. I think it's meant for readers that are able to look beyond the physical world and are able to stretch their imagination. I mean, there's bird people, skyships, floating cities in the sky and talking birds. Lots of birds. But it's also about strong human connections, family and love. It's beautifully written and evokes strong emotions throughout the story.

Oddly enough, the first third of the book could have been compared to any contemporary young adult novels. It reminds me of The Fault In Our Stars, because Aza Ray is living on borrowed time. Despite her fragile body, she's a spunky 15 year old full of angst and unafraid to use her medical condition to get into trouble or cause some disturbances in school. Her lungs have a hard time transporting oxygen into her blood, making it very hard for her to breathe and do pretty much anything a normal teen might want to do. Doctors are barely able to keep her alive since they're pretty much clueless about what she has. Actually, there's no precedent so they named the disease after her. With her being the only patient with this disease, there's obviously no cure.

The first third of the book is where we meet Aza and her best friend Jason. They're almost always together, and have been friend since Aza's fifth birthday. Both are very analytical and intelligent, so when Aza starts seeing airships floating in the clouds and hearing her name whispered on the wind, they wave it off as hallucinations or try to find a scientific explanation for everything. Aza is on so many different medication that any of them could be making her see things. However, Aza can't help but feel something is coming.

When you hit the 100 page mark, everything shifts from a realistic world to a fantasy world filled with airships, bird people and magic songs. And for the first time since she can remember, Aza can actually breathe normally. Obviously her world is turned upside down and she sets off on a grand adventure. However, she can't help but feel homesick. She misses her mother, her father and her sister, but most of all, she misses Jason. She never got the chance to tell him how she felt and now that she's separated from her childhood life, she knows it will take a miracle for her to ever see her loved ones again.

I don't want to reveal to much about the plot because it deserves to be experienced first hand. I love the fantasy world Maria Dahvana Headley created and because the characters are so analytical, we're almost led to believe that this fantasy world is actually plausible. So many themes emerge throughout the book, like family ties, teenage death, teenage romance, industrialism and its effects on the environment, and so much more. The book has been compared to Neil Gaiman and I completely agree with the comparison, so any fan of the genre and his writing will undoubtably enjoy this debut novel.

https://youtu.be/3Yh7L8BIJBs

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by Tynga at Monday, January 04, 2016

 Fantasy, Harper Collins, Magic, Magonia, Maria Dahvana Headley, Purchased, Review, shapeshifters, skyships, young adult  1 Person left their mark

✎

Ten Thousand Skies Above You by Claudia Gray

The second book in the Firebird series by Claudia Gray, Ten Thousand Skies Above You is as confusing and as thrilling as the first book. It's not just a book about travelling and exploring different dimensions but it's also a love story and a mystery-thriller all at once. The first book of the series caught my attention because of it's amazing world-building and great story. This second one has me hooked because of all the new details added to dimension traveling and to the to the characters.

Often, book lovers tend to be disappointed with sequels because the first books always seem to be better. Everything is always so new, and fresh in the first book, that we can't help but be disappointed  with the sequel because the new factor isn't there anymore. In Ten Thousand Skies Above You, because we're constantly travelling in different worlds, and meeting new versions of the same people, things are always new and thrilling. I can't speak for everyone, but I love reading scenes where two characters meet for the first time. In this sequel, there are countless "new" meetings, and even if it makes things a little bit confusing, it's still very engaging.

This book follows Marguerite Caine through seven different multiverses (including her home world) where she takes "possession" of different version of her own body. Her main goal is to locate Paul Markov in four of these worlds since her "original" Paul Markov's soul was splintered into four different parts. This splintering was done purposely so that one of her enemies could blackmail her into doing  some of his dirty work. Because she loves Paul, Marguerite would do just about anything in order to save her version of him. By travelling in different multiverses, she discovers darker versions of her boyfriend, which leads her to guess some of Paul's dark secrets that he never talks about.

Despite very few scenes between Marguerite and her own version of Paul, I would definitely classify this book as a romance. Travelling through different worlds in order to save your boyfriend is pretty daring and courageous. Marguerite encounters many different problems, such as a medieval world, a war-torn America, Russian mobsters in New York and a dog-eat-dog futuristic world. However, the worse verse is probably the safest one where Marguerite's family hates Paul for what he's done to her. Despite the difficulties in each world, Marguerite is even more determined to make her relationship with Paul world. In every world, fate always seems to bring her and Paul together, and Marguerite is sure that this means they're destined to be together.

Despite Marguerite and Paul's relationship, Marguerite spends the whole book travelling with Theo, Paul's best friend and fellow PhD candidate. He also happens to be in love with Marguerite too, but would do anything to bring back Paul. However, his travelling with Marguerite isn't entirely selfless since he is also trying to gain access to a cure from from his condition that was caused by a drug called the Nightthief. That drug is used to help the multiverse traveller stay in charge of the host body, instead of having the original consciousness take over.

I love how the author created this world as if it's completely possible. The scientists that created the Firebirds, the devices that allow to travel between worlds, are very realistic. These scientists just happen to be Marguerite's parents. They're not your cold, heartless scientists, but wonderful and caring parents. They might not be the ideal role models with their eccentric parenting methods and ideas but they have a strong presence in Marguerite's life. It's nice to read a book where there's no angst between teens and parents. It's actually quite refreshing.

Overall, this sequel was wonderful and well written. Sure, it might be a young adult novel with a dreaded love triangle, but honestly you really can't make assumptions based on those two things. The storytelling is great, and obviously, with the seven multiverses in this book alone, the author has spent a great deal thinking and detailing her worlds. Any geek interested in alternate realities or fans of science fiction will enjoy this series. Incidentally, I'm not a big fan of the cliffhanger at the end of the book, but I can look passed that little annoyance...

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by Tynga at Thursday, December 31, 2015

 Claudia Gray, Firebird, Harper Collins, Harper Teen, HarperTeen, Multi-dimension, Purchased, Review, Science Fiction, Science-Fiction, young adult  2 People left their mark

✎

Divergent by Veronica Roth (second opinion)

A young person who has the feeling of not quite fitting in.  Not even at home does this person feel comfortable or truly accepted.  Then comes a crucial moment where one decision could lead to fulfillment or even worse disappointment and failure.  Beatrice finds herself in just that moment as this story begins.

This is one of those stories that is primarily character driven.  Many may say that with all that is going on around Beatrice, or Tris as she is later named, that it is plot focused.  This book spent a great deal of time defining the main character and her change from Beatrice to Tris.  Along with Tris, we get learn about her family and fellow initiates.  It is the initiates where we start to get a feeling for not only who they are but, who Tris is as well as who she is becoming.  I will admit, there are some archetypes that border on stereotypes in this book.  Most of those are clearly for plot development and don't require real character development so, I tend to overlook them.

Ordinarily, I like to have, as I put it, texture in a story.  I like the author to pain a picture with words that gives me texture, smell and sound so I can feel the world of the book.  This book does not do that because, it does not need to.  It's one of those exceptions that makes the rule.  The lack of these stimuli tends to highlight some of the bleaker parts of the narrative and help the reader stay focused on what is important: the characters.  That said, we do get a feel for Tris' world as well as an understanding how it has helped shape her outlook as well as those around her.

While this is a character driven story, that doesn't mean it is bereft of story.  It has a modern take on a few tropes we've seen in the past but, they are handled well for the most part.  I won't go into the twist and turns that comes with this type of social/political intrigue because that's where much of the entertainment is.

Though these are not new ideas for a story, in Divergent by Veronica Roth they are brought together in a way to make an engaging tale.  It is a thought provoking tale that I would recommend for anybody high school age and above.  There is violence in it but, none that is glorified which in my mind earns it a PG13.

 

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by Tynga at Wednesday, November 04, 2015

 Divergent, Dystopian, Harper Collins, Purchased, Review, Veronica Roth, young adult  Leave your mark

✎

Nimona by Noelle Stevenson

Honestly, I don't read many graphic novels or comic books, so I'm probably not the best reviewer for this book. However, since Nimona exceeded my expectations, I decided to share my thoughts on this surprisingly funny and charming story. In my opinion, the actual story line was original and the characters were well developed for a graphic novel.

Nimona is a shapeshifting supervillain who imposes her services on Lord Ballister Blackheart in the first pages of the book. Although Blackheart is hesitant at first, they slowly built a strong working relationship. Despite his name, Blackheart isn't all that evil and the bad reputation he has, only comes from the fact that his nemesis is the hero of the city, Sir Goldenloin. The rivalry is old, dating back to when they were both training together to become knights. Every villain needs a good back story, and while Blackheart's is typical, it does explain why he does the things he does. But it doesn't really explain his fascination with science... (On a side note, my favorite quote from the book is "Halt, you villains! Unhand that science!")

Nimona is obviously the star of the book, despite being the sidekick. I love this quirky girl who has a hard time following the rules, and while her ability to shapeshift into any animal, human or beast she wants is exceptional, we don't realize how special she is until the very end of the story. I'm not quite sure why she's absolutely set on being a sidekick while she could wreck havoc very well all on her own, but I think it's because she craves companionship, even if the only villain available is grumpy Blackheart.

Knights, lasers, dragons, science, magic! Oh my! So many awesome things. The author definitely has an overactive imagination to come up with something so epic and humorous. Her unique drawing style is fun and I love the subtle changes in color palettes throughout the novel. I also appreciate how Nimona's human form changes ever so slightly as the story progresses. One thing I dislike is the font. The size varies from chapter to chapter and sometimes the letters are so small that it's really hard to read certain words.

I would definitely recommend this book to anyone interested in graphic novels or epic adventures. This isn't your typical comic, and while it might be intended for a younger audience, adults can most certainly enjoy it too.

Read the first three chapters

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by Tynga at Monday, October 19, 2015

 Graphic Novel, Harper Collins, HarperTeen, Library, Noelle Stevenson, Review, Shapeshifter  2 People left their mark

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The Heir by Kiera Cass

There's something gripping and tantalizing about this series. Even if it's not amazing literature, and even if the story isn't all that original, there's something that keeps me coming back for more. The author couldn't finish this series in three books, like it was originally made out to be. She continued her story by reintroducing us to her world, 20 years after the third book ended. Illéa has changed but nothing much is different. Even though King Maxon has removed the caste system, people are still being judged and aren't satisfied with the prejudice and everything that is going on. The citizens are angry and some are even rioting against the monarchy and the invisible castes.

Worse, the people don't seem to like the heir very much. Princess Eadlyn comes off as cold, hard and lacking in emotion. Any royal that is born to rule should have a thick skin in order to deal with everyday life but in Eadlyn's case, it doesn't make her a very likable person. In order to create peace and to calm the riots, Eadlyn and her parent have come up with a probable solution: The Selection. In this case, instead of girls being invited to the palace, this time 35 boys are invited to meet and live with Eadlyn in hope that one of them becomes the next prince. At first, Eadlyn isn't too crazy about the idea but she agrees that it's a good one.

Honestly, I'm not a huge fan of Eadlyn. She does come off a little bratty and selfish but she really doesn't do it on purpose. She was raised to rule a country and she always thought she would have to be strong and unemotional. However, the selection shows her that she has a hard time trusting strangers and sharing her emotions, even with boys she might end up falling in love with. The thick skin she always thought she needed might be her downfall because passion is one thing she never thought she would need as a ruler, but it seems to be what her subjects are requiring.

The book leaves us confused because it's hard to read Eadlyn's thoughts. She was able to weed through the undesirable selection candidates, but from what's left, she has many great candidates. I guess you could say she has some favorites, boys she's gets along with, but despite all her efforts to date and get to know them, she's no closer to finding love. She is committed to finding someone that will help her rule but hopefully she makes the right choice and her people learn to love her for who she is.

I'm definitely going to read the next and final book of the series. I'm curious about who she will choose as her prince. THE HEIR, like all the other books in this series, is a great book to get your mind off things. The plot may be simple but the teen drama is really entertaining. If you're in the mood for a good teen drama or have an addiction to the reality TV show The Bachelor/The Bachelorette, you might want to consider this for your next read.

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by Tynga at Monday, October 05, 2015

 Dystopian, Futuristic, Harper Collins, HarperTeen, Kiera Cass, Library, Princess, Review, The Selection  2 People left their mark

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