Revived by Cat Patrick

5 out of 5 stars


Summary: Fifteen year old high school student Daisy has died five times. Minutes after each death she was brought back to life by a new, experimental drug called Revive.

Daisy has been involved in the Revive program since she was very little. As a child, her and twenty other kids were involved in a bus crash. They all died, but Revive was used to bring them back. Since Daisy was an orphan at the time, she was taken in by two government agents.

Each time Daisy dies, her and her family are forced to relocate to a different state. For Daisy, this means a new last name and deleting every trace of herself from her old life. After an accident involving a rather nasty bee sting, Daisy is forced to relocate from Frozen Hills, Michigan to Omaha, Nebraska.

Once in Omaha, Daisy decides to acclimate herself and finally make some friends. On her first day of school she meets a girl named Audrey, and a mysterious boy named Matt. These ties force her to begin questioning her life for the first time. Is the Revive program really all that it appears, or is there something darker going on beneath the surface?

Opinion: As you can probably ascertain from my five star rating, I really enjoyed this novel. The premise was original, and the plot never went in the direction I assumed it would go. All-in-all, it kept me on my toes and made me want to keep reading. After each chapter I found myself saying "Okay, just one more!" even though it was already past midnight and I had to get up early the next morning.

Yet another of the pros I felt this book held is that it is a stand-alone. Lately it seems as if the YA genre is completely bogged down with trilogies, or more. It is very refreshing when an author is able to tie up the loose ends in a satisfying way, making it so there is no need for further installments. Cat Patrick succeeds at this task, and although I wouldn't mind another novel from Daisy's POV (or perhaps from one of the other subjects in the Revive program?), it is completely unnecessary.

Overall this novel was just about perfect. The premise, plot, twists, and characters kept me intrigued from the first to last page. I especially loved the character of Megan, Daisy's transgender BFF and fellow Revive test subject. I would recommend this book to readers 12 and up, because it does contain some subject matter that might not be suitable for middle grade readers or younger.

-Sam

New Dystopian Series!

The Chemical Garden trilogy by Lauren DeStefano

Summary: In Rhine Ellery's world the women die at age 20, while the men live only to be 25. Ever since a lab explosion killed both of her parents four years previously, Rhine and her twin brother Rowan have been fending for themselves. One day Rhine is snatched up by a group of men called Gatherers. These men then sell her to a wealthy Housemaster in order to become one of his brides. Because of the short lifespan of all the men and women, polygamy has become the norm, and birth control has been made illegal in a last ditch effort at keeping the human race afloat. Now Rhine, trapped in a life she never wanted, has to find a way to escape and get back to her brother, before her life runs out.

Opinion: When I first heard of Wither (book one of the trilogy), I was immediately intrigued by the premise. Though not wholly original in itself, I had yet to read anything quite like it within the YA genre. I put off reading it for sometime, because other books seemed to take precedent. Last week I hit a bit of a slump and waiting for a different book to be released that was on my 'to-read' list, so in the meantime I decided to finally pick this one up. After the first 30 pages or so I found myself silently chastising myself for not reading it sooner! Though a bit of a slow burner at times, author Lauren DeStefano is able to completely immerse you in Rhine's world and her plight. Throughout the book I grew seriously attached to the characters, and whenever anything bad happened (as it always does within the dystopian subgenre) I would grow anxious. 

The sequel to Wither, entitled Fever was of course the very next book I decided to read. Having literally just finished it a couple hours ago, I can say that it lived up to my expectations wholeheartedly. There was more character development, more twists, and more intrigue. The worst part about having finished is knowing I have to wait until next year for the third and final installment (as yet to be titled). 

In conclusion, I believe that these are perfect books to get anyone out of a reading slump, or if you're just in the mood for some good ol' dystopian YA lit. 

Recommended for fans of:

• The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins
• XVI by Julia Karr
• Delirium by Lauren Oliver
• Birthmarked by Caragh M. O'Brien
• Unwind by Neil Shusterman

Fear by Michael Grant

My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Five books in and this series has never once disappointed me. Fear was everything I had been anticipating it to be and more. Everything I loved about the first four novels seemed to be amped up in this installment. From the violence, horror, and utter terror to even the sadness and the romance. I feel like I know all of these characters so well by now, that whenever something bad happens I tend to take it personally.

A few things about Fear that I loved in particular are:

1. Getting to see what is happening outside of the FAYZ.

2. Learning what really happened to Little Pete/how the barrier was formed.

3. Everything involving the gaiaphage.

4. Sam and Astrid's relationship.

5. Seeing all the different ways life in the FAYZ continues to evolve and horrify.

The only thing that bothered me about this book is that we only have one more left before the series is complete :( I honestly think that if there were an indefinite number of them, I would read them all well into old age. Excited, yet sad, for the release of Light next year!

View all my reviews

The Fault in Our Stars by John Green

5 out of 5 stars

 Diagnosed with Stage IV thyroid cancer at 12, Hazel was prepared to die until, at 14, a medical miracle shrunk the tumours in her lungs... for now.

Two years post-miracle, sixteen-year-old Hazel is post-everything else, too; post-high school, post-friends and post-normalcy. And even though she could live for a long time (whatever that means), Hazel lives tethered to an oxygen tank, the tumours tenuously kept at bay with a constant chemical assault.

Enter Augustus Waters. A match made at cancer kid support group, Augustus is gorgeous, in remission, and shockingly to her, interested in Hazel. Being with Augustus is both an unexpected destination and a long-needed journey, pushing Hazel to re-examine how sickness and health, life and death, will define her and the legacy that everyone leaves behind.

-Synopsis (Taken from GoodReads, as I tend to spoil some of the book when I write my own).

Under the Never Sky by Veronica Rossi

5 out of 5 stars

Since she'd been on the outside, she'd survived an Aether storm, she'd had a knife held to her throat, and she'd seen men murdered. This was worse.

Exiled from her home, the enclosed city of Reverie, Aria knows her chances of surviving in the outer wasteland - known as The Death Shop - are slim. If the cannibals don't get her, the violent, electrified energy storms will. She's been taught that the very air she breathes can kill her. Then Aria meets an Outsider named Perry. He's wild - a savage - and her only hope of staying alive.

A hunter for his tribe in a merciless landscape, Perry views Aria as sheltered and fragile - everything he would expect from a Dweller. But he needs Aria's help too; she alone holds the key to his redemption. Opposites in nearly every way, Aria and Perry must accept each other to survive. Their unlikely alliance forges a bond that will determine the fate of all who live under the never sky.

-Book summary (taken from GoodReads)

This novel was fantastic. There is not much I can say about it without revealing spoilers, but reading it was such a delight. Loved the plot, setting, and especially the characters. I cannot wait for the next one!

Shatter Me by Tahereh Mafi

4 out of 5 stars

Seventeen year old Juliette has spent the last three years locked away in an asylum for a crime she didn't mean to commit. Meanwhile, amidst environmental turmoil, the world began to change; causing crops and animals to die and people to starve. 

Enter the Reestablishment. This government organization is meant to aid the world by giving it structure and helping the rest of the population to survive by any means necessary.

Back in her cell, Juliette gets a surprise when one day she gets a cellmate. A young boy named Adam, who she remembers from her past. However, Juliette is keeping a secret. The secret behind her solitary confinement: her touch is lethal. She doesn't know why, but ever since she was little, people have kept their distance for fear of her touch. 

As mysteries start to unfold, the Reestablishment begin to show interest in Juliette... as the ultimate weapon. 

There has been a ton of buzz on this novel within the YA community, so I just knew I had to pick it up. I was not disappointed. Although at some points the novel feels a little heavy-handed in its writing style, it is incredibly fast paced and the storyline is fantastic. I'm definitely looking forward to the next installments (yes, this is book one in the start of a new trilogy), and can't wait to see how the storyline will progress.

Ashfall by Mike Mullen

5 out of 5 stars

Life as fifteen year old Alex knows it ends with the eruption of a super-volcano at Yellowstone National Park. The aftermath of the eruption reaches Alex's home all the way in Cedar Falls, Iowa and lays waste to most of the United States. Crops are dead, and the animals are fast following suit due to a disease from breathing in the ash. The world is starving. Now, fighting for survival in this all too real apocalyptic landscape, Alex must make his way to the city of Warren in Illinois to reunite with his family.

Along the way, Alex meets a girl named Darla. Having lived on a farm her entire life, Darla is the epitome of a badass survivor chick. She is inventive, strong willed, and saves Alex from death more than once. It was really refreshing to read such a strong willed female character. Together, they form a great team that is reminiscent of Katniss and Peeta from The Hunger Games.

I have to say, I adored this book. Apocalypse plots have been done many times over, but for me this one felt fresh, and hauntingly realistic. However, I must caution that this novel seems to be gear toward the older teen demographic. Although I don't remember there being a lot of bad language, it depicts very violent action sequences in detail, and there is some sexuality. Overall, for being near the 500 page mark, Ashfall is a very quick, fast paced read that had me wanting to devour it from page one. I'm eagerly awaiting the sequel Ashen Winter that is due out in October 2012.

Beautiful Chaos (Caster Chronicles #3) by Kami Garcia and Margaret Stohl.

3 out of 5 stars

The latest installment of the Caster Chronicles shows Ethan Wate and Lena Ravenwood trying to find some normalcy in their totally abnormal world. After the disastrous event at the Great Barrier, things have been strange in Gatlin. The heat weighs on everyone like a blanket, insects are rampant, and the lake has dried up. According to some members of the community, these are signs of the apocalypse. It is up to Ethan and Lena, along with their friends, to discover the truth and set things right. To restore Order.

I have to admit, it took a bit for me to fully immerse myself in this book. Unlike the first two installments, I wasn't automatically gripped. I feel as if a lot of the novel was filler, and could have been at least one hundred pages shorter without the plot changing one bit. I also felt that the mystery was a bit too obvious, so the big reveal didn't pack as much of a punch for me as I feel like the authors intended.

Having said all these things, I did like the book overall. It did well to expand the mythos in the series, and toward the end there were a few points where I felt a little misty-eyed. The characters are also still true to form, and the Link/Ridley storyline is as entertaining as ever. All in all, I am looking forward to book four, which will hopefully bring about more closure, since Beautiful Chaos seemed like a set up for this novel, rather than something worthy of its own book.

Prized by Caragh M. O'Brien

My rating: 4 of 5 stars

When I first picked up Birthmarked, I was in a reading slump and the synopsis was was the first to ignite my interest in quite awhile. From the first page I was hooked, and upon finishing I was eager to begin the second. Prized, the second book in the Birthmarked trilogy, did not disappoint.

Young Gaia Stone, along with her newborn baby sister, Maya, have been traveling through the desolate Wasteland for about a month. One day, when Gaia thought all hope was lost, she and Maya are rescued by a young man on horseback. They are then taken to a small town called Sylum. The town is ruled by women, and men are subservient.

Learning to adapt to this strange new town is no easy feat for Gaia, as she is forced to change her entire way of thinking. When a person from her past shows up, it throws the entire town of Sylum out of balance, and it is up to Gaia Stone to put it right.

View all my reviews

Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children by Ransom Riggs

My rating: 5 of 5 stars


Ransom Riggs' novel Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children was a fast paced, fascinating read. The "found photos" interspersed within the chapters were awesome. It really added a deeper level to the story and made it so I was able to visualize everything much more clearly in my mind. The monsters are truly scary, and the children truly extraordinary.

From the first page I was completely entranced by the story and characters, and since the ending set up quite nicely for many sequels, I'm looking forward to any subsequent books. I also feel that since it is one week before Halloween, it is the perfect book if you're looking for a spooky pick!



View all my reviews

Lost in Time by Melissa de la Cruz

My rating: 3 of 5 stars


I first got hooked into the Blue Bloods series my junior year of high school. Vampires had just started to become a craze, and I thought Melissa de la Cruz's take on them was very original. However, now six books and one novella in, I've just been reading them for the sake of finishing the series.

There were times throughout this book when I was so annoyed with the main protagonist (Schuyler Van Alen) that I began longing for the chapters featuring the ever sarcastic Fallen angel Mimi Force. While overall I did enjoy the book, to me it was just "okay". Two of the biggest positives to this series is the humor and the interesting twist on mythology. The biggest negative would be that even for a shorter book, it still seemed to be about 100 pages too long for the limited amount of events.

Though this review seems a bit harsh, I am looking forward to the final installment in the Blue Bloods series.




View all my reviews

Short but sweet

A Monster Calls by Patrick Ness

My rating: 5 of 5 stars


Everyone needs to read this book. It was perfect and can be finished in one sitting. I cried.



View all my reviews

Following Christopher Creed by Carol Plum-Ucci

As a huge fan of the book The Body of Christopher Creed (pub. 2000), I felt a mixture of excitement and trepidation when I first learned of a sequel being published. Ever since reading it, the first book has stuck with me and remains one of my absolute favorites.

Now, published over a decade later, Following Christopher Creed picks off five years after the events in the first novel. Ever since young Christopher Creed ran away from home, the small town of Steepleton has been wrought with despair. Cancer and car accident rates are at an all-time high, more kids are turning down the path of drugs, and Christopher's family have yet to recover their loss.

College journalism student Mike Mavic has been obsessed with the Christopher Creed case ever since Chris's classmate Torey Adams launched a website chronicling his experiences with the mystery surrounding Chris's disappearance. After a dead body is uncovered in Steepleton, Mike, along with his girlfriend RayAnn, sells his laptop and travels there, in an attempt to get the story of a lifetime. Is this the body of Christopher Creed? Or is it yet another victim of Steepleton?

I'll admit, this novel was hard to get into at first. Because of its content, it was a bit of a slow burner. Lots of information, not a lot of action. Halfway through it definitely started to pick up the pace, but I still wasn't completely sold. Here was this great potential for a sequel to a book that is much loved, and I felt the author was wasting it with a bunch of pointless exposition. Then came the ending, which completely blew me away and caused me to completely reevaluate the entire novel.

Though it does work as a stand-alone, I'd recommend this book to all lovers of The Body of Christopher Creed and urge anyone who picks this up, but is struggling to get through it, to finish. The ending will not disappoint, and it made me want to do an immediate reread! Since I have seen many posts online that list Following Christopher Creed as the Steepleton Chronicles #2, here's to hoping Carol Plum-Ucci has number three in the works. There are many characters whose stories have yet to get closure, and I'd love to read about them for many books to come.

-Sam

Bitter End by Jennifer Brown

"When Alex falls for the charming new boy at school, Cole -- a handsome, funny, sports star who adores her -- she can't believe she's finally found her soul mate... someone who truly loves and understands her.

At first, Alex is blissfully happy. Sure, Cole seems a little jealous of her relationship with her close friend Zack, but what guy would want his girlfriend spending all her time with another boy? As the months pass, though, Alex can no longer ignore Cole's small put-downs, pinches, or increasingly violent threats.

As Alex struggles to come to terms with the sweet boyfriend she fell in love with and the boyfriend whose "love" she no longer recognizes, she is forced to choose -- between her "true love" and herself." -Amazon product description

After reading, and loving, Jennifer Brown's debut novel Hate List I was eagerly awaiting another release from this great new author. Bitter End did not disappoint. Admittedly, it took me a little while to get fully immersed in the story. At first the story plays out in a fairly cliche fashion, but slowly it builds into a situation that is all too hauntingly real. Though I have never been in Alex's situation, I found her character to be very relatable.

This book, at times heartbreaking, leaves the reader asking themselves "What if?" or "What would I do if I was in an abusive relationship?". Due to the mature content, I would recommend Bitter End to older teen readers.


-Sam

Blood Ties (Blood Coven #6) by Mari Mancusi

WARNING: This recommendation contains slight spoilers, so if you haven't read the previous books & don't want to be spoiled, please read no further. If you don't mind slight spoilers, by all means continue :)

"Officially back in the arms of her vampire boyfriend Magnus, Sunny finds she still can't forget the gentle mortal Jayden who once saved her life. When darkness threatens to steal his humanity, Sunny must make a choice: stay true to her love, or defy him in a desperate attempt to save Jayden's soul.

Meanwhile, the Blood Coven is gearing up its toughest fight yet. They are going head-to-head with a splinter group of Slayer Inc. that's regrouping in Tokyo, Japan--still determined to take over the world.

In dark blood bars and hidden temples, it'll be vampires versus slayers in a showdown that could not only cost Sunny her heart...but also her life." -Amazon product description

This latest installment in the Blood Coven series was super fun! Clocking in at 231 pages, it's a pretty fast read. I'm sad that the next book Soul Bound (coming in 2012) will be the last one, because I would probably follow these characters forever. Full of hilarious, action packed scenes, I would definitely recommend this book to anyone who needs a bit of light reading, and likes their vampires with a bite!

-Sam

Oldie but Goodie!

Unwind by Neal Shusterman (pub. 2008)

This sci-fi/dystopian book is one that I randomly came across online as being highly recommended. The premise immediately sucked me in and although I have about one hundred pages left to read, this is already one of my favorite YA dystopian novels. Part of me is sad I didn't discover it sooner! A sequel titled Unwholly is set to be published in 2012.
 

Synopsis: "In a future world where those between the ages of thirteen and eighteen can have their lives 'unwound' and their body parts harvested for use by others, three teens go to extreme lengths to uphold their beliefs---and, perhaps, save their own lives."

Beauty Queens by Libba Bray

When a plane carrying contestants for the Miss Teen Dream pageant crashes on a remote island, the survivors face greater challenges than just finding food, shelter, and missing cosmetics.

Unbeknownst to the girls, the island is not deserted: its volcano houses a secret U.S.-government enclave involved in illegal weapons trading, and the cast grows further after some studly reality-TV pirates arrive on the scene. Outlandish? Yes. And there are characters that veer toward stereotype: take-charge Miss Texas, incognito-journalist Miss New Hampshire, and transgender Miss Rhode Island (who has a surprise under her sash), among others. But rather than letting the plot reel out of control, Bray, author of the Printz Award-winning Going Bovine (2009), spins this hilarious romp into an examination of femininity and feminism, sex and sexuality. And while they await rescue, the girls discover moving truths about themselves.

The text is interspersed with commercial breaks, contestant fact sheets, footnotes, radio broadcasts, and spoofs of reality TV and celebrity status, all of which add to the appeal of this sure-to-be popular title.

--Dobrez, Cind. Copyright 2010 Booklist Review

Divergent by Veronica Roth

The citizens of Chicago belong to five different factions. These factions all value different things. Abnegation values selflessness and therefore make up the government. Erudite values knowledge and intellect so they are the scientists, doctors, and scholars. Dauntless values bravery and fearlessness, which makes them the protectors. Candor values honesty, so that makes them good lawyers. Amity values peace, and though it isn't explicitly stated in the novel, I pictured them as being Amish-like.

Every year, the sixteen year olds from each faction participate in aptitude tests that determine which faction they are best suited. Once given the results and time to think, there is what is called the Choosing Ceremony where each individual decides to either stay with their birth faction, or abandon their old life to join a new one.

Sixteen year old Beatrice Prior was born into Abnegation. Her life has always been good -- her mother is kind and loving, her father holds a position of power in the city, and her brother Caleb is like her best friend. However, something has always been missing. Though she tries hard, Beatrice has never mastered complete selflessness. While she should only be thinking of others, she finds she thinks of herself all too often. On the day of her aptitude test, Beatrice's results are deemed "inconclusive".

In a world where everyone has their place, this is very very bad. 'Divergent' is what her examiner calls her, along with a warning that she should never tell people what she is, less she want to end up dead. Beatrice must then decide whether she wants to abandon her family and the only home she has ever known, or stay and hope to learn to be selfless.

I wholeheartedly loved this book. It's 487 pages, but is so fast-paced that it flies by in no time. By the end I was disappointed that I have to wait so long for the sequel! Roth paints a very vivid world, and it's also nice for anyone who has ever been to Chicago, because while being dystopian, the setting feels very familiar.

The main protagonist Beatrice is a fantastic character. She is very multi-faceted, relatable, and at times super badass. The central conflict of the story is very fascinating and I'm really eager to see how it will eventually resolve itself in the next installments. I also adore Beatrice's love interest. Definitely grabbing up the next book right when it comes out!

For fans of:
The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins
Birthmarked by Caragh O'Brien
Mortal Instruments series by Cassandra Claire
Chaos Walking trilogy by Patrick Ness
Uglies series by Scott Westerfeld 


-Sam

Chaos Walking Trilogy by Patrick Ness

If you're into science fiction, futuristic societies, dystopian lit, or just want a super awesome new book to read, I highly suggest picking up the Chaos Walking trilogy. In book one, The Knife of Never Letting Go, we're introduced to the main protagonist; a young boy named Todd only months away from his thirteenth birthday. This birthday will symbolize his assent from "boy" to "man".

Todd was born and raised in Prentisstown on New World. Ever since he was a baby, there have been no women in Prentisstown. A germ called "Noise" was said to have killed them off. Noise affects all people on New World and is an infection that causes a person to be able to hear the thoughts of another. New World is also the home to a race called the Spackle. Upon landing, the settlers from Earth at first lived in peace with the Spackle, but after awhile war broke out. The settlers were victorious and ever since no one has seen the Spackle (Todd has always been taught they were extinct).

One day while off hunting, Todd stumbles upon a spot of complete silence. In a world where everyone is constantly bombarded by the Noise of someone else's thoughts, this moment both astonishes and confuses Todd. Instantly, he discovers that the silence he is experiencing is because a girl is present. The first girl Todd has ever seen in his entire life. Todd soon realizes that the girl might be in mortal danger, because she begins to read Todd's thoughts (aka gets infected by the Noise germ) and no woman has survived the germ.

Through this book and its sequels The Ask and the Answer and Monsters of Men, Patrick Ness takes you on a journey to a whole new world with old world problems. It's definitely a morality tale and poses a lot of heavy questions. The plight of good vs evil comes into play many times, as does right vs wrong. There are moments of violence and some light cursing, so I would recommend that the reader be 12 and up.

I really want this trilogy to get more recognition. It takes you on a roller coaster ride of emotions and is entertaining from the first page of book one until the last page of book three. I also promise you at some point in the series, you WILL cry :) 

-Sam

Birthmarked by Caragh M. O'Brien

Set in the distant future, at a time where drastic climate change has left the world bleak and dry, seventeen year old Gaia Stone and her family have always served the Enclave.

Living outside the Enclave wall in the small town of Wharfton, her mother is a highly revered midwife. Gaia has been a midwife-in-training for many years. The first three babies born each month in Wharfton are given to the Enclave to be "advanced". One day, after delivering her first baby, Gaia goes home to discover an Enclave soldier in her living room. Her parents have been arrested, and it has something to do with the quota of babies that get delivered to the Enclave each month.

After her parents' arrest, Gaia slowly starts to unravel the mysteries and politics surrounding the Enclave, and everything she's ever known to be true comes into question. Her plan then is simple: rescue her parents from the Enclave prison and run away to the Dead Forest, a place where there is supposedly habitable life away from the oppression of the Enclave, but also a place many believe does not exist. She is thus captured and through a series of highly tense and action-packed events, befriends many unlikely people to aid her on her journey.

Birthmarked is the first installment in a new dystopian trilogy. I found myself drawn into Gaia's world from the first page, and eager to learn everything as she discovered the secrets of the Enclave. By the end I was pretty invested in the characters. Gaia Stone is one of the best female protagonists I've read in YA literature since Katniss Everdeen (The Hunger Games). The second installment, Prized, hits bookstores in November and it has become one of my most anticipated books for fall.

For fans of: 
The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins
Delirium by Lauren Oliver
The Maze Runner by James Dashner
Matched by Ally Condie
The Forest of Hands and Teeth by Carrie Ryan

 -Sam