Waiting on Wednesday: These Broken Stars

Waiting on Wednesday is a weekly event hosted by Breaking the Spine and spotlights upcoming novels we can't wait to read. This week’s choice is:

Title: These Broken Stars by Amie Kaufman and Meagan Spooner
Publisher: Disney Hyperion
Publish Date: Sept. 10, 2013
Genre: Science Fiction

Goodreads Summary: It's a night like any other on board the Icarus. Then, catastrophe strikes: the massive luxury spaceliner is yanked out of hyperspace and plummets into the nearest planet. Lilac LaRoux and Tarver Merendsen survive. And they seem to be alone.

Lilac is the daughter of the richest man in the universe. Tarver comes from nothing, a young war hero who learned long ago that girls like Lilac are more trouble than they’re worth. But with only each other to rely on, Lilac and Tarver must work together, making a tortuous journey across the eerie, deserted terrain to seek help.

Then, against all odds, Lilac and Tarver find a strange blessing in the tragedy that has thrown them into each other’s arms. Without the hope of a future together in their own world, they begin to wonder—would they be better off staying here forever?

Everything changes when they uncover the truth behind the chilling whispers that haunt their every step. Lilac and Tarver may find a way off this planet. But they won’t be the same people who landed on it.

The first in a sweeping science fiction trilogy, These Broken Stars is a timeless love story about hope and survival in the face of unthinkable odds.

I have been waiting on a cover for this forever and now that I see it, it is fabulous! Also, did this always have a December 2013 publishing date? I know I’ve been MIA recently (only because I’m a new mommy to one of the best babies ever) but I thought this was coming out sooner. Regardless of the publishing date, I am dying to read this book. What books are you waiting on?

Waiting on Wednesday: Inhuman

Waiting on Wednesday is a weekly event hosted by Breaking the Spine and spotlights upcoming novels we can't wait to read. This week’s choice is:

Title: Inhuman by Kat Falls
Publisher: Scholastic
Publish Date: March 2013
Genre: Science Fiction, Post Apocolyptic

Goodreads Summary: In a world ravaged by mutation, a teenage girl must travel into the forbidden Savage Zone to recover lost artifacts or her father’s life is forfeit.

America has been ravaged by a war that has left the eastern half of the country riddled with mutation. Many of the people there exhibit varying degrees of animal traits. Even the plantlife has gone feral.

Crossing from west to east is supposed to be forbidden, but sometimes it’s necessary. Some enter the Savage Zone to provide humanitarian relief. Sixteen-year-old Lane’s father goes there to retrieve lost artifacts—he is a Fetch. It’s a dangerous life, but rewarding—until he’s caught.

Desperate to save her father, Lane agrees to complete his latest job. That means leaving behind her life of comfort and risking life and limb—and her very DNA—in the Savage Zone. But she’s not alone. In order to complete her objective, Lane strikes a deal with handsome, roguish Rafe. In exchange for his help as a guide, Lane is supposed to sneak him back west. But though Rafe doesn’t exhibit any signs of “manimal” mutation, he’s hardly civilized . . . and he may not be trustworthy.

Why am I waiting on Inhuman? There are a ton of dystopian/post apocalyptic books out there vying for our attention but something about Inhuman intrigues me, possibly the mention of feral plant life? I’m definitely looking forward to reading this and I love the cover! What books are you waiting on?

Book Review: Timepiece

Title: Timepiece by Myra McEntire
Release Date: June 12, 2012
Publisher: EgmontUSA
Pages: 336 pages
Genre: Paranormal, Science Fiction

Goodreads Summary: A threat from the past could destroy the future. And the clock is ticking...

Kaleb Ballard's relentless flirting is interrupted when Jack Landers, the man who tried to murder his father, timeslips in and attacks before disappearing just as quickly. But Kaleb has never before been able to see time travelers, unlike many of his friends associated with the mysterious Hourglass organization. Are Kaleb's powers expanding, or is something very wrong?

Then the Hourglass is issued an ultimatum. Either they find Jack and the research he's stolen on the time gene, or time will be altered with devastating results.
Now Kaleb, Emerson, Michael, and the other Hourglass recruits have no choice but to use their unusual powers to find Jack. But where do they even start? And when? And even if they succeed, it may not be enough...

I really liked Hourglass, the first book in this series. I don’t often read YA books on time travel and Hourglass was very cool with a plot that featured both paranormal and science fiction elements. When I saw that my library got the sequel, Timepiece, I made sure to reserve my copy so I could read it right away.

The science/time travel aspects of the plot in Hourglass were intricate and I understood them while I was reading that first book but since that was a year ago, I can’t remember what they were. I spent most of this book trying to remember how and why the whole thing worked and the confusion took away from the plot for me. However, McEntire’s descriptions of the time rips are great and the characters’ different paranormal powers are very cool.

Unlike the first book which was told from Emerson’s perspective, Timepiece is told from Kaleb’s which didn’t bother me. I did not like Kaleb in the first book. He was a cocky, self-destructive bad boy and I disliked the love triangle that was developing with him, Emerson and Michael. I’m happy that McEntire gave Kaleb his own love interest and that the reader got inside his head to see why he behaved the way he did. I finished Timepiece liking Kaleb a lot more than I did before. Interestingly enough, Emerson annoyed me in this book with her constant need to be assured and canoodled by Michael.

Timepiece is an OK book which would have been much better for me if I had read it back to back with Hourglass. The book does not end with a cliffhanger (yay!) but there are enough loose ends left to warrant another book in the series.

Content: Kissing, sexual situations and violence.

My Rating: Just Fine

Waiting on Wednesday: Scarlet

Waiting on Wednesday is a weekly event hosted by Breaking the Spine and spotlights upcoming novels we can't wait to read. This week’s choice is:

Title: Scarlet (Lunar Chronicles #2) by Marissa Meyer
Publisher: Feiwel and Friends
Publish Date: Feb. 5, 2013
Genre: Science Fiction

Goodreads Summary: This book will feature Cinder and Little Red Riding Hood and will take place in France.

Cinder returns in the second thrilling installment of the New York Times-bestselling Lunar Chronicles. She’s trying to break out of prison—even though if she succeeds, she’ll be the Commonwealth’s most wanted fugitive.

Halfway around the world, Scarlet Benoit’s grandmother is missing. It turns out there are many things Scarlet doesn’t know about her grandmother and the grave danger she has lived in her whole life. When Scarlet encounters Wolf, a street fighter who may have information as to her grandmother’s whereabouts, she has no choice but to trust him, though he clearly has a few dark secrets of his own.

As Scarlet and Wolf work to unravel one mystery, they find another when they cross paths with Cinder. Together, they must stay one step ahead of the vicious Lunar Queen who will do anything to make Prince Kai her husband, her king, her prisoner.

Why am I waiting on Scarlet? Cinder, the first book in the Lunar Chronicles series, is a must read for anyone who likes fairytale retellings (especially ones with a sci-fi twist!). I loved it and cannot wait to read Meyer’s take on Little Red Riding Hood. What books are you waiting on?

Book Review & Giveaway: Partials

Title: Partials by Dan Wells

Release Date: Feb. 28, 2012
Publisher: Balzer + Bray
Pages: 472 pages
Genre: Science Fiction, Dystopia
Source: Publisher

Goodreads Summary: Humanity is all but extinguished after a war with partials—engineered organic beings identical to humans—has decimated the world’s population. Reduced to only tens of thousands by a weaponized virus to which only a fraction of humanity is immune, the survivors in North America have huddled together on Long Island. The threat of the partials is still imminent, but, worse, no baby has been born immune to the disease in over a decade. Humanity’s time is running out.

When sixteen-year-old Kira learns of her best friend’s pregnancy, she’s determined to find a solution. Then one rash decision forces Kira to flee her community with the unlikeliest of allies. As she tries desperately to save what is left of her race, she discovers that the survival of both humans and partials rests in her attempts to answer questions of the war’s origin that she never knew to ask.

Combining the fast-paced action of The Hunger Games with the provocative themes of Battlestar Galactica, Partials is a pulse-pounding journey into a world where the very concept of what it means to be human is in question—one where our sense of humanity is both our greatest liability, and our only hope for survival.

I love dystopian and post apocalyptic stories, especially the ones with solid science fiction elements included. Partials is heavier on the science than most YA sci-fi books I’ve read recently but don’t let that daunt you. Dan Wells expertly weaves the science elements with action and romance that creates a fascinating book that had me glued to the pages.

Partials is set in 2076 in the aftermath of a war, a rebellion and a virus that wiped out most of the population. The humans who survived have made a stand on Long Island, barricading themselves against the partials, genetically engineered humanoid soldiers, and against human rebels who oppose the government. Instead of a big, faceless, evil government in most dystopias, this survivor community is run by a small but devious and power hungry group of senators.

Before I start talking about the individual characters, I have to give Dan Wells massive kudos for including a racially diverse group of people in his novel. As a reader who loves to see multi-culturalism in fiction, I am thrilled to tell you that the population of survivors looks a lot like the world’s current population and the story is richer because of it.

Kira is a sixteen-year-old medic-in-training who is super smart and determined. Weary of seeing newborn babies die from the virus and knowing that the government is not close to finding a cure, Kira comes up with a crazy, desperate plan to find a solution before her best friend’s baby is born. Kira is not the kick-butt character you typically see in dystopia but she is brilliant, brave, a quick thinker and has devoted herself completely to finding a cure. It’s her all-in attitude that makes her so awesome.

Kira’s boyfriend, Marcus, is sweet and loves her but they have different priorities. Marcus wants to live a happy, safe life with Kira and let others worry about humanity’s future. Samm is the partial that Kira helps to kidnap and study and while there is no love triangle in this first book, I can see the possibility of some romantic tension in the sequel. Normally I don’t like love triangles but I may be in favor of one in this case.

In the sea of dystopian/post apocalyptic YA novels, Partials stands out from the rest. Awesome world building, exciting action scenes along with betrayals and fantastic plot twists make Partials a great read. I cannot wait for Fragments, the next book in the series, to be released.

I was fortunate enough to meet Dan Wells when he visited South Florida as a part of the Pitch Dark Days of Winter tour. He was kind enough to sign my ARC of Partials which I am very excited to give away. Just follow the Rafflecopter instructions below and good luck!

Content: Kissing and violence.

My Rating: Really Good!

Movie Review: John Carter

Movie Title: John Carter

Movie Release Date: March 9, 2012
Genre: Science Fiction

Synopsis: War-weary, former military captain John Carter is inexplicably transported to Mars where he becomes reluctantly embroiled in a conflict of epic proportions amongst the inhabitants of the planet, including Tars Tarkas and the captivating Princess Dejah Thoris. In a world on the brink of collapse, Carter rediscovers his humanity when he realizes that the survival of Barsoom and its people rests in his hands.

A few weeks ago, I reviewed Edgar Rice Burroughs’ sci-fi classic A Princess of Mars. After reading the book, I was excited to see John Carter, the movie based on A Princess of Mars, and curious to see how Disney would handle the violence, racism and sexism in the book.

John Carter is a much more fleshed out version of A Princess of Mars. In the book, Carter can’t remember his childhood or much of his past. We also never get much of an explanation as to how he travels to Mars. In the movie, we see Carter as a broken confederate soldier who has lost his wife and child and just wants to move on with his life. We also see exactly how he is transported to Mars and it makes more sense than how the event was written in the book.

Carter’s character is also much more likable in the movie. He is not egotistical or disparaging to the Native Americans and green Martians as he is in the book. Additionally, the back story about the death of his wife and child really humanizes him. 

Dejah Thoris’ character is also much more likable in the movie than the book. The big screen version of her is smart, a formidable fighter capable of defending herself and she does not use “female logic” to rationalize anything she does not understand.

The movie does introduce the Therns, characters that were not in A Princess of Mars but are present in the next book in the series, The Gods of Mars. Since I haven’t read the second book, I’m not sure how accurately the Therns are portrayed. Another big difference in the book vs. the movie is Tar Tarkas’ role in his tribe and how his friendship with Carter develops. The book does a much better job of telling Tars Tarkas’ story and I am a bit disappointed that it was altered for the movie.

Overall, I enjoyed this movie more than I thought I would. I would recommend it to sci-fi fans and especially to anyone who read Burroughs’ Barsoom series and ever imagined the book coming to life. So many things were exactly like how I pictured them, especially the green Martians and the airships.

While this is a Disney movie and there were lots of little kids at the showing I attended, John Carter has tons of violence and while it’s not all gory, the body count is high. I would not recommend this movie for younger children.

Content: Kissing and heavy violence

Book to Big Screen: A Princess of Mars

This is a new feature where I highlight books that upcoming movies are being based on. Today, I’m highlighting A Princess of Mars, the science fiction cult classic that the new Disney movie, John Carter, is adapted from.

Title: A Princess of Mars by Edgar Rice Burroughs
Release Date: Originally published in 1912
Movie Title: John Carter
Movie Release Date: March 9, 2012
Genre: Science Fiction
Source: Download for free from Project Gutenberg

Goodreads Summary: Let the adventures begin, as Captain John Carter finds himself transported to the alien landscape of Mars--where the low gravity increases his speed and strength exponentially. Taken prisoner by Martian warriors, he impresses them with his remarkable fighting skills, and quickly rises to a high-ranking chieftain. But the heroic Carter's powers thrust him right in the middle of a deadly war raging across the planet--and a dangerous romance with a divine princess.

John Carter, a captain in the confederate army, goes prospecting in Arizona at the end of the civil war and runs afoul of the Apaches. He hides out in a cave where he is mysteriously transported to Mars and captured by green Martian men who are 15 feet tall and have six limbs. Due to the difference in gravity, Carter has superhuman strength and agility, powers that come in handy as he gets embroiled in the planet’s politics and works to save the humanoid red Martian princess, Dejah Thoris.

A Princess of Mars is like a western set on Mars. Carter goes from fighting Native Americans in the Arizona desert to fighting Tharks in the Martian desert within a 24 hour period. His holds the same amount of disdain for both groups referring to them as ‘savages.’ Burroughs’ writing was a little hard to get into at first but I was fine after the first few chapters and really got into the story after that.

The world building in A Princess of Mars is excellent. Burroughs does a great job of creating the landscape of Mars as well as the planet’s myriad of interesting inhabitants. The story is told from Carter’s first person perspective which is also interesting because pats himself on the back quite often. In addition to seeing Carter in action being a gallant gentleman, a brilliant war strategist and a formidable fighter, he tells us that he is. All the time.

Let’s talk about the Carter’s love interest, Dejah Thoris, the princess of Helium. While she does not seem particularly helpless, Carter has to rescue her over and over again. Dejah Thoris has a strange affect on men: they either pledge their undying devotion to protecting her or they fall madly in love with her and selfishly want her for themselves. John Carter does both and combined with his first person narrative, this book gets a bit cheesy.

I can’t finish this review without mentioning the racism and sexism in the book. To be fair, I’m sure this was not an issue in 1912 when the book was written nor do I think Burroughs was trying to be offensive. Nevertheless, Carter’s thoughts and attitude towards to Native Americans and green Martians is in sharp contrast with how he regards the humanoid red Martians and their ancestors, the fair skinned fair haired Martians. I doubt they will include this in the movie.

A Princess of Mars is a sci-fi classic and despite the cheesiness and the isms, it’s worth reading, especially if you are a fan of the genre. It was Burroughs’ first novel, pre-dating his more famous Tarzan series and it also inspired a lot of other sci-fi authors including Ray Bradbury and Arthur C. Clarke. Now that I have read the book, I’m looking forward to the movie.

Have you read A Princess of Mars? What were your thoughts on it? Are you planning on seeing the movie? 

Cover Note: Since this book is 100 years old, it has had a lot of covers, most of them featuring Dejah Thoris in revealing outfits. What’s really interesting is that as far as I can tell, everyone on Mars is naked and Dejah Thoris even tells John Carter that when she sees pictures of people on Earth, she can’t understand why we wear clothes. Easy to see why this book remains popular among teenage boys.

Content: Kissing and heavy violence

Cover Reveal: The Lost Girl

Title: The Lost Girl by Sangu Mandanna

Publisher: Balzer+Bray
Publish Date: Aug. 28, 2012
Genre: Science Fiction, Fantasy

Summary: Eva's life is not her own. She is a creation, an abomination - an echo. Made by the Weavers as a copy of someone else, she is expected to replace a girl named Amarra, her 'other', if she ever died. Eva studies what Amarra does, what she eats, what it's like to kiss her boyfriend, Ray. So when Amarra is killed in a car crash, Eva should be ready.

But fifteen years of studying never prepared her for this.

Now she must abandon everything she's ever known - the guardians who raised her, the boy she's forbidden to love - to move to India and convince the world that Amarra is still alive.

I recently discovered this book on Goodreads and have been excited about it ever since. Now that it has a this beautiful cover, I’m even more excited. Loving the idea that the main character has to go to India, because a story involving forbidden love and India has got to be awesome!

Book Review: Cinder

Title: Cinder by Marissa Meyer

Release Date: Jan. 3, 2012
Publisher: Feiwel & Friends
Pages: 387 pages
Genre: Science Fiction
Source: Publisher

Goodreads Summary: Humans and androids crowd the raucous streets of New Beijing. A deadly plague ravages the population. From space, a ruthless lunar people watch, waiting to make their move. No one knows that Earth's fate hinges on one girl... Cinder, a gifted mechanic, is a cyborg. She's a second-class citizen with a mysterious past, reviled by her stepmother and blamed for her stepsister's illness. But when her life becomes intertwined with the handsome Prince Kai's, she suddenly finds herself at the center of an intergalactic struggle, and a forbidden attraction. Caught between duty and freedom, loyalty and betrayal, she must uncover secrets about her past in order to protect her world's future.

Cinder is retelling of the classic Cinderella story, but with a fantastic sci-fi twist. Since I love retellings, I’ve been looking forward to this one and it was even better than I expected!

Kudos to Marissa Meyer for making our futuristic Cinderella a cyborg which may sound weird, but it totally works for this book. The novel is set in New Beijing, a city rebuilt after the fourth world war. The world building is awesome and when I read about the setting of New Beijing, I could not help but think of scenes from one of my all time favorite sci-fi movies, Blade Runner. While Cinder is not dark like Blade Runner, there are the hovercrafts, Asian influences and androids that remind me of Cinder.

A big change from the original fairytale is instead of one villain, there are two. Adri is Cinder’s stepmother but she is really the wife of the man who adopted Cinder. He died shortly after the adoption and Adri has hated Cinder ever since. Adri is bitter, petty and does her best to put Cinder down. While we hate Adri for bullying Cinder, the real threat is from Queen Levana, ruler of a race of people with paranormal abilities who inhabit the moon. Levana is evil, manipulative and cunning with plans to rule Earth, but she needs to marry Prince Kai to put her plans into motion.

Cinder is a very likable character. She has a bad home situation that she desperately wants to escape from, but of course, her destiny is more entwined with Prince Kai and the Lunars than she can ever imagine. There is more to Cinder than meets the eye and it is easy to figure out very early in the novel. With Adri’s verbal abuse and Cinder’s insecurities over her cyborg enhancements, it’s easy to empathize with her, especially when Prince Kai flirts with her and Cinder thinks she is not good enough for him.

I don’t feel that I got to know Prince Kai well enough in this book. A few portions of the novel were told from his perspective and we see that he is a nice guy who puts the safety and well being of his people before his own happiness. He is sarcastic, smart and completely swoon worthy. His friendship with Cinder is sweet and leaves room to grow and develop. I really hope we get a lot more of Kai in upcoming books because he has the potential to become one of my favorite book boys.

Cinder does not end with a cliffhanger but leaves you wanting so much more! Cinder is an awesome debut novel and I hate that I have to wait until next year to read the sequel. This is one of my favorite retellings and I highly recommend it!

Content: Kissing and some violence

My Rating: The Best!

Book Review: Neuromancer

Title: Neuromancer by William Gibson

Release Date: Originally published in 1984
Publisher: Ace Books
Pages: 271 pages
Genre: Science Fiction
Source: Library

Goodreads Summary: Case was the hottest computer cowboy cruising the information superhighway—jacking his consciousness into cyberspace, soaring through tactile lattices of data and logic, rustling encoded secrets for anyone with the money to buy his skills. Then he double-crossed the wrong people, who caught up with him in a big way—and burned the talent out of his brain, micron by micron. Banished from cyberspace, trapped in the meat of his physical body, Case courted death in the high-tech underworld. Until a shadowy conspiracy offered him a second chance—and a cure—for a price....

Neuromancer is a sci-fi classic hailed by some to be the most important and influential science fiction novel of the past two decades. It has received tons of awards and there is even a movie being made based on it. While I agree the book is revolutionary (I am amazed this was written in 1984), I found this book confusing, choppy and some portions of it downright distasteful.

The main character, Case, is a brilliant computer hacker who stole from his employers and they in turn maimed him by inserting a microtoxin into his nervous system, rendering him unable to jack into the cyberspace known as the matrix. Unable to find a cure, Case is now a depressed, drug addicted, suicidal hustler working in the futuristic city of Chiba City, Japan.

Case is approached by Molly, a technologically enhanced mercenary working for an ex-military leader named Armitage. Armitage promises to fix Case’s neurotoxin problem if Case pulls off a big hacking job for him. Case is so anxious to be able to jack into cyberspace again, he agrees without knowing the full nature of the job.

In my humble opinion, William Gibson’s brilliance lies in his ability to so adeptly portray cyberspace and the matrix at a time when the full nature of the capabilities of the internet were in their infancy. Remember, he wrote this book in 1984. The gritty underbelly of the sprawl in Chiba City and the excessive wealth of the orbiting community of Freeside are well described and give you a feel for what it would be like to live in this technologically advanced future where almost everyone is ‘upgraded.’

My issues with the book lay with the confusing terminology, jarring way the scenes jump around and most importantly, the characters. Case, our anti-hero, is a hacker, a thief who worked for other thieves. To fix the issue that prevents him from stealing some more, he steals again. I’m not talking about a Robin Hood like character here folks, Case steals to benefit himself alone. He is not a very sympathetic character and seems to only care about the success of his jobs, not the repercussions of them. The only humanity that Case shows is that he is angry about the death of his sorta girlfriend Linda Lee, and when he could have left Molly to die when she gets caught up in the job, he goes in to save her.

As for Molly, she is unlikable as well. She’s a mercenary who kills people for a living. She paid to have heavy technological advancements surgically placed in her body that she financed through prostitution, a job she thought had it pleasant moments. As for relationships, there aren’t really any in the book. Case and Molly talk about the job, their boss and have sex. It isn’t until two-thirds of the way through the book that Molly tells Case that she is attracted to him because he reminds her of her murdered lover, Johnny (from the short story Johnny Mnemonic that Gibson wrote as well). Of course, she does not tell him in person but opts to talk with him when he is jacked into her nervous system through an implant. It’s a one-way conversation because while he can hear her, she can’t hear him. Case and Molly never have an intimate, face-to-face conversation about their relationship.

As for Case’s anger over Linda’s death, I’m still not sure about the exact nature of their relationship. I get the impression that Case and Linda were together at one point but they were now broken up and Linda was desperate to get his attention. If Case cared about Linda so much after she died, he should have treated her better when she was alive. The other characters in the book are a lot more despicable than Case and Molly and very easy to hate.

Neuromancer took a long time for me to read and because I’m such a character driven reader, it was hard for me to like this book. The first two-thirds of the book were deadly for me and I had to force my way through the slang and techno-babble but it did get a little better towards the end when the mastermind and purpose behind the job were revealed. There are also some dark and twisted parts of the story and because I am a very visual person, I am now trying to scrub my mind’s eye to get rid of some of these images. I know Neuromancer is a cult classic and I see the appeal for others, but this was definitely not for me. 

Content: Graphic sex, heavy profanity, heavy violence and gore, heavy drug and alcohol use, prostitution and implied incest. I don’t recommend it for anyone under 18.

My Rating: Disappointing

Book Review: Ender’s Game

 

Title: Ender’s Game by Orson Scott Card
Release Date: Jan. 1, 1985
Publisher: Tor
Pages: 324 pages
Genre: Science Fiction
Source: Library

Goodreads Summary: In order to develop a secure defense against a hostile alien race's next attack, government agencies breed child geniuses and train them as soldiers. A brilliant young boy, Andrew "Ender" Wiggin lives with his kind but distant parents, his sadistic brother Peter, and the person he loves more than anyone else, his sister Valentine. Peter and Valentine were candidates for the soldier-training program but didn't make the cut--young Ender is the Wiggin drafted to the orbiting Battle School for rigorous military training.

Ender's skills make him a leader in school and respected in the Battle Room, where children play at mock battles in zero gravity. Yet growing up in an artificial community of young soldiers Ender suffers greatly from isolation, rivalry from his peers, pressure from the adult teachers, and an unsettling fear of the alien invaders. His psychological battles include loneliness, fear that he is becoming like the cruel brother he remembers, and fanning the flames of devotion to his beloved sister.

Is Ender the general Earth needs? But Ender is not the only result of the genetic experiments. The war with the Buggers has been raging for a hundred years, and the quest for the perfect general has been underway for almost as long. Ender's two older siblings are every bit as unusual as he is, but in very different ways. Between the three of them lie the abilities to remake a world. If, that is, the world survives.

I’m in awe that Orson Scott Card wrote Ender’s Game almost 27 years ago. It feels surprisingly modern and easily rivals and even bests some of today’s top science fiction and dystopian novels.

Set in the future, we meet Andrew “Ender” Wiggin, a six-year-old prodigy who the government believes is the next great war general to defend Earth against a third attack from an alien race. The reader has no choice but to sympathize with Ender’s character. Only a child, he is isolated, manipulated and used in order to mold him into this great soldier that he is not sure he wants to be.

Card does an excellent job in taking Ender’s character from a nice and idealistic little boy into a paranoid and hardened soldier. Your heart breaks for Ender and all he loses to become what everyone wants him to be. Secondary characters like Ender’s siblings Peter and Valentine are also well written. All three siblings are prodigies, but they are unusually mature. Actually, very few of the children in this book act their age and the ones that do are usually bullies. Buying into this story of kids saving the world does require to you to stretch your imagination, but this is sci-fi so I just went with it.  

There’s definitely a reason Ender’s Game is a sci-fi classic. The war strategy and social and political climate described in the story are fascinating. It is action packed and very fast paced, not to mention there a huge twist in the end that makes the story an absolute stand out. While I recommend it for anyone who likes science fiction, I highly recommend it for boys and especially for reluctant readers. Before you give Ender’s Game to your pre-teen, be aware that there is a lot of name calling, some profanity (the “s” word) and some very violent fight scenes.  

Content: Profanity and heavy violence.

My Rating: Very Good!

Waiting on Wednesday: So Close to You

Waiting on Wednesday is a weekly event hosted by Breaking the Spine, and specifically spotlights upcoming novels we can't wait to read. This week’s choice is:

Title: So Close to You by Rachel Carter

Publisher: HarperTeen
Publish Date: July 10, 2012
Genre: Science Fiction

Summary: So Close to You brims with the compelling “what if” mysteries surrounding The Time Traveler’s Wife and all of the the action and creepy government experiments of The Maze Runner—and, in a new twist, presents a piercing look at a dark period in history and imagines what changes could have produced an utterly different world...and what one girl would do to stop it.

Lydia Bentley has heard stories about the Montauk Project all her life: stories about the experiments that took place at the abandoned military base near her home and the people who’ve disappeared over the years. When she stumbles into a vessel that transports her to a dangerous and strange new reality, Lydia realizes that all the stories she’s ever heard about the Montauk Project are true—and that she’s in the middle of one of the most dangerous experiments in history.

Alongside Wes, a darkly mysterious boy whom she is wary to trust, Lydia begins to unravel the secrets surrounding the project. But the truths behind these secrets force her to question all her choices. And if Lydia chooses wrong, she might not save her family but destroy them...and herself.

So Close to You sounds like a really cool science fiction novel and so different from anything I’ve been reading. I'm loving time travel books right now and this one has some nice twists to it. Plus, I love the beautiful cover! What books are you waiting on?

Book Review: Obsidian

Title: Obsidian by Jennifer Armentrout

Release Date: Dec. 6, 2011
Publisher: Entangled Publishing
Pages: 226 pages
Genre: Paranormal Romance, Science Fiction
Source: Publisher
Buy: Amazon, Barnes & Noble

Goodreads Summary: Starting over sucks. When we moved to West Virginia right before my senior year, I’d pretty much resigned myself to thick accents, dodgy internet access, and a whole lot of boring…. until I spotted my hot neighbor, with his looming height and eerie green eyes. Things were looking up. And then he opened his mouth.

Daemon is infuriating. Arrogant. Stab-worthy. We do not get along. At all. But when a stranger attacks me and Daemon literally freezes time with a wave of his hand, well, something…unexpected happens.

The hot alien living next door marks me. You heard me. Alien. Turns out Daemon and his sister have a galaxy of enemies wanting to steal their abilities, and Daemon’s touch has me lit up like the Vegas Strip. The only way I’m getting out of this alive is by sticking close to Daemon until my alien mojo fades. If I don’t kill him first, that is.

Jennifer Armentrout is quickly becoming known as a hot writer in the YA/paranormal/urban fantasy market and with good reason. Her novels are very exciting and highly entertaining. Obsidian is no different.

I am a character driven reader so I will talk about the story a little and the characters a lot. While Obsidian is science fiction, it is light on the sci-fi and heavy on the romance and action. I have not read a lot of YA paranormal romance that involves aliens so Obsidian provided a nice change for me. Armentrout gives you just enough back story on Dee and Daemon to answer basic questions but I am hoping the next book will give us more history on them.

The story is told from Katy’s perspective and she is a very likable character. Katy is a quiet girl who likes to read, blog (yes guys, she has a book review blog!) and garden. She is also, loyal, brave, spunky and fights back when someone tries to put her down (love that). Her father’s death from cancer three years before left her sad and lonely and created distance between her and her mom. The family dynamics in this book are interesting. While the main characters are all teenagers, parents or guardians of any sort are rarely around. Katy spends a lot of time by herself so when she meets Dee, Daemon’s twin sister who seems just as lonely as she is, the two form an instant bond, much to Daemon’s chagrin.

Katy and Daemon have an immediate physical attraction to each other, but thankfully, no insta-love. As a matter of fact, these two are at each other throats (and not in a good way) throughout most of the book. Daemon is very attractive but such a jerk! Normally, I not a huge fan of this type of male lead but Daemon is, well, complicated. While he never mistreats Katy, he is very rude and mean to her verbally. Hot or not, no girl should put up with a guy like Daemon but to Katy’s credit, she does not stick around because of him but because she values her friendship with Dee. 

Daemon attempts to push Katy away from him and his family are understandable under the circumstances but I will admit that I did not fall for him right away. Katy is no pushover and matches his insults with her own. The snarky verbal tennis match between these two is one of my favorite aspects of the novel. In the hands of another writer, I would have hated Daemon but somehow, Ms. Amentrout worked him under my skin and I’m happy to say that he has grown on me.

While Katy, Daemon and Dee and well rounded characters, there are secondary characters that I would love know more about in upcoming novels. Obsidian is a fast paced, exciting, sexy and fun read and I am really looking forward to the other books in the Lux series.

Content: Sexual situations, heavy profanity, violence and underage drinking. Obsidian is one of those books that walks the fine line between YA and adult urban fantasy. There is a ton of sexual tension between Katy and Daemon and their steamy scenes are definitely more appropriate for older teens and adults.

My Rating: Really Good!

Book Review: Variant

Title: Variant by Robison Wells

Release Date: Oct. 4, 2011
Publisher: HarperTeen
Pages: 336 pages
Genre: Thriller, Science Fiction
Source: Publisher through NetGalley

Goodreads Summary: Benson Fisher thought that a scholarship to Maxfield Academy would be the ticket out of his dead-end life. He was wrong.

Now he’s trapped in a school that’s surrounded by a razor-wire fence. A school where video cameras monitor his every move. Where there are no adults. Where the kids have split into groups in order to survive. Where breaking the rules equals death.

But when Benson stumbles upon the school’s real secret, he realizes that playing by the rules could spell a fate worse than death, and that escape—his only real hope for survival—may be impossible.

I’ve been reading a few really good ‘boy books’ (written by male authors featuring male main characters) lately and Variant is definitely one of them.

Variant has a certain Lord of the Flies feel to it only as far as both books involve a group of young people who are stuck in an isolated situation where their efforts to form a society produce interesting results. Make no mistake, Maxfield Academy is no deserted island, it’s a really nice boarding school that offers its students many luxuries except the most important of all, freedom. Additionally, the school dictates all their activities and has strict rules that are enforced through a horrendous punishment and reward system. In short, the place is a nightmare, a pretty prison where the threat of death looms constantly the students.

Variant is an original addition to the YA thrillers out there and I really enjoyed it. I could not wait to find out who or what was behind the school’s existence and what its ultimate purpose was. I love that Variant has two sets of villains: the school itself and the kids who run it. While I can’t describe Benson Fisher as a typical nice guy, I liked him. He is a foster kid that is rough around the edges but ultimately, very strong willed and exactly what the other kids need in order to see just how wrong things at the school are.

While I classified Variant as a ‘boy book,’ it’s a book that will appeal to everyone who loves a great thriller with a nice dose of science fiction. YA books tend to be a bit predictable but there are some awesome plot twists in Variant that I did not see coming. Fast paced, action paced, suspenseful and so exciting, Variant ends in a heck of a cliffhanger. I am looking forward to the next book in the series.

Content: Kissing, mild swearing, heavy violence.

My Rating: Really Good!

Most Memorable Spooky Reads

For the last day of the Halloween Queens Book Giveaway, I wanted to highlight some of my most memorable spooky reads. Don’t forget to enter to win The Iron Knight, Anna Dressed in Blood, Darker Still and Dark Eden. Also, stop by One Page at a Time where KM is giving away a copy of Circle of Fire by Michelle Zink.

Nevermore by Kelly Creagh

Nevermore starts out like other YA books set in high school but soon, the lines between a nightmarish dream world from Edgar Allan Poe’s stories and reality begin to cross. This book channels the creepiness of Poe’s stories with a cool YA spin. Oh yes, there is also Varen, the most swoon worth Goth guy ever! He’s another really great reason to read Nevermore….

Daughter of Smoke and Bone by Laini Taylor

Daughter of Smoke and Bone is not so much spooky as it surreal, dark and a bit bizarre, but in a fantastic way. The creep factor lies with the settings and the physical descriptions of the characters. This book is so cool and may be my favorite of the year unless another book comes along to blow me away sometime between now and December.

Savannah Grey by Cliff McNish

While is not my favorite spooky read, it is a very unique horror novel and worth reading. Savannah Grey is a 15-year-old who realizes that she is changing. Nature is turning her into a weapon against an evil that’s as old as the earth itself. Told from alternating perspectives, this book is entertaining and has some good plot twists. I have never read anything else like it.

Hereafter by Tara Hudson

In the mood for some romance with your spooky book? Hereafter offers you the romance between a ghost girl and a guy. In addition to the sweet relationship, it also has soul stealing ghosts and a haunted bridge thrown in for good measure. Like Anna Dressed in Blood, I am so curious about what kind of future the living have with the dead. I will definitely be reading this series to find out!

The Stand by Stephen King

I know I’m going old school here but this is the creepiest book I have ever read and even though it’s not YA, I read it when I was a teenager and yes, it scared the heck out of me. Honestly, this whole list could easily have been of Stephen King novels but I will stick to this one. The Stand is a combination of paranormal, science-fiction, horror and dystopia/apocalyptic. He just doesn’t write them like this anymore…



What are some of your most memorable spooky reads?

Book Review: Found

Title: Found by Margaret Peterson Haddix
Release Date: April 22, 2008
Publisher: Simon and Schuster Children’s Publishing
Pages: 320 pages
Genre: Science Fiction, Middle Grade
Rating: 4 stars
Source: Library

Goodreads Summary: An unidentified airplane appears out of nowhere. When the aircraft is boarded, its only occupants are babies; once they are removed, the pilotless plane vanishes. Jonah and Chip, now teenagers, discover that they were among the "airborne orphans." Rather than forgetting the past, the two boys decide to venture into it, risking their survival to right the wrongs of time.

Jonah and his friend Chip, both adopted, receive ominous letters in the mail telling them they are one of the missing and that people are coming back for them. At first they think it’s a prank but working with Jonah’s sister, Katherine, they dig deeper and find themselves at the center of a mystery and cover-up that may lead to them finding out who they really are and where they came from.

Found is a fast paced middle-grade book that both boys or girls can enjoy. Jonah is a likable, well adjusted 13-year-old who has a loving relationship with his parents and a typical love/disgust relationship with 11-year-old Katherine. Jonah likes his life and is not really interested in finding out about his birth parents or the circumstances behind his adoption.

Chip, on the other hand, is a bit of a brat but you get the impression that his behavior stems from the difficult relationship with his absentee parents who prefer to buy him things than spend quality time with him or effectively communicate with him. Because of his relationship with his adopted parents, Chip is driven to find his birth parents and Jonah, out of a sense obligation to his friend, joins him to find answers. Believing the letters have something to do with their adoptions, Jonah and Chip along with Katherine unravel the mystery and find out more about themselves than they bargain for.

Found is fairly easy to read and I would recommend it to younger teens or tweens who are reluctant readers. The mystery moves the story forward, the science fiction elements are not unique but are done in a fresh way and the action, especially at the end, adds to the excitement. The book does end with a cliffhanger, so be prepared to get a copy of the other books in the series, Sent, Sabotaged and Torn for your young reader as well. Torn will be available on August 23, 2011.

Content: Violence

Book Review: Offworld

Title: Offworld by Robin Parrish
Release Date: July 1, 2009
Publisher: Bethany House
Pages: 368 pages
Genre: Science Fiction, Christian
Rating: 3 stars
Source: Library

Goodreads Summary: Every Person on This Planet Has Disappeared.

Commander Christopher Burke and his crew are humanity's greatest explorers. They've finished their mission on the red dirt of Mars and now they just want to get back to Earth. To see friends, family, and loved ones. To be home. But even with communication to ground control cut and a perilous landing, nothing could prepare the crew for what they discover when they step foot back on planet Earth. Everyone...everywhere...is gone. It's not a dream. It's not a trick. Now Burke and his team have one mission: find out who or what is behind the disappearance of all mankind.

If you have not watched the new shows on the Syfy Channel, you really should check it out. Their old movies and series were cheesy, but the new shows are really entertaining and well done. Offworld reads very much like one of the newer shows on SyFy. Its action packed and the mystery behind the disappearances keeps you reading.

I did find the characters a bit underdeveloped. Since the astronauts are trained soldiers, they handled coming back to an empty world well on the outside, internalizing their fears instead. It is hard to get to know characters when they are putting on a brave front so no one will see how messed up they really are. I liked Terry, one of the crew members, the most. His sarcasm was funny and I could identify with his freakouts at being one of the only people left on Earth.

There are some good twists at the end of the book that I did not see coming. Overall, this is a decent read. The Christian aspects of the book are not overwhelming or preachy. Offworld is primarily a science fiction novel and can be enjoyed by anyone as such.

Content: Violence

Book Review: Hourglass

Title: Hourglass by Myra McEntire
Release Date: June 14, 2011
Publisher: Egmont USA
Pages: 397 pages
Genre: Fantasy, Science Fiction
Rating: 4 stars
Source: Library

Goodreads Summary: One hour to rewrite the past . . .

For seventeen-year-old Emerson Cole, life is about seeing what isn’t there: swooning Southern Belles; soldiers long forgotten; a haunting jazz trio that vanishes in an instant. Plagued by phantoms since her parents’ death, she just wants the apparitions to stop so she can be normal. She’s tried everything, but the visions keep coming back.

So when her well-meaning brother brings in a consultant from a secretive organization called the Hourglass, Emerson’s willing to try one last cure. But meeting Michael Weaver may not only change her future, it may change her past.

Who is this dark, mysterious, sympathetic guy, barely older than Emerson herself, who seems to believe every crazy word she says? Why does an electric charge seem to run through the room whenever he’s around? And why is he so insistent that he needs her help to prevent a death that never should have happened?

Hourglass is a great combination of paranormal and sci-fi. Emerson has been seeing ghostly apparitions for years and naturally believes she is crazy. She has a very supportive and loving family and a friend but still feels like freak and an outsider. When she meets Michael and the other consultants from the Hourglass, she realizes that she is not crazy and not alone with her abilities.

The concept behind Hourglass is original and I enjoyed it. I read this book at a great time because I needed something different. I loved the things Emerson saw: the people, the scenery and the way Myra McEntire describes them. The characters are well rounded and likable. While I did not love the hot and cold relationship between Emerson and Michael and the bit of a love triangle that developed with Kaleb, the book’s sci-fi elements more than made up for them. Also, I want to know more about Emerson’s friend Lily and I hope we will in the future.

While Hourglass does have a satisfying ending (hooray for no cliffhangers!), the book leaves you wanting to know more about the characters and their abilities. I am looking forward to the sequel.

Content: Kissing, mild profanity and some violence.

Book Review: Divergent

Title and Author: Divergent by Veronica Roth

Release Date: May 3, 2011
Publisher: Katherine Tegen Books
Pages: 487 pages
Genre: Dystopia, Science Fiction
Rating: 5 stars
Source: Purchased

In Beatrice Prior's dystopian Chicago, society is divided into five factions, each dedicated to the cultivation of a particular virtue—Candor (the honest), Abnegation (the selfless), Dauntless (the brave), Amity (the peaceful), and Erudite (the intelligent). On an appointed day of every year, all sixteen-year-olds must select the faction to which they will devote the rest of their lives. For Beatrice, the decision is between staying with her family and being who she really is—she can't have both. So she makes a choice that surprises everyone, including herself. During the highly competitive initiation that follows, Beatrice renames herself Tris and struggles to determine who her friends really are—and where, exactly, a romance with a sometimes fascinating, sometimes infuriating boy fits into the life she's chosen. But Tris also has a secret, one she's kept hidden from everyone because she's been warned it can mean death. And as she discovers a growing conflict that threatens to unravel her seemingly perfect society, she also learns that her secret might help her save those she loves . . . or it might destroy her.

Divergent is a fast paced, gritty, exciting, awesome thrill ride of a novel. It is the best debut novel I have ever read and one of my favorites this year.

Beatrice/Tris is an amazingly well written character. I love her tenacity and resourcefulness. She knows she has limitations but does not dwell on them, choosing instead to use her assets to their full potential. Her personal fears, hang-ups and her competitiveness with other initiates really humanize her. I love Tris’ internal battles with bravery versus selflessness and the true meanings of those values. I feel this novel goes deeper than the average YA read and speaks volumes about human nature.

Divergent is told from Tris' perspective so we only see Four through her eyes. This first person perspective often leaves other characters under developed, but not here. We really get to know Four and I really like him. He is the perfect combination of quiet strength, power and vulnerability.  

The romance between Tris and Four is done just right. It does not overpower the story because it is not the primary focus. I love how slowly and wonderfully it develops, but I wanted to shake Tris a few times for not realizing that he likes her sooner.

While the action throughout the novel is constant, the end hits hard and fast. It left me feeling like I got off a roller coaster ride, in a good way! This is a must read, dystopia at its very best. Veronica Roth is an amazing author and I am looking forward to reading anything she writes.

Content: Kissing, heavy violence

Review of Savannah Grey by Cliff McNish

Release Date: April 1, 2011
Publisher: Lerner Publishing Group
Pages: 272 pages
Author Website: http://www.cliffmcnish.com/
Genre: Science Fiction, Horror, Suspense
Rating: 3 stars
Source: ARC from the Publisher through NetGalley

Goodreads Summary: 15 year old Savannah Grey has never felt she's belonged. She keeps her distance, so she's surprised by her attraction to the new boy Reece. Then strange things begin to happen: nature, it seems, is exerting an overpowering force on the world. Birds behave strangely; gusts of wind blow leaves so fiercely they seem to lure people away. And Savannah learns she has supernatural powers. Nature has a purpose for Savannah and her friends. For they are on course to meet the vile and evil Ocrassa, who wants to destroy the world by corrupting nature. And it wants Savannah Grey to help realize its savage intent.

Review: Savannah Grey is one of the most unique stories I have ever read. The main character, Savannah, has paranormal abilities unlike anything I have come across in other YA novels and I found it refreshing.

This is a very quick read and Savannah is only briefly introduced before the action starts. She is a foster child who never feels comfortable being in one place too long so she changes families frequently but she is well behaved, smart and gets good grades. She knows there is something different about her but not what it is. Savannah is a strong, likable character who is faithful to her foster family and friends. When she is fully realizes what nature has been preparing her for, she handles the situation with a lot of courage, but not with the most well thought out plans.

Reece is Savannah’s love interest and the first boy that Savannah has ever been interested in. Her feelings for him develop quickly, but everything happens very fast in this story. In addition to her emotions, her abilities develop rapidly and instinctively, she always knows exactly what is going on with her body and the situations around her. I would have liked for a bit more story development there and for the action to be shown more than told. On the bright side, there is a great plot twist in the story that I did not see coming.

I also thought he villains, the Ocrassa and its minions, were very interesting and the portions of the book told from their perspective to be quite fascinating.

The book ends rather abruptly and while there is a resolution, I would have liked another chapter or an epilogue to really be satisfied.

Content: Some violence