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Showing posts with label dystopian. Show all posts
Showing posts with label dystopian. Show all posts

Thursday, October 27, 2016

Review: Ready Player One by Ernest Cline

Publisher: Random House
Published: August 16, 2011
Pages: 374
Source: Borrowed
Rating: 4.5 Stars


In the year 2044, reality is an ugly place. The only time teenage Wade Watts really feels alive is when he's jacked into the virtual utopia known as the OASIS. Wade's devoted his life to studying the puzzles hidden within this world's digital confines, puzzles that are based on their creator's obsession with the pop culture of decades past and that promise massive power and fortune to whoever can unlock them. When Wade stumbles upon the first clue, he finds himself beset by players willing to kill to take this ultimate prize. The race is on, and if Wade's going to survive, he'll have to win—and confront the real world he's always been so desperate to escape.

In short: Ready Player One by Ernest Cline is nerd-topia incarnate, with lots of heart.
Listen, I don't know a whole lot about 80's pop culture (I'm a 90's kid), but I do know an insanely imaginative and cool concept when I see one and this is what Ready Player One delivers. Imagine being able to live your life in a virtual universe, travel from one RPG world to another, equip and level up your character, and solve puzzles in a competition to win billions of dollars. Sound like every gamers wet dream? It is. It was beyond fun to imagine myself in Ernest Cline's richly imagined virtual universe.

Second to being able to gallivant in this nerd-topia myself was following protagonist's Wade Watts' progression through the egg hunt. While Wade initially reads as just your typical teenage loser trope, his learning curve and genuine good heart make him the underdog to root for. Along the way he meets an intriguing cast of characters and takes on the Big Bad using his impressive wits. I'm kind of surprised there hasn't been a sequel to this book yet (which should totes be called "Ready Player Two"); was I the only one who felt that ending left endless possibilities?

While I do wish I had been able to understand more of the 80's pop culture references to experience that sweet, sweet nostalgia, I was still able to enjoy myself immensely while reading this exciting and creative adventure book. Ready Player One has an insanely fun premise, a compelling edge-of-your-seat storyline, and a protagonist with a good heart - definitely recommended to all.

Other Reviews:
Happy Indulgence
Just Another Story
Lunar Rainbows

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Wednesday, April 6, 2016

Series Review: Shatter Me by Tahereh Mafi

Publisher: HarperCollins
Published: 2011-2014
Pages: 1,220
Source: Borrowed
Rating: 2.5 Stars


Juliette hasn’t touched anyone in exactly 264 days.
The last time she did, it was an accident, but The Reestablishment locked her up for murder. No one knows why Juliette’s touch is fatal. As long as she doesn’t hurt anyone else, no one really cares. The world is too busy crumbling to pieces to pay attention to a 17-year-old girl. Diseases are destroying the population, food is hard to find, birds don’t fly anymore, and the clouds are the wrong colour. 

The Reestablishment said their way was the only way to fix things, so they threw Juliette in a cell. Now so many people are dead that the survivors are whispering war – and The Reestablishment has changed its mind. Maybe Juliette is more than a tortured soul stuffed into a poisonous body. Maybe she’s exactly what they need right now. 
Juliette has to make a choice: Be a weapon. Or be a warrior.

In short: The cool X-Men-esque premise of the Shatter Me Series by Tahereh Mafi is unfortunately overshadowed by a ton of romance melodrama.
I think I may be too old for this. At least, that would explain why I had so little tolerance for all the melodramatic romance crap in this series. I had been so enthralled at the enticing premise of Shatter Me when I first heard of it in 2011 - girl who can't have physical contact with anyone without hurting them badly (basically Rogue from X-Men) - and I have wanted to read this series since then. Would I have had more tolerance for the love triangle histrionics had I read the series back when it first came out? Maybe, I'm not sure.

Of course, it didn't help matters that I was reading the Shatter Me Series at the same time as I was reading The Raven Cycle for the first time. The Raven Cycle has its fair share of romantic drama too, after all, but it's handled more subtly and it didn't annoy me nearly as much as the melodrama in Shatter Me. I would say it's because the romance drama in The Raven Cycle never consumes the entire story, unlike the romance drama in the Shatter Me Series. I mean, here we have this really cool X-Men-esque storyline set in a dystopian world ruled by a disturbing dictator - SO much promise - and still the overpowering storypoint somehow always turned to hashing out the conflicting petty feelings of the characters in the love triangle.

I probably would not have decided to continue on with the series past the first book had I not been listening to the trilogy via audio - I find it's always easier to commit to a series in audiobook form. Plus, there were enough tidbits of intrigue here and there to always keep me going - I do love a good superpower-inspired premise. I just wish the X-Men superhero aspect had been prioritized above all, with a minimum devoted towards an overdramatic love triangle.

And as for the writing: much ado has been made about the strikethroughs and people either seem to LOVE it or HATE it. For my part, I'm not sure I can make a decision as to what side of the fence I fall on because I feel like I missed a lot of the intended effect of it by listening to the books in audio instead of reading them. I would be inclined to come down on the side of liking the writing though, if only because it took risks and is unique and I appreciate that.

So in the end, I was left feeling pretty disappointed by my Shatter Me experience and more than a little annoyed by the romance melodrama. I think the series had a lot of potential and I can understand why it is well loved by readers that don't mind the love triangle as much. As for Tahereh Mafi's writing: I would like to try it again some time as I think I would like it in another - less romance-oriented - context.

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Thursday, March 3, 2016

Review: Winter (The Lunar Chronicles #4) by Marissa Meyer

Publisher: Feiwel and Friends
Published: November 10, 2015
Pages: 824
Source: Gifted
Rating: 4 Stars


Princess Winter is admired by the Lunar people for her grace and kindness, and despite the scars that mar her face, her beauty is said to be even more breathtaking than that of her stepmother, Queen Levana.
Winter despises her stepmother, and knows Levana won’t approve of her feelings for her childhood friend—the handsome palace guard, Jacin. But Winter isn’t as weak as Levana believes her to be and she’s been undermining her stepmother’s wishes for years. Together with the cyborg mechanic, Cinder, and her allies, Winter might even have the power to launch a revolution and win a war that’s been raging for far too long.
Can Cinder, Scarlet, Cress, and Winter defeat Levana and find their happily ever afters?

This review is spoiler-free

In short: While I would have liked to have seen more from the titular heroine, Winter satisfied by being everything that a finale should be.
Marissa Meyer, how do you do it? It's not every author that can balance many POVs and maneuver varied storylines, all while without the story seeming convoluted. Of course, this isn't something new in Winter as we've seen Marissa Meyer accomplish this in the previous novels of The Lunar Chronicles. But still: her ability to keep the series consistently strong and fast paced while balancing multi-layered plots just never ceases to amaze and impress me.

I was excited to meet the titular heroine of Winter, especially knowing how strong the characterization was for the three previous heroines (Cinder, Scarlet, and Cress) and how quickly I grew an attachment to each of them. Somewhat disappointedly however, we don't get to see as much of Winter, Queen Levana's stepdaughter, as I was hoping. Whereas the previous three books mainly featured the eponymous Cinder, Scarlet, and Cress, respectively, Winter didn't seem like the primary protagonist of this finale at any point. She sort of seemed to fade into the background as others took to action.

So I would have liked to have spent more time getting to know Winter (and Jacin) than we were granted here. BUT that certainly didn't take away from the fact that this final and largest tome of The Lunar Chronicles was exciting and dramatic and satisfying (basically everything that a finale SHOULD be). It is sad to think that this series is officially over as I have grown so fond of the world and its characters. I am relieved at least that I still have the novella compilation, Stars Above, and the newly announced Lunar Chronicles graphic novels to delve into.

Previously, my reviews of CinderScarletCress, and Fairest.

Other Reviews:
Carina's Books
Lunar Rainbows
Musings of a YA Reader

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Thursday, February 25, 2016

Series Review: Uglies by Scott Westerfeld

Publisher: Simon & Schuster
Published: 2005-2007
Pages: 1,596
Source: Borrowed
Rating: 3.5 Stars


Synopsis for Book 1, Uglies:

Tally is about to turn sixteen, and she can't wait. In just a few weeks she'll have the operation that will turn her from a repellent ugly into a stunning pretty. And as a pretty, she'll be catapulted into a high-tech paradise where her only job is to have fun.
But Tally's new friend Shay isn't sure she wants to become a pretty. When Shay runs away, Tally learns about a whole new side of the pretty world-- and it isn't very pretty. The authorities offer Tally a choice: find her friend and turn her in, or never turn pretty at all. Tally's choice will change her world forever...

In short: It's a shame I didn't read the Uglies series by Scott Westerfeld a decade ago when the dystopian story elements wouldn't have seemed so derivative.
It's unfortunate that I waited so long to read this series, long after the dystopian craze has come and gone. Uglies has all the story elements that you want in a dystopian read: an intriguing yet disturbing world, a heroine that is engaging and has a long character arc, and some valid social commentary. And it had all these elements in place and published even before The Hunger Games blew up. But reading the Uglies series on the other side of the dystopian craze really did it no favours, unfortunately.

What I am sure would have seemed like a wholly original premise and storyline to me had I read Uglies in 2006 seemed anything but original reading it now ten years later. Instead I was almost bored at times because we've seen these same sorts of elements before SO many times, and I would say we've seen them done BETTER at this point. And things that wouldn't have annoyed me about Uglies ten years ago - like all the futuristic slang speak - annoyed the heck out of me now.

This is not the fault of Uglies or of Scott Westerfeld, I realize. The fault lies purely with me for waiting so long to read what I am sure would have been a favourite of mine ten years ago. Though I was bored and annoyed at times with the repetition of the dystopian story elements, I can at least appreciate that the Uglies series set the trend before the curve began. And I am glad to finally be able to remove this series from my TBR list where it has been sitting for the past decade. But I think I may need a longer break before I delve into another dystopian again!

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Sunday, July 5, 2015

Review: Fairest (The Lunar Chronicles #3.5) by Marissa Meyer

Publisher: Feiwel & Friends
Published: January 27, 2015
Pages: 220
Source: Gifted
Rating: 3.5 Stars


In this stunning bridge book between Cress and Winter in the bestselling Lunar Chronicles, Queen Levana’s story is finally told.

Mirror, mirror on the wall, Who is the fairest of them all?

Fans of the Lunar Chronicles know Queen Levana as a ruler who uses her “glamour” to gain power. But long before she crossed paths with Cinder, Scarlet, and Cress, Levana lived a very different story – a story that has never been told . . . until now.

Marissa Meyer spins yet another unforgettable tale about love and war, deceit and death. This extraordinary book includes full-color art and an excerpt from Winter, the next book in the Lunar Chronicles series.

In short: Fairest by Marissa Meyer is a fascinating - and tragic - look into Levana's backstory.
The best villains are the complex ones. And thanks to this in-depth view into the backstory, thought processes, and insecurities of Queen Levana, the villain of The Lunar Chronicles, we get to see this villain as much more than just a two-dimensional evil Queen who wants to take over the Earth. Ideally, the author could relay this complexity about the villain directly into the storyline itself, but I'm okay that it took separate book to do it in this case.

It did make for a pretty fascinating read, after all. Fairest tells a pretty tragic story about Levana, everything from her disfigurement and self-esteem issues to an especially bitter tale of unrequited love. It's pretty disquieting to read about such awful turmoil and the heartbreak that Levana faces as part of her origin story and it almost makes you feel sympathetic to her plight. Almost. She's still an altogether terrible person. And a disempathetic-type sociopath.

Fairest is largely about Levana and her backstory, but we also get a look into the foundation of the virus, beasts, shells, etc., that make up the groundwork for the premise and conflict in the series, so that was pretty interesting, albeit perhaps a little lacking in nuance in the way it was communicated. Overall, though I don't think Fairest was mind-blowing in any significant way, I did really like getting some insight into Levana's mind and Luna's motive.

Previously, my reviews of Cinder, Scarlet, and Cress.

Other Reviews:
Carina's Books
Megan Likes Books
Time Turning Reads

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Monday, January 26, 2015

Review: Catalyst (Insignia #3) by S.J. Kincaid

Publisher: HarperCollins
Published: October 28, 2014
Pages: 432
Source: For Review From Author
Rating: 4 Stars


Tom Raines and his friends are eager to return to the Pentagonal Spire to continue training for the elite Intrasolar Forces, but they soon discover troubling changes: strict new regulations and the revelation that the Spire is under new military control. What begins as an irritating adjustment soon reveals a dangerous shift in reality. Those now in control are aligned with corporate sponsors and their ruthless agendas. And when the military academy begins welcoming new cadets with suspicious neural processors, the first step in a plan with horrifying worldwide ramifications, Tom is desperate to stop it, even if that means keeping secrets from his closest allies.
Then a mysterious figure, the other ghost in the machine, begins fighting against the corporations, but with methods even Tom finds shocking. And when the enemy comes for Tom, how much can Tom endure in the battle to save himself? He must decide if he can still fight when the odds of success seem to be sliding from his grip.

This review is spoiler-free

In short: Catalyst by S.J. Kincaid is a fantastic finale to a very entertaining trilogy.
And so ends another much beloved series. I've been anticipating the ending to this high-action, high-stakes dystopian sci-fi for a while now - and thankfully this finale doesn't disappoint! The Insignia Trilogy follows gamer Tom Raines who, upon being recruited by the Pentagon and having a chip implanted in his head, can control fighter ships remotely in space as part of an intrasolar World War III. It's Ender's Game for a new generation and it's AWESOME.

Catalyst is the darkest book yet in this trilogy - the stakes are at their highest and the plot is at its most perilous. S.J. Kincaid takes risks and introduces twists and I have to applaud her for them as that's exactly what I want and NEED to see in a finale to a series like this. This series is also memorable to me because of the many moments of hilarity it induced while reading - and while Catalyst is the darkest and least playful of the trilogy, there was still some room for S.J. Kincaid's brilliant humour and I welcomed that.

As with Insignia and Vortex, I will say that the plot reaches almost ridiculous levels - complexity-wise and plausibility-wise - in Catalyst. The reliance on technologically-related plots sometimes goes over my head, while the political inferences are sometimes a bit on the nose. This series isn't about subtlety, it's about that entertainment factor and it definitely delivers on that. I will be sad to say goodbye to the greatest friends Tom, Vik, Wyatt, and Yuri, but I am pleased at least that Catalyst was a satisfying ending to an exciting series.

Previously, my reviews of Insignia and Vortex.

Other Reviews:
Good Books and Good Wine
Planet Print

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Thursday, August 7, 2014

Review: The Giver by Lois Lowry

Publisher: HMH Books for Young Readers
Published: April 26, 1993
Pages: 180
Source: Bought
Rating: 5 Stars


Jonas' world is perfect. Everything is under control. There is no war or fear or pain. There are no choices. Every person is assigned a role in the Community. When Jonas turns twelve, he is singled out to receive special training from The Giver. The Giver alone holds the memories of the true pain and pleasure of life. Now, it is time for Jonas to receive the truth. There is no turning back.

In short: The Giver by Lois Lowry is clearly a very special book with a profound thoughtfulness to it that I don't usually see in the dystopians of today.
I have certainly read my fair share of dystopians and at this point they have all started to blend together as I inevitably end up seeing the same trends and tropes over and over again. So to read The Giver, a classic in the dystopian genre, after all this time and after reading tons of newer dystopians that follow the same basic outline, is a strange experience. Here, in The Giver is the origination of many of the themes and motifs that populate the dystopians of today and yet I didn't first come by these common dystopian trends with the originator, but with the followers.

But thankfully, The Giver didn't read to me as "been there, done that" as many dystopians do these days. Even with the same basic format that I've seen again and again in this genre, The Giver brought to the table a profound thoughtfulness that I don't usually see in the dystopians of today. The Giver keeps things simple when it comes to world building, which would normally be a problem for me in any other book in the same genre, but here it works because it puts the focus on the important messages of the novel, rather than in the details of the world.

I am SO late to this party, but I'm glad I have finally read this classic novel! The Giver is clearly a special book and it doesn't surprise me that it is often a staple in classrooms for study. I do regret that I never read it in school growing up because it would have been a great and powerful introduction not only to the dystopian genre, but to many profound life lessons. I am pretty doubtful that the movie adaptation will do this book justice. Thoughts?

Question to those who have read the entire series: is it a must for me to read the final three books? I am a bit conflicted about the end of The Giver because part of me feels it is incomplete, but another part of me thought the book on the whole to be a solid read and I don't want my experience of it to be ruined.

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Thursday, June 12, 2014

Review: Raging Star (Dust Lands #3) by Moira Young

Publisher: Random House Canada
Published: May 13, 2014
Pages: 448
Source: Bought
Rating: 4 Stars


Saba is ready to seize her destiny and defeat DeMalo and the Tonton...until she meets him and he confounds all her expectations with his seductive vision of a healed earth, a New Eden. DeMalo wants Saba to join him, in life and work, to create and build a healthy, stable, sustainable world…for the chosen few. The few who can pay.
Jack’s choice is clear: to fight DeMalo and try to stop New Eden. Still uncertain, her connection with DeMalo a secret, Saba commits herself to the fight. Joined by her brother, Lugh, anxious for the land in New Eden, Saba leads an inexperienced guerilla band against the powerfully charismatic DeMalo, in command of his settlers and the Tonton militia. What chance do they have? Saba must act. And be willing to pay the price.

This review is spoiler-free

In short: Though Raging Star gets off to a bit of a slow start, the thrilling and emotionally-intense finale makes up for it and ensures a satisfying ending worthy of the Dust Lands Trilogy.
This is it. The end has come for one of my favourite series and it's always sad to say goodbye. I first fell in love with Moira Young's characteristic writing style and her incredibly flawed but fierce protagonist, Saba, in Blood Red Road. It left such a huge impression on me at the time and consumed my thoughts so completely that I knew immediately that it would forever be considered part of my all-time favourites. So yes, it's sad to say goodbye. But it's all the more gratifying when the author delivers a satisfying ending worthy of the series. And I am so relieved and pleased to say that, YES, Raging Star delivered on the intense finale I had been hoping for and the sense of closure that I had been craving.

But before we get to the ending of Raging Star, I must that the first three quarters of the book were much less engrossing. Oh, Moira Young's eclectic writing style was still there in all its glory, bringing the characters and story to life in a way that few authors can, but the whole beginning was missing that intensity and absorbing quality that the previous books had and that I would expect to see in abundance in the last book of a trilogy. There was a lot of TALK of action, but little in the way of it, which was a disappointing because I KNOW that Moira Young knows how to write some thrilling, heart-pounding action scenes.

We do finally get that thrilling and emotionally-intense showdown at the end that every great finale NEEDS to be satisfying though, and it mostly made up for the slow pacing at the beginning. In fact, I would even say that the last quarter or so of Raging Star will go down as one of the MOST memorable series finales for me! There is a twist so shocking and so astoundingly disquieting that it felt a bit like a punch in the gut. It does not make for a rosy ending, but this series couldn't ever have come equipped with a happily ever after ending. All I know is I loved it for what it was and I appreciated it and was impressed by it, which seems to happen rarely with me and endings.

So yes, while Raging Star did get off to a bit of a disappointing start, the ending made up for it and I am SO pleased that Moira Young did right by her characters and the story that I have felt so passionately about since I read Blood Red Road a few years ago and just knew that this was the book for me. It's sad to say goodbye, especially to my favourite flawed protagonist, Saba, who has come SO far and grown SO much over the course of the trilogy under Moira Young's expert characterization, and of course to her faithful pet crow, Nero. I really cannot wait to see what Moira Young writes next!

Previously, my reviews of Blood Red Road and Rebel Heart.

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Monday, May 19, 2014

Review: Ender's Game by Orson Scott Card

Publisher: Tor
Published: 1985
Pages: 324
Source: Borrowed
Rating: 2 Stars


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.

In short: Ender's Game by Orson Scott Card is WAY overrated.
What does it mean that I - a self-proclaimed sci fi fan - ended up disliking the classic of science fiction, Ender's Game? Can I call myself a sci fi fan anymore? Did I miss the mark on this one? I don't know, maybe I just didn't get it; I didn't get why Ender's Game is considered to be a classic and why it has such a cult following. Granted, it IS pretty cool that Orson Scott Card came up with all these technological advances in 1985 and that some of them ended up becoming true. And certainly, Ender's Game has a very neat and compelling premise, one that I was very excited for. But I couldn't help but feel that this book is WAY overrated.

For one, Ender's Game is poorly written and the pacing is very slow. Events at Battle School repeat ad nauseum and for a premise that promised to be riveting and interesting, it sure got tedious fast. In the last few pages we finally see the climax, but the ending struck me as very anti-climactic in the way in which Orson Scott Card chooses to tell it. Furthermore, the characterization was very shallow. Yes, the characters are children, but they're geniuses and act like adults and yet they come across as very two-dimensional.

I had expected to love Ender's Game because it is supposedly Sci Fi 101 and I LOVE modern sci fi, but this one missed the mark for me. To be honest, I can't rule out that I may have been predisposed to dislike Ender's Game because I am no fan of Orson Scott Card's values (made all the more disturbing by the fact that Ender's Game is laced with prepubescent homoerotic undertones - ICK!). So it's possible that I am biased in some way... but I also feel quite strongly that I would have disliked Ender's Game, even if I was unaware of Orson Scott Card's feelings on homosexuality, for the reasons stated above. Feeling very disappointed right now!

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Sunday, May 11, 2014

Review: Rebel Heart (Dust Lands #2) by Moira Young

Publisher: Random House Canada
Published: October 30, 2012
Pages: 432
Source: Bought
Rating: 4 Stars


Saba has rescued her kidnapped brother and defeated the fanatical Tonton. But the price to be paid for her violent victory is terrible. Jack has disappeared--and can no longer be trusted. A new and formidable enemy is on the rise in the dustlands. No one is safe. And Saba must confront the terrible secret hidden in the darkest depths of her soul.

In short: Though Rebel Heart was not quite as engrossing as its predecessor, it was still a solid and emotional sequel buoyed by Moira Young's most excellent writing.
You may recall how CRAZY IN LOVE I was with Blood Red Road; I was utterly engrossed through the entire read. I loved every aspect of it: the stubborn but FIERCE heroine, the totally swoony romance, the intense action scenes, and of course, the powerful and unique writing style. Well, I finally found the time to read the sequel - just in time for the third and final book to be released - and I am happy to say that the aforementioned elements were also present in Rebel Heart, if maybe not to the same extent and intensity as in Blood Red Road.

Moira Young's characteristic writing remains my favourite part of reading this series. It just brings the story to LIFE. The sparse prose and stream of consciousness writing style add so much personality and atmosphere to the novel. What's more, though I struggled initially with the dialect in Blood Red Road, I settled into it very quickly in Rebel Heart, which shows just how easy it is to become accustomed to it. Rebel Heart was, if possible, an even more emotional read than Blood Red Road and the writing did the story a credit here enabling the reader to truly FEEL what Saba is going through.

I will say that I wasn't quite as enamoured with the story in Rebel Heart as I was in Blood Red Road as the intensity was knocked down a few notches. Blood Red Road was one harrowing scene after the other: sandstorms, cage fighting, giant killer worms, gun fights - you name it! Rebel Heart tones down the action and replaces it with a healthy dose of angst, which is understandably not as gripping as cage fighting and giant killer worms. Saba has always been an incredibly flawed and realistic character, but in Rebel Heart she ended up frustrating me a bit more than she did in Blood Red Road. I think I definitely could have done with less emotional turmoil and more action.

Overall, Rebel Heart was a solid sequel to one of my favourite books, Blood Red Road. I do feel like Rebel Heart could have done with an injection of some of that engrossing action from Blood Red Road, but all in all I really enjoyed it. I love these memorable and flawed characters, I love the gang of animal companions that Saba has acquired, and most of all I love love LOVE Moira Young's writing! And hopefully I will get a chance to tell her so and not get too tongue-tied when I meet her on her upcoming tour! Eeek, can't wait!!

Previously, my review of Blood Red Road.

Other Reviews:
Escaping With Books
Realm of Fiction
Xpresso Reads

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Thursday, March 6, 2014

Review: Cress (The Lunar Chronicles #3) by Marissa Meyer

Publisher: Feiwel & Friends
Published: February 4, 2014
Pages: 550
Source: Purchased
Rating: 5 Stars


In this third book in the bestselling Lunar Chronicles series, Cinder and Captain Thorne are fugitives on the run, with Scarlet and Wolf in tow. Together, they’re plotting to overthrow Queen Levana and her army.
Their best hope lies with Cress, who has been trapped on a satellite since childhood with only her netscreens as company. All that screen time has made Cress an excellent hacker—unfortunately, she’s just received orders from Levana to track down Cinder and her handsome accomplice.
When a daring rescue goes awry, the group is separated. Cress finally has her freedom, but it comes at a high price. Meanwhile, Queen Levana will let nothing stop her marriage to Emperor Kai. Cress, Scarlet, and Cinder may not have signed up to save the world, but they may be the only ones who can.

In short: Cress by Marissa Meyer is just as compulsively readable as Cinder and Scarlet and has even more to offer.
I don't know what to say about Cress that I haven't already said about Cinder and Scarlet. Cress delivers on every bit of the exciting adventure, the amusing dialogue, and the totally lovable characters that were present in Cinder and Scarlet. And in some ways, Cress managed to impress me even MORE than the previous books, which I didn't think was possible. It's one thing to have a strong and inventive storyline and a strong point of view like we get in Cinder, but now with Cress, the series has evolved to a multi-layered storyline and numerous POVs and yet it never feels convoluted, which is impressive. Cress is just as compulsively readable as Cinder and Scarlet and yet it has even more to offer.

I absolutely love the strength that Cinder and Scarlet bring to the group, but I think I love Cress most of all because she is more relatable to me personally. She is totally endearing with her social awkwardness and totally realistic with her anxiety. And even though she is not as outwardly strong as Cinder and Scarlet, she is brave in her own way. And when you throw in Thorne (my pretend lover) as the love interest? Well, that's just perfect. Their relationship isn't as heated as Scarlet and Wolf's, but there is a vulnerability and tenderness to it that was just so sweet.

Marissa Meyer has done it again and has proven herself to be a master storyteller in this latest instalment in The Lunar Chronicles. I am blown away with how she manages to keep the series consistently strong, always fast paced, and with never any filler. I love her imagination, I love her humour, and above all, I love her characters. I really cannot wait to return to the gang and have new characters join them! Winter is coming!

Previously, my reviews of Cinder and Scarlet.

Other Reviews:
Megan Likes Books
More Than Just Magic
The Social Potato

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Thursday, January 30, 2014

Review: Scarlet (Lunar Chronicles #2) by Marissa Meyer

Publisher: Feiwel and Friends
Published: February 5, 2013
Pages: 454
Source: Bought
Rating: 5 Stars


Cinder, the cyborg mechanic, returns in the second thrilling installment of the 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 or 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 is loath to trust this stranger, but is inexplicably drawn to him, and he to her. As Scarlet and Wolf unravel one mystery, they encounter another when they meet Cinder. Now, all of them must stay one step ahead of the vicious Lunar Queen Levana, who will do anything for the handsome Prince Kai to become her husband, her king, her prisoner.

In short: Scarlet by Marissa Meyer had everything I loved about Cinder and MORE.
Initially I was worried that Scarlet wasn't going to work for me. Dual perspectives can be a tricky thing to pull off and I doubted that I was going to fully appreciate both POVs equally. I assumed I was going to much prefer the original storyline and that I wouldn't be as interested in the new characters and the new storyline. I assumed that the plot would probably seem disordered because there was too much going on between the two main characters. I was worried that Scarlet was going to end up being a bit of a letdown after the greatness that was Cinder. I WAS A FOOL FOR THINKING THESE THINGS. And may I never doubt Marissa Meyer again.

I should have known better because I already knew from Cinder that Marissa Meyer knew how to craft a compulsively readable novel that was equal parts comforting as a fairy tale retelling and exciting as a creative sci fi. In fact, I ended up liking Scarlet MORE than Cinder because Scarlet gave me everything I loved about Cinder and MORE. I loved having Cinder and Iko back in the spotlight again and I loved loved loved the new It couple, Scarlet and Wolf. They were intriguing and electric both together and as individual characters. And Thorne! Now talk about a welcome addition to the cast. Thorne actually had me thinking, "Kai who?"

So yes, I was a fool for doubting Scarlet would be as good as Cinder because as it turns out, it was BETTER. Scarlet was an absolutely addictive read, thrilling and fast paced and altogether awesome. I am officially a hardcore Marissa Meyer fangirl and good thing, too... because I'll get the chance to meet her when she stops by Toronto on February 24 for her Cress Tour!

Previously, my review of Cinder (Lunar Chronicles #1).

Other Reviews:
Lunar Rainbows
Megan Likes Books
Musings of a YA Reader

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Sunday, November 17, 2013

Review: Allegiant (Divergent #3) by Veronica Roth

Publisher: HarperCollins
Published: October 22, 2013
Pages: 526
Source: Bought
Rating: 3 Stars


The faction-based society that Tris Prior once believed in is shattered—fractured by violence and power struggles and scarred by loss and betrayal. So when offered a chance to explore the world past the limits she’s known, Tris is ready. Perhaps beyond the fence, she and Tobias will find a simple new life together, free from complicated lies, tangled loyalties, and painful memories.
But Tris’s new reality is even more alarming than the one she left behind. Old discoveries are quickly rendered meaningless. Explosive new truths change the hearts of those she loves. And once again, Tris must battle to comprehend the complexities of human nature—and of herself—while facing impossible choices about courage, allegiance, sacrifice, and love. 

This review is spoiler-free

In short: Allegiant by Veronica Roth was a letdown, but still a passable finale to a memorable series.
I'm having a hard time putting my thoughts about Allegiant into words, probably because they're all over the place. And I'm not entirely sure how genuine my feelings are as I experienced something of a reading slump while reading Allegiant. It took me three weeks to read it. THREE WEEKS! And this was a book that I had been dying to read for over a year. I am unsure whether I fell into this slump prior to reading Allegiant or whether it was Allegiant that started it off, but either way, I am disappointed that I experienced one during this eagerly anticipated read and I was disappointed with Allegiant on a whole.

Divergent and Insurgent were such exciting and completely enthralling reads for me. I was plunged into this dystopian world with a totally fascinating faction system and it was like I could just never get enough of the story and the characters. Allegiant, on the other hand, was a discordant note; it felt like it didn't belong with the first two books in the series. A good portion of Allegiant was slow and weighed down with exposition. It was only maybe the last 100 pages or so that returned to the level of excitement prominent in Divergent and Insurgent. I was happy to finally get an explanation into the faction system, but I was a bit disappointed with the weakness of said explanation and the pseudoscience that was supposed to support it.

Tris and Four continue to be incredibly flawed characters, but while I used to love that about them in Divergent, it has gotten increasingly frustrating over the course of the series. I used to love their strength and confidence, but at some point I became a bit weary of their condescension and irrationality. I understand why the dual point of view was introduced, but I can't say I was a huge fan of it; Tris and Four have virtually indistinguishable voices. I also wasn't really into their stolen make-out sessions scattered throughout a largely depressing story. Mmm, nothing like sexy times among the death and grief of an entire city. Not.

And then there is the ending that has everyone in an uproar. While I applaud Veronica Roth for the brave ending and while I believe she means it when she says she didn't write it for shock value, I still wasn't a fan. I suppose it could be that I missed the point completely, but I don't feel that that is the case. Rather, I see what Veronica Roth was going for and I recognize that it was meant to be a satisfying and meaningful end to the story, but I feel like she missed the mark. She tried for meaningful, but instead delivered an ending that really didn't need to happen (the plot holes in Allegiant were numerous, by the way). I can accept less than happy endings, but there needs to be a good reason for them.

I realize that I've had a lot of negative things to say about Allegiant and while it's true that I was definitely disappointed, I did like it enough to be glad that I read it. It didn't ruin the entire series for me like it supposedly did for lots of people. I admire Veronica Roth as she is a good writer with good ideas, but I think she maybe took on too much for Allegiant. She had too many things to wrap up and only one book to do so. The end result was only somewhat satisfying because while we got the answers we'd been wanting, some of them seemed too convenient and some of them a bit insubstantial. Overall, Allegiant was a letdown, but still a passable finale to a memorable series.

Previously, my reviews for Divergent and Insurgent.

Other Reviews:
Alison Can Read
Burning Impossibly Bright
Late Nights with Good Books

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Wednesday, November 6, 2013

Review: Across A Star-Swept Sea (For Darkness Shows The Stars #2) by Diana Peterfreund

Publisher: Balzer + Bray
Published: October 15, 2013
Pages: 464
Source: For Review from HarperCollins
Rating: 4.5 Stars


Centuries after wars nearly destroyed civilization, the two islands of New Pacifica stand alone, a terraformed paradise where even the Reduction—the devastating brain disorder that sparked the wars—is a distant memory. Yet on the isle of Galatea, an uprising against the ruling aristocrats has turned deadly. The revolutionaries’ weapon is a drug that damages their enemies’ brains, and the only hope is rescue by a mysterious spy known as the Wild Poppy.
On the neighboring island of Albion, no one suspects that the Wild Poppy is actually famously frivolous aristocrat Persis Blake. The teenager uses her shallow, socialite trappings to hide her true purpose: her gossipy flutternotes are encrypted plans, her pampered sea mink is genetically engineered for spying, and her well-publicized new romance with handsome Galatean medic Justen Helo… is her most dangerous mission ever.
Though Persis is falling for Justen, she can’t risk showing him her true self, especially once she learns he’s hiding far more than simply his disenchantment with his country’s revolution and his undeniable attraction to the silly socialite he’s pretending to love. His darkest secret could plunge both islands into a new dark age, and Persis realizes that when it comes to Justen Helo, she’s not only risking her heart, she’s risking the world she’s sworn to protect.

In short: Across A Star-Swept Sea by Diana Peterfreund combines an admirable protagonist, an affecting romance, and an engaging story line to make it an exceptional read.
In my review of For Darkness Shows The Stars, I mentioned how nice it was to read a satisfyingly complete standalone for once instead of making a commitment to stick it out with a long-winded series with a never-ending amount of loose-ends. Well, that was before Across A Star-Swept Sea was announced as a companion book that would tie into the original world, but could stand on its own as a separate story with separate characters. Now companion books, I can get behind wholeheartedly! I would be fine if companion books became the new series books.

Across A Star-Swept Sea accomplishes exactly what I wanted in a companion book to For Darkness Shows The Stars. Namely, that I get to see more of the fascinating futuristic world I loved and didn't have to lose the strong female protagonist and the emotionally-charged romance aspects that I adored from For Darkness Shows The Stars. Diana Peterfreund is one talented lady! She has definitely earned her spot on my must-read-author list with her captivating premises and exceptionally well written prose. I appreciate that she never dumbs things down for her readers - her plots are complex and are not super easy to follow, but are somehow so much more rewarding because of it.

Just as Elliot was the heart and soul of For Darkness Shows The Stars, so was the fearless Persis of Across A Star-Swept Sea. She is, in a word, awesome. But that doesn't really cover it. She is brave, altruistic, and caring, all under the guise of a vain and vapid twat. In one life, she has an entire court of admirers wrapped around her little finger and in her other life, she is the revolutionary spy feared by the rebels. Along with Elliot, she is one of the most admirable protagonists I have ever come across. Her relationship with Justen was a fun and affecting romance of the slow-building variety (the best kind!).

My only slight complaint is that I would have liked to have seen a bit more espionage and undercover sleuthing because that was the coolest part of Across A Star-Swept Sea - it's not every day I get to read about a revolutionary female spy, you know! As it is, Across A Star-Swept Sea is very romance-focused - which is fine because it was an excellent romance - but I personally would've liked to have seen a bit more action. Overall though, Across A Star-Swept Sea is a well written and engaging story that I highly recommend. I don't know if other companion books are planned yet, but I sure hope so!

Previously, my review of For Darkness Shows The Stars.

Other Reviews:
Alison Can Read
Cozy Up With A Good Read
Ex Libris

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Thursday, July 25, 2013

Review: The Bone Season by Samantha Shannon

Publisher: Bloomsbury
Published: August 20, 2013
Pages: 480
Source: For Review from Bloomsbury/NetGalley
Rating: 3.5 Stars


It is the year 2059. Several major world cities are under the control of a security force called Scion. Paige Mahoney works in the criminal underworld of Scion London, part of a secret cell known as the Seven Seals. The work she does is unusual: scouting for information by breaking into others’ minds. Paige is a dreamwalker, a rare kind of clairvoyant, and in this world, the voyants commit treason simply by breathing.
But when Paige is captured and arrested, she encounters a power more sinister even than Scion. The voyant prison is a separate city—Oxford, erased from the map two centuries ago and now controlled by a powerful, otherworldly race. These creatures, the Rephaim, value the voyants highly—as soldiers in their army.
Paige is assigned to a Rephaite keeper, Warden, who will be in charge of her care and training. He is her master. Her natural enemy. But if she wants to regain her freedom, Paige will have to learn something of his mind and his own mysterious motives.

In short: The Bone Season by Samantha Shannon has a highly ambitious and imaginative concept, but the execution of the world building was not up to par.
I am not one of those people who gets scared off from reading a book because of the immense buzz surrounding it. Quite the opposite: I am a total lemming and I become instantly curious in any book that receives massive amounts of hype. And with a seven-book six-figure deal, a nineteen-year-old debut author, film rights already optioned, and a ton of early buzz reviews, The Bone Season definitely fits the bill. I needed to involve myself in the hype of this book to see for myself what all the fuss is about.

And the result was that I was both impressed and disappointed by The Bone Season. The highly ambitious and complex world building in The Bone Season was somehow both its strength and its weakness. Samantha Shannon - at the tender age of nineteen, still a student at Oxford, when she wrote this book - has crafted one of the most original and visionary fantasy worlds I have ever come across. It was so unlike anything I have read that it was hard at first to even wrap my head around the concept. But it's hard not to appreciate such breadth and richness of imagination.

It was the execution of the creation of such a unique world that I found issue. Notice how I have not even attempted a brief summary of the world in The Bone Season. There is just SO MUCH there and it's all very complicated, and I couldn't possibly adequately explain even the basis of it. The world building was not nearly as clear as I would have liked. It felt like a chore at times, keeping track of all the lingo and rules. There is a glossary in the back, which might have been helpful, except I wasn't aware of its existence until the end and it would have been a pain to flip to in ebook format anyway.

Perhaps I would have liked The Bone Season better if I had more patience. As it was, I didn't feel like trying to take in massive loads of complicated information and making sense out of this highly complex world. I actually really like complicated concepts and world building, but only if they seem effortless; this seemed laboured. If I were the type to DNF books, I probably would've ditched this one early on when the info dumps were numerous and the many details convoluted. But as it is, I am utterly unable to ditch books part way through, so I stuck it out. Thankfully, the story did get a bit easier to follow in time, and therefore way more enjoyable.

Don't get me wrong, The Bone Season was a good book that I liked and admired for its ambition and imagination. It is also a very fast-paced and exciting book once you get past the initial intro to the world. Characters were another highlight here; many were complex and enigmatic. There is the beginnings of a romance here and I have a feeling it's one that a lot of people will really love for its tension and intensity. So there was a lot of good in The Bone Season. I'm just not completely positive I am ready to commit to a seven-book series when I am still a bit fuzzy on the details of the world.

Other Reviews:
The Page Turner
Realm of Fiction

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