[Review: The Unquiet by Mikaela Everett]

"The Unquiet"
Author: Mikaela Everett
Series: None
Pages: 464
Genre: YA, Sci-fi
Date Published: September 22nd, 2015
Publisher: Greenwillow Books
Format Read: eARC provided by publisher (via Edelweiss) for honest review

---------------------------------------------------------------------

Summary:

For most of her life, Lirael has been training to kill—and replace—a duplicate version of herself on a parallel Earth. She is the perfect sleeper-soldier. But she’s beginning to suspect she is not a good person.

The two Earths are identical in almost every way. Two copies of every city, every building, even every person. But the people from the second Earth know something their duplicates do not—two versions of the same thing cannot exist. They—and their whole planet—are slowly disappearing. Lira has been trained mercilessly since childhood to learn everything she can about her duplicate, to be a ruthless sleeper-assassin who kills that other Lirael and steps seamlessly into her life.

An intricate, literary stand-alone from an astonishing new voice, The Unquiet takes us deep inside the psyche of a strong teenage heroine struggling with what she has been raised to be and who she really is. Fans of eerily futuristic and beautifully crafted stories such as Never Let Me Go, Orphan Black, and Fringe will find themselves haunted by this unsettling debut.

-Goodreads

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

My Thoughts:

An Open Letter To The Unquiet,

I think you're one of my favorite books of the year, and that's saying something, because I've read a lot of good books so far. You made me think a lot. You made me feel a lot of feelings. You are a book that's going to stick with me for a really long time (if not the rest of my life). You're based on twisted morals and a main character who isn't supposed to be likable, and yet, still manages to be. I can't get over how many days it's been since I finished you, but I still find myself thinking about your layered themes. You get a gold star!

-The White Unicorn

This book is masterful. I had no idea what I was getting into when I started it, but now, days later I can't stop thinking about it. I think it's the best books that stick with us, and somehow The Unquiet snuck up on me, and won't let go. Everett gives us a layered story about a girl who's trained to be unsavory, and yet still manages to have a heart. 

This book is messy. I'm not talking about the writing. The writing is glorious, and Everett picked the perfect pacing as well as an interesting voice when telling her story. I mean that it's messy from a moral standpoint. It asks a lot of questions about humanity and what you're willing to do, or not do, to hold onto it. Nothing is what it seems, and yet everything is laid out in the open for us to see, if only we search for it. 

Lira has to be one of my favorite heroines of all time. She's the perfect anti-hero. I know that I'm not supposed to like her, and yet I found myself digging everything about her. She's been trained to be something horrendous, but she slowly learns what she's really made of. I can't even begin to imagine what Lira has gone through on top of what Everett shares with us. I think that the best characters make you wonder questions like that. They make you want to know even more about them, even though you've already been given tons of information. 

On top of all of this, Everett adds a really compelling cast of secondary characters. There wasn't one character that I didn't like. In fact some of them I ended up falling a little bit in love with. I'm looking at you Jack. Jack's such an interesting character. Cecily is also a wonderful character, and it was interesting to see Lira's relationship grow with her, since they're not actually sisters. 

The relationships in this novel really pack a punch. I don't think that it would be the same story if Everett didn't focus on the relationship aspects presented. It's how we really start to understand Lira and the world that she lives in. There's even a slight romance, but it doesn't take away from the story, and it fits really well, so it doesn't feel light or silly when thrown into the plot. 

I'm just going to say it, you need to read this book, and you'll do it if you know what's good for you. 

Rating:

5 Unicorns = Get your hand on this NOW! 

[Review: The Cage by Megan Shepherd]

"The Cage"
Author: Megan Shepherd
Series: The Cage #1
Pages: 400
Genre: YA, Sci-Fi
Date Published: May 26th, 2015
Publisher: Balzer + Bray
Format Read: eARC provided by publisher (via Edelweiss) for honest review

----------------------------------------------------------------------

Summary:

The Maze Runner meets Scott Westerfeld in this gripping new series about teens held captive in a human zoo by an otherworldly race. From Megan Shepherd, the acclaimed author of The Madman's Daughter trilogy.

When Cora Mason wakes in a desert, she doesn't know where she is or who put her there. As she explores, she finds an impossible mix of environments—tundra next to desert, farm next to jungle, and a strangely empty town cobbled together from different cultures—all watched over by eerie black windows. And she isn't alone.

Four other teenagers have also been taken: a beautiful model, a tattooed smuggler, a secretive genius, and an army brat who seems to know too much about Cora's past. None of them have a clue as to what happened, and all of them have secrets. As the unlikely group struggles for leadership, they slowly start to trust each other. But when their mysterious jailer—a handsome young guard called Cassian—appears, they realize that their captivity is more terrifying than they could ever imagine: Their captors aren't from Earth. And they have taken the five teenagers for an otherworldly zoo—where the exhibits are humans.

As a forbidden attraction develops between Cora and Cassian, she realizes that her best chance of escape might be in the arms of her own jailer—though that would mean leaving the others behind. Can Cora manage to save herself and her companions? And if so . . . what world lies beyond the walls of their cage?

-Goodreads

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

My Thoughts:

 An Open Letter To The Cage,

I think I need to break up with all books about aliens. You've reminded me of the fact that I don't really like them. Add in the fact that two POVs is my max, and you had five, and I just didn't get along with you. I'm sure a lot of other people will dig you though, even if we aren't friends.

-The White Unicorn

The Cage wasn't a bad book. In fact it was decent, but I didn't like it. The story was fine, the characters were even pretty cool, but I just didn't connect to it, at all. This stems from the fact that I don't care for books about aliens. I gave Shepherd a chance to change my mind, and I have to say that she didn't. I found the tropes that she used to be predictable and common place. 

The characters were interesting, but I also felt like they were fairly cookie-cutter. I guess what I'm trying to say is that the character bases weren't all that interesting, but Shepherd managed to give them all interesting quirks and back stories. So they all managed to bore me while they kept me interested. There are also five (count them...five) POVs in the book. My cut off is usually two, so that didn't help. I do think that it helped Shepherd tell her story the way she picked to tell it, I just didn't love it.

Also, the whole human girl falls in love with an alien thing is getting old. I wanted Cassian to be an evil jerk. But I guess that's just a personal preference. Honestly, if you like all the things that I have found to dislike about this book, you're going to love it, and since it's pretty well written, that's exciting to me. I just can't back it.

Rating:

 2 Unicorns = It was okay, but something just didn't work for me!

[Review: One Wish Away by Kelley Lynn]

"One Wish Away"
Author: Kelley Lynn
Series: ?

Genre: YA, Sci Fi, Fantasy
Date Published: November 24th, 2014
Publisher: Bloomsbury Spark
Format Read: eARC provided by publisher (via NetGalley) for honest review

---------------------------------------------------------------------

Summary:

Be careful what you wish for…

Lyra has always been ahead of the curve. Top of her class in school, a budding astronomer, and with a best friend like Darren she barely has time to miss the mother who abandoned her family years ago. She's too busy planning to follow in her father's footsteps, and to become the youngest astronomer at Space Exploration and Discovery.

When a star goes missing Lyra is determined to get to the bottom of it only to discover her braniac dad is the mastermind of a top-secret government experiment. They promise to build a perfect world, one galaxy at a time, but with every tweak of the present, a bit more of the future starts to crumble.

Lyra has to go undercover to reveal the truth and let humanity decide if the consequences are worth more than wishing on a star.

-Goodreads

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

My Thoughts:

An Open Letter To One Wish Away,

You were a mixed bag of tricks for me. On one hand you were a fun and fanciful read. You didn't seem to take yourself too seriously and your plot was well thought out. On the other hand, you were really off the wall and none of you made any logical sense. These things made me like you and feel rather "uh" about you at the same time. I honestly don't really know how I feel about you as a whole, but I can't say that I didn't enjoy you.

-The White Unicorn

I'm not even sure where to start this review. Lynn has managed to write a book about what would happen if you could turn real stars into real wishes and mess with time and events in history. Let's just say that it makes a huge mess, that's what it does. These scientists are playing God and we all know that that never turns out well in the end. It keeps the tension levels up and it keeps you interested, but at the same time it's not believable and there in lies this book's odd charm.

As a work of complete fiction this book actually works. It's what I like to call a "fun read". You can't take it seriously, but it's plot and your interest level keep you attached enough to forget the things you know and jump on board with the story. Still, some of the things that happen in this book can't even be helped by that kind of reading style. The star machine itself and some of the rest of the story (like the ending) get a little too far fetched. Though I still give Lynn mad props for the ideas and moral questions displayed in this novel.

I liked Lyra as a main character. She's smart and sure of herself in most things and I liked that about her. But like with the story I felt her lack of self confidence in how she looked went against the rest of her personality and this bugged me a bit. In the end I liked her a lot though, even with my issues.

Darren seemed like he was the perfect match for Lyra and I can't help but be a fan of the whole friends to more thing. He was also there for her even in the tough times and that really worked for me. He also ended up being a really solid rock for her in her chaotic life. 

The ending was another thing I took into account when I rated this book. I have no problems with how this book ended, that is, if it's a series, but if it's not than I have beef with it. The book ends on what can only be called a cliff hanger and I can't find whether or not there will be more books. If there aren't going to be more books, I want to know where the rest of the ending is.

If your looking for a book about a group of really smart people who make stars into wishes, then look no farther, this is the book for you.

 3 Unicorns = I liked it, but it had it's issues!

[Review: The Here And Now by Ann Brashares]

"The Here and Now"
Author: Ann Brashares
Series: ?
Pages: 288
Genre: YA, Sci Fi, Thriller
Date Published: April 8th, 2014
Publisher: Delacorte Press
Format Read: eARC provided by publisher (via NetGalley) for honest review

----------------------------------------------------------------------

Summary:

An unforgettable epic romantic thriller about a girl from the future who might be able to save the world . . . if she lets go of the one thing she’s found to hold on to.

Follow the rules. Remember what happened. Never fall in love.

This is the story of seventeen-year-old Prenna James, who immigrated to New York when she was twelve. Except Prenna didn’t come from a different country. She came from a different time—a future where a mosquito-borne illness has mutated into a pandemic, killing millions and leaving the world in ruins.

Prenna and the others who escaped to the present day must follow a strict set of rules: never reveal where they’re from, never interfere with history, and never, ever be intimate with anyone outside their community. Prenna does as she’s told, believing she can help prevent the plague that will one day ravage the earth.

But everything changes when Prenna falls for Ethan Jarves.

From Ann Brashares, the #1 New York Times bestselling author of The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants series, The Here and Now is thrilling, exhilarating, haunting, and heartbreaking—and a must-read novel of the year.

-Goodreads
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

My Thoughts:

An Open Letter To The Here And Now,

I honestly don't know how you happened book?  Yes, I finished you and you were a quick read, but I don't like you at all.  You could have been great, but you just fell flat.  You took too much time trying to be a statement book instead of telling a story.  I know some people will like you more then I did and the fact that I'm not a big fan of time travel books most likely got in the way of us being pals, so I hope you find some out there somewhere...

-The White Unicorn

I hate to say it, but I'm extremely disappointed in this book.  I've said on multiple occasions on this blog that I'm a big fan of Brashares' Sisterhood books, so even though I'm not a fan of time travel, I gave this one a shot.  It just didn't work for me at all.  It still had that Ann Brashares thing that made you wanna finish it, but that doesn't mean that I loved it.  I wanted to love it and I was so excited for a new YA title after all these years, but this wasn't what I've been waiting for.  

I think my major issue with this book is that the main goal of the story was to save the world from this terrifying mosquito-borne illness.  That would have been awesome, if the book had actually focused on that, but the main plot got bogged down by the fact that all these other things came into play.  Other ways that we as human's were corrupting our future world.  I think the whole end of the world part of the novel needed a firm direction.  It needed to be one or the other.  Human's ruining the world, or a massive, deadly, bug carried virus.  Too much was going on and it made the virus seem less important and the rest of it seemed like Brashares was making a statement.  I believe that people should make loud statements, but they shouldn't just throw them in on top of their plot for making that statement for statements sake.  It created a lot of frustration for me as a reader.  And I found myself skimming parts of the book that didn't seem to fit in with the main directive of the novel.  

On the other hand Brashares has this unique writing voice that makes you want to find out what happens in the end.  Even though I wanted to quit this book, I kept reading because of the way that Brashares tells a story.  I wanted to see the end result of Prenna and Ethan's choices.  I also really liked the strong emphasis on free will.  It kept me guessing all the way to the end.  Was this book perfectly written?  Not at all.  But it did manage to keep me enthralled enough to finish it.

Rating:

2 Unicorns = It was okay, but something just didn't work for me!

[Review: Salvage by Alexandra Duncan]

"Salvage"
Author: Alexandra Duncan
Series: None
Pages: 520
Genre: YA, Science Fiction
Date Published: April 1st, 2014
Publisher: Greenwillow Press
Format Read: eARC provided by publisher (via Edelweiss) for honest review

---------------------------------------------------------------------

Summary:

 Ava, a teenage girl living aboard the male-dominated deep space merchant ship Parastrata, faces betrayal, banishment, and death. Taking her fate into her own hands, she flees to the Gyre, a floating continent of garbage and scrap in the Pacific Ocean, in this thrilling, surprising, and thought-provoking debut novel that will appeal to fans of Across the Universe, by Beth Revis, and The Handmaid's Tale, by Margaret Atwood.

-Goodreads 

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

My Thoughts:

An Open Letter To Salvage,

Hey there book.  I didn't know what I was going to get when I opened you up.  I haven't been having the best of luck with YA Sci Fi lately and so you kind of scared me.  Well let me tell you, I didn't need to be scared of anything.  You're one heck of an epic book.  You remind me of the Sci Fi I loved as a High Schooler and you have strong female leads.  Basically, you're a beast of the a book and I mean that in the best way possible!

-The White Unicorn

Salvage was such a unique reading experience.  There was just something about the story in the pages that captured my heart and wouldn't let it go.  It's not to say that the book is perfect, but there is a breath to the story that is really special.  Duncan has created a world that is so detailed that our main girl, Ava even speaks a strange version of English.  It takes a little getting used to, but once it snaps onto your brain, it gives things an authentic vibe that is missing from so many Sci Fi books I've read lately.  It might not work for everyone but I thought it made Salvage truly one of a kind.  

This space age tale is mostly character driven, but I have to give it to Duncan for her world building as well.  She's taken things that we already know about and strung them together in different ways, creating something really special.  She gives us spaceship societies where men take multiple wives, marriages are arranged, women are kept separate from the men and forced to work on small tasks.  Then she gives us Earth, were we also get a floating landmass in the middle of the Pacific Ocean (which would have made me constantly seasick) and even a futuristic Mumbai.  These places all have a huge role in the story.

The characters really stand out, which is a feat when you look at all the other awesome things happening in the book.  Ava goes on a journey, not only physically (though there is spaceship flying and all) but also one in her personal character.  She starts out as this girl who only knows what those around her let her know and by the end of the book she has grown into someone strong and sure of herself.  Sure she has to go to hell and back to get to that point, but it's a ton of realistic character growth that will have you cheering for our main girl Ava.  The things that she goes through are tough.  Mistakes are made and the fall out is huge, leaving a girl who thought her life was planned out for her reeling and running for her life.  

The book is about Ava, but that doesn't mean that you won't fall in love with the secondary characters as well.  Snarky and feisty Captain Perpetue and her daughter Miyole are key players in Ava's journey.  I really adored both of them.  Perpetue takes a chance on Ava and the bond between the three of them is glorious.  Ava's Aunt Soraya also graces the pages.  Her life has been one of her own choosing, growing up on Earth and not on a spaceship and their differences create a lot of authentic tension.

There are two gents in this novel, but a love triangle never surfaces.  Luck is the man who has a hand in the events that lead to Ava running away and he's her first love.  Their passion is built from lust, but it doesn't mean it's not real.  Then we have Rushil.  Their relationship springs up out of friendship and mutual respect.  I adored them.  It's a ship I can fully get behind.  It's the kind of slow burn romance that I love!

Salvage is a wonderful standalone novel that is full of so many awesome things.  Ava's journey is one that I know will stay with me for a long time.  It's a coming of age tale that will tug at your heart strings in the strangest of ways while also giving you tons of girl power moments.  I'd say snag yourself a copy of this one, strange dialogue aside.

Rating:

        4 Unicorns = Close to perfect!

[Review: Elusion by Claudia Gabel and Cheryl Klam]

"Elusion" 
Author: Claudia Gabel and Cheryl Klam
Series: ?
Pages: 400
Genre: YA, Sci Fi
Date Published: March 18th, 2014
Publisher: Katherine Tegen Books
Format Read: eARC provided by publisher (via Edelweiss) for honest review

----------------------------------------------------------------------

Summary:

Soon, Elusion® will change the world and life as we know it.

A new technology called Elusion is sweeping the country. An app, visor and wristband will virtually transport you to an exotic destination where adventure can be pursued without the complications—or consequences—of real life.

Regan is an Elusion insider. Or at least she used to be. Her father invented the program, and her best friend, Patrick, heir to the tech giant Orexis, is about to release it nationwide. But ever since her father’s unexpected death, Regan can’t bear to Escape, especially since waking up from the dream means crashing back to her grim reality.

Still, when there are rumors of trouble in Elusion—accusations that it’s addictive and dangerous— Regan is determined to defend it. But the critics of Elusion come from surprising sources, including Josh, the handsome skeptic with his own personal stakes. As Regan investigates the claims, she discovers a disturbing web of secrets. She will soon have to choose between love and loyalty…a decision that will affect the lives of millions.

Suspense, thrills, and romance fuel this near-future story about the seductive nature of a perfect virtual world, and how far one girl will go to uncover the truth behind the illusions.

-Goodreads 

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

My Thoughts:

An Open Letter To Elusion,

Okay, so this letter isn't going to be one of those warm and fuzzy love fests, I just thought I'd let you know that right now.  For a book, you didn't have much of a plot.  Honestly, I felt like a two year old at Easter, trying to find an egg and no one would stop what they were doing to help me get my hands on one.  That's how hard it was to find your plot.  I just don't know where it was.  And in the end I didn't even get candy out of it.  Major party foul book, party foul!

-The White Unicorn

I wanted to like this one, but alas that didn't end up being the case.  Gabel and Klam actually managed to build a decently interesting world, but a book can't survive on that alone.  Both writers seem like they are tech savvy ladies and that showed in how they wrote the book.  This will be a wonderful thing for some people.  I have to admit that even though I am a nerd at heart, all the tech talked bogged down the little bit of story that filled this book.  Sure it was well detailed, but it just didn't flow right (IMO).   

The descriptions of the world were also detailed, even if they were a bit flowery.  Stepping inside of Elusion was fun.  I enjoyed those bits of the book.  I also liked how dark Detroit was when the characters weren't in the virtual world.  The contrast really worked for me.

That being said, there was almost no plot in this book.  It felt like I was just reading about tech building, seeing what Elusion looked like and following Regan around her daily life.  The same bits of plot kept being brought up over and over again.  But the book didn't really go anywhere until the last 20% (I was reading an eARC) and even then, it didn't really blow me away and I saw the ending coming a mile away.  Also, I'm not sure if this is a series, but the book didn't really end.  So, I'm hoping that the fans of this one get to finish the story and that wasn't the actual conclusion.

Oh, there was also this really weird love triangle.  Now, don't get me wrong, I love a good love triangle when it's executed right and the thing is that this one wasn't.  It felt like a plot point and too much of the book rested on these two boys.  Josh and Patrick themselves had some good character traits, but seeing them through Regan's eyes didn't work for me.  Which, I guess, means that Regan wasn't my favorite character.  She felt too stereotypical to me.  There wasn't anything that made her stand out to me.

In the end, I think that this book had a great foundation, but the execution and lack of plot took what could have been epic and turned into something that won't be sticking around in my mind for long.

Rating:

    2 Unicorns = It was okay, but something just didn't work for me!       

[Review: Don't Even Think About It by Sarah Mlynowski]

"Don't Even Think About It"
Author: Sarah Mlynowski
Series: None
Pages: 320
Genre: YA, Contemporary, Sci Fi,
Date Published: March 11th, 2014
Publisher: Random House Children's Books
Format Read: eARC provided by publisher (via NetGalley) for honest review

---------------------------------------------------------------------

Summary:

Contemporary teen fiction with romance, secrets, scandals, and ESP from the author of Ten Things We Did (And Probably Shouldn't Have).

We weren't always like this. We used to be average New York City high school sophomores. Until our homeroom went for flu shots. We were prepared for some side effects. Maybe a headache. Maybe a sore arm. We definitely didn't expect to get telepathic powers. But suddenly we could hear what everyone was thinking. Our friends. Our parents. Our crushes. Now we all know that Tess is in love with her best friend, Teddy. That Mackenzie cheated on Cooper. That, um, Nurse Carmichael used to be a stripper.

Since we've kept our freakish skill a secret, we can sit next to the class brainiac and ace our tests. We can dump our boyfriends right before they dump us. We know what our friends really think of our jeans, our breath, our new bangs. We always know what's coming. Some of us will thrive. Some of us will crack. None of us will ever be the same.
So stop obsessing about your ex. We're always listening.

-Goodreads

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

My Thoughts:

An Open Letter To Don't Even Think About It,

The fact is, I think that a lot of people are going to think about you book.  I think a lot of people are going to want to pick you up and read you.  And I hope that most of them like you better than I did.  The thing is, I just didn't connect with you.  Maybe I'm too old for you?  Because, I didn't think you were terrible and you got pretty cute near the end, but we didn't click, did we?  No, we didn't connect at all.  Sorry about that... or am I?

-The White Unicorn 

I'm a huge fan of satire, a huge fan.  So I was excited to read this book.  It sounded like the perfect book for me.  Kids get a flu shot and then they can hear everyone around them.  Sounds perfect.  I'm not gonna say that this book didn't have a lot going for it, because it did, but I also have to tell you that most of the book irritated me.  Satire is hit or miss and for some reason I didn't click with the brand that Mlynowski came up with.  I think that it has to do with the confusing narration and really young elements of the plot.  Which makes me think that this book is going to be a hit with younger readers.

There are so many lead characters in this book and then a collective "we" who seems to be telling the story.  I want to tell you that this worked for me, cause I love when people throw a different form of narration at me, but it just felt confusing and jumbled.  We were in so many people's heads, seeing so many different things all at the same time that it got too chaotic.  I just couldn't connect with any of them on a personal level.  Sure, they were entertaining and they added to the plot, but there was wall there for me, that I couldn't break through it, no matter how hard I tried.  

Also, all these girls were attracted to jerks.  Okay, they weren't all jerks and not all the girls had clean slates either, but I wish that there would have been some version of a healthy relationship.  I mean, one showed up near the end that made me swoony for a total of 3 seconds, but over all I found all the relationship toxicity to be more than a little overkill.

I did like the idea that there wasn't a main villain.  The kids were each others villains and that actually really worked for me.  It created some pretty funny, yet juvenile moments.  They just couldn't hide from each other, ever.  This was probably the strongest element of the plot and I've got to hand it to Mlynowski for thinking outside of the box.

So, in the end I didn't connect with this one for all the reasons I mentioned above and the parts that did work were smothered in all the other things that didn't work for me.  Does that mean you shouldn't give this one a try?  No, you should, if you want to.  I believe this one has it's place.  It's place just isn't with me.

Rating:

  2 Unicorns = It was okay, but something just didn't work for me!

[Review: Avalon by Mindee Arnett

"Avalon"
Author: Mindee Arnett
Series: Avalon #1
Pages: 432
Genre: YA, Sci Fi, Adventure
Date Published: January 21st, 2014
Publisher: Balzer & Bray
Format Read: eARC provided by publisher (via Edelweiss) for honest review

----------------------------------------------------------------------

Summary:

A ragtag group of teenage mercenaries who crew the spaceship Avalon stumble upon a conspiracy that could threaten the entire galaxy in this fascinating and fast-paced sci-fi adventure from author Mindee Arnett.

Of the various star systems that make up the Confederation, most lie thousands of light-years from First Earth-and out here, no one is free. The agencies that govern the Confederation are as corrupt as the crime bosses who patrol it, and power is held by anyone with enough greed and ruthlessness to claim it. That power is derived from one thing: metatech, the devices that allow people to travel great distances faster than the speed of light.

Jeth Seagrave and his crew of teenage mercenaries have survived in this world by stealing unsecured metatech, and they're damn good at it. Jeth doesn't care about the politics or the law; all he cares about is earning enough money to buy back his parents' ship, Avalon, from his crime-boss employer and getting himself and his sister, Lizzie, the heck out of Dodge. But when Jeth finds himself in possession of information that both the crime bosses and the government are willing to kill for, he is going to have to ask himself how far he'll go to get the freedom he's wanted for so long.

Avalon is the perfect fit for teens new to sci-fi as well as seasoned sci-fi readers looking for more books in the YA space-and a great match for fans of Joss Whedon's cult hit show Firefly.

-Goodreads 

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

My Thoughts:

Oh Avalon, how I wanted to love you with every fiber of my being.  I really did.  You're a mixture of things that I love, including Firefly and Danny Boyle's flick Sunshine and even some Star Wars.  You've got all the fixings to be something right up my alley.  In some ways you delivered brilliantly and in others you didn't hit the mark at all.  Sure, even though you weren't perfect, I still enjoyed you, but I wanted you to leave me more excited than I am in the long run.  I'm just left trying to find the "wow factor" I wanted going into you.  Then again I'll settle for what you did deliver on and call it a truce.  

And now that my open letter to the book is over... 

This is my first book by Mindee Arnett that I've read and after hearing so many awesome things about her other novels, I couldn't wait to dive into it.  A book set in space about teenage mercenaries?  Sign me up!  I found the characters interesting and the overall plot to be enjoyable and fast paced.  Arnett sure knows how to keep you on your toes when it comes to throwing curve balls into her plot and keeping things interesting.  But for as fast paced as the action was I found myself struggling through reading the book itself.  

It was odd.  I felt like I had read a ton of the book and I'd look and see that I hadn't gotten very far at all.  I'm not sure why this was, but it made the book feel like it was dragging for me.  Even if the plot was moving along, it felt like I was stuck in the pages and that I couldn't get out.  It was immensely distracting, and personally the flow of my reading experience got in the way of how much I enjoyed this book.  It's the weirdest thing to try to explain.  Exciting things were happening in the story, but they weren't happening in a way that made me excited. 

That being said, I did enjoy the characters that filled Arnett's story.  I like when I find a male protagonist believable and Jeth did that for me.  He had his flaws (in that he wasn't always as assessable as I would have liked) but he had this honesty about him that I found to be really refreshing.  Plus, his loyalty to his crew was something to applaud!  And then throw in how great his was with his little sister Lizzie and he'll also managed to melt your heart every once in awhile.  

Sierra was a great female lead as well.  As was Celeste.  I liked how Arnett wrote really feisty and strong females into her novel.  In a place full of male testosterone, these girls held their own.  Even the younger ones like Lizzie and Cora had their moments of extreme strength.  

The rest of the bit characters also had their moments.  The bad guys had moments that made your skin crawl and we all know that that's what you want in a good bad guy, so that worked out well too.

So, even though I was left wanting more.  Let's be honest, a whole lot more, the things that Arnett did right, she did really really right.  I've got to give her props for all of that, even though I can't start a slow clap for this space ship flying, galaxy traveling, romp of a tale because of the weird pacing.  I have to admit that I'm curious to see where the next book goes...

Rating:

       3 Unicorns = I liked it, but it had it's issues!      

[Cover Reveal: Wasteland by Lindsay Leggett]

 "Wasteland"

Author: Lindsay Leggett

Series: Flight #2

Genre: Sci-Fi, YA

Summary:

Wasteland, the next book in the FLIGHT trilogy, takes place a few months after the ending of book one.

Trapped in a cell and experimented on, Piper Madden’s only hope is remembering Asher. Then, Elder Corp President Rupert Elder gives her new orders: to be a leader in a war against the Harpies. Without a choice, Piper must obey Rupert’s commands or suffer from paralyzing and painful Nanomachines. But the war is just beginning, and Asher has gone missing. The resistance is slowly building, and the upcoming war will be larger and bloodier than anything seen since the Devastation that ruined the earth. Throughout all of this, Piper remembers the time before she ran to Ichton, when David was alive and her hope in Elder Corp was still strong.

Add it on Goodreads!

About The Author:

Nearly every writer struggles to put together information about themselves, perhaps because we’re so used to detailing the lives and ways of others. For the most part I am a writer, editor, photographer, and all-around artist living in the wilds north of Toronto, Ontario. I thrive on the juxtaposition of beauty and grit, enjoy urban crawls, indie everything, and time well-spent in the woods.

Stalk Lindsay Here:

... Website ... Goodreads ... Twitter ... 

[Blog Tour: The Apollo Academy by Kimbery P. Chase, Review and Giveaway]

 

  I was extremely excited to get a chance to be on the blog tour for The Apollo Academy!  I'm a huge Sci-Fi nerd and this one sounded awesome.  So what did I think?  Well, keep reading to find out!  If you would like to see the rest of the tour, go here!  Also, check this deal out!  The Apollo Academy is on sale for $0.99 because of National Aviation Day

"The Apollo Academy"
Author: Kimberly P. Chase
Series: The Apollo Academy #1
Pages: 340
Genre: NA, Sci-Fi
Date Published: August 6th, 2013
Publisher: Self Published
Format Read: eARC provided by author for honest review

------------------------------------------------------------

Summary:

As the heiress to Titon Technologies, eighteen-year-old Aurora Titon can have whatever she wants—clothes, expensive gadgets, anything money can buy. All she really wants is to escape her pampered, paparazzi-prone life for the stars. Becoming the first female pilot to train as an astronaut for the Apollo Academy is exactly the chance for which she has been waiting. Everything would be perfect if it weren't for her unreciprocated crush on a fellow student, the sexy astronaut bent on making her life hell, and the fact that someone keeps trying to kill her.

The first in a four book new adult science fiction series, The Apollo Academy, is an action packed story of love, discovery, and survival.

-Goodreads 

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

My Thoughts:

Well, I never would have guessed that I would ever end up reading a New Adult, Sci-Fi, love story, but here I am, writing this review.  Okay, so The Apollo Academy wasn't only a love story, it actually has a lot of other things going on, but the love was definitely there.  And let me just say that the guys were pretty, well, they were pretty...

This book had a lot of awesome put into it.  Did I think it was perfect?  To be honest, I didn't, but that didn't keep me from really liking what was put in front of my face.  I think that the "is someone trying to kill me" plot was the most exciting part for me.  Though it may have wrapped up a little to easily for me, but that's because it's really hard to surprise me.  But that being said, it kept me on the edge of my seat.  Plus, the setting was already incredibly dangerous and foreign, so the fact that someone was trying to kill Aurora just added to that feeling.  

Chase created a really interesting future world for us to live in.  Not only did she explore the future but she also hinted at space ventures from the past.  Even the title of the book and the academy it hints at are based on the failed Apollo 1 launch, which killed all three pilots on board.  I have to hand it to her for adding space launch history into her futuristic story.  She bended the rules of space travel, genetics and the world as we know them and part of you just had to go with the things that made Chase's futuristic world work.  Lets just say that Sheldon Cooper might have had some issues, but when doesn't he?  (If you know who that is and what I'm referring to, we should be friends)  But once you just went with it and enjoyed the world presented, it's awesome!  The training missions were good, exciting fun!

This book is also told from 3 POVs.  It's one of those things that could be too much, but I think that it worked here.  We get to see things through, who I think our main character is, Aurora's eyes.  But we also get to see glimpses into the lives of our two guys, student Zane and astronaut Skye.  I actually enjoyed reading from the view point of the guys more, and Skye's voice probably took the cake for me.  

Let's talk about the characters.  Aurora was cool.  She was tiny and kinda badass and worked really hard for what she wanted.  Those are all things that I respect, but for some reason she wasn't my favorite.  I can see her being a favorite of a lot of other people though.  I respect her, I just didn't love her.  Zane was your mysterious guy.  I liked him.  He was really interesting and I wanted to know more about him.  He's one of the biggest reasons that I'll be picking up the next book.  And Skye, well Skye has me really intrigued.  He's got issues, but in all honesty all three of our leads do.

The love triangle was little weird for me.  It seemed like a bunch of friends with crushes on each other and a girl who didn't know what to do with herself when she was given any amount of attention.  But the rest of the book was awesome enough that it didn't really affect my reading experience.

I did really love the friendship between Aurora and her best friend Kaylana.  I was glad that Chase decided to add a really legit female friendship into the mix.  Kaylana and Aurora had their issues, but I felt like their friendship was one of the pieces of double stick tape that kept this book together!

So, even though this book wasn't perfect, I had a good time digging into the world that Chase created.  It's a nice New Adult novel that would be fine even for a younger audience.  Which I think is also a plus for this novel!

Rating:

   3 Unicorns = I liked it a lot but it had it's issues!

Buy the book on Amazon, B&N and iTunes!

About The Author:

  

Kimberly P. Chase holds a Bachelor's Degree in Aeronautical Science from Embry Riddle Aeronautical University, which basically means she's kind of a geek and loves flying airplanes. Naturally, her books tend to include aviation, hot flight instructors, aviator glasses, and—let's not forget—kissing! When Kimberly's not writing or reading, she's hanging out with her husband, four-year-old son, and two dogs. 

Find Her Here:

... Blog ... Twitter ... Facebook ... 

Giveaway:

Kimberly is giving away a eBook of The Apollo Academy and 2 Launch Specialist t-shirts!  So, if you wanna try to get your hands on that good stuff, enter below!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

[Review: Flight by Lindsay Leggett]

"Flight"
Author: Lindsay Leggett
Series: Flight #1
Pages: 273
Genre: NA/YA, Paranormal
Date Published: April 1st, 2013
Publisher: Self Published
Format Read: eARC provided by author for honest review

-------------------------------------------------------------

Summary:

The first rule of survival in the Underground: When you’re outside, keep your eyes on the skies. Ace Harpy Hunter Piper Madden is used to danger, but the death of her brother slams the brakes on her high-torque lifestyle and leaves her broken and confused.

On the run from the dictating Elder Corporation, she’s eventually found in the quiet undergound city of Ichton and asked to work for the Corp on contract to quell a new and frightening Harpy threat.

Enter the discovery of horrifying Corporation secrets, Harpy attacks, and a new friendship with the strange Asher, and Piper’s days become anything but boring.

Then, a chance encounter leaves Piper privy to a dangerous secret, and as she and Asher team up in an effort to unravel the truth, the secrets they uncover beneath the ancient walls of the dead city will spark their world into a grand-scale war.

-Goodreads
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

My Thoughts:

Guys, this book was epic.  As epic as your favorite video game or your favorite adventure movie.  In fact that whole time I was reading it I was thinking "this would be an awesome comic book."  It just has that vibe to it.  But in all honesty I don't really like to read comic books and so this novel was the perfect compromise for me!  Leggett has created a world with heavy layers of intrigue that will leave you wondering what the hell is going on, while giving you enough info to keep you interested.

Have you ever read a book about Harpys?  Yeah, me either, but now that I've got a taste, I'm hooked!  Heck, Harpys should be the new vampires if you ask me.  Leggett's version of these winged human/creator things is awesome.  They are creepy and dangerous and flesh eating.  What more could you want from a threat to your well being?

Not only were the Harpys awesome, but so was the world building.  Ichton was a city that you could feel and touch and taste.  It was dark and suffocating in ways that were easy to imagine.  And the Corp building was just as strange.  And when you left the dome of the underground, the world outside kept you on edge as well.  In a way it was those things that gave it the video game feel that I came to love!  The details on how The Corp worked were also on their A game.  

But on top of video game like world building and Harpys, we also get some awesome, strong, kick ass characters that you can't help but root for.  Sure you don't know who to trust half the time, but these people will keep you on your toes!  

Piper is a brilliant narrator for this story.  She's got so much going on in her head, as well as a really strong personality.  On the other hand she's completely broken after the loss of her brother.  It's her interactions with the people around her that really make you take note of who she is.  There's new partners, old friends and old flames as well as mysterious dark haired boys!  The whole cast that surrounds Piper are fantastic.  I'm not going to tell you much about them, because I think that it's better to go in and watch her meet them and reconnect with them like I did.  But trust me, they are all wonderful.

Romance has it's place in the story as well, but what I loved about this one is that it doesn't take away from the story in any way, shape or form.  It actually adds to every little thing about the book!  It's a well rounded, character driven romance that totally works.

So, what's the final verdict?  You need to read this one.  It's got so many awesome things going for it, and it delivers on each and every one of those things!  This is another Indie that has blown me out of the water!

        

Rating:

 5 Unicorns = Get your hands on this now!

[Cover Reveal: The Apollo Academy by Kimberly P. Chase]

THE APOLLO ACADEMY by Kimberly P. Chase
Launches: 8.6.13

Cover Art by Cliff Nielsen

ABOUT: As the heiress to Titon Technologies, eighteen-year-old Aurora Titon can have whatever she wants—clothes, expensive gadgets, anything money can buy. All she really wants is to escape her pampered, paparazzi-prone life for the stars. Becoming the first female pilot to train as an astronaut for the Apollo Academy is exactly the chance for which she has been waiting. Everything would be perfect if it weren't for her unreciprocated crush on a fellow student, the sexy astronaut bent on making her life hell, and the fact that someone keeps trying to kill her.

Early praise for The Apollo Academy:
"I am obsessed with this book! Suspenseful, sexy, and just a great read!" -Cora Carmack, New York Times Bestselling author of LOSING IT.

“Exquisite worldbuilding, thrilling suspense, and a sexy flight instructor! Chase’s exciting debut novel is one you don’t want to miss.” - K.A.Tucker, Author of Ten Tiny Breaths and One Tiny Lie
Add The Apollo Academy to your GoodReads Shelf!

AND WE'RE ALSO REVEALING THE BOOK TRAILER! 
About the author:

Kimberly P. Chase holds a Bachelor's Degree in Aeronautical Science from Embry Riddle Aeronautical University, which basically means she's kind of a geek and loves flying airplanes. Naturally, her books tend to include aviation, hot flight instructors, aviator glasses, and—let's not forget—kissing! When Kimberly's not writing or reading, she's hanging out with her husband, four-year-old son, and two dogs. 

website: www.kimberlypchase.com
facebook: https://www.facebook.com/KimberlyPChase
twitter: https://twitter.com/kpchase817

WAIT! THERE'S EVEN MORE AWESOME....AN APOLLO ACADEMY SWAG BAG IS UP FOR GRABS! ENTER BELOW:

a Rafflecopter giveaway

[Blog Tour: Strangelets by Michelle Gagnon. Review, Dream Cast and Giveaway]

I'm excited to be sharing my review as well as my dream cast for the new book Strangelets by Michelle Gagnon!  The tour is hosted by Shane over at Itching For Books Tours!  Let's get to the good stuff shall we?!

"Strangelets"
Author: Michelle Gagnon
Pages: ?
Genre: YA, Paranormal, Sci Fi, Romance
Date Published: April 9th, 2013
Publisher: Soho Teen
Format Read: eARC provided by author in return for an honest review

-------------------------------------------------------------

Summary:

17-year-old Sophie lies on her deathbed in California, awaiting the inevitable loss of her battle with cancer…
17-year-old Declan stares down two armed thugs in a back alley in Galway, Ireland…
17-year-old Anat attempts to traverse a booby-trapped tunnel between Israel and Egypt…

All three strangers should have died at the exact same moment, thousands of miles apart. Instead, they awaken together in an abandoned hospital—only to discover that they’re not alone. Three other teens from different places on the globe are trapped with them. Somebody or something seems to be pulling the strings. With their individual clocks ticking, they must band together if they’re to have any hope of surviving. 

Soon they discover that they've been trapped in a future that isn't of their making: a deadly, desolate world at once entirely familiar and utterly strange. Each teen harbors a secret, but only one holds the key that could get them home. As the truth comes to light through the eyes of Sophie, Declan, and Anat, the reader is taken on a dark and unforgettable journey into the hearts of teens who must decide what to do with a second chance at life.
-Goodreads
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

My Thoughts:

Strangelets is a book that you can't really pin point.  It's a ball of random moments and things collected and pulled through a wormhole.  It's a little bit of romance, a lot of sci fi mythology, a ton of mystery and even some touches of horror.  It's a book that will keep you on your toes and book that got better the deeper you got into it!

Sure it started out with a really cool premise and some extremely strong characters, but the pacing was a little slow in the beginning.  Though I did love all three of our main character's near death experiences.  Near death by cancer, gun and bomb.  It sounds exciting, doesn't it?  I'm not saying that it wasn't, but like I said there was just something about the pace in the beginning that didn't click with me.  Even if I was intrigued by what I was reading.

About half way through it picked up for me though.  And Gagnon had me once she was able to surprise me in a way that I never expected.  She managed to pull some really awesome fast ones on me, throwing stuff at me that made me rethink the whole plot line.  Everything is not as it seems, though some of the things are only what they are.  It takes a lot to be able to shock me and Gagnon managed to pull it off!  It also could have done with the fact that I actually said to myself the only thing that would make this better is if there were dinosaurs.  And then in the next paragraph, there were dinosaur like creatures!  Well done Gagnon, well done!

The characters were really interesting.  I found myself really liking Declan, Anat and Sophie.  Sure Sophie tended to whine a lot, but she got tough fast and pulled through for her fellow hospital mates.  Declan was a smart ass and Gagnon was smart to use him as comic relief when she did.  And even though the romance was a little more on the insta-love side, it wasn't so terrible that it made angry.  I have to admit that I would have liked to have seen more of Anat.  I think she could have been so much more than what she was.  Maybe if she hadn't just been the strong military female from Israel she would have been easier to connect with.  I mean I loved her character, I just think we needed to know a little bit more about her.  And I have to tell you that Yosh was a stand out for me.  Her character is perfect! 

The ending seemed to come abruptly.  Yes, it was well thought out and I liked the twist in the end, but it just seemed to be over right when things got really exciting.  I think that this had to do with the beginning being on the slower side of things.  I wanted to know what happened after the big conclusion.  I wanted to know more than the author told us.  Her last chapter wrap up, while well written was kind of a let down.  I especially liked how things ended up for Anat, but once again we didn't really get to see it in action.  We only heard the story through Declan's lips.

So yes, I did like this book.  It was intense and had some awesome things going for it and it's strength grew the closer it got to the end.  The issues I had with the pacing and some of the character focus did bother me though.  But all in all this is a solid novel for anyone who likes a good mind trip and likes to be kept guessing!       

 Rating:

3 Unicorns = I liked it a lot, but it had it's issues!

About Author:

Michelle Gagnon is a former modern dancer, bartender, dog walker, model, personal trainer, and Russian supper club performer. Her bestselling adult thrillers THE TUNNELS, BONEYARD, THE GATEKEEPER, and KIDNAP & RANSOM have been published in North America, France, Denmark, Spain, Argentina, Norway, Sweden, Finland, and Australia. BONEYARD was a finalist for a 2009 Daphne du Maurier Award for Excellence in Mystery/Suspense.

Her Links:

Website: www.michellegagnon.com

Twitter: twitter.com/Michelle_Gagnon 

Dream Cast!
I came up with what I think would be the perfect cast for the movie version of Strangelets and here they are!

Elle Fanning as SOPHIE

Damian McGinty as DECLAN

Analeigh Tiptop as ANAT

Sam Claflin as NICKO

Ellen Wong as YOSH

Giveaway:

And to top everything off there is a tour wide giveaway!  Get yourself entered!
a Rafflecopter giveaway