The Treatment by Suzanne Young

Publisher’s summary: Can Sloane and James survive the lies and secrets surrounding them, or will The Program claim them in the end? Find out in this sequel to The Program, which Publishers Weekly called “chilling and suspenseful.”

How do you stop an epidemic?

Sloane and James are on the run after barely surviving the suicide epidemic and The Program. But they’re not out of danger. Huge pieces of their memories are still missing, and although Sloane and James have found their way back to each other, The Program isn’t ready to let them go.

Escaping with a group of troubled rebels, Sloane and James will have to figure out who they can trust, and how to take down The Program. But for as far as they’ve come, there’s still a lot Sloane and James can’t remember. The key to unlocking their past lies with the Treatment—a pill that can bring back forgotten memories, but at a high cost. And there’s only one dose.

Ultimately when the stakes are at their highest, can Sloane and James survive the many lies and secrets surrounding them, or will The Program claim them in the end?

My Take: CRAZINESS!!! The last half of this book gave me such crazy anxiety it’s not even funny! It was a build-up of a heck of a lot of crap that my mind and emotions had a hard time handling it. But it was soooooo good, and the ending was phenomenal! This book made me a huge fan of Suzanne Young, and I’m so sad that it’s over!

The first part of the book had me getting reacquainted with the characters and getting sucked back into the scary paranoid life of the teens in this duology. And speaking of sucked…since Sloane doesn’t have her memories from before The Program (and since it has been a year since I read The Program), it took me some time to figure out the “who, what, and where” of this story. But that didn’t cause any problems with me enjoying The Treatment because the writing and the continued story-line was so intriguing that I was completely absorbed into the story.

One thing I loved about this book was the rollercoaster of emotions it put me through. Throughout the entire book, I agonized over who I thought Sloane should trust when she would get to those dark, depressive states. I think it would be horrifying to be a teen living in a world like this. The other thing I loved about this book was learning to love and hate all of the characters right along with Sloane. Sloane is by far my favorite character in this book and there was only one time I was mad at her over her actions.

There were so many cans of worms opened in this book and so many unanswered questions from The Program that I never thought they could all be tied up in a duology. All along I kept thinking this series was going to be a trilogy and, as I was nearing the end of the book, I was getting a little freaked out thinking that I was going to have to wait a whole nuther year to relieve this anxiety. But IT.IS.OVER! And I couldn’t be more thrilled with how this book played out even though I’m so sad to say goodbye!

For those of you who haven’t read this series, read it now!

The One by Kiera Cass

Publisher’s Summary: The time has come for one winner to be crowned.

When she was chosen to compete in the Selection, America never dreamed she would find herself anywhere close to the crown—or to Prince Maxon's heart. But as the end of the competition approaches, and the threats outside the palace walls grow more vicious, America realizes just how much she stands to lose—and how hard she'll have to fight for the future she wants.

My Take: OMG! I loved every bit of this book! Well, I’m actually quite upset with a death in this book, so I can’t say I loved EVERY bit of it (that death was extremely sudden) but, other than that, I loved it. This was one of those happy fairytale fluffy books…and I feel like I needed it! I think I had a smile on my face throughout the whole book, but I will admit that there were a few moments I had tears running down my face. And I can’t tell you how many times Jaime from Two Chicks on Books had to hear me giggling out loud while I was reading this book. Basically, I had a lot of emotions going on while reading this final book in The Selection trilogy.

One thing everyone wants to know about is the love triangle. Well I’m not going to spoil, but it’s pretty apparent right from the start who she’s going to choose. That’s one thing about this book; there are not a whole lot of surprises. So once you start to read, you’ll know.

My favorite thing about this book was how I was reminded that Cass is really good at character development. I think that is why so many people are invested in this series; it’s because you learn to love the characters. Well in this book I grew attached to a character that I never would have guessed would happen. And she ended up being one of my favorite characters. America really grows a strong independence and an understanding of how she can make a difference in the situation she is in. There are some decisions she makes that causes drama, but those all worked out perfectly in the end.

The end of The One was just insane! That ending happened extremely fast and tied up all the loose ends and I loved it! Kiera Cass did a fantastic job and I’m more than satisfied with this book and the series and I highly recommend them.

The Program by Suzanne Young

Publisher’s summary: In this “gripping tale for lovers of dystopian romance” (Kirkus Reviews), true feelings are forbidden, teen suicide is an epidemic, and the only solution is The Program.

Sloane knows better than to cry in front of anyone. With suicide now an international epidemic, one outburst could land her in The Program, the only proven course of treatment. Sloane’s parents have already lost one child; Sloane knows they’ll do anything to keep her alive. She also knows that everyone who’s been through The Program returns as a blank slate. Because their depression is gone—but so are their memories.

Under constant surveillance at home and at school, Sloane puts on a brave face and keeps her feelings buried as deep as she can. The only person Sloane can be herself with is James. He’s promised to keep them both safe and out of treatment, and Sloane knows their love is strong enough to withstand anything. But despite the promises they made to each other, it’s getting harder to hide the truth. They are both growing weaker. Depression is setting in.

And The Program is coming for them.

My take: Oh…wow! This book sucked the life out of me and left me numb! But it was so good! I have no idea how Suzanne would be able to write this book without going into a deep dark depression because she would have to literally put herself into a deep, dark depressed state of mind to accomplish the feelings and emotions that come out of this book. And I think it was really important for Suzanne to create these true, dark feelings in order to create and tell the story as well as she did. She did a phenomenal job in my opinion.

It killed me while reading this book, knowing that these teens are constantly being watched to see if they develop signs of sadness or depression which means they’ll be thrown into The Program. And how is it even possible for these teens to avoid the very emotions The Program supposedly says proves they are infected…when one in every three teens is killing themselves (these teens know other teens who have committed suicide), when they are constantly being monitored, and when they then see these other kids come out of The Program as totally different people. Don’t these things alone give them a reason to show signs of sadness, depression and anxiety? Wow!

There is something that happens really early on in the book that has you truly understanding what these teens are going through. And then that’s only the beginning…craziness is going on throughout the entire book! It all blew me away.

Suzanne Young is an amazing writer. She does an amazing job developing the story’s characters, and she did an amazing job emotionally attaching me to the characters. The world she created in this book and her storytelling were remarkable! And I especially love how she created a contemporary feel to this dystopian novel.

The story ends amazingly well, and I’m really excited to see where the story will lead!

In the After by Demitria Lunetta

Publisher’s summary: Attack.
Not isolated.
Fate of Americans: unknown.
Amy is watching TV when the world is attacked by Them. Most of the population is overtaken, but Amy manages to survive—and even rescue "Baby," a toddler she finds in an abandoned supermarket.

Then, after years of hiding, they are miraculously rescued and taken to New Hope, a colony of survivors living in a former government research compound. While at first the colony seems like a dream, with plenty of food, safety, and shelter, New Hope slowly reveals that it is far from ideal. And Amy soon realizes that unless things change, she'll lose Baby—and much more.

You'll tear through the pulse-pounding narrow escapes and horrifying twists of fate in this thrilling debut from author Demitria Lunetta.

My take: This book was so freakin’ good! I loved it! And I’m so super excited and I’m definitely going to be impatiently waiting for book #2.

When I first started reading In The After, I’ll have to admit that I was a little worried because I started reading this book not too long after I read The 5th Wave, and I was afraid I would be unfairly comparing the two books. But not long into the story, the book took a different, super strange turn that freaked me out! And, I knew from that very moment that I would love this book. And I was right!

This is one of those books that you wonder throughout the story who the protagonist, Amy, should actually trust. And I can’t say that I was too surprised by the betrayals, but there definitely are some crazy ones.

I loved the character named Baby, but it was REALLY distracting for me to keep referring to her name as “Baby.” There’s not much I want to say about the other characters in this book because the book starts out with just Amy and Baby (all alone for like, I think, 2 or 3 years) and I don’t want to give up any spoilers.

There were a couple things that transpired and that came together in the end that truly surprised me, and I was totally loving it! And I absolutely love the way the story actually ended…it leaves my brain reeling over how insane the next book will be, and I can hardly wait!!!

The Testing by Joelle Charbonneau

Publisher's summary: In Cia's dystopian society it's an honor to be chosen for The Testing. But it’s not enough to pass the Test. Cia will have to survive it.

It’s graduation day for sixteen-year-old Malencia Vale, and the entire Five Lakes Colony (the former Great Lakes) is celebrating. All Cia can think about—hope for—is whether she’ll be chosen for The Testing, a United Commonwealth program that selects the best and brightest new graduates to become possible leaders of the slowly revitalizing post-war civilization. When Cia is chosen, her father finally tells her about his own nightmarish half-memories of The Testing. Armed with his dire warnings (”Cia, trust no one”), she bravely heads off to Tosu City, far away from friends and family, perhaps forever. Danger, romance—and sheer terror—await.

My take: Holy flippin’ crap! This book was downright craziness! I’m having the shakes right now thinking about everything that happened in this book, and I’m having severe separation anxiety because I want Independent Study (book 2) now! If I were put in “The Testing,” I don’t think I could control my temper one bit; I think I’d probably hemorrhage right then and there and start acting like a raving lunatic. In fact, while reading The Testing, in one moment I’d feel like I wanted to jump right through the pages and go on a frenzied rampage, and then in the next moment I’d feel the complete opposite and I wanted to curl up in a ball and have an internal freak out.

In the very beginning of the book I wasn’t fully invested in the story, and it took me a few tries to get drawn into the story, as I’d start and stop reading. Which is really weird because it wasn’t very far into the book before the story takes a turn that really sparked my interest and got my full attention. At that point, there is this one particular thing that happens that actually had me leaping from my seat in shock, and I was stuck.

I can’t really talk too much about the characters in The Testing because I have some really strong feelings about a lot of those characters. This is one of those books that had me changing my original feelings for some of the characters by the stuff that transpires by the end of the story. So, by talking about the characters, I’d be revealing major spoilers, and you know how much I hate to do that! In fact, my feelings for some of the characters were so strong that I’ve gotten into a few heated battles with some blogger friends, particularly Jaime from Two Chicks on Books.

This is a book I would totally recommend! And if you are struggling with the beginning, don’t let that hold you back because the story’s phenomenal!

The Elite by Kiera Cass

Publisher’s summary: The selection began with 35 girls. Now, with the group narrowed down to the Elite, the competition to win Prince Maxon's love is fiercer than ever. The closer America gets to the crown, the more she struggles to figure out where her heart truly lies. Each moment she spends with Maxon is like a fairy tale, filled with breathless, glittering romance. But whenever she sees her first love, Aspen, standing guard, she's swept up in longing for the life they'd planned to share.

America is desperate for more time. But while she's torn between her two futures, the rest of the Elite know exactly what they want—and America's chance to choose is about to slip away.

My take: Oh my gosh!!! This series is AWESOME! There is so much to say about why I loved, loved, loved this book! I loved The Selection and I just love The Elite even more!

The Elite picks up pretty much right where The Selection left off, and there is so much more that happens throughout this book! Oh…my! Something really terrible happens to one of my favorite characters in this book and I was absolutely horrified! That’s when we also learn how horrible the nation’s leaders really are. There are also some eye-opening things that happen that had me questioning the true motives of the rebels, and a bunch of other events that have left me curious about what is really going on all around! OH MY!!!! I’m dying to know more!

As for the romance! I was a little sad that Prince Maxon is absent from a lot of the book; especially, because Aspen is back in the picture and we see him throughout the book. I don’t hate Aspen, but I just really don’t want America to be with him. Then something horrible happens that had me questioning my feelings about Prince Maxon, but my feelings are really clear now! And this other thing that happens with Prince Maxon… I WAS a little horrified with the initial shock of it, but I should have expected it and I’m not really mad at him. I’m thinking, “Can I really blame the guy?” “Nah, I’m good!” I’m still Team Maxon!

There‘s a lot of craziness that happens near the end of The Elite, and I was worried that it was going to end in a way that I wouldn’t be happy with, but it actually ends perfectly! It ends in a way that has me dying for the last book and it left me knowing that the next book will be fabulous!

The Selection by Kiera Cass

Publisher’s summary: For thirty-five girls, The Selection is the chance of a lifetime. The opportunity to escape the life laid out for them since birth. To be swept up in a world of glittering gowns and priceless jewels. To live in a palace and compete for the heart of gorgeous Prince Maxon.

But for America Singer, being Selected is a nightmare. It means turning her back on her secret love with Aspen, who is a caste below her. Leaving her home to enter a fierce competition for a crown she doesn't want. Living in a palace that is constantly threatened by violent rebel attacks.

Then America meets Prince Maxon. Gradually, she starts to question all the plans she's made for herself—and realizes that the life she's always dreamed of may not compare to a future she never imagined.

My take: Loved it! Almost immediately when I first started listening to this book, I knew I’d like it!

I thought the romance between America and Aspen in the beginning of the book was sweet, and I thought right away that I’d be rooting for their relationship. But when Aspen started telling America to enter The Selection and then when he broke up with her, I was a little irritated. For a while, I gave him a break and took into consideration his insecurity about being unable to care for America, but I got over that really quick, and then I no longer cared that he was insecure…he was pretty much forgotten in my mind.

But as soon as Prince Maxon was introduced into the story, I was won over! Maxon was probably a huge factor as to why I forgot all about Aspen. There were so many moments throughout the story where I grew to like Maxon more and more. And even though America was unworthy of his affection because she kept turning away from him, I still was rooting for their relationship throughout the story. I kept hoping that America would realize that she should be falling for Maxon.

Obviously, for me the romance plays a big part in this book but, of course, it needs to be because The Selection is a dating game…right? But it wasn’t just the romance that made me love this book. I loved the interaction between the ladies in The Selection and loved learning if they could be trusted. I was also interested in discovering the dynamics of the royal family because I’m sure they can’t all be good if the country is now run so horribly.

Near the end, there was a complication thrown into the mix with Aspen, and I wasn’t too thrilled with that. But I knew it needed to happen in order for the reader to truly know if America will choose the right guy for the right reasons. And, of course, I immediately started reading The Elite as soon as I was done with The Selection.

Arclight by Josin L. McQuein

Publisher’s summary: No one survives the Fade.
They have taken everything, destroyed everything.
The only safe place left is within the wall of light called the Arclight.

No one survives the Fade.
If they call you, if you leave, you're lost.

No one survives the Fade.
They're trying to get in.

No one survives the Fade.
But she did.
She doesn't remember how.
She doesn't remember anything.

Marina survived the Fade . . .
but for how long?

My take: The moment I saw the cover of Arclight I was really intrigued and could hardly wait to read this one! And I actually ended up really liking it! I had the ARC but I ended up listening to the audio on Audible.

I absolutely love the way this book starts out. You get the feel right from the very start that Marina is kind of the odd-girl-out, and that there is a good reason why everyone looks at her like she’s a bad omen. And right when all this opening craziness happens, we get to meet a bunch of characters that are introduced into this high stress environment…including the main character Marina. Then to top it all off (along with the really cool story/character introductions), we get a feel for what the people in this story are protecting themselves from (The Fade.)

Throughout the story every scene moves smoothly and kept me entertained. There were just a few things that I had troubles with. Once we start to get a feel, or start to see a picture of The Fade, I had a hard time visualizing them in my mind. And then, when we finally do learn a lot more about The Fade, the new information just kept messing with the image that I already created in my head. Hopefully, we will get a clearer picture of The Fade in the following books. My only other problem is that I listened to Arclight pretty much right after I listened to Mila 2.0, and there were a few similarities (not much really) between the two books and the Narrator for both books is the same. I’ve listened to another book read by Tara Sands and she’s a really good Narrator, but I just felt like these two books had a similar feel to them. (Of course, the only reason I may have noticed these similarities is because I listened to both books back-to-back.) Other than those two things, I really liked this book.

The paranormal/dystopian aspect to Arclight is very different from everything else out there and I really liked this aspect of the book. I’m really looking forward to the next book so I can learn more about The Fade.

Fragments by Dan Wells

Publisher’s summary: Kira Walker has found the cure for RM, but the battle for the survival of humans and Partials is just beginning. Kira has left East Meadow in a desperate search for clues to who she is. That the Partials themselves hold the cure for RM in their blood cannot be a coincidence—it must be part of a larger plan, a plan that involves Kira, a plan that could save both races. Her companions are Afa Demoux, an unhinged drifter and former employee of ParaGen, and Samm and Heron, the Partials who betrayed her and saved her life, the only ones who know her secret. But can she trust them?

Meanwhile, back on Long Island, what's left of humanity is gearing up for war with the Partials, and Marcus knows his only hope is to delay them until Kira returns. But Kira's journey will take her deep into the overgrown wasteland of postapocalyptic America, and Kira and Marcus both will discover that their greatest enemy may be one they didn't even know existed.

The second installment in the pulse-pounding Partials saga is the story of the eleventh hour of humanity's time on Earth, a journey deep into places unknown to discover the means—and even more important, a reason—for our survival.

My take: The moment I started Fragments, I was immediately immersed back into the world that Dan Wells created. This series is so awesome! I’m dying to get my hands on the last book in the trilogy! A year is just way too far away.

Even though I was happy that we get to follow along in Kira’s POV (so we know what the heck she’s doing after the way Partials ended), I was even more thrilled that we got a lot of the book from the POV of Marcus. Kira’s story is very important to the trilogy because it’s a huge link to everything, but I felt like Marcus’ story moved along a lot faster and kept the story entertaining. Don’t get me wrong, Kira’s story is very entertaining, but there was a lot of traveling, investigating and hiccups along the way in all of her parts, so it didn’t move as fast as what was going on with Marcus. I do have to admit that some of the craziest scenes in the book are still with Kira, but one of the suckiest scenes is with Kira as well. I could hardly believe that Dan Wells would even go there. It was actually quite cruel! So, basically, the whole book was pretty phenomenal.

One of the things I love most about these books are the intense action scenes and discovering how complicated the world has become. But what I love most about this book is that a lot of the loose ends about what truly happened to the world start to tie together, and it’s actually crazily insane. You’re left wondering what the heck the humans were thinking when they made all these crazy decisions.

There is a twist that is revealed pretty close to the end of the book that I actually figured out pretty early on, but it was still a shock to see that it was true. And how it all happened is pretty crazy in itself.

So enough about talking in riddles. The way Fragments ended is set in a way that is blatantly obvious that the last book in the trilogy is going to be awesome! I can hardly wait to experience it too!

Requiem by Lauren Oliver

Publisher’s summary: This exciting finale to Lauren Oliver's New York Times bestselling Delirium trilogy is a riveting blend of nonstop action and forbidden romance in a dystopian United States.

Now an active member of the resistance, Lena has transformed. The nascent rebellion that was underway in Pandemonium has ignited into an all-out revolution in Requiem, and Lena is at the center of the fight.

After rescuing Julian from a death sentence, Lena and her friends fled to the Wilds. But the Wilds are no longer a safe haven. Pockets of rebellion have opened throughout the country, and the government cannot deny the existence of Invalids. Regulators infiltrate the borderlands to stamp out the rebels.

As Lena navigates the increasingly dangerous terrain of the Wilds, her best friend, Hana, lives a safe, loveless life in Portland as the fiancée of the young mayor. Requiem is told from both Lena and Hana's points of view. They live side by side in a world that divides them until, at last, their stories converge.

With lyrical writing, Lauren Oliver seamlessly interweaves the peril that Lena faces with the inner tumult she experiences after the reappearance of her first love, Alex, the boy she thought was dead. Sophisticated and wide-ranging, Requiem brings the Delirium trilogy to a thrilling conclusion.

My take: What??? That’s it? No more? HEY! Lauren Oliver! Are you REALLY going to leave it there? No FREAKIN’ WAY! Soooooo not cool! I’m not alright with this at all!

Anyways, as for this book! It rocked!!! I literally consumed this book pretty much in just one sitting. And it was phenomenal! Ahem…other than that ending! What the?!?!? I’m going to try really hard to NOT just talk about the ending of Requiem throughout this review…even though that is all I can really think about.

But, before I finish my review, I have to say I’ve noticed that a lot of people are saying they have been not quite happy with this book because of the ending, and I totally understand why. But I think if they did what I did, which was that I put my feelings about the ending aside and instead thought, “If I knew there was going to be another book in this series…what would I think about this one?” And my answer would be, “It’s probably one of the best books I’ve read in a while, and I’m a totally obsessive fan!” No lie! It’s probably my favorite of the three books in the Delirium trilogy.

And the reason is because there were just so many awesome things that happened in this book. This book got my heart seriously pumping with some of the intense moments, it made me shed tears multiple times and, believe it or not, I actually grew to adore Hanna! And from what I hear, if I had read the Hanna Novella before reading Requiem I might not have even liked her! So I hate to say it, but I’m happy I didn’t read it because I really do like her! Overall, my favorite scene in Requiem is an exchange between Alex and Julian!!! It was brilliant! So unbelievably brilliant! Oh, and if you didn’t know, I’m totally Team Alex!

OK…so by now you get the picture…other than that ending, I was super excited and extremely thrilled with this book! There is a lot of action and drama that happens near the end of the book and I loved it…all of it! But it just wasn’t enough. I want more! But I’m going to stop talking before I start revealing some spoilers. Enjoy!

Have you read Requiem yet? If yes, what did you think about that ending? Do you think that Lauren should at least give us a Novella of what happens after the book? If you haven’t read Requiem yet, I’d love it if you would stop by after you’ve read it and tell me your thoughts! OH! And I’m determined to get my hands on the exclusive short story about Alex in the hardcover printing.

Check out the teaser I posted of Requiem HERE!

Unravel Me by Tahereh Mafi

Publisher’s summary:
tick
tick
tick
tick
tick
it's almost
time for war.
Juliette has escaped to Omega Point. It is a place for people like her—people with gifts—and it is also the headquarters of the rebel resistance.
She's finally free from The Reestablishment, free from their plan to use her as a weapon, and free to love Adam. But Juliette will never be free from her lethal touch.
Or from Warner, who wants Juliette more than she ever thought possible.
In this exhilarating sequel to Shatter Me, Juliette has to make life-changing decisions between what she wants and what she thinks is right. Decisions that might involve choosing between her heart—and Adam's life.

My take: I’m obsessed! Those two words are the best to describe my feelings for this book. I've was desperate to get my hands on Unravel Me from the moment I finished Shatter Me. And when Tahereh Mafi announced that they extended out the release, my heart was utterly broken. I’m pretty sure that started showing true physical withdrawal symptoms right at that very moment. So when I heard that Unravel Me was going to be at ALA, I was DETERMINED to get my hands on a copy. And there was a whole crazy ordeal that I had to go through to get my hands on my copy...but YAY! I got it! And to be honest, I think I would have been 100% satisfied even if it was the only book I got at ALA. I met Tahereh at a lunch before I read Shatter Me, but now that I've read both books, I get all excited when she Tweets me because she’s so amazing.

So now that I've read Unravel Me I’m numb! It took several days to process my emotions and all Tahereh Mafi did was prove why I’m an obsessive stalker fan. I almost forgot how amazing her writing style is. Her writing is so amazing that she ripped open all of the emotions that I’m even capable of accessing, stripped them raw, and I’m lucky if I’m left numb enough to recover.

After reading Unravel Me, I’m now struggling with what “Team” I’m on. If you had talked with me before reading Unravel Me, I was, without a doubt Team Adam...because he’s so freakin’ yummy. And Warner? I couldn't stand him! I was so weirded out that there were even Warner fans out there!!! I kept wondering why people would even consider liking that psycho! If you told me before reading Unravel Me that I would have the hots for Warner, I would have laughed in your face! And to be honest, I tried really hard throughout the entire book of Unravel Me, but I couldn't help myself! And yes, I did say it! I have the hots for Warner. But I’m “almost”100% sure that I’m still Team Adam, because he’s still hot and I still love him...but Warner! OK. Enough those two!

I can honestly say that I have strong feelings for every single character in these books now. If I don’t love or absolutely adore a character, I absolutely hate the character with every fiber in my body. One character that I grew to adore more in this book was Kenji. A lot of my most favorite moments were while he was in the book. And I think that he is one of the most important characters that Juliette needs right now. He seems to know how to handle her better than anyone else. But my all time favorite scenes is with Adam’s little brother. I sobbed like a newborn baby.

I struggled with Juliette in this book. There were moments when she actually pissed me off and I almost forgot how messed up she was emotionally. But I had to put myself in check, remember what she went through before the first book and I came to realize that she was only acting like any real person. When I did this, I began to admire her and consider her a strong heroine.

I don’t know what I’m going to do for my sanity now that I have to wait until 2014 for the last book in the trilogy, but I’m going to try really hard to keep my withdraws contained with other awesome books. If you haven’t read Shatter Me or if you have Unravel Me and you haven’t read it yet...read NOW! I will not ever stop pimping out these amazing books.

Renegade by J.A. Souders

Publisher's summary: Since the age of three, sixteen-year-old Evelyn Winters has trained to be Daughter of the People in the underwater utopia known as Elysium. Selected from hundreds of children for her ideal genes, all her life she’s believed that everything is perfect. Her world. Her people. The Law.

But when Gavin Hunter, a Surface Dweller, accidentally stumbles into Elysium’s secluded little world, Evelyn comes to a startling realization: Everything she knows is a lie.

Her memories have been altered.

Her mind and body aren’t under her own control.

And the person she knows as Mother is a monster.

Together with Gavin she plans her escape, only to learn that her own mind is a ticking time bomb...and Mother has one last secret that will destroy them all.

My Take: I was immediately intrigued with this book the moment I started reading. And then, when I got to the second chapter, I started feeling like I was experiencing déjà vu, but it wasn’t my déjà vu! It was the main character’s (Evelyn’s) who completely forgot everything that had just happened to her, and it was as if she were starting her day all over again. It was at that point that I was determined to devour this book and find out what the heck was going on! Renegade is bizarre, unusual, dark, twisted and intense from start to finish!

The intriguing characters and the bizarre world that J.A. Souders imaginatively constructed in Renegade were very well done and were easily, and very vividly, recreated in my mind’s eye. As for the characters…I’m still having a hard time deciding what I think about Evelyn, but I really liked Gavin. And Mother is beyond psycho! What the heck is up with that woman?

The whole book was executed beautifully. The first half of the book was all about slowly discovering, right along with Eve and Gavin, what the heck was actually going on in this bizarre “under the water” world. And it’s all so crazy good that I just couldn’t get enough of the bizarreness. And then it’s the last half of the book that trumps it all! But it’s not like the last half of the book all of a sudden then becomes highly action packed! It’s just that things get so unbelievably out of hand that you realize how crazy things really are! The ending is epic! Except, it was an awesomely sucky ending!

Shades of Earth by Beth Revis

Publisher's summary: Amy and Elder have finally left the oppressive walls of the spaceship Godspeed behind. They're ready to start life afresh--to build a home--on Centauri-Earth, the planet that Amy has traveled 25 trillion miles across the universe to experience.

But this new Earth isn't the paradise Amy had been hoping for. There are giant pterodactyl-like birds, purple flowers with mind-numbing toxins, and mysterious, unexplained ruins that hold more secrets than their stone walls first let on. The biggest secret of all? Godspeed's former passengers aren't alone on this planet. And if they're going to stay, they'll have to fight.

Amy and Elder must race to discover who--or what--else is out there if they are to have any hope of saving their struggling colony and building a future together. They will have to look inward to the very core of what makes them human on this, their most harrowing journey yet. Because if the colony collapses? Then everything they have sacrificed--friends, family, life on Earth--will have been for nothing.

FUELED BY LIES.
RULED BY CHAOS.
ALMOST HOME.

My take: Beth Revis has one crazy imagination! It is completely ludicrous that she was able to accomplish such a jaw dropping resolution to this trilogy, and I’m outright mystified how she did it. If you thought the first two books were insane, well . . . you are in for a shocker with this one because she surpassed the first two by a long shot in my opinion! I’ll tell you what; Beth Revis has no shame in killing off people I had not at all expected would be done away with. I mean, you can usually guess who will be the next one to die in a movie…but not in this book. And then every jaw dropping scene took me several moments to process because each one was so unbelievably insane! Can you tell that I loved this book?

There are a lot of characters introduced in this book, but I was always kind of leery with getting too attached to them. And that’s because Beth Revis did a great job of making me cautious to see if they deserved my trust or if they even deserved to be liked. I’ll have to admit that I wasn’t quite as paranoid as Elder was, but at the same time, I’m wondering if it would have been better for my sanity to have been just a little more paranoid myself. Elder did get on my nerves several times, but I still like his character and I personally liked Amy’s character a whole lot better after this book.

I was completely sucked into this story from the very first page; in fact, I’m pretty sure Shades of Earth didn’t leave my fingers until I turned the last page. But it was the last half of the book that had me freaking out! There was one crazy twist after another and there simply was no way for me to guess how this story would end; so much so that when the book was nearing the end, I was actually a little nervous that Beth wouldn’t be able to accomplish a proper ending. But she tied everything up nicely and ended the story flawlessly.

I am for sure a Beth Revis fan, and I’ll be keeping a close eye out for any upcoming new books written by her.

The Darkest Minds by Alexandra Bracken

Publisher’s summary: When Ruby wakes up on her tenth birthday, something about her has changed. Something alarming enough to make her parents lock her in the garage and call the police. Something that gets her sent to Thurmond, a brutal government “rehabilitation camp.” She might have survived the mysterious disease that’s killed most of America’s children, but she and the others have emerged with something far worse: frightening abilities they cannot control.

Now sixteen, Ruby is one of the dangerous ones.

When the truth comes out, Ruby barely escapes Thurmond with her life. Now she’s on the run, desperate to find the one safe haven left for kids like her—East River. She joins a group of kids who escaped their own camp. Liam, their brave leader, is falling hard for Ruby. But no matter how much she aches for him, Ruby can’t risk getting close. Not after what happened to her parents.

When they arrive at East River, nothing is as it seems, least of all its mysterious leader. But there are other forces at work, people who will stop at nothing to use Ruby in their fight against the government. Ruby will be faced with a terrible choice, one that may mean giving up her only chance at a life worth living.

My take: Oh! My! Gosh! The Darkest Minds is so good! But despite how good it is, I struggled with how I should rate this book. If I were rating the book primarily on the story and the last 100 pages, then this book, without a doubt, would be a 5-star rating. The reason I lowered it to 4.5 stars is because I felt like this book just took me a lot longer to read than normal. I mean, every time I picked up the book, I was intrigued enough that I wanted to know where the story was headed, but I could only handle reading 20 to 30 pages at a time. However, if the story continues along the same lines that it ended, then I have no doubt that this will be a series that I’ll be obsessing over.

When I first started reading The Darkest Minds, I was a little freaked out by how the story started. In the beginning, Alexandra Bracken did a fabulous job creating a horrible, dark picture of what was happening in the world. There was one scene in particular that was so unbelievably insane that, even though I was sitting by myself, I’m pretty sure I said out loud, “What?” It was really that well done.

Throughout the story, Alexandra kept holding back some specific details about Ruby that I was extremely determined to discover. It was as if Ruby was refraining from even thinking about these details. So we have to learn about them at the exact same time that Ruby tackles the memories in her own mind. But it was the last 100 pages of the book that were beyond insanely good…and I just could not put the book down until I finished them.

All of the characters in this story were very well developed. And, even if I wasn’t happy at times with some of the character’s actions…or if I didn’t particularly didn’t like a character…or even if I ended up outright hating a character, Alexandra Bracken was able to make me understand the reasons for their actions and understand why they were the way they were…whether I liked it or not.

The number one thing I want to learn from future books in this series is whether or not there is any way that Ruby will be able to fix the damage she has caused (you’ll have to read the book to understand what I mean), and I’m also dying to know the common link or the cause to what happened to all the children in this apocalyptic, future world. And lastly, I’m more than a little eager to find out what ultimately will happen to all of the characters.

Under the Never Sky by Veronica Rossi

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

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

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

In her enthralling debut, Veronica Rossi sends readers on an unforgettable adventure set in a world brimming with harshness and beauty.

My take: My mind is scattered in all kinds of little pieces as I’m sitting here trying to think of everything I want to rave about this book, and I’m having a really hard time sorting them all out in my brain. First of all, I’m kicking myself for taking so long to read this book because I gave myself all sorts of excuses for holding off on reading this one, but this book should not have been left collecting dust on my bookshelf waiting for me! It’s a disgrace I tell ya! There were way too many books that I should not have put in priority over this one, and I’m truly angry with myself that I did just that; especially, after personally meeting Veronica Rossi at more than a few book signings! And now I’ve become a super-fan!

“What the…?” Yep! That’s exactly what I said to myself near the end of this book. Who would have thought that I would have been pitched that stunning twist near the end? There really isn’t much that I can say about this book that was really very predictable but, even then, I did not at all expect the twist that jumped out at me, and it took me a few moments to truly wrap my mind around it. It completely caught me off guard, and I was just as shocked as Perry…maybe even more so! But he seemed to take it better than I did! Then I found it pure craziness with the way Perry handled this shocking news, and I was completely baffled that this was the only resolution to the problem. And, yes, I’m trying to say all this without giving you any details (to avoid spoilers), so I hope you get what I’m trying to say here.

I love how Aria calls the people that live outside the Pods “Savages.” It defines them perfectly! And I actually find it quite funny that she has to explain herself to Perry. There are Outsiders that are way more savage than others like Perry and Roar, but I cannot deny that the way Perry lives and what he does to survive is anything but brutal.

The world that Veronica Rossi built, Under the Never Sky, and the way the story flowed, were just perfect! It seemed like each chapter made the next chapter better, and I grew extremely attached to the story and characters by the last few chapters. Not only was the story amazing, the characters were extremely well developed. I admired Aria for her strength and determination, and for how much she grew from the beginning of the story until the end. Aria ended up becoming one, kick-butt chick! But I can’t say she wasn’t ALREADY one tough chick because, from the very first moment she was thrown out of Reverie, the things she went through were just truly horrifying. And Peregrine (Perry) was the perfect male protagonist for the story, being truly savage but at the same time (deep down) he wants to do what is right. But I will have to admit that I was concerned throughout the story whether Perry’s intentions were actually selfish or whether he really was making the right choices. There is also this kid who ends up being kind of a tag-along character, and I could not help but like him, and Talon (Perry’s nephew) is also a super sweet kid. I cannot forget Roar! What is there to not like? I can't think of anything. And then there are a few more characters that come along a little more than midway into the book that I grew a soft spot for.

Then there are the completely savage beasts that come into the story! They’re absolutely freaky and utterly crazy, and I’m shuddering just thinking about them.

What I love most about this book is that we get a post-apocalyptic book, with science fiction/ paranormal elements to it. The story has a great, complicated romance in it that plays a fun part in the book, but the best part is it's not just the romance that makes this story amazing…it’s the whole freakin’ story.