Category Archives: Dystopia or Post-Apocalyptic

They aren’t the same genre, but both deal with a future of uncertainties.

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Review: Breathe by Sarah Crossan

Title: Breathe
Author: Sarah Crossan
Series: Breathe series
Pages: 373 hardcover, 384 paperback, 484 ebook
Rating: ★★★★

The concept of Breath isn’t all that new. Oppressive government keeping secrets, while a group of rebels who know the truth work to set the people free. But Breathe takes it a step further. In the world Crossan created, it is not fear of the unknown that keeps people from revolting; it is fear of suffocating to death. The people in Crossan’s world are ruled by their need for oxygen. The government doesn’t control the people using material items; they control the people by controlling a basic need. That’s that makes Breathe different.

The story is told from the perspective of three different people. Bea, Quinn, and Alina start out without an alliance, but facing the outside world quickly makes them rethink their relationships. Bea and Quinn are best friends, but Bea is just waiting for Quinn to see her the same way she sees him. Quinn is attracted to Alina, but she doesn’t even entertain the thought. When the lives of these three people start moving forward together, everything they thought they knew is put to the test.

Bea and Alina are considered part of what would be called the poor class. Life is tough for them, but they each make it work in their own way. Bea works hard in school, hoping to work her way up the ladder, even though she knows it’s a difficult road. Alina takes the rebel road, working against the government because she knows there is more to life than living inside the bubble.

Quinn is one of the lucky ones, born into fortune, not really having to worry about getting enough oxygen. Even his life isn’t perfect, though, living under the shadow of his father. He never knows if he actually earns his praise, or if it only given because of his father.

I was worried there would be an awkward love triangle when I first started reading, but I’m happy with how Crossan worked with having the three main characters. There’s a bit of a love triangle, but it doesn’t feel drawn out or forced. It’s flimsy and you know how things will end up. I liked how it was done.

Breathe is a unique take on the dystopian story. It has high stakes that bring the intensity level up. I’m looking forward to seeing how Crossan takes the story forward.

If Breathe sounds like your kind of book, you can purchase it here:
Amazon
Barnes and Noble
IndieBound

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Review: Sever by Lauren DeStefano

Title: Sever
Author: Lauren DeStefano
Series: The Chemical Garden series
Pages: 371 pages hardcover/paperback, 384 ebook
Rating: ★★★★

I wasn’t incredibly impressed with the first two books of this series. Pieces didn’t feel right and some felt a little forced. I wasn’t really a fan of the Rhine and Gabriel romance and I wasn’t sure DeStefano would be able to wrap things up in a way I liked.

Sever was nothing like I expected. I thought I knew how I felt about everyone and every situation Rhine had gone through. DeStefano completely turned it all over and had me feeling things I never thought I would. She expertly wrote a story that shows that most people are not completely good, nor are they completely evil. Motivations can cloud judgements and what one person views as right, another can view as wrong.

Sever is not a book that focuses on romance, and I’m thankful for that. It focuses on character and looking at life in different ways. It looks at love and how it helps and hurts, how love can be different things to different people, and how love can move people to do things they wouldn’t do before.

So much happens in Sever, there is so much revealed, that as I got closer and closer to the end, I wasn’t sure how the story would be able to resolve. The last pages are touching, reflective and perfect.

The Chemical Garden series started out a little shaky for me. It felt disjointed and a little rough. Sever is by far the best book of the series. It is heart-wrenching at times, full of hope in the darkest times, and every other page has a new revelation. I’m glad the focus was on the characters instead of the romance. It wrapped the series up the only way it could have ended. I’m looking forward to reading more of DeStefano’s writings in the future.

If Sever sounds like your kind of book, you can purchase it here:
Amazon
Audible
Barnes and Noble
IndieBound

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Review: Prodigy by Marie Lu

Title: Prodigy
Author: Marie Lu
Series: Legend series
Pages: 356 pages paperback, 372 hardcover/ebook
Rating: ★★★★★

I’ve been getting lucky lately when it comes to reading the middle book in a series. So far, they’ve been avoiding the sophomore slump and have been as good, if not better, than the first novel. Prodigy definitely doesn’t disappoint.

There is no break in the action from Legend. The story starts right away with June and Day trying to find the Patriots. From there, it is non-stop, keep-you-on-the-edge-of-your-seat fantastic. The world Lu has created drew me right in and it felt like I was running right along with them.

June and Day’s relationship has moved quickly. They’ve only known each other for about a month when all of this goes on. That doesn’t bother me though. There is something so perfect about how these characters are written, so amazingly human and real, that everything that happens feels perfect. They have those lusty moments teens are supposed to have, they can be over-thinkers, jealousy is there, they say things without thinking…all of that combines to create two wonderful people in the middle of a sweet romance in the middle of a crazy world.

The twists and turns this novel takes are out of this world. Just when I’d think I’d have something figured out, Lu would throw a new loop in and pull me completely off course. And the ending. Wow. I had been hearing about the gut-punch that was awaiting me at the end of this book and thought I was ready. I had prepared myself for so many different scenarios that when the end actually came and I turned the last page, I was still reeling.

Prodigy is the kind of book that you can’t start and stop. You have to sit down and read it all in one go. It pulls at your heart, hurts you where it counts, and yet you still keep coming back for more. I cannot wait to get my hands on Champion and find out what is in the future for June and Day.

If Prodigy sounds like your kind of book, you can purchase it here:
Amazon
Audible
Barnes and Noble
IndieBound

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Review: Shades of Earth by Beth Revis

Title: Shades of Earth
Author: Beth Revis
Series: Across the Universe series
Pages: 369 pages hardcover, 383 ebook
Rating: ★★★★★

I’m a pretty picky science fiction reader. It’s rare for me to stumble across a single science fiction novel I fully enjoy. Beth Revis has given me an entire series that I love.

I’m not going to lie. I was a little worried about the world Revis had created outside of Godspeed. I didn’t want a series I loved to end like a bad Sci-Fi movie. Revis proved that all of my worries and concerns were unnecessary. She wrote the best ending this series could possibly have.

Once everyone lands on the surface of the new Earth and wake up the Frozen, the new colony is not only fighting each other, but they are fighting their new home. Every single thing they come across is an unknown. There are things on this new planet no one has ever seen before and it could be perfectly safe or completely deadly. This would be a difficult situation for any group of people, but when there is a major lack of trust between the two main groups of the colony, it will be even worse.

In spite of everything put in front of them, I loved the moments Amy and Elder got to have together. Their happiness and love is a great thing to read in a Young Adult novel. They trust each other, and while there are a few moments of miscommunication, for the most part, they talk to each other. They know things won’t always be easy, but they’d rather face the tough times together than apart.

I can honestly say I had no idea where the plot was going. I never knew what was about to happen next. I was constantly holding my breath, waiting for the next big thing to happen. It was the best feeling I can have when I read a book. Half the fun is in the surprise, and it’s even more fun when the planet is basically a character in its own right.

Shades of Earth is a brilliant end to a suspenseful series. I loved following the journey Amy and Elder took, from the early unfreezing of Amy to their new home on Centauri-Earth. I will certainly miss reading about their lives, but this was the perfect way to end it. The entire series is a must-read.

If Shades of Earth sounds like your kind of book, you can purchase it here:
Amazon
Audible
Barnes and Noble
IndieBound

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Review: Through the Ever Night by Veronica Rossi

Title: Through the Ever Night
Author: Veronica Rossi
Series: Under the Never Sky series
Pages: 352 pages hardcover, 341 ebook
Rating: ★★★★★

Wow.

That is what I continuously repeated as I read Through the Ever Night. There really aren’t words for how amazing this book is. It’s not a middle novel full of filler. The characters grow, as do their relationships. The plot progresses, twisting and twirling you along with it.

Aria and Perry are what relationships should be. Of course they would rather lock themselves away, forget their problems, and just be themselves. But they know that’s not how the world works. They spend as much together as they can, but they don’t fall to pieces when the other isn’t by their side. They are strong individually, but even better together.

The story moves along quite a bit and just when you think you know where it’s going, Rossi changes it up. My heart was beating fast and I alternated between trying to read faster and having to close the book to calm myself down.

It’s not often I can become so fully engrossed in a novel that I feel like I’m actually in that world. Rossi’s words wrap around me and pull me right in. I would read anything she puts in front of me.

I fell in love with Under the Never Sky. I don’t know how it’s possible, but I love Through the Ever Night more. This series in one of the most brilliant series I’ve ever had the pleasure of reading and I am dying to get my hands on the finale. This is a must-read series.

If Through the Ever Night sounds like your kind of book, you can purchase it here:
Amazon
Audible
Barnes and Noble
IndieBound

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Review: The Essence by Kimberly Derting

Title: The Essence
Author: Kimberly Derting
Series: The Pledge series
Pages: 352 pages
Rating: ★★★★★

I’ve been struggling with how to start this review. I enjoyed this book so much that when I try to think of words to describe it, I can’t. It got my heart racing in the best way.

The book starts up with Charlie adjusting to being queen. There are protocols and rules and knowledge she must learn right away. There are people who don’t like the New Equality and want the old class system back. They aren’t afraid to make that abundantly clear. She is summoned to a meeting of all the queens and on her way there, her life is at risk.

A lot of this novel is a mental battle. There really aren’t any big fight scenes in the action sense, but there is a major battle going on. Charlie is fighting everything in order to remain the same person. She’s fighting Sabara’s essence as she tries to take over Charlie’s body. She’s fighting those that oppose her New Equality changes. She’s fighting the doubts everyone, including her, has about her rule at the moment.

Charlie is not weak. She fights with all she has to make things right for her people. She stands up to people when she’s fighting for something. She knows she must fight to keep Sabara hidden deep inside her mind, where she can’t control Charlie. The few times Sabara was able to take control were Charlie’s moments of weakness.

There’s not as much Max in this book, but when he’s there, he’s amazing. He doesn’t try to control Charlie. He lets her be queen. He just does whatever he can to love her and make her safe. Derting made sure that even though there wasn’t a lot of Max, the times he was there were perfect.

The ending was a perfect way to wrap up the second book while laying the foundation for the third. There’s enough closure to make people happy, but there’s a lot left hanging that needs to be sorted out. I’m on edge with anticipation and can’t wait for the conclusion of this fantastic series.

If The Essence sounds like your kind of book, you can purchase it here:
Amazon
Barnes and Noble
IndieBound

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Reached by Ally Condie

There’s some spoilers ahead. Click and read at your own risk.

 

Continue reading →

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Cinder by Marissa Meyer

I really didn’t think I was going to like this book for only one reason. It’s a cyborg Cinderella. Growing up on Disney princesses has made me a bit bitter when it comes to retelling the stories I first fell in love with as a kid. Really, the only reason I picked this book up was because I’ve had it on my kindle for a while, and I was waiting for other books to be publish. Horrible, I know.

I even started this book thinking, “I’m just not going to like it. Cinder is a mechanic and part android and it just doesn’t sound great.” So Cinder had a huge obstacle in its way. And yet about halfway through, my entire viewpoint shifted. I was no longer reading it just to make it to the end. I was reading it because it was good.

Cinder is a fantastic character. She’s strong, but also vulnerable. She doesn’t give in easily, but knows which battles to pick. She falls into instant adoration with Prince Kai, but she doesn’t delude herself into thinking it’s love. That doesn’t come for a while, and even then, I’m still not sure it’s out yet.

Prince Kai is extremely sweet and it’s easy to see how much he cares for Cinder. He lights up when he’s with her. He becomes a different person. Not the prince, not the prince disguised as a commoner, but just Kai. It was really great to see, and while there was instant attraction to Cinder, he also doesn’t delude himself into believing it’s more than it is. There’s also an interesting set-up involving their relationship for the next book.

The world building was fantastic and I never felt lost or confused when it came to the world Kai and Cinder live in. It was easy to believe and immerse myself in.

Cinder definitely had a challenge in getting me to like it. I was fully prepared to give this book a one star review and tell everyone just how horrible a cyborg Cinderella was, but instead, the book wowed me and has completely won me over. I’ll certainly be picking up the next books, anxious to read more of Cinder’s story.

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Masque of the Red Death by Bethany Griffin

I’m having a difficult time with this review. Not because the book was bad or problematic, but rather because it was good. I wasn’t all that excited about reading this book. It hadn’t really been on my radar and it just didn’t seem like the kind of book I’d fall into and love. I bought it because it was on sale, and I read it because I was waiting for other things to be published.

Why am I telling you how reluctant I was to read Masque of the Red Death? So that you don’t make the same mistake I did. You need to get this book, sit down, and just read. You’ll thank me for it later.

Araby is living a guilty life. Alive, but not really living. At first, I was confused as to why she was the one that got involved with everything happening in the book. She isn’t the bravest or the strongest or the smartest character I’ve ever read. She didn’t have that special something. But then I realized that was why she was involved. Because she was normal. She was in the right place at the right time and had something necessary. Her importance isn’t apparent at first. But as you read, you’ll discover that despite all her faults, there’s a reason people need her like they do.

The love triangle. One of the things I dread the most on Young Adult novels. They usually annoy me because they become more important than everything else in the novel, instead of acting as a tool to help build the strength of the story. Not in Masque of the Red Death. Yes it’s there, but it doesn’t take over the story. Neither guy is completely perfect and I question both their motives. I’m not sure I trust either one, but I like that. It adds more mystery to the novel and more confusion.

Masque of the Red Death is a dark, edgy book that draws you in and won’t let go. It wraps around your mind until you can’t resist and then it seeps into your blood, making sure to bring you right into the story. It’s a fantastic read and I can’t wait for the next book.

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Yesterday by C.K. Kelly Martin

I liked parts of this novel, and others fell a little flat. I’m not sure this was the best book to introduce me to Martin’s writings.

The book starts off in the future, with Freya being carted off for evacuation. And then we’re suddenly in 1985. The thing I really loved about Martin’s writing was how she fit her writing style to what was happening in the book. When we first come upon Freya in 1985, the writing was stunted, had shorter sentences. It made everything feel just a little off, exactly how Freya was feeling. When Freya begins to understand, the writing becomes more free flowing and comfortable. This was able to get the feelings across, even if the words themselves had a bit of trouble doing the same.

There isn’t a lot of character development, but it didn’t bother me as much as it usually does. Neither main character goes through anything majorly transforming, but I feel like Yesterday is more about getting away from the people after them and less about gaining major personal insight. I think that’s why I was okay with the characters’ small growth.

The future described in the novel is something that could actually happen, in a way, and I liked that. Martin didn’t create a hugely exaggerated future in order to make her characters fit. She created an extremely realistic picture of the future and didn’t have to go through great and drastic lengths to make it work. It was easy to believe and I liked that.

Overall, Yesterday is a fine novel that isn’t exceptional, but isn’t horrible. It’s a good read if you’re in the mood for an action story with some love sprinkled in. It’s not a deep, character rich novel, but it is a good read.