Review - Breaking Point by Kristen Simmons

by Kristen Simmons
publisher: Tor Teen
date of publication: February 12, 2013
format: hardcover
pages: 400
source: publisher
series: Article 5

From Goodreads:

The second installment in Kristen Simmons's fast-paced, gripping YA dystopian series.

After faking their deaths to escape from prison, Ember Miller and Chase Jennings have only one goal: to lay low until the Federal Bureau of Reformation forgets they ever existed.

Near-celebrities now for the increasingly sensationalized tales of their struggles with the government, Ember and Chase are recognized and taken in by the Resistance—an underground organization working to systematically take down the government. At headquarters, all eyes are on the sniper, an anonymous assassin taking out FBR soldiers one by one. Rumors are flying about the sniper’s true identity, and Ember and Chase welcome the diversion….

Until the government posts its most-wanted list, and their number one suspect is Ember herself.

Orders are shoot to kill, and soldiers are cleared to fire on suspicion alone. Suddenly Ember can’t even step onto the street without fear of being recognized, and “laying low” is a joke. Even members of the Resistance are starting to look at her sideways.

With Chase urging her to run, Ember must decide: Go into hiding…or fight back?

Article 5 introduced us to Ember Miller, a girl at the mercy of the totalitarian government that has gained power in what was once the United States.  Being guilty only of the crime of circumstance, Ember finds herself the victim of a horrific reform school and the adults that run it.  Not knowing exactly whom to trust, Ember escapes and must do all she can to reunite with her mother and make it to a safe haven where she has the chance to live her life as she was meant to.  As it turns out, this is not going to be at all easy as several things have already gone wrong.  As we find out in Breaking Point, Ember is struggling even more with both her circumstances and the actions of both the government and the resistance.  On the surface, Breaking Point is the continuation of Ember's journey toward safety.  There is more to it than that, however.  At its heart, Breaking Point is a closer look at Ember's heartbreak, fear, and inner struggle with her own feelings of guilt.

You really have to feel for Ember at this juncture.  As if her world hadn't been shaken enough in Article 5, things just keep getting worse for her in Breaking Point.  Her inner turmoil is evident as she struggles with her trust of those around her as well as her trust in herself.  You can really get the sense that she is on the edge and is barely hanging on.  The one issue I had with Ember this time around, however, was a certain sense of wishy-washy behavior that, after a time, just began to give me a headache.  There's struggling and then there's lack of commitment to one's decisions.  It often seemed that Ember would make up her mind about something only to immediately thereafter do a 180 and go right back to her surly, introspective ways.  I kept waiting for her to find the fire within and fully commit to doing something.  Alas, I never quite saw this from her.  Sure, she went through the motions of fighting back, but it didn't feel like her heart was all the way in it.  I truly hope to see more spirit from her in book 3.

The settings for Breaking Point are superb as ever.  Taking place in Knoxville, TN; Louisville, KY; and Chicago, IL, Breaking Point exhibits some really vivid places with a great sense of desolation.  If you are familiar with any of these cities and are able to compare them with their counterparts in Breaking Point, it truly hits home just how drastic the events that led to things be the way they are were.  Reading about the version of Knoxville seen in Article 5 and Breaking Point is especially striking for me since I grew up a mere 45 minutes from there and even lived there for a while.  Imagining walking through these damaged, more deserted versions of the places I know was nothing short of sobering.  It definitely helped to be able to fully visualize what was going on as I read.

Overall, Breaking Point was a great follow-up to Article 5 and, judging by the last chapter, book 3 is going to be absolutely intense.  Even though I wasn't able to connect with Ember as well, I definitely connected with the intensity of the situation at hand.  Breaking Point is a book chock full of action, thrills, and tension and would make a great read for fans of action-adventure books and movies.  I must reiterate that if you haven't started this series yet, you should.  That the events are so utterly realistic and plausible give this series an edge of horror that is hard to deny.  Breaking Point is a definite recommendation that I can stand behind.

Buy Breaking Point at the Following Locations:

Amazon / IndieBound / B&N / The Book Depository

Obligatory legal statement: This finished review copy was provided to me free of charge by the publisher. No monetary compensation was received in exchange for this fair and unbiased review.

 

Review - Girl of Nightmares

by Kendare Blake
publisher: Tor Teen
date of publication: August 7, 2012
format: ARC
pages: 332
source: from the publisher for review

From Goodreads:

It's been months since the ghost of Anna Korlov opened a door to Hell in her basement and disappeared into it, but ghost-hunter Cas Lowood can't move on. 

His friends remind him that Anna sacrificed herself so that Cas could live--not walk around half dead. He knows they're right, but in Cas's eyes, no living girl he meets can compare to the dead girl he fell in love with.

Now he's seeing Anna everywhere: sometimes when he's asleep and sometimes in waking nightmares. But something is very wrong...these aren't just daydreams. Anna seems tortured, torn apart in new and ever more gruesome ways every time she appears.

Cas doesn't know what happened to Anna when she disappeared into Hell, but he knows she doesn't deserve whatever is happening to her now. Anna saved Cas more than once, and it's time for him to return the favor.

Last year, Anna Dressed in Blood completely rocked my world.  Being a huge fan of ghost stories, I was looking forward to an eerie story with lots of action.  Did it ever deliver!  As I prepared to read Girl of Nightmares, I was nervous as I always am with sequels to beloved books.  Would it have the same level of spookiness, the same punch as Anna Dressed in Blood?  There was really only one way to find out, so I immersed myself into the world of Thunder Bay once more.  What I found was nothing short of amazing.  Girl of Nightmares delivered in every way and was a fantastic follow-up for Anna Dressed in Blood.  It is now left up to me to write a review free of spoilers and excessive gushing.  I'll do my best, though, because every single one of you seriously need to read this series!

We find Cas with much the same personality but a lot more forlorn.  He is visited nightly by visions of Anna undergoing horrible tortures due to his inability to determine whether or not he is losing his mind in addition to his inability to do anything to help.  As he determinedly searches for a way to pull Anna out of Hell, he shows the true extent of his resolve.  He's all the better for it as it adds even more to his character and gives him further depth.  Anna is truly heart-breaking this time around.  She is trapped in a bleak and brutal place without any hope of escaping the torment she is going through.  She cemented my opinion of her and she continues to be my favorite ghostly character ever.  She is so unique in that one moment she can bring you to tears and the next she can scare you as well as any movie monster can.  You've got to give her credit where credit is due.

I thought the premise for Anna Dressed in Blood was compelling, frightening, and thrilling.  Little did I know that Girl of Nightmares was about to turn up the level on all of the above, and then some.  From start to finish I was sucked in and did not want to put it down.  This story line is tear-jerking, spine-tingling, and breath-taking.  The settings are nothing short of spooky and provide the perfect backdrop for the events that take place.  I dare you to read the factory scene and tell me you weren't even a little freaked out.  Once again, Ms. Blake's writing wins the day with great characters, eerie settings, and a gripping plot.

To say that I loved Girl of Nightmares would be a vast understatement.  This has become one of my top 5 favorite series and I very much doubt that any other ghost series can ever top it for me.  If you haven't read either book, take my advice and do so.  If you've read Anna already, go get Girl of Nightmares now!  These books should be read frequently and are perfect for a chilly fall evening read.

Buy Girl of Nightmares at the Following Locations:

Amazon / IndieBound / B&N / The Book Depository

Obligatory legal statement: This review copy was provided to me free of charge by the publisher. No monetary compensation was received in exchange for this fair and unbiased review.

Author Interview with Marta Acosta

If you've been looking around the blog lately, you may remember how much I enjoyed Dark Companion.  Being a huge fan of Charlotte Bronte's classic, Jane Eyre, Dark Companion hit all the right notes while bringing something new to the table.  The the opportunity to interview Marta Acosta came up, I just couldn't say no.  I hope you all will enjoy this interview as much as I did.

Marla: Hello, Marta, and thanks for visiting Starting the Next Chapter! As I told you on Twitter, I really enjoyed Dark Companion and am thrilled to have the chance to interview you. My first question is: What one thing would you most want your readers to know about you?

Marta: Hi, Marla! Thanks for inviting me. I actually brought this up yesterday in a conversation with my dog, Betty von Snoggles. Because I have a snarky self-deprecating sense of humor I think that people don’t realize that I take my writing very seriously. I have been writing all my life, studied literature, and creative writing, and really work hard to create characters with substance. For example, I did a lot of research into the psychological makeup of abused foster kids, so my character’s actions in Dark Companion, which are extremely foolish at times, have a basis in reality.

Marla: Dark Companion has a great Gothic tone. What inspired you to write this book?

Marta: I’ve always been drawn to Gothic stories. In high school, my English teacher gave us a definition of a Gothic novel and I thought, “That’s it – those are the books I like!” I’d already read Jane Eyre and other suspense and mystery stories that could be defined as Gothics. I loved the theme of a poor, lonely girl going to a creepy isolated house inhabited by people with dark secrets.

Marla: Jane Eyre is one of my favorite books of all time. Would you say that it was a big influence while you were writing Dark Companion?

Marta: Absolutely. I’ve read Jane Eyre many times since I first came upon it when I was in grammar school. My Jane Williams was inspired by Jane Eyre. “Eyre” was a fairly common name when the book was written, so I named my character the very common Williams. My story echoes elements of Charlotte Brontë’s plot, including favorite scenes with Jane and Mr. Rochester, and I tried to give my Jane the rage that propels Brontë’s Jane.

Marla: What are your top 3 favorite books?

Marta: Among my very favorite books are Jane Eyre, Persuasion by Jane Austen, and Middlemarch by George Eliot.

Marla: What was your favorite aspect of Dark Companion to write about?

Marta: I loved diving into classic Gothics to find just the right quote for my chapter headings. Each one is a hint about the story, such as the quote about the privilege of exceptional beauty from Oscar Wilde’s The Picture of Dorian Gray for the chapter that introduces spoiled Lucian Radcliffe.

Marla: Mary Violet was hilarious and definitely one of my favorite characters. Was she inspired by anyone in particular?

Marta: One of my friends occasionally mentions his sister, Mary Violet, whom I’ve never met. I have no idea what she’s like, but I fell in love with the name. I attached the name to sort of an anti-mean-girl and Mary Violet stepped forth, complete and fabulous. Every time I rewrote the book, her role got bigger.

Marla: Do you think you'll ever write another Gothic-inspired novel?

Marta: I’m working on two right now. One is a Gothic ghost story about two young women who haunt each other across time. It’s set in the Gold Rush and modern time. The second is a Gothic mystery starring...Mary Violet! It’s tentatively titled Mary Violet and the Mystery of the Silent Songbird. There is romance, suspense, and poetry!

Marla: I've got one more question for you, just for fun. What would you do if you were to find yourself trapped in one of the sinister castles in Ann Radcliffe's stories?

Marta: I would immediately try to find out if the castle’s sinister reputation had lowered its property value and then I would try to get a good deal in a sale. Can you imagine living in a castle? Well, it would probably be very cold, but there would be lots of room for a home office and a library and my dogs would love running through the woods.

Marla: Thanks for stopping by, Marta!

Marta: Marla, thanks so much for inviting me to talk about Dark Companion and my writing!

About Marta

Marta Acosta lives in the San Francisco Bay Area. She was a feral reader, roaming the stacks of the public library.

She received a degree in English Literature and Creative Writing from Stanford University and has written for the San Francisco Chronicle, the Contra Costa Times, and Spaces Magazine.

Marta lives with her husband, spawn, and their crazy dogs. An avid gardener, she likes independent films, funny novels, loud music and lively conversations.

She’s always happy to hear from readers, even the ones who point out typos.

Visit Marta online at: http://www.martaacosta.com/
Follow Marta on Twitter: https://twitter.com/#!/MartaAcosta
Like Marta on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/MartaAcostaAuthor
Become a fan on Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/18880.Marta_Acosta

About the Book

When foster teen Jane Williams is invited to attend elite Birch Grove Academy for Girls and escape her violent urban neighborhood, she thinks the offer is too good to be true. She's even offered her own living quarters, the groundskeeper's cottage in the center of the birch grove.

Something's not quite right about the school -- or is it Jane? She thinks she sees things in the birch grove at night. She's also beginning to suspect that the elegant headmistress and her sons are hiding secrets. Lucky is the gorgeous, golden son who is especially attentive to Jane, and Jack is the sardonic puzzling brother.

The school with its talented teachers and bright students is a dream for a science and math geek like Jane. She also loves her new friends, including hilarious poetry-spouting rich girl, Mary Violet. But the longer Jane stays at Birch Grove, the more questions she has about the disappearance of another scholarship girl and a missing faculty member.

Jane discovers one secret about Birch Grove, which only leads to more mysteries. What is she willing to sacrifice in order to stay at this school...and be bound to Birch Grove forever?

Check Out My Review of Dark Companion HERE!

Add Dark Companion on Goodreads!

Review - Dark Companion

by Marta Acosta
publisher: Tor Teen
date of publication: July 3, 2012
format: hardcover
pages: 368
source: from the publisher for review

From Goodreads:

Orphaned at the age of six, Jane Williams has grown up in a series of foster homes, learning to survive in the shadows of life. Through hard work and determination, she manages to win a scholarship to the exclusive Birch Grove Academy. There, for the first time, Jane finds herself accepted by a group of friends. She even starts tutoring the headmistress’s gorgeous son, Lucien. Things seem too good to be true.
They are.

The more she learns about Birch Grove’s recent past, the more Jane comes to suspect that there is something sinister going on. Why did the wife of a popular teacher kill herself? What happened to the former scholarship student, whose place Jane took? Why does Lucien’s brother, Jack, seem to dislike her so much?

As Jane begins to piece together the answers to the puzzle, she must find out why she was brought to Birch Grove—and what she would risk to stay there….

It's obvious from looking around my blog that I enjoy YA literature. However, my first literary loves both contain the name “Jane.” If you get me started about Jane Austen's books or Jane Eyre by Charlotte Bronte, you will find that I can't shut up about them. Jane Eyre is a particular favorite, so when I learned that Dark Companion contained parallels with one of my favorite works of literature, I took notice. When I heard that it had a Gothic tone, I knew that I absolutely, without any shadow of doubt, had to read this book. I am happy to say that Marta Acosta met my expectations and then proceeded to surpass them. I warn you now: this review is about to become one of the longest I have ever written. I have so many thoughts to share that writing a shorter review just won't cut it.

Jane is a more contemporary version of her counterpart, Jane Eyre, in every way. As a street-wise, intelligent, hard-working orphan, Jane seeks to change her fate and propel herself toward a better education and a life free of abusive foster parents. She is such a complicated character that, just when you think you have her figured out, she throws you for a loop. I didn't always agree with her choices, but in this case, the story just wouldn't have been the same had she not made the decisions she did. That does not mean that Jane is without a little humor in her life. Jane's best friend at Birch Grove Academy, Mary Violet, very nearly stole the show at times. Her bubbly personality and all around hilarity did a great job at providing a bit of a break from the intensity of Dark Companion's plot. I adored her as a character and thought she was a great foil for Jane. Jane's friends aren't the only interesting secondary characters, however. The sons of Birch Grove's headmistress, Lucian and Jack, were so completely different from each other. Lucian, the suave, handsome brother, is a temptation for Jane. Her interactions with him are thought-provoking and make you think about the greater picture and the workings of the plot not yet at the forefront. Jack, however, does a fantastic job at poking at Jane with jibes and jokes until she begins to emerge from her shell. He's a fantastic modern version of Mr. Rochester. Overall, the characters were very engaging and intriguing.

While Birch Grove Academy is no Lowood Institute, there is something inherently mysterious about it. It's more like the woodland and creek-side areas that surround Lowood that you will find in Jane Eyre. The setting for Dark Companion was absolutely perfect. If you take Stepford and combine it with one of Ann Radcliff's imposing chateaus, you will get an idea as to what I'm talking about. It made for the perfect backdrop for the events that take place. As Gothic literature places great emphasis on setting, I payed particular attention too all of the places Jane visits. The thing I liked most that, while Birch Grove isn't the hulking, dark castles you often find in Gothic fiction, it does have a certain sinister undertone that becomes more and more apparent. I found Jane's evenings in her little cottage downright spooky to read about, at times. I could not get enough of the settings and moods that are found within this novel.

I'll admit that I am an enthusiastic fan of books and usually find the ones that I know I will enjoy the most. Dark Companion, however, goes beyond everything that I usually experience while reading a book I enjoy. Though I was taken by surprise by some of the occurrences, I was able to adjust my thinking and understood the hows and whys of them.  With its fantastic cast of characters and, at times, menacing undertones, it was a great, spooky read that would make for a great read on a foggy autumn evening. You name it, this book has it: atmosphere; vibrant characters; humor; romance; suspense; and chills galore. Dark Companion is definitely this Jane Eyre fan's cup of tea. I hope it will be yours, as well.

Buy Dark Companion at the Following Locations:

Amazon /  IndieBound  /  B&N  /  The Book Depository

Obligatory legal statement: This finished copy was provided to me free of charge by the publisher.  No monetary compensation was received in exchange for this fair and unbiased review.

Review - Article 5

by Kristen Simmons
publisher: Tor Teen
date of publication: January 31, 2012
format: hardcover
pages: 364
source: from the publisher for review
Amazon / IndieBound / B&N / The Book Depository

From Goodreads:

New York, Los Angeles, and Washington, D.C., have been abandoned.

The Bill of Rights has been revoked, and replaced with the Moral Statutes.

There are no more police—instead, there are soldiers. There are no more fines for bad behavior—instead, there are arrests, trials, and maybe worse. People who get arrested usually don't come back.

Seventeen-year-old Ember Miller is old enough to remember that things weren’t always this way. Living with her rebellious single mother, it’s hard for her to forget that people weren’t always arrested for reading the wrong books or staying out after dark. It’s hard to forget that life in the United States used to be different.

Ember has perfected the art of keeping a low profile. She knows how to get the things she needs, like food stamps and hand-me-down clothes, and how to pass the random home inspections by the military. Her life is as close to peaceful as circumstances allow.

That is, until her mother is arrested for noncompliance with Article 5 of the Moral Statutes. And one of the arresting officers is none other than Chase Jennings…the only boy Ember has ever loved.

What I Thought

Little did I know that Article 5 was about to treat me to one of the most disturbing dystopian reading experiences I have ever had.  What was so disturbing, you may ask?  The sheer plausibility of the plot was enough to give me chills from the very start.  Even more intriguing is the variety of locations in which the story takes place.  When you add great characters to that mix you have a recipe for an amazing read that will suck you in and consume every bit of your attention.  I, for one, can attest to just how engrossing Article 5 is and am definitely happy to share my opinions on this fantastic novel.

The totalitarian regime that governs what remains of the United States in this book absolutely frightening.  Everything from the murky nature of their agenda to the ways in which they have corrupted religion was disturbing enough that I found myself cringing on more than one occasion while I followed Ember's plight.  Her flight through the south as she tries to outrun the "Moral Militia" is both harrowing and well-described.  Ember herself is such a dynamic character that exhibits such a full range of emotions that she comes off very well as a main character.  Both her flaws and her strengths allow for a great amount of character development throughout the story.  She interacted so well with her surroundings that I felt as though I was seeing everything through her eyes.  As far as surroundings go, I was very surprised to find that much of the last half of the book takes place in Knoxville, TN, a city that I grew up a mere 1 1/2 hours from and even lived in for a while.  Seeing a place with which I am so familiar depicted in such a thrilling and well-written novel was a nice bonus that made seeing the story in my mind's eye all the more easy to do.

Kristen Simmons has written a fabulous novel and has most definitely piqued my interest.  I will be following this series for however long it lasts and can not wait to read the next installment.  Fans of dystopian fiction should pick this one up ASAP.  Article 5 has so much to offer for those looking for a danger-filled, thrilling, and emotional read.  This is a series to watch out for.

Obligatory legal statement: This finished copy was provided to me free of charge by the publisher in exchange for a fair and unbiased review. Many thanks to Tor Teen for the opportunity of reviewing this book.  

Review - The Faerie Ring

by Kiki Hamilton
publisher: Tor Teen
date of publication: September 27, 2011
format: hardcover
pages: 352
source: purchased
Amazon / Goodreads / B&N

From Goodreads:

Debut novelist Kiki Hamilton takes readers from the gritty slums and glittering ballrooms of Victorian London to the beguiling but menacing Otherworld of the Fey in this spellbinding tale of romance, suspense, and danger.

The year is 1871, and Tiki has been making a home for herself and her family of orphans in a deserted hideaway adjoining Charing Cross Station in central London. Their only means of survival is by picking pockets. One December night, Tiki steals a ring, and sets off a chain of events that could lead to all-out war with the Fey. For the ring belongs to Queen Victoria, and it binds the rulers of England and the realm of Faerie to peace. With the ring missing, a rebel group of faeries hopes to break the treaty with dark magic and blood—Tiki’s blood.

Unbeknownst to Tiki, she is being watched—and protected—by Rieker, a fellow thief who suspects she is involved in the disappearance of the ring. Rieker has secrets of his own, and Tiki is not all that she appears to be. Her very existence haunts Prince Leopold, the Queen’s son, who is driven to know more about the mysterious mark that encircles her wrist.

Prince, pauper, and thief—all must work together to secure the treaty… 

What I Thought

If you are a regular reader of my blog, you'll already know that I'm a sucker for Victorian settings and faeries as a premise in books.  Luckily for me, The Faerie Ring combines those two elements and takes off on a rousing adventure containing everything from pick-pocketing to romance.  Part Oliver Twist, part A Fairy Story, The Faerie Ring will whisk you away into a fantastic, magical world where things aren't always what they seem and danger comes with a pretty face.

I was greatly enamored with the plot that makes up The Faerie Ring.  It flows very, very well and the ways in which characters and settings are both described and incorporated into the story are superb.  The premise of the book, a sort of mystical espionage centering around a magical ring whose importance to Tiki's world is paramount, is both fresh and imaginative.  I was left feeling very satisfied with the story I had just been treated to and can not wait to see where things will go from here.

Our main character, Tiki, is a wonderful heroine to read about.  She possesses so many traits that make her so very interesting.  Not only is she loving, loyal, and ambitious, she is also mysterious, stubborn, and suspicious.  When combined, these characteristics paint a picture of a girl who is likeable, though not perfect.  She comes across in a very realistic fashion thanks to her imperfections and quirks.  I really enjoyed that about her.  As for Rieker, I was left very surprised as to his true identity and demeanor.  He made for an excellent foil to our heroine and I very much enjoyed their interactions.  Characterization is definitely another aspect of this book that did not disappoint.

The setting that Kiki Hamilton has described in this book is so very vivid that one isn't hard-pressed to imagine the scene within one's mind.  From the streets of London to the ballroom of Buckingham Palace, each and every location visited within The Faerie Ring is well-described and well-rendered.  The world-building that takes place in this book is definitely a crowd-pleaser and I can't express enough just how engrossed I became in these settings.

The Faerie Ring is a spectacular read that left me wanting for nothing.  I simply couldn't get enough of this story and was left excited for the next installment.  Though I don't know what will happen next, I do know this: at the hands of Kiki Hamilton, this series is going to be fantastic.  For those who are fans of faeries, you will definitely want to pick this book up.  I urge you to do so as soon as you possibly can.  Trust me when I say that you won't want to miss out any longer.