Review - Ashes

by Ilsa J. Bick
publisher: Egmont USA
date of publication: September 6, 2011
format: hardcover
pages: 480
source: purchased

From Goodreads:

It could happen tomorrow . . .

An electromagnetic pulse flashes across the sky, destroying every electronic device, wiping out every computerized system, and killing billions.

Alex hiked into the woods to say good-bye to her dead parents and her personal demons. Now desperate to find out what happened after the pulse crushes her to the ground, Alex meets up with Tom—a young soldier—and Ellie, a girl whose grandfather was killed by the EMP.

For this improvised family and the others who are spared, it’s now a question of who can be trusted and who is no longer human.

Author Ilsa J. Bick crafts a terrifying and thrilling novel about a world that could be ours at any moment, where those left standing must learn what it means not just to survive, but to live amidst the devastation.

My reaction to Ashes can be summed up in 3 words: Oh. My. Goodness!  I had been hearing just how eerie this book is and how I needed to read it ASAP from many of my blogging friends.  They are now all entitled to say, "I told you so!"  Ashes is positively teeming with tension, suspense, and horror.  I was torn between reading hundreds of pages at once or stopping for a breather when it started to become too much.  This book is more than capable of ensnaring you in each fright-filled page.  

Alex is a survivor from the very beginning.  For years she has been living with a malignant tumor in her brain that will eventually lead to her death.  At first, she believes that she has accepted her fate, though she isn't happy about it.  She realizes differently when, on one last hike into her favorite park, a mysterious event begins to affect the animals and other people in strange ways.  What starts out as a hike to honor the memory of her parents becomes a non-stop fight for her life.  You have to admire Alex for her survival skills.  Even when she is saddled with a bratty 8 year-old she proves her capabilities and kindness.  As she fights her way through each danger and traumatic experience, she comes to realize that she's not ready to give up the fight.  Overall, she made for an extremely compelling main character.  Even in her moments of weakness, she always seemed to rise above and keep going.

You may hear that there are zombies in Ashes.  That's not quite accurate, however.  What you will find are some absolutely frightening people whose brain patterns have been reduced to a primal state and who are purely cannibalistic.  All instances concerning these "brain-zapped" people (Alex's name for them) are absolutely horrifying and chilling.  The ramifications of this event are nearly as terrifying as those who remain unchanged can easily fall victim to their more predatory counterparts.  Even the setting takes on a menacing edge thanks to the catastrophic changes to the human populace.  Where before wolves and bears were the biggest concern, now feral dogs and cannibals are to be feared.  It all makes for a shudder-inducing sense of foreboding.

If I have to sum up my advice for you, it would be to read this book during daylight hours.  Otherwise, you might continue thinking about it as you are trying to go to sleep.  I know I did.  This disturbingly imaginative plot will leave you wondering, "What if?"  I was left sorry that I didn't read this sooner, yet I'm also sorry that I will have to wait a few more months to find out what happens next.  The cliffhanger in Ashes is absolutely brutal, so you know that Shadows is going to start off with a bang.  I can't wait!

Buy Ashes at the Following Locations:

Amazon /  IndieBound  /  B&N  /  The Book Depository

Review - Black City

by Elizabeth Richards
publisher: G.P. Putnam's Sons BFYR
date of publication: November 13, 2012
format: ARC
pages: 373
source: Around the World ARC Tours

From Goodreads:

A dark and tender post-apocalyptic love story set in the aftermath of a bloody war. In a city where humans and Darklings are now separated by a high wall and tensions between the two races still simmer after a terrible war, sixteen-year-olds Ash Fisher, a half-blood Darkling, and Natalie Buchanan, a human and the daughter of the Emissary, meet and do the unthinkable--they fall in love. Bonded by a mysterious connection that causes Ash's long-dormant heart to beat, Ash and Natalie first deny and then struggle to fight their forbidden feelings for each other, knowing if they're caught, they'll be executed--but their feelings are too strong. When Ash and Natalie then find themselves at the center of a deadly conspiracy that threatens to pull the humans and Darklings back into war, they must make hard choices that could result in both their deaths.

I wasn't sure what exactly I would be in for with Black City.  First and foremost, I was beyond curious to find out just what a Darkling was as portrayed in this story.  Second, I wanted to know what the war had been waged for and who the different factions were.  When the story opened with a clandestine meeting in the shadows for nefarious purposes, I was even more fascinated.  It is at this point that I learned what a Darkling is.  From then on, I was as hooked as a Haze addict. 

The book opens with Ash, so I will start with his character.  At first, you get the impression that he's a dangerous, immoral character.  After all, he deals Darkling venom (Haze) to addicted humans, which is disconcerting and beyond what I was expecting.  However, as more of his characteristics come to light, you find out that there is something more behind the mask.  As his situation, past, and inner thoughts are revealed, he becomes a more sympathetic character.  I eventually came to enjoy him a lot.  Natalie is also a character that takes a little observation to fully understand.  Her past is tragic and the scars she bears both inside and out mark her as a girl who has been through a lot.  As she begins to wake up and see the real state of things, she becomes a remarkable, admirable character willing to fight for the right thing. 

The premise for Black City is simply fascinating.  There is a truly heinous despot behind the atrocities in Black City and the results of his reign of terror are frightening.  However, I would have loved to know a little more about the reasons for the war.  Knowing more about the catalyst would have made an already great story all the better.  The setting is absolutely perfect for this story: gritty, dark, and bleak.  It serves very well to highlight the slivers of hope that begin to emerge from the ashes of a terrible situation.  It is a fantastic setting for a great storyline.

Black City was very difficult to put down.  The story flows so well that it is very easy to lose track of time and, before you know it, 100 pages will have gone by.  Filled with romance, gritty surroundings, and top notch characters, Black City is an engaging read that will keep you on the edge of your seat.  The intensity of the conflict situations can't be beat.  This is definitely a series to watch.

Buy Black City at the Following Locations:

Amazon / IndieBound / B&N / The Book Depository

Obligatory legal statement: This ARC was provided to me free of charge via Around the World ARC Tours. No monetary compensation was received in exchange for this fair and unbiased review.

Review - This is Not a Test

by Courtney Summers
publisher: St. Martin's Griffin
date of publication: June 19, 2012
format: ARC
pages: 320
source: LibraryThing Early Reviewers

From Goodreads:

It’s the end of the world. Six students have taken cover in Cortege High but shelter is little comfort when the dead outside won’t stop pounding on the doors. One bite is all it takes to kill a person and bring them back as a monstrous version of their former self.

To Sloane Price, that doesn’t sound so bad. Six months ago, her world collapsed and since then, she’s failed to find a reason to keep going. Now seems like the perfect time to give up. As Sloane eagerly waits for the barricades to fall, she’s forced to witness the apocalypse through the eyes of five people who actually want to live.

But as the days crawl by, the motivations for survival change in startling ways and soon the group’s fate is determined less and less by what’s happening outside and more and more by the unpredictable and violent bids for life—and death—inside.

When everything is gone, what do you hold on to?

This is Not a Test is an emotionally wrought twist on zombie novels. Though they are present within the story, the emphasis lies not on the zombies, themselves, but on the effects a cataclysmic event like a zombie apocalypse has on different people. The six teens we meet in This is Not a Test are a study in loss, grief, terror, and bravery. Each kid's reaction brought something different to the story, which made This is Not a Test such an engrossing read.

Sloane, the main character and narrator, is such a heartbreaking character. As the layers of who she is and what she has been through are peeled back, a complicated and truly damaged girl is revealed. I will admit that I found her motivation a bit difficult to understand, at first. While I don't agree with her rationalizations for wanting to give up, I can see how what she has been through causes death make sense to her. Her interactions with the other people in her group are actually somewhat heartening. Though she doesn't hold much value for her own life, she does respect the lives of her companions and seeks to make sure she doesn't put them at risk. Considering the behavior of a character such as Trace, it's even more surprising. While she isn't necessarily a character you can fully understand and like, she is definitely a fascinating one to get to know.

The setting for This is Not a Test couldn't have been more perfect. The outside world is a bleak, dangerous place and the inside world that the six teens inhabit has a level of safety that is tenuous, at best. I definitely appreciated that while the high school provided several of the things that the group needed, it wasn't safe enough to lull them all into complacency. However, the fact that so much of the story takes place in the high school definitely makes for some slow pacing, at times. While the group deals with its dramas and interpersonal struggles, the plot lagged at some points throughout the book. This was usually remedied rather quickly, however, so it didn't become too much of a problem.

This is Not a Test turned out to be so much more than I expected. I went in expecting nonstop attempts to fight off the zombie horde. What I found was a moving look at the human experience and what it means to different people. I think the question posed in the plot description lays it all out best: “When everything is gone, what do you hold onto?” The answer to that question is different for each character and different for each reader, as well. It brought a level of personal feeling into the story that came as a big surprise. This is Not a Test is truly an engrossing, though-provoking take on the zombie apocalypse theme.

Buy This is Not a Test at the Following Locations:

Amazon /  IndieBound  /  B&N  /  The Book Depository

Obligatory legal statement: This ARC was provided to me free of charge via the publisher through Library Thing Early Reviewers. No monetary compensation was received in exchange for this fair and unbiased review.

Review - Monument 14

by Emmy Laybourne
publisher: Feiwel and Friends
date of publication: June 5, 2012
format: ARC
pages: 294
source: from the publisher; Fierce Reads campaign

From Goodreads:

Your mother hollers that you’re going to miss the bus. She can see it coming down the street. You don’t stop and hug her and tell her you love her. You don’t thank her for being a good, kind, patient mother. Of course not—you launch yourself down the stairs and make a run for the corner.

Only, if it’s the last time you’ll ever see your mother, you sort of start to wish you’d stopped and did those things. Maybe even missed the bus.But the bus was barreling down our street, so I ran.

Fourteen kids. One superstore. A million things that go wrong.

In Emmy Laybourne’s action-packed debut novel, six high school kids (some popular, some not), two eighth graders (one a tech genius), and six little kids trapped together in a chain superstore build a refuge for themselves inside. While outside, a series of escalating disasters, beginning with a monster hailstorm and ending with a chemical weapons spill, seems to be tearing the world—as they know it—apart.

 

From the very first page, Monument 14 succeeds in instilling a sense of foreboding.  The opening words are the epitome of words left unsaid and, upon reading them, you just know that there is a lot of heartbreak on the way.  What ensues is a chain reaction of events that will rock the characters in the story to their very cores and leave you, the reader, shell-shocked beyond belief.  From cover to cover, Monument 14 delivers with trials, tribulations, emotions, and enough action to keep you on the edge of your seat.

The cast of characters that make up Monument 14 are as varied in temperament as they are in age.  From the 5 year old twins to the 18 year old high school seniors, attitudes differ, emotions run amok, and conflicts arise.  Shy, gawky Dean, the narrator and our guide through life in the Greenway in apocalyptic Monument, Colorado, is as flawed as he is endearing.  You can't help but feel for the guy but, at the same time, he does mess up.  A lot.  Unlike characters from other books, however, Dean's mistakes aren't simply a nuisance to the reader.  They add an edge to all of the other things going on in the story and make reading about the situation all the more intense.  Dean's reactions to the various occurrences are nothing short of fascinating and I my attention was definitely held by both his point of view and the events as shown through his eyes.

I don't know what it is about apocalyptic settings that I find to be so intriguing, but the setting for Monument 14 especially delivered for me.  The storyline was captivating and the pace was brisk enough to add a higher level of urgency to the book's atmosphere.  It was so easy to get a sense of who everyone was thanks to the dialog and the descriptions of both the kids' surroundings and the events that take place are vivid.  It almost felt like I was right there alongside them, trying to figure out how to get the pizza oven to work properly and keep the little kids out of trouble (as if I don't get enough of that in my day-to-day life; ha!).

Monument 14 is one of those books that refuses to let you out of its grasp.  I found myself staying awake until the sun started to appear in the horizon because I simply could not stop reading.  I expect I could have finished it in 12 hours if I hadn't needed sleep.  It was that enthralling.  If you're in need of a book with lots of action and the complexities of human reaction, look no further.  Emmy Laybourne's debut, simply put, knocked my socks off.  I'm going to be anxiously awaiting the next book.  I just can't get enough!

Buy Monument 14 at the Following Locations:

Amazon/  IndieBound  /  B&N  /  The Book Depository

Obligatory legal statement: This advance 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 - For Darkness Shows the Stars

by Diana Peterfreund
publisher: Balzer + Bray
date of publication: June 12, 2012
format: ARC
pages: 398
source: from a friend

From Goodreads:

Generations ago, a genetic experiment gone wrong—the Reduction—decimated humanity, giving rise to a Luddite nobility who outlawed most technology.

Elliot North has always known her place in this world. Four years ago Elliot refused to run away with her childhood sweetheart, the servant Kai, choosing duty to her family’s estate over love. Since then the world has changed: a new class of Post-Reductionists is jumpstarting the wheel of progress, and Elliot’s estate is foundering, forcing her to rent land to the mysterious Cloud Fleet, a group of shipbuilders that includes renowned explorer Captain Malakai Wentforth—an almost unrecognizable Kai. And while Elliot wonders if this could be their second chance, Kai seems determined to show Elliot exactly what she gave up when she let him go.

But Elliot soon discovers her old friend carries a secret—one that could change their society . . . or bring it to its knees. And again, she’s faced with a choice: cling to what she’s been raised to believe, or cast her lot with the only boy she’s ever loved, even if she’s lost him forever.

Inspired by Jane Austen’s Persuasion, For Darkness Shows the Stars is a breathtaking romance about opening your mind to the future and your heart to the one person you know can break it.

For Darkness Shows the Stars has the surprising distinction of being an adaptation of Jane Austen's Persuasion AND a post-apocalyptic novel.  Being a huge fan of Jane Austen's works and an especially appreciative fan of Persuasion, I knew that this would be a book that I just had to read.  I was fortunate in that a dear friend was able to send me a copy that she obtained at a conference.  Reading For Darkness Shows the Stars proved to be an intriguing experience that made me think about both the similarities between the two books and the variations on the themes present in Persuasion.  

If I had to describe Elliot North, I would say that she's a more stubborn, outspoken version of Anne Elliot.  The ways in which she deals with her heartbreak over Kai are filled with more anger than we see with Anne.  Though we only got a second-hand view of Anne's feelings due to a difference in narration, Elliot came off as a much more fiery girl than Anne did.  She was both similar enough to Anne that I enjoyed reading about her as an extension of Anne, and different enough that I enjoyed her as a character in her own right.  Kai, in keeping with the intensifying emotions present in For Darkness Shows the Stars, makes for an intriguing version of Captain Wentworth.  Though his cruelty is much more pronounced and, at times, hard to hear, we also get to learn more about the ways in which Elliot's refusal to run away with him as she originally promised affected him as a person.  Overall, these characters, while not the embodiment of their sources, proved to be successful in giving Jane Austen's story both new life and a new audience.

The setting in For Darkness Shows the Stars is an interesting one.  The estate system that is in place has similarities to the Antebellum plantations that were present in the south during the 19th century, as well as to the colonies held by England during the Victorian era.  That it all takes place on an island just added another nuance to the story, one that added credence to the importance of the maritime pursuits of the Post-Reductionists.  The hierarchy created for this story was also a novel addition to this story.  It upped the stakes for both Elliot and Kai and gave the post-apocalyptic setting a point of contention that added to the problems and conflicts present.

I've read several variations on Jane Austen's work and, I have to say, For Darkness Shows the Stars is my favorite, so far.  Thanks to its setting, societal issues, and intensified versions of the characters found in Persuasion, For Darkness Shows the Stars proved to be well worth the time it took to read it.  I found the experience to be one of both reminiscence and discovery as I explored the new world that Peterfreund created.  If you're a fan of Jane Austen, you must give this book a try.  Even if you aren't, I still recommend it.  It is my hope that this book finds not only many fans for itself, but also new fans for one of my favorite authors of all time.  Read For Darkness Shows the Stars.  Read Persuasion.  It just might rock your world.

Buy For Darkness Shows the Stars at the Following Locations:

Amazon / IndieBound / B&N / The Book Depository

Review - The Last Princess

by Galaxy Craze
publisher: Poppy/Little, Brown BFYR
date of publication: May 1, 2012
format: hardcover
pages: 295
source: from the publisher for review
read it in: 2 days

From Goodreads:

Happily ever after is a thing of the past.

A series of natural disasters has decimated the earth. Cut off from the rest of the world, England is a dark place. The sun rarely shines, food is scarce, and groups of criminals roam the woods, searching for prey. The people are growing restless.

When a ruthless revolutionary sets out to overthrow the crown, he makes the royal family his first target. Blood is shed in Buckingham Palace, and only sixteen-year-old Princess Eliza manages to escape.

Determined to kill the man who destroyed her family, Eliza joins the enemy forces in disguise. She has nothing left to live for but revenge, until she meets someone who helps her remember how to hope—and to love—once more. Now she must risk everything to ensure that she not become... The Last Princess.

In a post-apocalyptic England, the royal family has been set upon by tragedy after tragedy at the hands of a zealous would-be tyrant and as the result of a string of natural disasters.  Eliza, the youngest princess, finds herself alone after a night of blood shed and abduction.  It is up to her to find the man responsible and exact revenge on behalf of her shattered family.  As she fights to survive in an increasingly hostile world, Eliza finds love in an unexpected place and learns to keep hope alive.

Eliza was a pretty easy character to "get along" with.  Though she can be a bit flat at times, she is an intelligent, loyal girl who doesn't consider giving up easily.  While I wished to learn at least a little more about her, I did find myself enjoying the story as told from her point of view.  She was made for an easy to follow main character who didn't let anything stand in her way.  The villain in the story, Cornelius Hollister, is a truly despicable human being.  While he claims to be fighting for the greater good of what remains of society, it is apparent that he is nothing more than a power hungry monster.  He's one of those villains that you just love to hate, which definitely added to the intensity of the story.

I have seen this novel referred to as dystopian several times over, but please don't be mislead.  The Last Princess does not fall under that particular umbrella.  Instead, it falls more under the post-apocalyptic umbrella than anything thanks to its ravaged landscape, dwindling population, and chaotic atmosphere.  Society has broken down and there is no pretense that things are fine.  It all makes for a brutally riveting plot that almost fully arrested my attention and imagination.  The only things I really had pressing questions about was the Roamers, a group of cannibalistic people that aren't given as much explanation as other groups throughout the book.  Nonetheless, The Last Princess proved to be a well thought-out story with some wonderfully alarming aspects that I enjoyed very much.

The Last Princess has much to recommend it.  From its intense setting to its engaging characters, The Last Princess is a vastly entertaining read that you won't find easy to put down.  Though there are some aspects that could use a little fleshing out, I found that there was still a lot to learn about the world in which Eliza lives.  If you haven't read much post-apocalyptic fiction, The Last Princess could be a good starter for you.  It has earned a permanent home on my shelves thanks to its engrossing action sequences and frightening world.  It has made me more interested in the genre, which is a definite plus.

Buy The Last Princess 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 - Masque of the Red Death

by Bethany Griffin
publisher: Greenwillow
date of publication: April 24, 2012
format: ARC
pages: 324
source: DAC ARC Tours
Amazon / IndieBound / B&N / The Book Depository

From Goodreads:

Everything is in ruins.

A devastating plague has decimated the population. And those who are left live in fear of catching it as the city crumbles to pieces around them.

So what does Araby Worth have to live for?

Nights in the Debauchery Club, beautiful dresses, glittery make-up . . . and tantalizing ways to forget it all.

But in the depths of the club—in the depths of her own despair—Araby will find more than oblivion. She will find Will, the terribly handsome proprietor of the club. And Elliott, the wickedly smart aristocrat. Neither boy is what he seems. Both have secrets. Everyone does.

And Araby may find something not just to live for, but to fight for—no matter what it costs her.

Having grown up reading Poe's poetry and short stories, I knew without a shadow of a doubt that I had to read this book.  A steampunk adaptation of Poe's story by the same name, Masque of the Red Death is exactly the kind of refreshingly unique book I've been looking for.  Simply judging by the description, I thought that both the plot and the tone sounded spot on.  The potential for a love triangle gave me some pause, but nothing was going to keep me away from this book.  Now that I've read it, I can affirm that Masque of the Red Death lived up to all of my expectations and made this Poe fan very happy.

Araby had just the type of personality I would attribute to a character that is part of an adaptation of a Poe story.  She is tragic, moody, and desperate to attain oblivion, making her well-suited to a story such as this.  Her characteristics are lent even more emphasis by her closest friend, April, who is a devil may care type of party girl with a hidden penchant for kindness.  As for the two love interests, my personal preference was Will in all his tattooed, sweet-natured glory, though I have to say that Elliott is a very interesting character in his own right.  All of the characters are so well developed that I was left with no complaints, whatsoever.

Masque of the Red Death is comprised of some truly amazing world building.  Bethany Griffin has given us a bleak, dangerous world in which a frightening disease runs rampant and the debate of religion versus science is at the center of a battle between the weary citizens.  The plot moves along at a great clip and is free of overly slow points and hitches.  The details are both rich and meticulous, making it very easy to sink into the story.  If I had had the time, I would have read it in one sitting.  As it was, I did finish it within 24 hours, which is a true testament to the ways in which Bethany Griffin's writing can rope you in.

Masque of the Red Death is one of those books that I feel compelled to chatter on about at an insane rate of speech.  It fulfilled every expectation I had and provided me with hours of wonderful reading.  Bethany Griffin has taken one of Edgar Allan Poe's most famous stories and given it new life with this compelling, addictive novel.  Beautifully written and given just the right touch of horror, Masque of the Red Death will infect you with a ceaseless need to read on and on and on.  There's no cure, but that is perfectly fine by me.  Thus, Masque of the Red Death has earned 5 hoots and is the first recipient for my brand new rating distinction, the Night Owl Award. 

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

Review - The Immortal Rules

by Julie Kagawa
publisher: Harlequin Teen
date of publication: April 24, 2012
format: eGalley
pages: 504
source: Netgalley
Amazon / IndieBound / B&N / The Book Depository

From Goodreads:

In a future world, Vampires reign. Humans are blood cattle. And one girl will search for the key to save humanity.

Allison Sekemoto survives in the Fringe, the outermost circle of a vampire city. By day, she and her crew scavenge for food. By night, any one of them could be eaten.

Some days, all that drives Allie is her hatred of them. The vampires who keep humans as blood cattle. Until the night Allie herself is attacked—and given the ultimate choice. Die… or become one of the monsters.

Faced with her own mortality, Allie becomes what she despises most. To survive, she must learn the rules of being immortal, including the most important: go long enough without human blood, and you will go mad.

Then Allie is forced to flee into the unknown, outside her city walls. There she joins a ragged band of humans who are seeking a legend—a possible cure to the disease that killed off most of humankind and created the rabids, the mindless creatures who threaten humans and vampires alike.

But it isn't easy to pass for human. Especially not around Zeke, who might see past the monster inside her. And Allie soon must decide what—and who—is worth dying for.

What I Thought

Julie Kagawa writing vampire novels: you just know that this combination is going to be a winner.  When the news came out that The Immortal Rules was in the works, I felt very hopeful.  As a teen, I read a lot of vampire novels by the likes of Anne Rice and Amelia Atwater-Rhodes.  These books provided hours of entertainment and enjoyment.  Over the years, however, I haven't quite been able to find anything that appealed to me as much as those books did.  That is, nothing really, truly appealed to me until I read the plot description for The Immortal Rules.  I immediately knew that this was a book I could get behind, so prepared myself to wait for my opportunity to read it.  That opportunity finally came and, now that I have read The Immortal Rules, I can officially say that this is what I expect out of a vampire novel.

To say that Allie is fierce is an understatement.  From the very first page, you just know that this girl brooks no nonsense.  Her independence and level of confidence is amazing and she made for such a great heroine.  Underneath her flinty exterior, however, is a degree of compassion, as evidenced by her treatment of Stick, the odd man out in Allie's group of street rats.  Though he is an extremely frustrating character, Allie manages to lend treat him with kindness.  It is Allie's transition from human to vampire, however, that really gives you a sense of who she is.  All of her strengths and weaknesses come to the forefront and make her an even more compelling character.  Zeke, Allie's surprisingly human love interest, complements Allie very well.  He, too, is strong of will, but has an added touch of kindness that aids Allie in figuring out what it is she wants out of her immortality.  Together, they are a very dynamic couple that sparked off each other well and provided some sweet moments.

The storyline that makes up The Immortal Rules absolutely blew me away.  The premise is every bit as dark and harrowing as one would expect and the pacing is phenomenal.  The world-building is superb and has the perfect amount of horror and grit.  It was very easy to sink into the story and picture the settings thanks to Julie Kagawa's considerable talent with description.  All in all, this story is amazing and you'll be hard-pressed to find another quite like it.

Now that I've read The Immortal Rules, I just know that the rest of the series is going to be fantastic.  The Immortal Rules is an amazing first book in series and I expect that this series is going to surpass all other vampire novels in my eyes.  Fans of horror, postapocalyptic, and vampire fiction are going to enjoy this series.  Julie Kagawa fans, hold onto your hats.  You're in for a real treat.  I recommend getting your hands on this title as soon as possible.  You definitely do not want to miss out on this book for very long!

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

Review - Starters

by Lissa Price
publisher: Delacorte BFYR
date of publication: March 13, 2012
format: eGalley
pages: 450
source: Netgalley
Amazon / IndieBound / B&N / The Book Depository

From Goodreads:

HER WORLD IS CHANGED FOREVER

Callie lost her parents when the Spore Wars wiped out everyone between the ages of twenty and sixty. She and her little brother, Tyler, go on the run, living as squatters with their friend Michael and fighting off renegades who would kill them for a cookie. Callie's only hope is Prime Destinations, a disturbing place in Beverly Hills run by a mysterious figure known as the Old Man.

He hires teens to rent their bodies to Enders—seniors who want to be young again. Callie, desperate for the money that will keep her, Tyler, and Michael alive, agrees to be a donor. But the neurochip they place in Callie's head malfunctions and she wakes up in the life of her renter, living in her mansion, driving her cars, and going out with a senator's grandson. It feels almost like a fairy tale, until Callie discovers that her renter intends to do more than party—and that Prime Destinations' plans are more evil than Callie could ever have imagined. . . .

What I Thought

There's nothing quite like a good dystopia, and Lissa Price has written one to give others a run for their money.  Set in a world in which there are children/young adults, senior citizens with enhanced life spans, and nothing in between, Starters is a story that will make you wonder.  With a combination of fantastic technology and an insidious society where the young are, for the most part, less than second class citizens, an action-packed thrill ride is at your fingertips.  

I simply adore Callie.  She will do anything to take care of her younger brother, yet has a distinct moral compass that sets her apart from most of the other characters in the book.  Her experiences are absorbing and you can't help but become part of the story through her eyes.  Her renter, Helena, was also surprisingly compelling and I immediately wanted to know more about her.  The villain, Prime Destinations as fronted by a mysterious figure known as The Old Man, is truly chilling and made for an excellent foe for Callie.  They constantly took me by surprise with the sheer amount of evil they were capable of.  The Old Man is definitely a villain you love to hate.

Starters has a great pace, as well as a really compelling storyline.  The concept is truly imaginative and the setting is an interesting blend of bleak, war-ravaged land and high-tech opulence.  The air of threat is thick and the trials Callie goes through are exciting, all making for a read that seemingly flies by.  Don't be surprised to find yourself fully immersed in Callie's world and coming up for air after hours have flown by. 

Starters now has a place as my newest must-have book.  There wasn't a single thing I didn't like about it and I can not wait to add it to my shelves.  The next book in the series is going to be one for which I anxiously wait.  If you're looking for a thrilling dystopia set in a post-apocalyptic setting, Starters would be an excellent addition to your TBR pile.  This is one I'm going to want to read over and over again.

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

Waiting on Wednesday - February 22, 2012

Waiting On Wednesday is a weekly event from Jill at Breaking the Spine. To participate, simply share that book(s) you are eagerly awaiting the release of and report back to Breaking the Spine with the link to your post. Clicking the link above will take you straight to her post and widget.

Wow!  I hadn't realized it, but I haven't done one of these since mid-DECEMBER.  I know I've been pretty busy since then, but wow, that's a long time to refrain from participating in one of my favorite memes.

My top pick this week is a June release from Balzer+Bray.  Ever since I first heard that this book is inspired by Jane Austen's Persuasion (one of my very favorite Austen novels), I knew I had to read it.  The fact that it is a post-apocalyptic novel with a dystopian bent further cemented my need to read this book.  In fact, it is currently on my "books I would dance a jig for" shelf at Goodreads.  The sooner I read it, the happier I will be.  What book do I refer to?  The book in question is For Darkness Shows the Stars by Diana Peterfreund, to be released on June 12th.  

From Goodreads:

Generations ago, a genetic experiment gone wrong—the Reduction—decimated humanity, giving rise to a Luddite nobility who outlawed most technology.

Eighteen-year-old Luddite Elliot North has always known her place in this caste system. Four years ago Elliot refused to run away with her childhood sweetheart, the servant Kai, choosing duty to her family’s estate over love. But now the world has changed: a new class of Post-Reductionists is jumpstarting the wheel of progress and threatening Luddite control; Elliot’s estate is floundering; and she’s forced to rent land to the mysterious Cloud Fleet, a group of shipbuilders that includes renowned explorer Captain Malakai Wentforth—an almost unrecognizable Kai. And while Elliott wonders if this could be their second chance, Kai seems determined to show Elliot exactly what she gave up when she abandoned him.

But Elliot soon discovers her childhood friend carries a secret—-one that could change the society in which they live…or bring it to its knees. And again, she’s faced with a choice: cling to what she’s been raised to believe, or cast her lot with the only boy she’s ever loved, even if she has lost him forever.

Inspired by Jane Austen’s PERSUASION, FOR DARKNESS SHOWS THE STARS is a breathtaking romance about opening your mind to the future and your heart to the one person you know can break it.

Review: Dark Inside

by Jeyn Roberts
publisher: Simon & Schuster Children's Publishing
date of publication: November 1, 2011
format: hardcover
pages: 336
source: purchased
Amazon / Goodreads / B&N

From Goodreads:

Since mankind began, civilizations have always fallen: the Romans, the Greeks, the Aztecs…Now it’s our turn. Huge earthquakes rock the world. Cities are destroyed. But something even more awful is happening. An ancient evil has been unleashed, turning everday people into hunters, killers, crazies.

Mason's mother is dying after a terrible car accident. As he endures a last vigil at her hospital bed, his school is bombed and razed to the ground, and everyone he knows is killed. Aries survives an earthquake aftershock on a bus, and thinks the worst is over when a mysterious stranger pulls her out of the wreckage, but she’s about to discover a world changed forever. Clementine, the only survivor of an emergency town hall meeting that descends into murderous chaos, is on the run from savage strangers who used to be her friends and neighbors. And Michael witnesses a brutal road rage incident that is made much worse by the arrival of the police--who gun down the guilty party and then turn on the bystanding crowd.

Where do you go for justice when even the lawmakers have turned bad? These four teens are on the same road in a world gone mad. Struggling to survive, clinging on to love and meaning wherever it can be found, this is a journey into the heart of darkness – but also a journey to find each other and a place of safety.

What I Thought

What can I say about Dark Inside without over-simplifying?  To say that I thoroughly enjoyed this book feels like taking the quick and easy way out with regard to my feelings after reading it.  There are so many parts of this book that led me to alternately get lost in my own imagination and sit upon the edge of my seat with bated breath.  It is such a tangle of thrills, sadness, and horror that I am left unsure as to what aspect I enjoyed the most.  Suffice it to say, Dark Inside featured the best of all aspects that make a book appealing to me.

The plot that runs throughout this book will stay with me for quite some time.  It is truly terrifying in that it doesn't involve zombies or monsters.  The threats involved are Mother Nature, herself, and the very darkest recesses of the human mind.  The fact that some unknown catalyst is causing the majority of humanity to turn into ruthless killers is altogether chilling.  As I thought about the possible causes and ramifications of such an event, I felt even more disturbed.  This isn't a story you will be likely to forget for a long, long time.

The characters whose stories we get to view are each compelling in their own ways.  Mason, Aries, Michael, Clementine, and the mysterious narrator known as "Nothing," each bring something different to the table.  Each has a different heart break, a different strength, a different motivation, a different personality, and a different outlook on life, all of which lead them in the same direction as time goes on.  I can't choose a particular favorite from amongst this cast of characters due to the sheer greatness of all of them.  These characters are so well-written and imbued with such spark that it is very easy to become invested in each one.

Finally, let's talk about setting.  Dark Inside begins with 4 different towns in which the 4 different characters live.  Each town is hit by catastrophe in different ways.  This goes to show just how far-reaching the mysterious events behind the end of the world truly are.  Though each town is a different size and affected in different ways, they all share a common problem: the Baggers (the term used to describe the killers at several points throughout the book).  Whether the town falls to earthquakes, bombs, or a type of genocide involving the unaffected, each setting is the same in that nothing will ever be the same again.  As the characters travel across their countries and make their ways toward each other, we catch glimpses of other places that have been struck by disaster in different ways.  It is a truly horrifying landscape against which the story takes place, and the descriptions given make each come to life in the mind's eye.  This aspect of the book is so well done that I have absolutely no complaints.

If you are a fan of dystopian or post-apocalyptic fiction, then you have absolutely got to read Dark Inside.  There is so much action, description, and character-building taking place within the pages of this book that you won't be disappointed.  Though a second book hasn't been mentioned so far as I can tell, I hope that we will be able to continue following these characters throughout this tragic, horrible world they are left with.  This was a truly satisfying read that I can see myself reading over again in the future.