Bash (vol 1) by Rudy Gobert

Bash! (vol. 1)

Written by Rudy Gobert and Hellef Bay

Illustrated by Vince Serrano

Published by Titan Books

Synopsis (from the publisher):

Young Rudy comes from the poor neighborhood of Nevilia, but dreams of a being a BASH star, and his talent might just make it happen: but can he make it while threats come from every corner of the galaxy? 

Throughout the universe, there’s one sport that everyone’s a fan of: BASH! A brutal, high-octane version of basketball: its players are rockstars, legends, gods, and for young Rudy, a poor kid from Nevilia, his only dream is to be one of them. 

Rudy’s got talent, but talent is nothing without practice and so he sets out to become the best BASH player in the galaxy, always training, always reaching for jut one more dunk. And while Rudy is starting to get noticed by the teams and the talent scouts, other, more sinister forces have started to creep out from the shadows, jealous of this rising young star. 

Review: 

I'll start out with a few disclaimers: my family are lifelong Utah Jazz fans and we were quite disappointed when Rudy Gobert was traded away in the off-season, and Gobert is my daughter's favorite player. So, I'm probably inclined to like this book--but at the same time, as a former librarian and an avid bibliophile, I've read a LOT of books and will be (kindly) honest if I don't like a book. So, that said, when I saw that Gobert had a graphic novel coming out, I immediately went to NetGalley to see if I could get an eARC to read it early; the publisher graciously granted my request. I did have issues with the formatting--the book displayed sideways and split pages into two--no matter what device I tried to read it on. So, it wasn't the smoothest reading experience, and I definitely want to get my hands on a physical copy to read, but I still got a good enough feel for the book to give an honest review. 

The book spent a lot of time on backstory (which makes sense, as it's the first volume in a series), so there's not a ton of action but enough to keep it interesting. There are appealing storylines--the main character wanting to excel at Bash, a hyped-up basketball-like sport; his father having left the family years before and the impact on him and his mother; as well as the political storm that he has no idea is coming, as earth's colonial rule Sybelius is sending a delegation to find that missing father, who is more than he seemed. All of those will draw readers in and want them to know more. There are really cool details--like the rules of bash, which include environmental changes during the game--and the illustrations are terrific. There were some clichés--a parent who doesn't love the game that the main character loves, an opponent with a pretty girlfriend that he doesn't treat well--as well as some ideas that weren't developed as well as I would have liked (I didn't find the mother's reasons for blaming the bash to be strong enough, and the reason why so many people love this game even though it can lead to death didn't come through). Characters are mostly flat, and sometimes the writing felt stilted, with an over-reliance on dialogue to explain things that happened in the past, which didn't quite feel like realistic conversations, as well as moments that the language seemed to reflect the fact that English isn't Gobert's native tongue. None of those are huge problems, and readers who are looking solely for entertainment rather than planning to write a review might well skip right over them. 

Overall, I think it's an interesting book that will appeal to a lot of teenagers as well as fans of basketball and of Gobert himself. I definitely want to continue the series to see what happens next! 

4 stars!

I read an eARC provided by the publisher via NetGalley. All opinions are my own.

Nyxia Unleashed

Nyxia Unleashed
By Scott Reintgen

Emmett and his crewmates, the Genesis, arrive on Eden, where they begin Babel's mission for them--to mine Nyxia--and meet the planet's native inhabitants, the Imago. Having been lied to by Babel again and again, the Genesis crew goes in prepared for more deception--and they find it. They also come to realize that the Imago people haven't exactly been upfront with Babel, either, and Emmett and company will soon need to figure out what the truth is and try to figure out a way to get home.

Holy.freaking.cow. Fast pace? Yes. Twists, twists, and more twists? Yes. Awesome themes and discussion points? Yes. Same great cast of characters and some new additions? Yes. Pretty much everything you could want in a teen sci-fi? Yes. This was a thrilling read, with one heck of a cliffhanger ending. I'm dying here waiting for the third book! 5 stars.


I read an ARC via NetGalley. All opinions are my own.

Nyxia

Nyxia by Scott Reintgen

Emmett and nine other teenagers have been selected by Babel Communications to travel to Eden, a distant planet, and mine nyxia, a substance that can be changed and manipulated and is secretly the most valuable resource in the world. Nyxia is found in abundance on Eden, but the species that inhabits the planet destroys anyone who tries to get it--except children. Thus, Babel Communications has requited these teenagers to be the ones who mine nyxia. As they journey toward Eden, they are pitted in competitions against one another, as Babel Communications reveals that only eight of the ten will be chosen to go to Eden--and receive the billions of dollars that are the reward for making the cut. As Emmett competes, he makes friends with some of the recruits, enemies of others, and comes to suspect that there's a whole lot that Babel Communications isn't telling them. Although not making the final cut isn't an option for him, the twists and turns that turn up make it difficult for Emmett to know if he'll truly make it--or what Babel Communications really wants.


I was instantly drawn into this book. The plot is interesting and moves forward quickly, and I loved Emmett and the other characters (okay, some of them I disliked, but those were the ones you were sort of supposed to not be so fond of). There are really interesting themes, too, such as what you're willing to do for a chance at a dream--who are you willing to become or not become as you fight for that chance? There's a look at humanity and mercy and friendship. There's a lot to enjoy in this book, and I can't wait for the next one in the series!
4.5 stars.


Okay, I'm afraid by the time I get to read the second book in this series, I'll have forgotten pertinent details, so I'm putting a summary--with spoilers--of all of it down here. So, don't read any farther if you don't want spoilers! If you want a summary of who's who and what happens, read on.
Babel Communications recruits a bunch of poor, broken kids for a secret mission. They've discovered a planet, Eden, with an extremely valuable substance, Nyxia, which they'd like to mine but the native species of Eden, humanoids called Adamites, destroy all who they encounter--except children. There was a child, Jacquelyn Requin, a young girl who was born on the original flight to Eden, who was spared in an assault; all the others of the party were killed; at the beginning of the book Defoe (the head of Babel) says their satellites indicate she is still alive (I'm assuming she's the daughter of one of the other Babel big-wigs, David Requin, and we'll find out more about that in the next book) and that the Adamites revere children, especially since it seems they can no longer reproduce and the youngest of their own species is 21.
Emmett and the others sign their contracts, get on their spaceship, Genesis 11, and head out into space. They have to compete against each other in things like combat, manipulation of nyxia, and more, to determine which eight of them will go to Eden. There are team competitions and individual competitions.
These are the ten competitors:
Emmett--black kid from Detroit, uses music to manage his emotions; he worries about losing his humanity as he competes and wonders what Babel isn't telling them; his mom needs a kidney transplant and winning this competition will make sure she gets the best medical care out there and that his dad can stop busting his back getting nowhere
Kaya--Japanese, a strategist; Emmett's ally and suite-mate; they quickly become friends and he thinks of her like a sister; she was abandoned by her family and she sees colors/auras around each person
Roathy--perhaps the most damaged of all of them, he and Emmett become enemies when Emmett injures him in a combat competition; Emmett didn't mean to, but Roathy and his partner Isadora aren't forgiving and are determined to get revenge
Isadora--Brazilian, secretive and angry; is determined that Roathy will make it to Eden with her, no matter what she has to do to get him there (we don't really get to know much about her beyond that; I'm assuming we will in the next book)
Longwei--Asian, a loner and the highest scorer in their competition; he and Emmett don't hit it off but they do occasionally work together when they're on the same team and have to; has a chip on his shoulder
Jamie--Swiss, farm boy; Emmett initially thinks he's not really poor like the rest of them and is a jerk to him but comes to realize he was wrong; Jamie is competent at everything but excels at nothing
Azima--African, besides winning, she also wants to find a man strong enough to marry her
Jazzy--American, friendly, her main strength is staying calm
Katsu--Japanese, jokester, solid competitor
Bilal--Palestinian, the sweetest of the bunch; he's kind to everyone and even forgives Longwei when he intentionally/unnecessarily breaks his leg; he becomes like a brother to Emmett.

Emmett makes a lot of enemies--he and Longwei instantly dislike each other; when he injures Roathy, he makes an enemy of both him and Isadora. He initially offends Jamie. Kaya approaches him with the offer to be allies, which he accepts--and which he needs in order to stay human and not be too swept up in the competition. He also needs Bilal's friendship and goodness.

Down on earth, a reporter has published an article about Babel and their mission and the contestants, which Babel doesn't want the teens to know about or access. (Emmett realizes they use technology to scramble the airwaves when his dad is trying to talk to him about it.)

Kaya and Emmett's doctor (each pair has a doctor assigned to them) is Vandemeer, and he said he chose Emmett and Kaya because he believed in them. Roathy and Isadora's doctor, Karpinski, tries to kill Emmett because Roathy and Isadora told him to, and Emmett is allowed to kill him or forgive him; he forgives him. (In one of their simulated fights, he put a real sword in so that Jamie really cuts Emmett open.) Defoe cuts off one of Karpinski's ears.

Emmett swipes Vandemeer's extra access pass and he and Kaya explore the ship. Kaya is determined to figure out how to make it through a certain door; when she finally figures it out, Emmett doesn't want to go with her but he does. They go to a part of the ship where there is no nyxia--and find an Adamite, strapped down, blindfolded, and clearly having been tutored. He, not realizing it's a child (teen) near him, is able to manipulate the nyxia that Kaya is wearing and kills her. Emmett is forbidden to tell any of the others how she died. Defoe tells Emmett that the Adamite, Erone, was removed from the ship (but I don't know if that's actually true).

There's a chapter where we see Defoe videocalling with colleagues, discussing the problem with the newspaper article about their mission, which is very accurate and Defoe thinks there was probably a leak in the company. Defoe and Requin talk about making a bet about who will end up being the commander of the mission; Defoe says he won't take the best until he can find the aces he normally keeps up his sleeves. He also tells Rquin that Erone killed Kaya. Requin tells him to be more careful and "If he'd managed to overcome you, he would have torn the ship to pieces." Defoe responds, "Knowing Erone, he would have followed the flight pattern back so that he could tear your ship to pieces. He's fond of me. He hates you." Requin says, "Well, I did abduct him." (p. 233).

Defoe announces that with Kaya's death, the remaining three girls are guaranteed spots on Eden. This leads to Isadora intentionally throwing competitions to help Roathy, since she is guaranteed a spot.

Longwei injures Bilal; Emmett is furious about his cheap shot and attacks Longwei. Bilal's leg is broken and he can't compete in some of the competitions.

They arrive at the Tower Space Station, where they find out that Babel has a whole other set of recruits--10 teens who have been on Genesis 12 with Requin--and that the two teams will compete against each other twice a day on the Waterway, plus there will be individual combat competitions, and only the top fifteen will get to go to Eden--but the girls are all guaranteed spots. The other group works together as a team, and their leader, Morning, is way better at the competitions and strategy and manipulating Nyxia than any of the Genesis 11 kids. She and Emmett are attracted to each other, but she has promised her team she'll get them all on Eden; Emmett wants to win a spot, but his team loses, time and time again, to Morning's team; Emmett was initially the captain but th
Morning and Emmett talk; he tells her what happened to Kaya and she tells him one of her guys, Anton, got the Babel Files article and that they're wondering if something bigger is going on. She tells Anton permission to get more info (but we don't see what that info is or if he gets it)

Roathy and Isadora corner Emmett and try to hurt him when he's unarmed so Roathy will make it onto Eden; he has a hidden bit of nyxia that pretty much takes over and absorbs Roathy's nyxia and hurts Roathy. Emmett is safe from them, but freaked out because the nyxia manipulated him. Defoe seems to want Emmett to punish them--to kill them with the sword he could've used on Karpinski--but he doesn't. Vandemeer tells him he doesn't trust Babel anymore and that Emmett will be safer if they can get him to Eden.

It finally comes down to Bilal and Emmett and Loche (from 12) fighting for the final spot; in order for Emmett to go, he has to win his individual combat, Bilal has to lose his, Loche has to lose to Longwei, and 11 has to beat 12 in a Waterway competition. Defoe tells Emmett to change things up, to think like Kaya did and change how the game works; he says he's telling Emmett that because Emmett reminds him of himself and that he will work hard, whereas Loche will treat it like a vacation. All four things happen, so Emmett makes it.
Vandemeer gives him a nyxian charger he made for his mp3 player; Emmett gives him a copy of a photo of him and Kaya together. He wants to find Bilal to say good-bye but can't; Bilal leaves him a note--"Babel says I will be given another chance. I'm not sure what it will be, but perhaps I'll see you on Eden after all."
Emmett gets his key to his pod and heads to it to depart; while he's waiting to go, Morning tells him she wanted him to make it but she's still mad about what he pulled to win (he pulled her out of her boat so her team had to compete without her). Karpinski tries to talk to him--to tell him "he's waiting for you. I don't know why, but he's waiting for you." When Emmett goes to his station, he finds Roathy there. Roathy explains the four losers all have a second chance--each of them was allowed to fight one person for their spot on Eden. Roathy says that whoever doesn't win the fight will be sucked out into space. Again, Emmett's nyxia helps protect him. He uses it to create an air lock so Roathy won't get sucked out into space. Emmett leaves in his pod, wondering what happened with Bilal, and sees Isadora waiting in her pod, hoping to see Roathy. And then Emmett heads out into space.

Warcross

Warcross by Marie Lu 

Emika Chen is barely hanging on--orphaned years before, expelled from school, and with a criminal record, she doesn't have a whole lot of options. She's become a bounty hunter, finding those who gamble on Warcross, the virtual reality game that has exploded across the world. About to be evicted from her apartment, Emika does something crazy--she hacks into the opening game of the Warcross Championships and inadvertently shows her identity to the whole world. Afraid she's going to be arrested, instead, the develop of Warcross--Emika's idol--Hideo Tanaka flies her to Tokyo and gives her the chance to actually compete in the Warcross championship while helping Hideo to find someone else who has hacked into the game. As Emika looks for the hacker, Zero, she also has to keep him from figuring out she's looking for him, which proves tougher than she thought. 

Holy cow. This was...wow. I wasn't sure if this was going to hold my interest--I don't play video games at all, virtual reality just weird to me, and I'm not a big sci-fi fan--but I devoured it. I tend to care a lot more about the characters in a story than the setting (which might explain why I don't like sci-fi that much--there has to be a lot of world-building and those details aren't that interesting to me, typically), but Marie Lu's descriptions of the technology and the game kept my interest (really, that's a BIG deal). Even with all the details, the story moved forward really quickly. Emika is the sort of protagonist that you can't help but cheer for--the underprivileged underdog who is way smart and can totally hold her own. I also enjoyed seeing her developing romance. Although I did guess one of the twists in the plot, I totally didn't anticipate the other one--which, for me, was the perfect balance because I want some surprises but being right about others makes me feel connected to the story. This was a thrilling, exciting read and I can't wait for the sequel! 4.5 stars.

Carve the Mark

Carve the Mark
By Veronica Roth

So, I love reading books in series because it means I get to spend more time with characters I love...but I don't always remember what happened in earlier books when the next book in the series is published. So, this post is going to totally have SPOILERS--tons and tons of SPOILERS. I'm going to pretty much summarize the entire plot and tell who's who, so that when the next book comes out, I can look at this post to remind myself of what happened and important details. So, here's my synopsis of Carve the Mark.

The are nine planets orbiting within the currentstream barrier, each with certain things that make it unique. Thuvhe has two groups of people--the Thuvhites and the Shotets. The Shotets, led by the Noavek family, are scavengers who visit other planets and scavenge there and bring back what they find to renew it and make it good again. They are pretty bloodthirsty and they mark their arms with "kills". They are also determined to rule their planet--but the Oracles have proclaimed that Ryzek Noavek is fated to fall to the family Benesit. Like his parents before him, Ryzek is determined to find a way to avoid his fate--although the whole point of a fate is that it is destined, seen in whatever future the Oracles envision, no matter what different scenarios play out.

Each person is given a different gift through the currentstream--and Ryzek, who has been twisted and warped by his tyrannical father, will use whatever means he can to change his fate, including his own currentgift of taking people's memories and replacing them with his, and his sister Cyra's currentgift of hurting--torturing--people by merely touching them. Normally fates aren't publicly known, but when the fates of several people are announced, Ryzek sends soldiers to Thuvhe to capture those who will interfere with his mission.

The Kesreseth family is one Thuvhite family that is attacked. Akos is captured, as is his brother, Eijeh, who is fated to be the next Oracle. Their sister Cisi is spared, but their father is killed, and their mother Sifa (the current oracle) does nothing to stop any of this. Akos and Eijeh are taken to Ryzek, who demands that Eijeh prophesy for him, but Eijeh doesn't know how to use his gift. Akos has been trained as a soldier but then he is given to Cyra as a servant--because his currentgift is interrupts others' gifts, which means if he touches her, she is no longer in constant pain. He is determined to escape and to take Eijeh with him--but once he tries, Ryzek starts taking pieces of Eijeh's memory, replacing them with his own (horrible) memories, until Eijeh is barely recognizable as himself. Cyra has always done what her brother demanded, hurting people, so that he wouldn't tell anyone that she had (accidentally) killed their mother, but as she spends time with Akos, who has a goodness about him and also seems to believe there is something good in her, she refuses to help Ryzek--until he hurts Akos to punish her. From that point on, Cyra is ready to work with rebels and exiles to get Akos away from her brother--even if it means making him go without Eijeh. Cyra tries to lead an assassination attempt, but it fails--and then Ryzek makes her touch Akos (who, in a severely weakend state can't use his currentgift to interrupt her) to torture him. In so doing, though, Cyra, who has never been able to control her gift, resists. She loves Akos and refuses to hurt him, pulling the pain back into herself. When she does so, Akos is rescued by her allies; they take him to Thuvhe, where he meets up with his sister, Cisi, and her friend Isae (who is destined to be the Chancellor that Ryzek falls to) and her twin sister Ori (who keeps her sister safe as very few people know which of them is fated to be the Chancellor--and killing them in the wrong order can change things that people don't want changed). Ori is kidnapped by Shotets, so Cisi, Isae, and Akos go meet up with Jorek, a Shotet rebel (and Cyra's cousin).
Meanwhile, Cyra has been skinned on her face by Vas, her brother's soldier who can't feel pain, and has been challenged to fight him. However, Akos and his allies (including Teka, Jorek, and more) get her out of the arena. Akos has realized he cares for her, too. Sifa joins their group--and Akos has mixed feelings about her, since she didn't protect them and manipulates people sometimes through her visions. Based on Sifa's latest visions, the group decides that Akos and Isae will rescue Ori before Ryzek can assassinate her and that Cyra will publicly challenge Ryzek to a fight that he can't back down from without losing face. Akos, hoping to force Ryzek to restore Eijeh's memories, wants her to keep Ryzke alive, but she says she can't. When Akos and Isae go rescue Ori, she isn't in the prison that Sifa said she was in (Akos kills Vas on the way to get there). Cyra has gotten a reluctant ally, Yma, to poison Ryzek; she makes it look like she stabs him but really he is only unconscious; however, as that happens, Eijeh kills Ori, his former friend and then sort of goes into a trance--possibly affected by Ori's gift (but Akos doesn't know what her gift is). They get Ryzek and Eijeh back to the ship, where Ryzek tells Cyra she's not really his sister and that HIS father (not her father) is still alive.
Isae directs their ship to go to the Assembly, to show them she is alive. Akos, with his mother and sister, and now Cyra, sees that maybe you can get some things back...at least for now.


So, this was a fascinating world to enter. Akos is a likable character; he's good and loyal and he hates hurting people. Cyra is complicated--which is good. She's an excellent character for discussion--is she good? Is she bad? Is she to blame for how she is? etc. (Ryzek and Sifa also make for interesting discussion points.)

This reminds me of Graceling by Kristin Cashore--with special gifts that a wicked ruler uses to maintain power and exploit others. I'm really interested to see where things go in the next book.

4.5 stars.

Their Fractured Light

Their Fractured Light
By Amie Kaufman and Megan Spooner
 Sofia will do anything to get her revenge on Roderick LaRoux; he’s responsible for her father’s death, so she intends to repay him in kind. So she has learned how to read people, how to play on their sympathies and emotions, and how to reinvent herself to be whoever she needs to be in order to get closer and closer to LaRoux.

Gideon is a master hacker who wants to do more than just destroy LaRoux; he wants to take down all of LaRoux’s empire—and he’ll hunt down whoever is closest to LaRoux in order to exact revenge of his own. Used to hiding their true identities, neither Sofia nor Gideon is ready to bare all when their paths collide. But even as they can’t allow themselves to truly trust anyone, including each other, combining forces may be the only way to take down LaRoux and to save their entire universe from being destroyed.

I loved this book! I loved trying to guess what secrets Gideon and Sofia had and seeing what their motivations were and how they changed throughout the book. The plot was intense; there was so much action (but it wasn’t TOO much action), and it the book moved quickly. I couldn’t wait to see how things played out. I was also glad for the chance to see the main characters of the previous two books as they were brought into the story. Really exciting book; I couldn’t put it down!

Prodigy

Prodigy

By Marie Lu

Putnam, 2013. 384 pgs. Teen fiction (I read the ARC)

Summary:

Day and June have escaped from the Republic soldiers and make their way to join the Patriots; although they aren't entirely certain that they want to work with the Patriots, they figure joining them is the only way to get Day the medical attention that he needs and to try to get his little brother out of the hands to the Republic. After declaring their allegiance to the Patriots, they're told what their new assignments are: June is to return to the Republic and win the trust of the new Elector, Anden, by telling him of a plot against his life, all the while leading him into the true plot, where Day will assassinate him. As they settle into their responsibilities, both Day and June wonder if they're doing right thing, if assassination is really the right answer, and if they can trust anyone--including each other.

Review:

This sequel to Legend should have fans of the series frustrated, in that GOOD way that means the author has gotten you all emotionally invested in a book and taken characters (and by extension, readers), to somewhere they needed to go, even if it's painful. There's going to be a LOT of yelling, frustration, exclamations of disbelief, etc. as readers suffer through the last couple of chapters of this book and realize that they're going to have to wait a long time for any sort of resolution. That's not a bad thing, though--other than the fact that it's quite possible that the ending is going to leave readers crying or having panic attacks. 

There were a couple things I didn't necessarily like about book: for starters, Day and June's relationship. It seemed liked there's supposed to be this magnetic, hot attraction...but it felt forced sometimes. The emotion just seemed to be lacking sometimes. I was actually somewhat more intrigued by the developing love triangles (yes, plural--both Day and June have someone else who is interested in them, and who they could possibly develop feelings for) than the relationship between Day and June, for a lot of the book. Not all of it...but a lot of it. Also, perhaps a small note, and something that could probably be easily corrected in the final edition, but there seemed to be an over usage of parenthesis. Now, obviously, I'm a fan of them myself, but I have to say if the reader starts noticing how often you're using parenthesis, you're probably using them too often. What's the big deal, you ask? Well, I think it made the writing awkward; it seemed weak. A few parenthesis here and there is fine, but when you have several in a row, that can be a warning sign, and in this case, I think was indicative of Lu not always knowing how to incorporate descriptive details and internal dialogue into the rest of the sentence or paragraph. Unfortunately, that can jolt the reader out of the flow of the book, and I hope there's some revision to address that problem before the actual publication of the book.

Anyway, parenthesis aside, it's still an engaging book, with a good plot twists and a believably bad government. We get a look a really interesting new character (the new elector), and I'm excited to see what happens in the third book.

4 stars. A little bit of language and some making out.

The Drowned Cities

The Drowned Cities

By Paolo Bacigalupi

Little, Brown, and Company,2012. 436 pgs. Teen fiction (I read the ARC)

Summary:

In a future U.S., Mahlia is a castoff, the daughter of a Chinese peacekeeper who left her and her mother (a Drowned Cities resident) behind when the Chinese gave up their attempts to stop the various warlord groups from trying to wipe each other out. Mahlia has found refuge with a doctor in a village away from the Drowned Cities, but as a castoff, she's never been accepted by the rest of the villagers. Her one friend, Mouse, is a boy who has been orphaned by the war. When the two discover Tool, a wounded augment (a half-man, half-animal designed for war and killing), who is being hunted by a group of soldiers, Mahlia and Mouse are caught in the middle. As the bloodthirsty soldiers wreak havoc on the land and even force Mouse into their army, Mahlia must convince Tool to help her save her friend, even though the odds of success are essentially impossible.

Review:

There is a lot of blood, gore, and violence in this book, made all the more heart-rending by the fact that these are kids, not adults, who are fighting each other and trying to survive. Because of that, it's not an easy book to read, and some readers probably won't be able to stomach it. The violence continues pretty much to the very end, and while there's an element of hope at the end, I didn't quite feel like there was enough of an ending. This would be a good discussion book, as readers could delve into such topics as child soldiers and whether or not redemption is possible, but it's not one that I'd necessarily recommend for any sort of pleasure reading. It's gripping but disturbing.

3.5 stars. Language and LOTS of violence.

Cinder

Cinder
By Marissa Meyer
Feiwel & Friends, 2012. 390 pgs/540 mins. Teen fiction

In a future world, Earth, after the Fourth World War, has been divided into five nations. While they haven't had any more wars with each other, they are constantly threatened by the Lunars, the people who live on the moon, and for many years, a horrific, incurable plague has been killing off many of Earth's citizens. Cinder, has the misfortune of being a cyborg and being hated by her stepmother, is the best mechanic in New Beijing, and Prince Kai comes into have her fix an android. As she hides her identity as a cyborg from him, Cinder and Kai begin to develop a friendship. At the same time, however, Cinder's stepsister, Pearl, who is Cinder's only human friend, catches the plague. Cinder is "volunteered" as a research subject for doctors to study the plague. However, it turns out that Cinder isn't an ordinary cyborg, and she isn't who she thought she was--and her true identity is something that could quickly get her killed if anyone finds out the truth.

I wasn't sure how I'd feel about a science fiction retelling of a fairy tale; it seemed like an odd combination. It turned out to be pretty awesome, actually. Cinder is a wonderful protagonist; I love cheering for the underdog and watching her try to deal with who she is and how to free herself from a pretty miserable existence. The developing romance between Kai doesn't get as far in this book as readers might like, but it leaves us something to hope for in subsequent books in the series. There's kind of a lot going on with the plot, but Meyer did a great job weaving all of the plot lines together. Highly enjoyable and an easy recommendation. I listened to the audiobook, and I recommend that as well.

4.5 stars. Clean read.

Insurgent

Insurgent
By Veronica Roth
Katherine Tegen Books, 2012. 525 pgs. Teen fiction

Now that the Erudite faction has wiped out much of the Abnegation factor, a society that once thrived on its five factions each filling specific rolls is thrown into chaos. With Dauntless split between those who support Erudite and those who don't,Tris, Tobias, and the others who have managed to escape the Eruite now appeal to the other factions--Amity and Candor--for help, but find that neither of them may be in the position to prevent Erudite from killing anyone who gets in their way. When the opportunity arises for an unexpected alliance with the factionless, who are more powerful than anyone realized, Tobias thinks it's their best option, but Tris has reservations. She thinks they might have to trust the unlikeliest of people in order to figure out why Erudite launched their attack in the first place and what they can do to stop further destruction--but doing so means she has to betray those she loves the most.

This second book in the Divergent trilogy takes readers on just as breathtaking ride as the first one. With palpable fear and tension as Tris is trying to understand more about what it means to be Divergent, who she can trust, and why her world has suddenly crumbled, readers are going to be on the edge of their seats, anxious to find out what is going on and why! There's a twist that's hinted at that unfolds into a cliffhanger ending; readers are going to be groaning that they'll have to wait another year or so to see how things play out. I don't think I liked this one quite as much as the first book; there is some tension between Tris and Tobias that isn't much fun for readers who loved the romance angle of the first book and I'm not a huge fan of cliffhanger endings (and perhaps because I'm just grumpy today). However, I think readers will devour it...and really, groan very, very, very loudly when they realize there's still quite awhile to go before the third book comes out (no date announced as of today, at least).

4.5 stars. There wasn't a lot of language but there is a LOT of violence and some making out.

Hourglass

Hourglass
By Myra McEntire
Egmont, 2011. 390 pgs. Teen fiction

For several years, Emerson Cole has seen ghosts from the past, and she can't figure out how to make it stop. When Michael Weaver arrives from an organization called Hourglass, Em is eager to find out that she isn't alone in the world--other people have strange abilities as well--and impressed by Michael's dashing good looks. But it turns out that Michael isn't only there to help her; he also needs her help to travel back in time to prevent the death of a man who never should have died--and he insists that their task leaves them no room for romance. Em has to not only prevent the plans of a murder but also convince Michael that their connection is one worth bending a few rules for.

This book has some minor flaws that will be easily overlooked by most readers, who will be drawn in by Em's feistiness, a quick-moving plot, and the romance. The ending was a bit rushed, but it's good enough to tide readers over until the next book in the series. This is a good sci-fi pick for readers who don't really like sci-fi, since you can just kind of gloss over the time travel details (which aren't too heavily described) and enjoy the rest of the plot. There's a little bit of language, but overall it's pretty clean.

4 stars.

Legend

Legend

By Marie Lu

G. P. Putnam's Sons, 2011. 305 pgs. Teen fiction

Summary:

Day and June come from totally different worlds, even though they are both citizens of the Republic of America. June has been raised as a privileged member of the elite class, a military prodigy who scored a perfect 1500 on her Trial--something that has earned her some special opportunities but also leaves her a little too precocious for her own good. Day, however, is a poor criminal, a Trial failure who escaped from the government and and now is working against them. While he's never gone so far as to defect to the Colonies (the Republic's enemy that makes crazy claims they used to be one united country) or joined the Patriots (a group within the Republic working against the military government), he gets in his punches when he can. His latest challenge, though, is finding a cure for the plague that has infected his little brother. As Day is trying to protect his family, June is hunting him, determined to bring him to justice for killing her beloved brother.

Review:

Told in chapters alternating between Day's point of view and June's, this book does a great job conveying the inequity in this society. Both Day and June are interesting characters, and this is a book that could appeal to both male and female readers. It's also a good dystopia for reluctant readers; some dystopias are kinda detail-overloaded (at least for a reluctant reader), but this one is deep enough without getting too deep (in a totally good way). I assume this will be the start of a new series, but it doesn't have a cliffhanger ending, either, so readers will be satisfied with it as a stand-alone, too.

4 stars. Clean read...I think. I can't remember any language and there is definitely no sex. Some violence, but not described in gory detail.

Variant

Variant
By Robison Wells
HarperTeen, 2011. 376 pages. Teen fiction

Benson Fisher is a foster kid who has gotten a scholarship to a boarding school, the Maxfield Academy. However, when he gets there, he finds that everything about the school is seriously wrong. There are no teacher or administrators present and the students are divided into three different gangs who coexist somewhat peacefully, sometimes anyway. The constant threat of detention, which is equated with death, looms over them. While most students seem to accept that they're part of some weird experiment (although they don't really know what's going on), but Benson isn't willing to stick around. He's desperate to escape and wants to convince the others to escape as well..but he soon finds that he has no idea who he can trust.

This book started off pretty well; readers are drawn in with Benson, trying to figure out what the heck is going on and why--why are kids at a school with no teachers, why do they have to play weird paintball games, and what happens to the students who disappear? However, as interesting as the book is, the ending kinda throws a wrench in it. Things finally start to really unfold in about the hundred pages, but a lot of that is actually slow parts, and the real action and real answers come in the last thirty pages. It happens too quickly, it's really confusing trying to figure out who is on what side, and the book is left on a huge cliffhanger. (Okay, the cliffhanger might not bother some readers, but I personally want some sense of what's going on...particularly since I'll be waiting at least a year for them to publish the next book.) So, while it's interesting and entertaining, I think Wells has set himself on a very dangerous edge here--not enough questions were answered in this book, and the second book in a series tends to be the worst...so if he doesn't deliver a home run with the second book, it's going to be hard to convince readers to stick with it. The second book will really need to give a lot of answers and they have to come a lot faster--not in the last thirty pages of the book.

3.5 stars...but that's subject to change depending on what happens with the next book.
Mostly a clean read (there's some language, but nothing of the super harsh variety).
Good choice for teen guys.

Crossed

Crossed
By Ally Condie
Nov. 2011. 367 pgs. Teen fiction (I read the ARC)

Cassia finds a way to get to the Outer Provinces, where she is intent on finding Ky, despite the fact that he's been given a work assignment that is almost certain to kill him. However, he manages to escape into the Craving, a series of canyons that could lead to freedom. Ky is just as set on finding a way to get back to Cassia. However, when the two mind each, Ky realizes that Cassia has found out about the Rising, a rebellion against their Society--something Ky doesn't want to be a part of and would like to keep Cassia out of as well.

I think fans of Matched will like Crossed as well. It can be a bit slow; there's a LOT of time spent in the canyons, both before and after Ky and Cassia are reunited--and they don't find each other until over halfway through the book, so that made things seem a little slow as well. I didn't necessarily love the first book, and again, this one was just likeable for me, but I think fans will enjoy it--and I might like it better if I weren't totally burned out on dystopias and love triangles.

3 stars. Clean read.

Divergent

Divergent
By Veronica Roth
Katherine Tegen Books, 2011. 487 pgs. Teen fiction


Chicago is divided into five factions: Abnegation (the selfless), Amity (the peaceful), Candor (the honest), Dauntless (the brave), and Erudite (the intelligent). Each faction exemplifies the behaviors and attitudes that they think will most benefit the world and combat the problems of human nature. As teens reach a certain age, they are given an aptitude test that tells them which attributes they have, followed by a ceremony where they choose which group to remain with for the rest of their lives. Most people have one dominant attribute, but Beatrice Prior, who has been raised by her Abnegation parents and community, isn't sure she's selfless enough to stay with that faction. When her aptitude tests reveals that she has multiple dominant attributes, meaning she is divergent, she must choose which faction to join--as well as hide the fact that she's divergent, as she's been warned that her life depends on no one finding out her secret. Tris makes her choice, changing her name along with her alliances, and as she trains for her new faction, she struggles to know who to trust and starts to fall in love but also realizes that everything could be ripped away but a group that is ready to overthrow their way of life.

Some books just hook you, and some don't. For me, this one definitely did. I think this has the potential to be the new Hunger Games--the trilogy that everyone has to read and can't stop thinking about. With an intriguing dystopian world, engaging characters, action, adventure, romance, and more, there's not much that this book doesn't have. I will say that I thought the end of the book, where we see the conflict really unfolding, as the rebel group begins rolling out their plans, went by to quickly for me and was actually too easily resolved. Obviously, there's going to be a lot more going on in the next books, but I would have liked to see a little more in this one, as it all plays out in a matter of a few hours. On the other hand, Tris's training and personal growth and conflicts were explored in much more detail and over time, so the juxtaposition just made the larger, societal conflict seem glossed over. Still, I'm hooked, and I can't wait to see what happens next! A great choice for anyone who liked The Hunger Games, dystopia, romance, action, or kick-butt characters.

4.5 stars. As far as language goes, I think this one's pretty clean. There's a lot of violence, though. Sexuality is minimal; there's some kissing, a little sexual tension, and a discussion of how two characters might possibly at some point in the future if they're ready, sleep together.

P.S. (3/26/12) I listened to the audio version of this book last week. I was a little apprehensive at first, since I know a bad narrator can ruin a good book, but , I was quite satisfied with the narrator. Very well done.

Unwind

Unwind
By Neal Shusterman
Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers, 2007. 335 pgs. Teen fiction

A couple generations in the future, a war has been fought over whether abortion is acceptable or not, and unexpected compromise has been reached: babies can't be aborted but when a child is between the ages of 13 and 18, parents can choose to have them unwound, which is the process of harvesting all of their parts and transplanting them to other humans in need of those parts. Connor's parents choose to have him unwound because of his behavior; Risa is an orphan who is deemed as not quite good enough to be allowed to continue existing, and Lev is a tithe, being unwound because of his family's religious beliefs. The three teens cross paths, and soon, they're trying to figure out how to survive in a world that says they don't deserve to live.

Ah! Why did I not read this book 4 years ago when it came out? I don't know, but I'm glad I finally got around to it! I really, really liked this book (which sounds funny to say...how can you like about about unwinding people, right?). It's thought-provoking, it's edgy, it's emotional, it has great characters (I loved Connor and Risa, and Lev is a good secondary character.), and it says a lot about how we value life. From the first page, I was hooked. I love the fact that this isn't just a book about an issue; it has real, well-developed characters and while it makes a statement, it also makes you care about the people in the story.

4.5 stars. Clean read (I think...maybe there's a little language...and there it's implied that two characters might like to go past kissing but they don't.)

Dark Life

Dark Life
By Kat Falls
Scholastic Press, 2010. 297 pgs. Teen fiction

In a future world, Ty has spent his whole life living under the sea, and he loves it there. However, problems threaten to change his way of life: a group of bandits, called Seablite, attack ships coming in from the government, and the government threatens to cut off all supply shipments if settlers don't form a posse and track them down. At the same time, Ty meets a Topsider, Gemma, who has some underwater to look for her brother, and Ty, who hasn't ever had any other teenagers to hang out with, quickly becomes involved in her search--and in trying to keep her, and others, from discovering that he has a dark secret: people have speculated that children of the sea settlers has special powers, and while Ty does indeed have a dark gift, he doesn't want anyone to know.

This underwater western-style book mixes in adventure, dystopia, and a hint of romance. The ending is resolved a little bit too quickly, with not quite enough attention and detail given to Gemma's brother or her future, and Ty and his sister both have a chance to display their special talents, but the climatic scenes where they do that are wrapped up in fewer than twenty pages, making it a little rushed for my tastes. Additionally, the romance could have been built up a little bit more; it's introduced rather abruptly, and while I believe that a 15-year-old boy has been falling for the girl all along, the story doesn't really show that. (Maybe that's a plus for male readers, but as a female reader, I'd have liked a little more to show that he's interested, rather than just a retrospective "oh, yeah, I've wanted to kiss her since I met her" thought.) All in all, though, readers looking for an adventure will like this one.

3.5 stars.